I have been saving this until now. The final volume of The Book of Dust. 25+ years of these characters and their world(s). I can’t wait for this to fill my mind and my dreams.

Currently reading A Quiet Place by Seichō Matsumoto. I immensely enjoyed Tokyo Express & Inspector Imanishi Investigates, both by the same author. I’m always keeping my eye out for future Penguin Modern Classics translations of other Matsumoto novels. Also, the cover art is evocative.

Currently reading ‘There are rivers in the sky’ by Elif Shafak. My mind is being blown and stimulated. A book that is infinite and intimate at the same time.

Only managed to read one book this month. Lots of pressure on my time and this was a book I wanted to take time to read. Ivan, Peter, Sylvia, Naomi, Margaret. All characters I have lived with and believed in. The writing on grief and loss and change resonated.

October reading came in the form of books shared with me by friends. Each copy belongs to someone else who wanted to share these stories with me for the purpose of us being able to talk about them when we next meet.

Started #ObjectZ a couple of nights ago. Binged the final 4 episodes tonight. Very watchable and surprisingly pacy for 60s TV. Had never heard of it until I saw posts about the BFI release. Lots to enjoy and lots of familiar faces to spot. Highly recommended.

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September reading: Sleepwalkers was my choice for book group at work. Elements of it reminded me of the Secret Diary of Laura Palmer. Lots to talk about after the group meets. Moondial was some children’s fiction I hadn’t read before. A strong children’s ghost story. Galatea was short but mighty.

My favourite podcast is back! Doctor Who: The Missing Episodes Podcast with Tim has a new episode on Patreon. If missing episodes of old TV or Doctor Who in general are your thing then this podcast will tick all the boxes. If you don’t like such things…then may Amdo engulf you!

This book was my choice for a campus book group at work. Feeling pleased with my choice as it is a book that raises so many questions, frustrations, talking points and ‘oh my god!’ moments. The group meets the first Monday in October. I’ll post a summary of that once it has taken place.

Another instant preorder @tenacrefilms.bsky.social We are being spoiled with this year’s publications. Plus, I love a very special, limited edition version of a book.

Started Scarlett Thomas’ The Sleepwalkers this morning. Instantly grabbed by the contents page; very curious about what’s to come. The opening gave me a “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again…” feeling. Frustratingly, I need to go to work and can’t stay home and read!

August reading stack with the stand out being Panda’s Fen: Scene by Scene. I deliberately slowed down my reading pace to absorb the incredible level of research undertaken by the author. The definitive deep dive companion text to the BFI Blu-ray. Such a rich text. Fabulous. @greavesian.bsky.social

Finished the ironing. Thinking about work. About to get ready to take Eric a walk when I took a beat to read a random poem from The Poetry Pharmacy. Was the universe sending a message? Golden Retrievals and being in the moment. Tomorrow isn’t here yet. Experience now. Lessons from Golden Retrievers.

Came home to book delivery. Discovered Panda’s Fen last month via the BFI release. I’m now obsessed and had to buy this @tenacrefilms.bsky.social book. Excited to read this prequel to the DW story ‘Inferno’. UK Gold nightly broadcasts in 1993 captured my imagination. @cutawaycomics.bsky.social

This months reading stack. The Quatermass Experiment book stood out. The depth of research and style of writing was most satisfying. Will be looking out my DVD to rewatch the first two episodes. Also planning to seek out the film (s) and the 2005 remake. I want more Quatermass Experiment!

Next up in my TV history non-fiction reading binge is The Quatermass Experiment: The Making of TV’s first sci-fi classic by Toby Hadoke. Looking forward to the deepest of deep dives with this book. Special mention for the evocative beauty of the cover. Gorgeous.

I am now enjoying a non-fiction phase. First up is Escapades which covers curiosités from one of my favourite TV shows ‘The Avengers’. It has not disappointed so far. Loving all the researched facts and behind the scenes perspectives. I used to love visiting The Avengers Declassified website.

Finished On the Road a few days ago. Had a chat with @sergeanttibbs.bsky.social about reading the book as an adult vs as a teenager. Theme of chasing the good time or a memory or a lover. Always looking for the next thing that will make a person feel complete but does it ever?

Finished The Goldfinch which as it was a reread I found myself vividly recalling the parts in Las Vegas but having a hazy memory of the 8 years later final third of the novel. I still think The Secret History is my favourite DT. New book started. This one has been on the bookcase for 20 years.

Donna Tartt is an author I associate with summer holidays. ‘The Little Friend started last summer’s reading. ‘The Secret History’ has been read a number of times already so I decided to revisit ‘The Goldfinch’. I remember being disappointed by the film and hope to rediscover and savour the story.

June reading has been a month of revisiting texts with a teenage theme. In the late 90s I would’ve been very drawn to The Doors of Perception as well as the Foucault Reader. As an adult, picking them up in a Fopp two for £5 deal, I found I was still drawn to them.

May reading: found myself with time to read so I made the most of it. WD graphic novel was beautiful and haunting. Inspector Imanishi Investigates was fascinating. I appreciated the map of Japan and Tokyo to help me keep track of characters and their regional accents.

@gossjam.bsky.social adding this to my reading pile and recall you previously posting about Tokyo Express.

