One definition of a good morning is when Philippa Gregory namechecks your book in an interview! Spycraft, found on all the best bookshelves ... zoomer.com/zed-book-clu...

From this day hence, if any should ask of thee why no one buys your books, simply refer them to 1668, when a theologian commented thus on some blow hard or other 'The invincible Obscurity of his Writings will prevent his being over-popular.'

You can get it from Westwood Books and there are even a couple of 1st Edition signed hardbacks that I had put aside but forgot if you search it on the site

Wanted: Spycraft from @YaleBooks has escaped from the Tower disguised as a paperback ... track it down at a bookseller near you today!

On the day the paperback edition of Spycraft @YaleBooks is released from close confinement in the Tower, here's an extract to whet the appetite ... www.the-emigre.com/column/the-c...

So ... is it a coincidence that EEBO only thinks I might be a robot when I'm summoning something by William Perkins?

Will the $3,000 per book Anthropic ruling lead to a plethora of authors complaing that their book wasn't stolen to train AI models? It is, after all, not the most lucrative of professions ... authoring, that is.

It’s publication day! 🥳 🎈 🍾 Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy published by @wearefootnote and available in all good booksellers. #womenwhoruledtheworld #reigningqueen #femaleking #mybook #newbook #newhistory

Delightful to find the pinky, or little finger, described in beautifully practical fashion as the 'eare-finger' (1644)!

Here's what happened when I was forced to bat left-handed one-handed due to a shoulder injury ... with apologies to Chris Woakes! www.petelangman.com/lefty-langman/

As ex-unbounders turned author-publishers we applaud initiatives helping those affected by the fiasco, as we’ve been doing for 2 1/2 years, and are happy for anyone on this new lifeboat. (1/2)

Some #Spycraft, for those lovely @harvingtonhall.bsky.social festivalgoers engelsbergideas.com/reviews/insi...

Great day @harvingtonhall.bsky.social talking all things Spycraft with @misswalsingham.bsky.social and Gunpowder Plottage with @enortonhistory.bsky.social and Prof Stephen Alford ...

He’s at it again! Hall Manager Phil is locking himself in a priest hole for 48hrs from Sunday 27th July with the a goal of raising £15,000 for Harvington Hall! Help him hit his target: 🎯 donate.mydona.com/harvington-hall

Hearing that modern refrain 'I work in AI' has led me to decide that my answer to the question 'what do you do' shall henceforth be 'I work in I'.

Just in case you felt that there was some Spycraft missing from your Friday, here's us being mercilessly interrogated by Kat Marchant! youtu.be/sguHNyKjjns

John 'Fingers' Fingleton's MCC jacket left on his customary seat at Lord's in tribute ...

So, that was Ham to the Thief ... looked great, sounded pretty good (bar a few bits of poor sounditude), and the text was, well, edited ... the only question we had at the end was 'Why?' I doubt this question will ever be satisfactorily answered ...

strange governmental wording over the proposed cuts to disability benefits: 'Our principled reforms will ensure those who can work should'. Should? Eh?

The appointment of Blaise Metreweli as head of MI6 would come as no surprise to anyone who has read Invisible Agents and Spycraft by @misswalsingham.bsky.social - if you have yet to do so, maybe now's the time ... @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/7417...

Surprise Surprise! with Scylla Black.

I woke up this morning with a scar on my forehead. Does anyone know when the magical powers will kick in?

Were I forced to pitch an argument against audiobooks (beyond the ever-present dangers of being trapped in a pair of headphones with Stephen Fry), I'd submit but one word: punctuation. Or would it be '; punctuation', or ', punctuation'? '-punctuation'; '. Punctuation?'

I wonder how many pre-sales have been recorded for the fake Chicago newspaper novels? Perhaps another AI will write them ... is this AI nepotism at work?

Don't miss this fantastic event at Oxford Castle on 21-22 June! 🎭 Become a trained soldier or a spy! 💥 Learn about what Oxford was like during the English Civil War! 🥁 Hear the thunder of drums of war & see the colours fly! ⚔️ Choose your side! www.oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk/events/event...

Today's word is 'snufkin', a great sleeve or muff.

Jeepers, even acrobat is at it ... 'This appears to be a long document. Save time by reading a summary.' Pig off.

One can presume that Starmer's next bright idea will be to export those in need of care to where the carers are. Wonder where that will be?

Today's word of delight is 'possessoress'

Posting again in honour of the lecture I'm giving on #Spycraft with Stephen Alford & Catherine Jenkinson at Hatfield House on May 2nd www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Very happy to be in both the acknowledgements and the footnotes of this fine volume!

📚Beyond excited to present 'Prince Rupert of the Rhine' which is now available for pre-order! Delving into 2⃣4⃣ archives has unearthed so many treasures, especially about the key women in his life. 👑Pre-order: tinyurl.com/5b6d8axt

As the day recedes #Adderbury

In the 1670s, people apparently played a card game called 'Bone Ace', which was described as 'a licking game for money'

He rapped out by heaps a rabble of unsavery taunts ... to which most lewd and filthy terms of purpose he did join. This shepherd/rapper had beef with Sir Venulus.

As always with Emma, this is worth a read ...

Dutch pharmacy goes the extra mile following difficulties obtaining my usual order ... jury currently out on this new brand's efficacy! All meds are not equal.

Today's word is 'Hobbernobbing-touching with yours the rim of the person's glass with whom you drink wine.'

Spycraft @yalebooks.bsky.social awarded best academic book publicity campaign honour by PPC - www.thebookseller.com/news/ppc-rev...

I greatly approve of this, and I speak as a man with appalling handwriting ... and with seventeen years of Parkinson's in the bank.

Excellent review of Spycraft by Pauline Blistène: engelsbergideas.com/reviews/insi...

'Books are not seldom talismans and spells by which the magic art of shrewder wits holds an unthinking multitude enthrall'd.' Cowper on the button again ...

'In a world, so thorny, where none finds happiness without some thistly sorrow at its side.​' Cowper knew his roses.

'Time has a dove's wing, unsoiled and swift and of a silken sound.'

Spycraft's publicist shortlisted for PPC award! www.thebookseller.com/news/campaig...

declaringe therby that he is as lustye, as a Trumpette is delitefull''

'Suche are not to be lyked that geue a man a shoulder of mutton, and breake his heade with the spitte when thei haue doen.' Wise words indeed ...

How about 'at all auentures hittie missie' for 'hit and miss'?

Seeing as the 'classic' TV game Gladiators has returned to our screens, here's what the theme tune really ought to be ... (warning: contains extreme guitar playing) youtu.be/fMnp04d4BOY?...