Written by a doctor at St Thomas' Hospital, London after the Tommy Robinson march on 13/9.

The van proudly leading yesterday’s far-right march in Newtown, Powys. If you’re going to shag a flag, at least get it the right way round…

On the same day in the Telegraph:

Diolch o galon @mikeparker.bsky.social for taking me on this beautiful journey, it’s a wonderful eye-opener. Cymreictod is so many individual things to so many people, yet in this complicated relationship with ‘the border’ you make it make sense. Ewch i ddarllen - such a brilliant read.

In September, the audiobook of All the Wide Border: Wales, England and the Places Between is on Audible for £3.99. “A brilliant, fascinating book…funny and lyrical” said comedian Miles Jupp. And it’s read by me too, finally getting some use out my drama degree! 👇🏼 www.audible.co.uk/pd/All-the-W...

Really good piece.

Still very much on the hunt for this. Anyone found a copy?

Congrats to all the hard-working journos and editors who have spent the whole summer straining like constipated turtles to whip up racist riots. You managed it, just in the nick of time! Weather’s turned, it’s back to school, and people are going to die. You must be so pleased with yourselves.

Should be a terrific evening of discussion and music next Saturday in #Aberystwyth, organised by Planet magazine. I’ll be reading/performing a new piece, weaving together death and family…flags and fascism…queerness and Cymru. With some jokes. Details/tickets 👇🏼 www.seetickets.com/event/planet...

Reform isn’t a political party. It’s a corporate lobbying firm. The business model is simple. Wealthy elites pay Farage to push policies that could make them millions. 4 infuriating examples:

Had a fabulous natter with my old mate Mrs Barbara Nice on her podcast. From fashion to Farage, we covered quite a bit of ground! Thanks for the brilliant hosting by @brumradio.com podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Publication day!! Find out how C18th Welsh cultural revivalism positioned itself within an expanding British Empire and a newly-minted British state. Includes Welsh sources on slavery/abolition, settler colonialism, Indigenous America, and more 🚨🚨🚨 35% off all formats with the code BB135 🚨🚨🚨

Dau geiliog gyda’i gilydd - dau gegog, dau geiliog digwilydd, dau geiliog ffond o gelwydd gwneud caniad heb doriad dydd.

A farewell to my mum, whose funeral was earlier this week. mikeparker.uk/2025/08/01/m...

People of Dolgellau, Llandudno and Betws-y-Coed - this all-human circus is heading your way over the coming few weeks. Saw them this weekend in Machynlleth and it was an absolute blast! Some genuine thrills, lovely music and so much joy and laughter. www.peregrinecircus.com/book-tickets

New on the blog: The arcane alphabets of Black Sabbath To commemorate Ozzy Osbourne, we took a deep dive into the obscure typefaces used on Black Sabbath’s first four album covers. fontsinuse.com/uses/35835/t... (Buckle up, it’s a long one.)

Worse thing is, they won’t carry the blame. When the day comes that traumatised people are incinerated in a Travelodge, the media will let the foghorn agitators wriggle off the hook, because if they question them properly, they’ll have to interrogate their own complicity, and that will never happen.

@mikeparker.bsky.social I've written a short review of your book for Liberator magazine.

Ein gardd (a ni), a’r annwyl Sioned Blodau, ar y telly neithiwr: First few minutes of this is us and our garden filmed on a glorious day a couple of weeks ago: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

I want to do (and have printed) a photo album of 30 - 50 pictures. Any particular recommendations for sites that do this? I’ve used the Apple album thing for this before, but I imagine there’s other good, possibly better, options out there. Diolch!

Chwilio am rywbeth i wrando arno heddiw? Beth gwell na chlywed hanes ysbrydol yr awdur @mikeparker.bsky.social am ei fywyd yn y canolbarth? O sgwennu'r Rough Guide to Wales i rêfs a'r sîn creadigol ym #Machynlleth: hefyd.podbean.com/e/mike-parke... #Cymru #DysguCymraeg #Cymraeg

A typically brilliant piece from Jason Okundaye. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Think a lot about a guy I know who went to Cardiff museum on acid, it got a bit much but he managed to find a quiet dark room, then suddenly the lights went up, a giant turtle hanging from the ceiling filled the room, and a booming voice started a monologue with "YOU KILLED ME"

Diolch i'r awdur a darlledwr @mikeparker.bsky.social am y sgwrs hyfryd ar fy mhodlediad. Wedi bod yn ffan o'i lyfrau ers sbel felly diddorol iawn i glywed am ei daith dysgu Cymraeg. Gwrandewch yma: hefyd.podbean.com/e/mike-parke... #podlediadHefyd #Cymraeg #DysguCymraeg

