He's up here too, keeping watch , patiently waiting for Peter Guillam to bring back the intel on the big man from Finland

Another perfect diagram of Sunday evening/Monday morning vibes by Jill McDonald from a 1968 Puffin Post

It’s such a great line, you’re almost disappointed it’s not a work of the imagination.

I went to university in Manchester partly because of “Brighter” by The Railway Children, partly because of Shelagh Delaney and partly because I worked out the the church across the road was called The Holy Name. This is a fantastic compilation. Hats off Pete x

British Public intellectual

British Public Intellectual.

Yes!

This has reminded me. I often think - why don’t we have public intellectuals like the French do. And if we did, how great it would be if they looked like Houellebecq. Maybe Mark E Smith.

The Observer once asked me what I was reading so I replied honestly: a biography about The Krankies. I've never been invited to partake in one of these again. observer.co.uk/culture/book...

Niche and brilliant.

This strikes me as true and useful

Although, this is not an endorsement of Knives Out. I think crime writers are sceptical about the writing on the grounds of re-hashing of tropes and plots.

This is spot on.

this is an older, pulpier conceit, i think, and also the reason those new poirot movies are so, so bad. they are more concerned with giving his mustache an origin story (A REAL THING) than with the new characters in the current mystery!

my favorite thing about the benoit blanc movies is that they aren't really about benoit blanc. he is not grappling with demons from his past. we are not getting flashbacks to the husband whose murder he never solved. he just shows up and does his job like mary poppins for homicides

Me and my auntie Nuala 20 years ago this week. She put shoes on our feet and coats on our backs when my Dad was struggling. She is 80 years old this week xxx

This week in clouds. #MentalHealthMatters 💙

Brilliant thread! Do yerself a favour!

The person of the year is just outside of the frame, sawing through the girder.

Remember that bloke who told me that because of my dyslexia I’d never be any good at poetry? Well, so far I’ve made two bowls, a vase, and a teapot, so fuck him!

Leuk dat hij Morrissey quote 🥰 'But don't forget the songs that made you cry And the songs that saved your life Yes, you're older now and you're a clever swine But they were the only ones who ever stood by you' Kom daar maar es om in 2025

New Telegraph columnist just dropped.

It crops up every Xmas and I always post it, because I love it. Ian Curtis at his office Xmas party.

PSA - Thank you! Missed this.

Be on safer ground asking trusted friends. Shall we share five things, any genre, any medium that brought reliable pleasure this year? 1. The Secret History, Donna Tartt re-read and then listened to her read it. Best book I read in 1993 and 2025.

This speaks to me. I love the end of year lists but Nick Hornby is on to something here. The passing of time and all of its sickening crimes…

Crikey….🔥

Judging by everything Facebook and Meta keep trying to show me, it’ll be impossible to go for a walk outside without having to endure people playing the Cor Anglais to squirrels. The Sousaphone to beavers. The Piccolo to terrapins. The Contra Bassoon to hares.

Geek that I am, I love folk who share their fantastic record collections on here. @thameschoral.bsky.social and @andrewmale.bsky.social have brought me much joy again this year x (And introduced me to lots of great records.)

Here are some of my charity shop book discoveries from the last week or so. Particularly pleased to find the Shon Faye book today. It seems to me that as good records become more scarce in such places, good books become more plentiful. And so the universe retains its balance.

#NowPlaying Miles Davis Circle in the Round 1979 One of the most interesting MD compilation albums, covering the peak years from both of the great Quintets (1955-1970)

Geek that I am, I love when folk share photos of their music reproduction equipment. @screaminglord.bsky.social is ace for this.

Bought when it came out - finally getting round to it. This is why we must always buy the books.

Well this is pretty good.

Public Service Announcement: thanks Ray!

The good old days😀

Mood.

"Easy Listening. Why 'easy'? What is supposed to be over there, crouching in the shadows, that is darker and edgier and therefore more *real*? How and when did 'easy' come to sound so pejorative? Music to swoon or daydream to - is that such a bad thing? ...Let the mind drift where it may."

RIP John Carey - wrote like a dream. (11 years!)

“My eyes are green as the cedars of Lebanon, my skin white as curd, my lips red and moist as the pomegranate -“ “- But Nefertiti - “ “Don't interrupt me when I'm stocktaking” RIP to one of the greats.

#NowPlaying open.spotify.com/track/3scuz0... A week to go and winding right down. This is so utterly Beautiful, right down to the squeak of the piano stool. Take care of yourselves and slow down now, don’t go into Christmas speeding.

My favourite! It was my second Tartt after Secret History and it's absolutely delicious.

On the Level. A stormy day on the Mersey.

A new instalment of INVENTORY is available now via the @backlisted.bsky.social Patreon. Sign up as a Locklistener today, see the books, films and albums of 2025 through a glass darkly, support the podcast. This week: C.O.B., Spirit of Love (1970). www.patreon.com/backlisted

Handy post for anyone who has enjoyed @iammilliam.bsky.social 's installment of 'Inventory' this morning...🙏💙

This a blissful album and you owe it to yourselves to give it a listen.

This is a photo of all the workers who have spent more than five years restoring the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris