Immediate pre-order this afternoon. Go go go, said the bird. @claypipemusic.bsky.social @andrewwasylyk.bsky.social @backlisted.bsky.social

Judy Collins's In My Life was one of the first LPs recorded at Sound Techniques in Chelsea. This INVENTORY entertains the idea of bumping into the ISB, Nick Drake, Nico, Sandy Denny, John Cale, John & Bev Martyn, the Collins sisters and Françoise Hardy circa 1970 in the lobby. At the same time.

We haven't recorded the @backlisted.bsky.social episode on Iris Murdoch yet. No sooner had I posted this last month than our guest fell ill. Hoping to reschedule soon. I don't want to have read this lot in vain.

Julian Barnes has announced his retirement. It occurs to me that two of his musical heroes, rather than literary ones, did the same: Jacques Brel and Jean Sibelius. www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

A new instalment of INVENTORY is available now via the @backlisted.bsky.social Patreon. Sign up as a Locklistener today, read of In My Life (1966) and Love, Death & the Lady (1970), support the podcast. This week: A Tale of Three Collins: Dolly, Judy and Shirley. www.patreon.com/backlisted

In a West End town, a dead end world / I have measured out my life with West End Girls

If you haven’t listened to the remarkable songs of Jake Thackray, you are missing out. The same is true of his wonderful prose. #TheUnsungWriter www.paulthompsonmusic.co.uk/product-page...

Browsing podcasts to gear up to teach Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf for the first time in about ten years, and let me tell you, when I stumbled upon a show featuring my dear @backlisted.bsky.social hosts as guests, I made a sound usually reserved for sporting events. cc: @douglasschatz.bsky.social

Another of those films that I was barely aware of this morning and consider an all-time great by evening: The Small Back Room boxd.it/cryDrd

I have been writing about Judy Collins’s album In My Life today for Inventory. What a magical record. She never came close to matching it IMIO, but then neither did anyone else.

I have been catching up on R4's Strong Message Here, hosted by Armando Iannucci and pals. It's clever, informative, very funny and arguably pretty biased. But they are minded to take tough decisions and make no apology for it, because they trust the British public. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

The 25-hour Moby-Dick Marathon is taking place live now at the New Bedford Whaling Museum!

Happy birthday JRR Tolkien! On this day, January 3 of 1892, the author of The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit was born! I am so thankful for his lifelong devotion to storytelling and world-building, and I am inspired everyday to pursue beauty, goodness, and truth because of him.

At the current show on Le Guin's life and work in Portland, visitors can try out her old typewriter. She bought it used in 1966, after she sold her 2nd novel, Planet of Exile. She typed A Wizard of Earthsea on it, Left Hand of Darkness, Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed...

Earlier this year, I did an in-store interview about The Golden Age Of Children's TV with Andy Miller for Dead Ink Books in Liverpool - ask your local bookshop if you want me to do one there! - anyway it was great fun and here it is... timworthington.org/2025/04/10/d...

Guess what turned up in the local Bookswap, so of course I had to read it again - Imogen by Jilly Cooper which was featured on @backlisted.bsky.social a while ago. These came out in the late 70s, our teenage years, perfect timing. I’d forgotten how full of puns and wordplay they are: such fun

A special New Year's Day INVENTORY is available now via the @backlisted.bsky.social Patreon. Sign up as a Locklistener today, hit 2026 running with Pulp, Dog Day Afternoon and The Fallen Women, support the podcast. This week: Jarvis Cocker, 'The Loss Adjuster'. www.patreon.com/backlisted

Dec reading. Thanks to @stuhennigan.bsky.social @ortacpress.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social @lesfugitivespress.bsky.social @jonathancape.bsky.social @scratchbooks.bsky.social @judecook.bsky.social @faberbooks.bsky.social @backlisted.bsky.social @burningshed.com @thamesandhudson.bsky.social

Meet the new year, same as the old year.

Favourite @backlisted.bsky.social episodes of 2025: I would never in a million years have read The Unconsoled without the Backlisted crew and the companionship of the community of listeners that has gathered around this wonderful book podcast. www.backlisted.fm/episodes/237

My other big favourite @backlisted.bsky.social listening and shared reading experience this year was the Wuthering Heights episode. As a companion to reading the book, listening to this episode is like having a countercultural York Notes at your elbow. www.backlisted.fm/episodes/251... Recommended

VERY niche book rec request: I'd like to read a non fic about private military contractors in the late 20th/early 21st century. Also one on private government contractors who are rubbish, a la G4S. (Or one on both, rubbish private military contractors also welcome!)

