I absolutely loved @lukekennard.bsky.social's new novel Black Bag – it's so propulsive and warm and funny, and so smart and thoughtful too, without ever being smug or self-serious. The best contemporary novel I've read in ages – highly recommend!

This is the vibe, what are you playing?

Among the half of Britons who say they would turn down an opportunity to visit the Moon, a simple lack of interest is the most common reason to not want to go Not interested: 23% No point: 8% Reject idea of safe return: 8% Would be scared or anxious: 7% Nothing to do: 6% Too old: 6%

On a bus for three hours through western Oregon, please send appropriate music recs

Thanks for the tips, pals. Turns out Portland is a great city for book shops. Powell's yes, but there's also a great shop called Word Virus that has loads of difficult-to-find poetry, philosophy and translated lit.

does anybody have any tips for what to do with an afternoon in Portland, OR?

My first encounter with the world of professional creative writing was a Guardian Masterclass with Alex Preston in 2014 so there's something comfortingly full circle about this

RETVRN

I reviewed Matt Goodwin’s new book for the New Statesman. Spoiler: it’s worse than you could ever imagine

Here it is, My First Fiction Publication. Big 🩷 to the Auflauf gang. You should subscribe!

Every UK graph

Almost too on the nose that political scientist come far right firebrand Matt Goodwin used genAI to hallucinate the following quote: “’The most dangerous experiments’ warned the economist and philosopher Friedrich Hayek, ‘are those conducted on entire societies.’”

The only solution is to imprison all authors in a transparent glass dome located in full view of the public while they write their first draft, thus ensuring that every last apostrophe is a product of human toil.

Eid Mubarak Muslim friends. I hope you celebrate it with loved ones and I hope next one is in a better world.

Highly recommend this brilliant essay on philosemitism and conversion in post-Holocaust Germany by @deborahfeldman.bsky.social

Good on Hachette for holding the line. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/b...

Highly recommend this brilliant essay on philosemitism and conversion in post-Holocaust Germany by @deborahfeldman.bsky.social

Due to high geopolitical tensions, sports fans are temporarily required to contextualize their posts, for example: ❌ OH GOD OH NO OH FUCK ✔️ OH GOD OH NO OH FUCK how did he make that basketball go in the hole

This FIFA ruling against the Palestinian Football Association is just so ridiculously weak. An embarrassing abdication of FIFA's responsibility to its own statutes & its publicly-stated commitment to human rights. inside.fifa.com/organisation...

I'm looking to interview a few people who have experience working in the US TV industry as research for my next novel. If you are or know such a person, please get in touch!

this low key ruined my day

Amazing to see the Daily Mail just laid up on the couch, lost in pure free association. Are these predictions? Fears? Desires? The unconscious recognises no such distinctions.

this new AI ad for Spreequell Kräuterbrause is one of the most unpleasant things I've ever seen

I'm looking to interview a few people who have experience working in the US TV industry as research for my next novel. If you are or know such a person, please get in touch!

son, the day has finally arrived when you take my two bottle openers shaped like geese

Meanwhile, Spain's massive investment in renewables is paying dividends now: with prices for Spanish industry and consumers low and stable compared with other European economies. www.ft.com/content/ac77...

See you at Markthalle Neun on Sunday! It’s for a good cause and happening despite all kinds of pressure. Please come out and support.

Kann nicht warten, bis alle deutsche "Progressiven" und Feuilletonisten insgesamt uns erklären, warum Atomwaffen für die Antisemitismusbekämpfung und das "Existenzrecht" notwendig waren!

New York taqueria prevails in lawsuit brought by German tourist who couldn't handle the hot salsa at Los Tacos No. 1: "For someone like me living in Germany and eating nothing spicy, it was a very big shock physically and mentally." eu.usatoday.com/story/money/...

Almost certainly the worst film to win a major non-documentary award tonight

Berlin pals, does anybody know of any cool, friendly profs at FU/HU working on Critical Theory/Adorno/English & American Lit who might be up for sponsoring me to be a visiting fellow next year?

“Mohammed, five, Othman, seven, who was blind and had special needs, their mother Waad Bani Odeh, 35, and father Ali Bani Odeh, 37, were driving through their hometown of Tamoun late on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire.” Shot in the head and face. Executed with their parents. No words.

H̶e̶r̶m̶a̶n̶n̶p̶l̶a̶t̶z̶, Hind-Rajab-Platz

Reefer Madness and Reefer Civilization

What should we see in the Kino tonight? No Other Choice? A Poet? Father Mother Sister Brother? Soulemayne’s Story?

Team crying child

Berlin pals, does anybody know of any cool, friendly profs at FU/HU working on Critical Theory/Adorno/English & American Lit who might be up for sponsoring me to be a visiting fellow next year?

My employer asks me to complete a survey on AI usage for which this is the first question (required):

Applications close this Sunday 15 March!

If you’re at loose ends in Mitte…

Underexplored social phenomenon: the German penchant for giving your WiFi a ‘witty’ name. Never seen it anywhere else.

Having children dress as characters for book week teaches them to embrace naive mimesis. They should be encouraged to personify formal categories like omniscient naration, free indirect discourse, etc

What's the best English translation of the Divine Comedy?

Another great set of books this month: Matthew McDonald's debut poetry collection @ajbwells.bsky.social; Julia Franck's autobiographical novel @return2sanders.bsky.social; and Agri Ismaïl's account of dislocation and late capitalism @brynstole.bsky.social. Plus some EXPLOSIVE new gossip...

About to start arguing with a Lib Dem councillor about Iran… time to log off and work on the novel

new iconic meme format just dropped www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

Making my child dress as Richard Osman for World Book Day

❤️