1/ Sequel to The Last Bear which I read last year. Had no idea there was a sequel until I spotted it at the airport in Berlin. The impact of climate change drives the narrative but it is April & Tör’s discussion about people fearing those who stand up for their beliefs and choosing to bully those

April reading: mix of genres and subjects. The Strange World of Gurney Slade was my first foray into the archive series from @obversebooks.bsky.social. I don’t know anyone else who has watched it so I appreciated the author’s discourse. Orbital was beautiful. Soothing and confronting and provoking.

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March reading: two highly enjoyable, high quality readers for upper primary. Part of the Mysteries at Sea series by A.M. Howell. Loved them. Mona of the Manor was like spending time with old friends; beautiful. Yellowface was just wow! Not what I expected and hooked from the first page.

Instant preorder!

A surprise gift through the post from @sergeanttibbs.bsky.social & @beingboring.co.uk It has jumped to the top of my to read pile. Books are the best gift!

My next read. Three chapters in and I feel obsessed. Where will this go? I am excitedly anticipating… A gift from @sergeanttibbs.bsky.social 28 years of friendship and never a book gift I haven’t loved.

Is it possible to think of characters as old friends even if they are fictional and lived a lifetime ago? I am savouring spending moments with Mona one last time. A 90s Tales novel; what a gift!

I read Peril on the Atlantic because it had been bought as a teaching text at work. I enjoyed it so much I bought the two sequels. Three rich texts for teaching & pleasure. Exceptionally real, exciting & enjoyable. I’ve learned much about summer 1936! Alice: a heroine deserving wider appreciation!

February reading: busy time at work and half marathon training so enjoyed lighter reads. Pearl on the Atlantic (school) was very enjoyable. So much so I ordered the two sequels! The DW came as a Christmas gift bundle. All good. 73 Yards and Rogue tie for my favourite DW books. Top Tier Targets.

This month’s reading. Only two texts but the left their mark. The Folding Star was obsession, illusion and betrayal. The ending really hit me. Behind the Doors is a non-fiction I bought in the Museum of South Australia last month. I couldn’t stop thinking about The Yuendumu Doors after seeing them…

December Reading: I picked some texts from school for light reading. The Last Bear by Hannah Gold was something special. Tinsel wasn’t to my taste. SAtH felt like a book written for school children to read at school. This month I travelled in Australia and Rough Guides have always been my go to.

For December I decided to take direction from the children at school and some books they have been reading. The first was The Last Bear by Hannah Gold. I was unprepared for how much it would affect me. An exceptionally high quality text.

November Reading: Companion Piece by Ali Smith which promoted me to think about relationships. Foundation by Isaac Asimov which prompted me to think about power. I was able to relate much of the narrative to current events. Is that what good sci-fi does?

I love Ali Smith. 20 pages in and I am already obsessed with this book. Her writing effortlessly captures life in the UK through characters and events.

October reading stack. Delighted to finish Ulysses. One I will revisit in the future. The Old Haunts deals with grief and I found it subtle and powerful. I loved reading Glimpses… the little biography of the author before each story was an extra level of enjoyment. Seasonally appropriate reading 👻

I completed Ulysses this morning. Overall I enjoyed the experience. I would read it again as part of a group. So much I wanted to talk about. I feel I know these characters intimately. Fictional lives lived over 100 years ago with a reality that cuts through in a way that it could be set yesterday.

September reading stack. ‘The Courage to be Disliked’ has helped me look at relationships differently. As a High Life fan, I enjoyed V&B’s Kelvinside Compendium and the early days of AC and FM’s act. JJ’s U continues. 387 pages. I am invested!

August reading stack. This month I have been working through Ulysses with little diversions to other texts. Two Aidan Chambers YA books from the 90s that were both a joy. Very sophisticated. Postcards is particularly strong. Ulysses is a challenge. 262 pages in and increasingly getting a feel for it

July reading stack. The joy of a Donna Tartt read by a pool in Crete. 2001 was enjoyable enough that I plan on reading the two sequels. The final season of Ali Smith’s quartet provoked. A book for school which was fun and then DADoES? which disappointed. Bonus photo of Eric next to the stack.

June reading stack. Another busy month in school which took up a lot of reading time. I think read Now I Know in the 90s as it was very familiar but enjoyable. The DW books were light, familiar and breezy keeping my reading habit up. Lastly Memorial Device. I want to talk more about it…

May reading stack. This month it has been borrowed books from friends. Some are books I would never have chosen myself, the C. Hoover books particularly. It was enjoyable being able to talk about the stories with the lenders. D. Orr’s Motherwell was the one that made the biggest impact.

Last night I spent a most enjoyable hour with @damianbarr.bsky.social sharing his experience of creating the new play based on his memoir ‘Maggie and Me’. Something that stuck with me was ‘stories are mirrors’. When reading his story I was able to see my own reflection. A familiar voice speaking.

April reading stack. The stand out for me was SoaT by P Highsmith. It burrowed into my mind. It was hard to put down and do other things. Makes me want to read more by the author. On the Red Hill was a biography/memoir. I found it bittersweet and haunting at times. So glad I read it.

March reading stack. Lots of demands on time this month making it harder to fit in as much reading as I would like. Read two non-fiction and two lighter reads to keep it going. Stand out was Fat of the Land. I am so removed from the things I consume. Keep thinking about the keeping pigs chapter.

February reading stack. Varied texts this month. The stand outs for me were Ali Smith’s Winter, which kept creeping into my thoughts throughout the days I was reading it, and Seichō Matsumoto’s Tokyo Express which I found measured, methodical and moreish.