Reading Rob’s amazing ‘choose your own adventure’ short story collection WE ALL HEAR STORIES IN THE DARK for the #Beowulf episode of @backlisted.bsky.social in 2020 was life-changing! @robertshearman.bsky.social

Thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas episode of @backlisted.bsky.social on the Asterix books- in sound and picture via YouTube! Such a delight to finally see my dear friend @robertshearman.bsky.social inducted as an official member of the Backlisted family ❤️

“Where do you get your ideas from, Ms Le Guin?” From forgetting Dostoyevsky and reading road signs backwards, naturally. Where else?

It was a long way to go but it was worth it. 2026 starts here. bsky.app/profile/chop...

@backlisted.bsky.social Of course. (Today’s New York Times)

Caught up with the @backlisted.bsky.social Christmas episode on Asterix and found I've been pronouncing Toutatis wrongly in my head for 40 years

The first Sunday after Christmas. The streets are empty and there are few trains running. I write you these words from the 6.25am coach to Birmingham. The driver is “a character” oh god oh god.

Backlisted is the #2 podcast for so-called “bookworms”*, according to the New York Times. I prefer to think of them as “bookübermenschen”.

Bookwyrm

Backlisted has introduced me to so many great writers, but none continue to amaze me across their work like Annie Dillard. I’ve only just started The Writing Life yet I’m already swooning; her ecstatic register doesn’t hesitate to pack a punch. Here she is, talking about ditching one’s first draft:

Backlisted is such a wonderful listen. Recently I read Parable of the Sower and Last Exit to Brooklyn after listening to the very absorbing episodes on both of these incredible books

Not too shabby, @backlisted.bsky.social!

“Professional enthusiast.”

I was once accused of being “an intellectual”.

#NowPlaying Inspired by Andy's lovely essay, I giving this its first airing in a while. I bought this as a teenager & found it a bit too twee at first. My girlfriend at the time then pointed out that it was no more twee than the Tyrannosaurus Rex albums that I had subjected her to over the years.

Wanted to say thank you (to you and @backlisted.bsky.social) for starting me on a long run of Ursula K Le Guin and perhaps "The story of art without..." is a good opening.

Link to the episode here if anyone wants to check it out www.backlisted.fm/episodes/251...

Was saving the @backlisted.bsky.social episode on Wuthering Heights for Christmas when I was back home to listen to on the moors. Didn’t account for the weather & howling winds… did make it more atmospheric but resulted in very bad hair..

Rather apt Christmas present considering the latest episode of @backlisted.bsky.social

Just caught up with the Christmas Day Inventory... This one is free, so I highly recommend reading... Another lovely, thoughtful and moving piece by @iammilliam.bsky.social 🙏💙

This is a lovely and very moving tale of Christmases past and music eternal.

This Inventory wouldn’t have been possible without @daveamitri.bsky.social, his partner Josie and her Uncle Terry, whose collection of ISB albums this is. Thanks for sharing them with me. Thank too to Stephen @thelilactime.bsky.social for welcoming me into the fold. x @backlisted.bsky.social

A special Christmas INVENTORY is FREE via the @backlisted.bsky.social Patreon now. What the Incredible String Band got up to 58 years ago today, and may the pure light within you guide you all the way on. 🙏 Christmas Day 1967/2025: The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter. www.patreon.com/backlisted

And if you prefer to watch Andy, Una, Robert and Louie talking about Asterix, well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you. MERRY CHRISTMAS, BY TOUTATIS! youtu.be/3toO3fAYPlw?...

New Christmas episode up now! Asterix and the Roman Agent - and LOADS more Asterix books - with Louie Stowell, Robert Shearman, Una McCormack & Andy Miller. 🎄📚🎅 @robertshearman.bsky.social @louiestowell.bsky.social @unamccormack.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/6mIn...

Took a break from our Christmas as I knew there was a new Inventory. As I now wipe a tear from my eye, thank you Andy! The best I can do is repeat the ISB wish to you too: May the long-time sun shine upon you All love surround you And the pure light within you Guide you all the way on.

This is a beautiful piece on the Incredible String Band and, y’know, life.