Nine years ago I interviewed Naomi Klein. This is how she was welcomed to Bristol (by Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft). She was delighted to see this.

About to embark on a BS Johnson read for my project on Bristol in the 1960s. Johnson’s book reviews were published in the Western Daily Press. Coe’s biography is recommended.

Looking forward to this. Some People, A Hard Days Night and Samira Ahmed. Buster Keaton too. Terrific work from @swsilents.bsky.social.   www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/bri...

New Festival of Economics website launched today. Lots of events coming up in November and you can book now for most of them. economicsfestival.co.uk.

2026 Watching #122: Virginia Wool’s Night and Day. Interesting story but dull film. It was too hot in the cinema which didn’t help. But I doubt I’ll try another viewing. Best read the book.

‘…Caine isn’t really telling the story. Instead, he licensed his voice to ElevenLabs, a company that produces audiobooks and other content voiced by artificial intelligence, which used an A.I. clone of his voice for the project.’

Threads is part of Bleak Week at @wshed.bsky.social. There’s more coming up. Programme here: www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/seas...

Just spotted. Publishing June 2027.

2026 Watching #121: Threads. I introduced Threads last night. It was a remarkable experience. I spent a decade researching nuclear war including responding to nuclear attack. I haven’t seen Threads since it first came out. Barry Hines as writer and Mick Jackson’s direction both brilliant.

A new book by David Thomson is something to look forward to. His new one continues to show his recent concerns about the movies. I can understand some of the weariness and worries. I’ll be an eager early reader of A Sudden Flicker of Light. But I’ll go to the cinema too - three new films this week.

Hydration break while reading old report from 1991 reviewing my research on a nuclear attack on East Anglia. I’m introducing Threads tonight at @wshed.bsky.social and will talk about this. My advice: move to Peterborough.

Fine piece by Hadley Freeman on Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 40 years on. Time for another watch.

The line up for the Bristol Festival of Economics is already looking top drawer for later this year, in November. There's a new website and social media accounts and all that good stuff in the pipeline.

Currently working on this year’s Festival of Economics. Follow @economicsfestival.bsky.social for news, programme and updates.

Hydration break in school rugby and football.

I hope it’s candid.

‘I have…a sense of urgency to record those parts of our heritage which seem to be receding as quickly as the view from the rear of a speeding train. I fear that we are eradicating the evidence of our past accomplishments so quickly that in time we may well lose the sense of who we are.’

I’ve encountered some of Plowden’s work in exhibitions but there’s a lot more to see. What a wonderful career.

2026 Exhibitions #12: Francisco de Zurbarán at the National Gallery.

2026 Watching #120: Disclosure Day. Worthy fare bringing together alien conspiracies, Roswell, crop circles, an attack on vivisection and cruelty, car chase and wider troubles in the world. Emily Blunt good. Last 45 minutes are best. But it does go on a bit. John Williams score.

To be honest, the ‘curated box’ of safety pins and nail clippers looks like our kitchen drawer.

In Labour’s election victory in Bristol in 1963 it seems that a factor for two candidates - winning or losing - was their hirsute nature. From Western Daily Press.

2026 Watching 2026 #119: The Day the Earth Caught Fire. Another viewing of one of my favourite films, this time as preparation for my introduction to Threads 22 June @wshed.bsky.social. Low budget but high impact. And you see an early 1960s Daily Express office. Lots of extras too in BFI release.

2026 Watching #118: The Witness. Third Netflix series in a week and another good one. The horrific murder of Rachel Nickell and its aftermath on her partner and son is told sensitively, helped by excellent acting. Police incompetence rightly attacked as is some behaviour by journalists.

2026 Watching #117: The Four Seasons. I enjoyed season one. Season two is even better. Fine cast and good writing. Around four hours in total. It’s hard not to binge watch.

Good review of Sarah O’Connor’s new book on AI, robots and the future of work. @sarahoconnorft.ft.com will be speaking in Festival of Economics in November.

‘Swifts are on the UK red list of birds of conservation concern. Their population has declined by about 60% since the 1990s.’ Disgraceful action by Clarion Housing.

