Today's view

Busy beach today

An insightful piece on writing a biography, or in this case failing to do so, and what a biographical style might say about the would be biographer and their own writing. sydneyreviewofbooks.com/essays/life-...

Hello Barcelona!

Excited about launch of a new book series I'm co-editing for EUP, entitled Edinburgh Critical Studies on the Colonial and Anti-Colonial Press. Several contributions in the pipeline already, and we're on the lookout for potential additions. Get in touch! edinburghuniversitypress.com/series-edinb...

What a lovely gem of a book.

This week's Hebridean flotsam and jetsam

Hello Malta!

New look Edinburgh Filmhouse screen 1 ready to go!

Tonight's sunset view

Great quote in latest @lrb.co.uk correspondence page. "adjectives applied by George Orwell to aspects of British life between 1919 and 1939, which include ‘faecal’, ‘verminous’, ‘lousy’, ‘dim-witted’, ‘meagre’, ‘godless’, ‘sneaking’ and ‘Canadian’."

This week's reading. Let's see what all the fuss was about.

Hello Oxford! Today's task, rummaging through old newspapers in the Bodleian Library.

Hello Berwick-upon-Tweed

My news this week www.ucl.ac.uk/information-...

Looking forward to reading this cracker of a novel.

Thrilled to share that I've received a Curran Fellowship, securing funding for my upcoming research project on "British Socialist Labour Press Responses to Foreign Migrant Labour, 1890-1910." Excited for the opportunity to delve into this crucial historical topic. (rs4vp.org/awards/curra...)

A great read. Complex, keenly observed and startling in its conclusions.

This week revisiting this novel published almost 25 years ago. Still a great read!

A busy couple of days in store for me in Florence. Grateful for the invitation to be here.

Passport control line in Schiphol Airport this morning for UK passengers flying to European destinations, stretching several hundred feet. Meanwhile EU citizens sailing through. That's the famous Brexit dividend in action I see.

Interesting and compelling study of an energetic set of journalists who reported on and shaped our understanding of the world in the mid-20th century

Nicely researched historical novel set in Elizabethan London theatre world. Good pacing, from co-founder of 1990s supergroup Suede, Mat Osman

Pleased to moderate this digital book launch session hosted by the Research Society for Victorian Periodicals, covering my co-edited volume on the Edinburgh Companion to British Colonial Periodicals. Featuring lightning talks from 5 of our contributors. www.facebook.com/groups/49871...

Last Hebridean walk of winter season. Hello curious seals!

Hebridean calmness 2025

Happy new year 2025 to all!

Hebridean flotsam and jetsam

A beautifully written narrative, set in small town Ireland of 1962, seasonally appropriate, of love, loss, redemption and words unsaid.

Hoolie in the Hydro, bringing fab collection of trad Scottish bands to play over the evening in Glasgow. Super group Capercaillie kicking up a storm!

Latest read. A hefty, engrossing narrative of tangled and close to the bone dystopian urban existence, like encountering an Irish version of Anthony Burgess and Cormac McCarthy.

Last week I had the pleasure of presenting a lecture on "British Colonial Periodicals in Context" at University College, London, on work emerging from coedited The Edinburgh Companion to British Colonial Periodicals. You can see the results here: youtu.be/ci5mOTfn3kg?...

Last night's cultural viewing. Great sets, entertaining evening.

Just finished this novel. Short but hefty. Sounds contradictory, but short novel hides an overpowering compression of action and brutal crunch to language and dialogue.

Lovely to see Rura play last night. Great gig!

Lovely piece of writing. Worth a perusal

Small glimpse of last week's neighbourhood Guy Fawkes fireworks display. Colourful!