#Booksof2025 89 - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog by Dylan Thomas. A collection of stories based on his childhood and young adulthood in Wales. As a honorary Welshman, I probably should have read this years ago, but instead I've read this copy I found in Zambia a few years ago. #BookSky

This book is probably my origin story. During one school term, a friend and I spent every break time reading this book rather than going to the playground.

And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, was the one who caught and ate Scrat's nut. The family made me watch Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas earlier.

#Booksof2025 88 - Julia by @sannewman.bsky.social At first, I wasn't sure that the world of George Orwell's 1984 needed fleshing out, but I was won over by the end. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 87 - An American Decade by Richard Aronowitz. Christopher is a singer who moves to New York from Germany in the 1930s, but family connections keep drawing him back. The politics felt a little heavy handed; lots of "tell" rather than "show". #BookSky.

#Booksof2025 86 - Men of Men by Wilbur Smith. I don't think it is possible for a book to have a more fitting title. This is a book about men doing men things, whilst the women swoon at how manly the men are, and so on for 500 pages. #BookSky

After many attempts, I finally managed to persuade the family to climb Lions Head in Cape Town. It was both easier and harder than expected. The reward for reaching the top was this clear view of Cape Town.

#Booksof2025 85 - Defectors by Joseph Kanon A spy thriller set in Moscow during the early 60s. It's about betrayal between brothers and the addiction of keeping secrets. The ending is a bit of a letdown, but still a good read. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 84 - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams. I've read this many times, and it never fails to delight. What struck me this time was the relatively late appearance of the titular detective agency. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 83 - The Gunny Sack by M.G. Vassanji. After Salim Juma inherits his great aunt's gunny sack, it reveals the history of his Indian origin family and their lives in what are now Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 82 - Nasser Road: Political Posters in Uganda by @kristoftiteca.bsky.social An analysis of the Kampala printing phenomenon, where famous domestic and international figures are portrayed as Iron Men, Robo-Cops and other exaggerated military superheroes. A short but great read #BookSky

Played Ticket to Ride: Europe on 2025-11-29 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/14... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

#Booksof2025 81 - A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. Kirabo is a teenage girl growing up in Uganda in the late 70s. She is trying to find out who her mother is, whilst navigating the expectations and challenges women face. I enjoyed it, possibly more than Kintu. #BookSky

At the time, I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Angel to a slightly lesser extent). When my children were born, I looked forward to when they would be old enjoy to watch it. Now that they almost are, I look back at it and think... maybe not.

I went to an Australian event last night, and despite all the conversations about Australian successes in technology, health etc, I couldn't stop thinking about the Emu War.

#Booksof2025 80 - If Walls Could Talk by Lucy Worsley A potted history of the home via the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and 'frontroom' (The naming conventions for this room is one of the most interesting chapters). No chapters goes into great depth, but an interesting read. #BookSky

Played Wingspan on 2025-11-11 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/26... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Played Quacks on 2025-11-11 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

#Booksof2025 79 - Late Cuts by Vic Marks. A series of short essays on different aspects of cricket. I particularly liked the essay on bowling spells, and the thoughts on what goes through a bowlers mind when it starts going wrong. And he really dislikes The Hundred, which helps. #BookSky #CricketSky

#Bokksof2025 78 - The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year by Sue Townsend. This is not the continuous laugh out loud comedy suggested by the front cover quotes. The best parts are quite melancholy and plaintive, but some of the characters are unfunny caricatures. #BookSky

Played EXIT: The Game – The Polar Station today boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com Maybe it was the Danish fig flavoured schnapps I was drinking, but this game seemed a lot harder than it should have been.

Played Ticket to Ride Map Collection 7: Japan & Italy on 2025-10-26 boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexp... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

#Booksof2025 77 - Stone Blind by @nataliehaynes.bsky.social A fantastic retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa and Perseus. The latter gets a lot of rightful shade thrown at him. A really good book. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 76 - In A Sorry State by @jpjoughin.bsky.social A satire about poverty reduction and the development industry set in Uganda in 2011 #BookSky

Not quite a @legolostatsea.bsky.social but an empty packet of chocolate chip cookies for the UK cornershop market was not something I expected to find on a Zanzibari beach. The Best Before date was May 2025, so I suspect it had been washing around for some time.