I read a lot but I wish I could read and remember like Harold Bloom: ‘He read “Moby-Dick” at 9. He could devour 400-page books in an hour. He had a photographic memory. As an after-dinner party game, he liked to recite “Paradise Lost,” starting from any line a tipsy guest chose.’

Books read June #1: Brian Dillon: Ambivalence out now from @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social ‘Brian Dillon is a stimulating intellectual companion, quietly heroic in his determination “to pursue a life in words and ideas”, yet by his own harsh estimate slothful and unfocused.’ This is a fine book.

Books read May 2026 #18: Howard Jacobson - brilliant book on being Jewish post 7/10 in England. Books read May 2026 #19: Emile Zola - excellent start to my reading of the complete Rougon-Macquart series. Books read May 2026 #20: Helen Garner - huge amounts of praise for this but I didn’t enjoy it.

2026 Watching #116: The Buroughs. Strange(r) things happen in a retirement community. Very good.

Books read May 2026 #17: Nina Allan: A Granite Silence. Good, atmospheric novel based on a true story of the murder of eight-year-old Helen Priestly in Aberdeen in 1934.

Books read May 2026 #16 Anita Brookner: Latecomers. With Hermione Lee’s biography of Brookner published this year I felt it was time to read more of Brookner’s work. This is a very good read about the Kindertransport, two boys making their way in post-war Britain and the difficulties of going back.

A new Coe book. Nice. Looks like a good read for Christmas.

Seen during recent London visit. This must have been a fine club.

Books read May 2026 #15. I read Caroline Moorhead’s biography of Sciascia last month and ordered a few of his books from the library. Read this before but a long time ago. He is one of the best crime writers and manages to say more in just over 100 pages than other writers who need 300/400 pages.

Books read May 2026 #14 George Saunders: Vigil. Have to confess I didn’t like this. Reading it felt like a duty, not a joy.

Books read May 2026 #13 Solvej Balle: On the Calculation of Volume (Book IV). This series continues to enthral and confuse. There’s a lot in this one as more join the people stuck in 18 November. They are quick to read but my goodness you spend a lot of time thinking about them.

I’m part of Bleak Week @wshed.bsky.social 22 June talking about my past work researching and planning for a nuclear attack on the UK and especially Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. I’ll also talk about Threads which I’ll introduce.

Don’t miss this. If you buy a pass you can book now. And read @pamhutch.bsky.social book on the film from @stickingplacebk.bsky.social.

2026 watching #114 and #115. BBC iPlayer is running the 1980s series about a medical practice in a declining university as well as the follow up TV drama A Very Polish Practice. I remember them as comedy - and there are many funny moments - but on a second viewing the experience is much darker.

2026 watching #113: Hen. Fine filming - and good to see the chicken/s as the stars. I liked this even though one plot point seemed implausible and the two main story lines didn’t cohere fully.

2026 watching #112: Power Ballad: singer in a wedding band spends a drunken night with a former boy band singer who makes a hit of the song he has written only to receive no recognition or money. Familiar story, but worth watching.

Books read May 2026 # 11 and 12. I hosted an event with Claire Lynch and Anthony Shapland this week at the fine Small City Bookshop. Two short books with great power covering many issues: the 1980s and today, Section 28, custody battles, village/ rural life and being different, the miner’s strike.

Books read May 2026 #10. Another triumph from Douglas Stuart. Here’s the New Yorker on it.

Cinema Rediscovered programme @wshed.bsky.social now launched. Get a pass to book now. I’ve booked 19 films. Looking forward to this. www.watershed.co.uk/cinema-redis...

Books read May 2026 #9: latest volume in David Kynaston’s series on Britain since 1945. These are big and rewarding books bringing together a huge range of sources to provide a history of our times showing a changing Britain. It is a remarkable achievement with more to come. Next one out this year.

Silly move by a cinema that looks like it’s got it right up to now.

On Makerfield, this is also very good by @robfordmancs.bsky.social.

This is very good. I wish we had this kind of reporting in the West of England.