Today's art: The Memoir 'Being Jazz: My Life As a (Transgender) Teen', by Jazz Jennings. She wrote the book when she was 15, and it's seems to be a good resource for other trans children and teens, reminding them they're not alone.

Today's art: The graphic novel 'Flamer', by Mike Curato, which deals with toxic masculinity, homophobia, suicide ideation and struggles of identity.

Today's art: The award-winning sci-fi novel 'The Fifth Season', by N.K. Jemisin. My son has recommended this post-apocalyptic tale, the first novel in the Broken Earth series, about catastrophic climate change and much, much more.

Today's art: The historical YA novel 'Out of Darkness', by Ashley Hope Perez. Set in 1937 Texas, the novels tells the story of a Mexican girl attracted to a Black boy. It deals with racism, classism, segregation, love, family and those living on the margins of society.

Today's art: 'There Are Rivers in the Sky', by Elif Shafak. Got this book for my birthday, and very much looking forward to reading it!

In these busiest shopping weeks of the year, with everyone under horrible pressure over money, job security etc, try to be nice to retail staff (who likely have unreasonable sales targets from HQ to make up for a lousy retail year). Far too many stressed customers will behave appallingly right now.

I’m reading ‘Maus: A Survivor’s Tale’, by Art Spiegelman. In it, a man interviews his father about his experiences as a Polish Jew during WWII. I’ve just come to the part where the father is taken to Auschwitz & his expensive gold watch is confiscated. @teamlabouruk.bsky.social you should read it.

Today's art: The dystopian novel 'Coldwire' by Chloe Gong.

Today's art: the graphic novel 'Bingo Love', by Tee Franklin, and Joy San and Jenn St-Onge (illustrators). A story of forbidden love between two girls / young women, spanning generations, with their story as older protagonists told. Good to see these demographics represented.

Today's art: 'Ocean's Blood', by the lovely Thelma Mantey. Very excited about this novel!

People need to be aware of Farage's own words about Kent's council and Reforms failure there AND remember when the election comes.

Today's art: 'Parable of the Sower', by Octavia Butler. Still so relevant.

This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months" China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.

As an author who understands who the Luddites were, this book looks promising.

Today's art: the horror novel 'Hazelthorn', by CG Drews. This sounds like such a good read!

Today's art: 'Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Recipes, Letters and Remembrances', by Kwame Alexander. I have high hopes for this look at navigating relationships through the author's personal experiences.

For #Caturday (just), Indy's chilling in the hallway, without a care in the world.

Today's art: the middle-grade novel 'Ghost Boys', by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Jerome, a young Black boy from Chicago, is shot & killed by a police officer who thinks Jerome's toy gun is real. It includes the character of Emmett Till as a ghost, & deals with themes of racism & socio-economic injustice.

Today's art: The sci-fi comic 'Monarch', by Rodney Barnes and drawn by Alex Lins, about orphaned city children who find a foster family and have to fight to save it.

Today's art: 'The Poet X', by Elizabeth Acevedo. I remember hearing about this book some time ago, and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Today's art: 'Gabi, a Girl in Pieces', by Isabel Quintero.

It's brilliant and exciting to see Zohran Mamdani elected. More leaders like him please, and fewer like Cuomo, Schumer and the rest of the oligarch-pleasing, hope-destroying, election-losing, right-centrist political class.

Zohran's campaign was his determination to make New York a city everyone can afford to live in. Huge congratulations! His success will resonate throughout the world. A story where no one is left behind. It's time to write that story across England & Wales too.

Indy is still living up to his name!

"What binds Polanski and Mamdani is not only their left-wing credentials, but their rejection of political cynicism." Let's go! 🎉 www.europinion.uk/post/how-zac...

Today's art: the YA novel 'Cemetery Boys', by Aiden Thomas.

Today's art: 'Last Night at the Telegraph Club', by Malinda Lo. This one is on my wish list for my birthday!

Today's art: 'Model Home', by Rivers Solomon. Looking forward to reading this.

For November, I'll be using my art posts to boost writers, especially early career, disabled, Black, indigenous, queer & others who are marginalised. Today it's 'All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto', by George M. Johnson.

Books about autism or with Autistic main characters, written by Autistic authors — published October 2025! 🧵 #AutismBooks #AutisticAuthor #Autism #Autistic #ActuallyAutistic #BookSky

Today's art: This drawing of the shore of Leith is simple and yet evocative. It brings back a really lovely memory of my dad. Thanks for sharing this illustration @spyglassart.bsky.social

Today's art: this pen and ink drawing of 3 fish skeletons. I love how the middle fish looks angry, maybe because it's dead? And the top haughty, the bottom anxious. I also like how these remind me of drawings by 19th-century amateur scientists / biologists / palaeontologists.

Today’s art: ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ by Kurt Vonnegut.

Today's art: reposting the British tv series 'Foyle's War', because it's just so good (and, sadly, it's relevant).

I used to defend the BBC’s coverage until fairly recently. Election night 2024 was probably the point at which I snapped and could no longer avoid facing what it had become.

Today's art: the film 'Good Morning Vietnam', with Robin Williams as Adrian Cronauer, directed by Barry Levinson. I already knew of Williams and how funny he was from 'Mork and Mindy', but this film cemented to me how versatile and amazing an actor he was. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S8M...

Today's art: RSC stage version (1996) of 'Troilus and Cressida', with Joseph Fiennes as Troilus & Victoria Hamilton as Cressida. It was the first time I'd seen either & was remembered them both in later roles. Anyone who's seen it have a favourite scene?

It‘s so cool that we get to keep learning stuff our entire lives. Every day I can read about a new topic and I won’t ever run out of things to study.

Today's art: this stunning view, and the lovely photo taken of it. So much beauty in nature, and all around us, if we take the time to enjoy it.

Today's art: the musical 'Hamilton'. (btw, excellent choice of juxtaposition, Carl Quintanilla)

Honestly, the mainstream media reaction to Zack Polanski entering the elites’ own conversation space… …with widely-held public opinions… …tells you everything you need to know about why our mainstream media is a closed shop, broken, and no longer fit for purpose.

Today's art: this dress, worn by Lucille Ball in 'I Love Lucy'. It's gorgeous and reminds me of my childhood, watching reruns of the show. Also, Ball was a brilliant comedienne.

Today's art: this photo of a beautiful pool of water in a rocky landscape, which the alt description says is Elafonisi beach. Wish I could see this in person. Not sure who took the photo to give credit to, but I guess the person who posted?

Today's art: the tv series 'Andor'. Such a good story, well told, with excellent acting. An apropos in the world we live in. We need good art, now as much as ever. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKOe...

Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.

Today's art: The MSM, corporations and money have a lot to answer for. For No Kings rally day, the film 'Network'. 'There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM and Dupont and Exxon.' Still relevant. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAwQ...

Work coaches do not belong in GP surgeries.

He looks like he should be relaxing in a clear, blue pool in an inflatable ring. Just needs a tall, ice-cold drink!

Today's art: most of Benjamin Zephaniah's poem 'The British'. And bonus art - the mural of the poet in the video! For the whole poem, see bebasclass.wordpress.com/2016/10/21/t...

“Some people might say it's really important for LGBTQ+ kids to see themselves in the past,” said Rouse. “I think it's even more important for non-LGBTQ+ kids to see that LGBTQ+ people have always existed.” lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu/lgbtq-histor... #sschat #EduSky #edchat 🗃️ 🏳️‍🌈