#BookSky Formulae for a good holiday. 1) 0<Books taken on holiday<Books read on holiday. 2) 0<Books obtained whilst on holiday

#Booksof2025 75 - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A party at the house of the vice president of an unnamed Latin American republic turns into a long running hostage situation. The exaggerated scenario fits with the recurring opera theme and has a sweet charm about love, life and death. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 74 - The Perfect Golden Circle by @benjaminmyers76.bsky.social The summer of 1989 in southern England and two friends, Redbone and Calvert are spending their weekends creating crop circles. Has the perfect end of summer tinge of melancholy. A great book. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 - Republican Party Reptile by PJ O'Rourke An odd book. The 'comic' essays are tedious and boring, but the factual essays are well written and interesting. Particularly his criticism of Reagan's support for Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 72 - The Men by @sannewman.bsky.social One day all the world's men suddenly disappear. Where did they go, and what are the consequences for the world's women? Enjoyable and interesting, but I thought the plot unravelled towards the end. ##BookSky

#Booksof2025 71 - The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates. A thought-provoking memoir about Ta-Nehisi's childhood in Baltimore, and in particular, his relationship with his father. There is sadness and struggles, but also humour. Made me reflect on my teenage past. Highly Recommended #BookSky

#Booksof2025 70 - We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo The story of Darling, a Zimbabwean girl growing up in the slums of Harare before moving to America. #BookSky

Played Ticket to Ride Map Collection 5: United Kingdom & Pennsylvania today boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexp... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Played Qwirkle 2 times on 2025-10-11 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Played CuBirds 2 times on 2025-10-11 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

#Booksof2025 69 - Displacement by @kikuhughes.bsky.social The story of the Japanese internment camps set up in the USA during WW2 as told through the eyes of a teenage girl who has been displaced through time. Interesting story told in a different and thoughtful way. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 68 - A Castle in England by Jamie Rhodes. A collection of stories inspired by the history of Scotney Castle in Kent.

My new book of science cartoons, PHYSICS FOR CATS is out in a week! Order a copy today from you local bookshop or at one of the links here: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2

#Booksof2025 67 - A Thousand Ships by @nataliehaynes.bsky.social A retelling of the story of the Trojan Wars through the eyes of the women involved. A powerful and wonderful read, with a mix of famous names (Helen, Penelope etc) and lesser known such as Laodamia and Penthesilea. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 66 - Notes From The Burning Age by Claire North (aka Catherine Webb), who is one of the best current science fiction authors. It's a spy thriller set in a post-environmental collapse future. It has themes of forgiveness and taking the long term approach. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 65 - The Zombie Survival Guide by @maxbrooks.bsky.social A companion piece to World War Z, it is full of practical tips on how to handle a zombie outbreak. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 64 - The Star Witness by Andy Hamilton I think I would have enjoyed this satire on celebrity culture more if I read it when it first came out. I just wasn't particularly interested in the main character, or the situations he found himself in. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 63 - Civilisations by @atahualpavasari.bsky.social (translated by Sam Taylor). Alternative History fiction where vikings reach the Caribbean, hundreds of years later the Inca invade Europe... then the Aztec cross the Atlantic. Interesting ideas told in a different way #BookSky

#Booksof2025 62 - Bearmouth by @londonbessie.bsky.social (Liz Hyder) YA adventure set in a very deep, very dark coal mine. Style is reminiscent of Feersum Endjinn by Iain M Banks. In a way, a good primer for early teenagers on workers' rights. #BookSky

Played Sushi Go! 3 times on 2025-08-30 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Played Ticket to Ride: Europe 2 times on 2025-08-30 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/14... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

#Booksof2025 61 - Fake Heroes by @ottoenglish.bsky.social Ten biographies of 'heroes' such as JFK, Mother Theresa and Robert Scott, that explains how they were actually 'wrong uns'. Informative and funny; I really enjoyed it. #BookSky

#Booksof2025 60 - Dune by Frank Herbert. As I child, I remember seeing this edition on my parents' bookshelf and feeling daunted by the size of it. I'm pleased I've now read it; it is packed full of interesting ideas. Not sure I need to read the sequels #BookSky

Played Wildlife Adventure on 2025-08-23 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156 #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Watched Uganda play South Africa last night at CHAN 2024. The crowd atmosphere was great. Rollercoaster match with Uganda taking the lead, then going 3-1 down before getting two late penalties to level the match and top the group. Go Cranes!