Couple of events this week and next... Friday 18th, 2pm, a whistlestop armchair tour of Cymru for the Machynlleth U3A group, open to all. Weds 23rd, 6.30pm, Waterstones Aberystwyth, I'll be in conversation with Alys Fowler about her new book Peatlands. Details of both: mikeparker.uk/events/

Couple of events this week and next... Friday 18th, 2pm, a whistlestop armchair tour of Cymru for the Machynlleth U3A group, open to all. Weds 23rd, 6.30pm, Waterstones Aberystwyth, I'll be in conversation with Alys Fowler about her new book Peatlands. Details of both: mikeparker.uk/events/

If you’re a local MK writer and fancy joining my free non-fiction workshop you can sign up below

This was Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's first book, the self-published How not to Dal dy Dir (2012). One theme stated is "the divisions within Wales today", which sounds intriguing (and possibly infuriating). Anyone have this book, or know of it? Or have insights from their time in and around Pwllheli?

A lot of hot, difficult and sad driving the last few days, but the company of @kitdewaal.com’s latest, The Best of Everything, has been the perfect tonic. She’s such a generous, intuitive and fiercely spirited writer, fluent in nuance and contradiction.

In 30+ years of writing about all sorts of issues, whenever I’ve dug deep into a trail of deliberate misinformation designed to ruin people and/or inflame political or cultural tensions, at the root are the Mail and the Telegraph. Every time. Every single bloody time. And often in cahoots.

Been having a little dig into the Salt Path craziness, in particular its Welsh origin story. Buckle in. The Observer piece talked of the Walkers' previous publishing venture, Gangani, whose website "is no longer active". Hurrah for the Wayback Machine. Here it is: web.archive.org/web/20120703...

Any top tips please for the best sites to buy train tickets? Split fares included. Thanks.

Been having a little dig into the Salt Path craziness, in particular its Welsh origin story. Buckle in. The Observer piece talked of the Walkers' previous publishing venture, Gangani, whose website "is no longer active". Hurrah for the Wayback Machine. Here it is: web.archive.org/web/20120703...

This was Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's first book, the self-published How not to Dal dy Dir (2012). One theme stated is "the divisions within Wales today", which sounds intriguing (and possibly infuriating). Anyone have this book, or know of it? Or have insights from their time in and around Pwllheli?

A fascinating and fun interview with the brilliant Jay Griffiths. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Trespassed my way to see Gaveston’s Cross, near Warwick, yesterday, where the “hateful king’s minion”, Edward II’s lover Piers Gaveston, was brutally hacked to death in 1312. I’ve been coming to Warwick all my life, and never knew of this until recently. Queer history still lurks in the margins.

There's this on Thursday lunchtime in sunny Cricieth if anyone fancies my armchair whistlestop tour of Cymru. criciethfestival.co.uk/festival-lun...

Never realised they'd made a film of this David Leavitt novel, the action transferred from NY to London, and with blistering performances from Brian Cox & Eileen Atkins. It really catches gay life of the early 90s. I could almost smell the amyl and the Marlboro Lites. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

"If the plans now being prepared by the Clun Rural District Council come to maturity the village of Snailbeach will leave its shell among the scars of old industry on the flank of the Stiperstones, and move down to a new site among pleasant green meadows a mile or so nearer to Minsterley."

Back to the future! I have a new website: mikeparker.uk

Thomas Hardy Kazuo Ishiguro Jonathan Coe Chris Brookmyre Jan Morris James Baldwin Jim Crace Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell E M Forster David Lodge

The Ballad of Wallis Island at the cinema last night, then the finale of Race Across the World on getting home. Almost too much feelgood for a single evening…Both brilliant.

Some things presently available on the BBC iPlayer: the peerless 1995 adaptation of Persuasion, Britten conducting his own War Requiem, every episode of 'The Ascent of Man' and 'Civilisation', a lot of Schama art docs, John Freeman interviewing Jung and MLK, and the Agincourt episode of War Walks.

Had just the best weekend in Montgomery. Such a great programme, brilliantly organised. Diolch o galon ffrindiau Drefaldwyn!

Not sure if this is the @montylitfest.bsky.social look for this year, Last of the Summer Wine meets Young Farmers meets cool dudes with hats. Mike Parker one of my 'hoff' authors and psychogeographers. Only in Montgomery.

Tonight in Machynlleth! Jay’s new book, How Animals Heal Us, is an extraordinary work: deeply researched, revelatory, passionate, sometimes sexy, sometimes furious. 7pm at Y Tabernacl (MOMA).

“A Busy, Busy Day at the Airport” By Ruben Bolling Genius. Click in.

This is a superb listen. Best yet of an excellent series. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Was a first for me to do a reading in a neolithic stone circle yesterday (Mitchell's Fold, on the Wales-England border). And that's either an appreciative audience or a deputation of the ancients come to tell me to pipe down.