Loved the new @benjaminmyers76.bsky.social Jesus Christ Kinski. You can read my review in an upcoming issue of @thenewworldmag.bsky.social . My first published book review @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social

Books read in September. Lots of goodness... Celia Dale, Benjamin Wood, Georges Simenon, Annie Proulx. A Woman In Berlin and The Warriors and more

Beast in the wild today at Waterstones in Norwich @luluallison.bsky.social @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social Beast by Lulu Allison. One of my fave books of the year.

A pinned thread about my new novel, Keshed, publishing on 12th Feb 2026 with @ortacpress.bsky.social. Pre-orders available now from all the usual bookshops/websites. See thread for some early pre-press takes from some AMAZING writers and links to other stuff. www.ortacpress.com/product-page...

In my happy place. A quiet pub, with a good pint and a book.

Books read in August. My favourite was Lulu Allison, closely followed by Tim O'Brien, Laura Hird and Han Kang. Twas a good month. @luluallison.bsky.social @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social

Loved Beast by Lulu Allison. A novel about hopes & dreams,music & the soul.Eve calls up Demon & his rabbit familiar at the crossroads of a model village (it's always at a crossroads). One of my books of the year. As rabbit says 'A beautiful strange wonderful work'

Books read in July. Enjoyed them all. The Lowlife was a re-read and as great as I remember. James Curtis was a new writer to me, and loved it. Loved the Lynch and Rowland biogs too. Enright/Murdoch/Gardam all great too

Cheers postie. A delivery from @bertsbooks.bsky.social with the new one from Lulu Allison published by @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social @luluallison.bsky.social I can still hear the cows mooing from Salt Lick so looking forward to Beast

Willy Vlautin's terrific novel Night Always Comes has been made into a Netflix film, coming August 15th youtu.be/Gd44vTsTUhs?...

Had a lovely couple of days in Hay-On-Wye with friends. Was regretting my haul on a nightmare 8 hour 3 train journey home last night, lugging them back. But no regrets today sitting in the sun browsing through them all. I think I showed admirable restraint restricting myself to just 28 books.

Chuffed. Just managed to run 5km in under 30 minutes for the first time. Not bad for a 62 year old, who up until a year ago hadn't run since leaving school. Managed to lose 2 stone in weight in the last 5 months too through improved diet and exercise. I will get this diabetes into remission

Books read in June. A great month and lots I loved, but my absolute favourite was The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine @wednesdayerskin.bsky.social . Such a great read by such a terrific writer. It's sure to be one of my faves of 2025 at years end.

PREORDER: 'Black Monk Time' by Monks A raw, rhythmic, and confrontational garage rock and proto-punk milestone from five American G.I.s stationed in Germany. On 180g heavyweight vinyl with audio remastered from the original tapes. www.normanrecords.com/records/1058...

Look at this beauty... new Jah Wobble album Dub Volume 1. In shops on 04/07. Limited colour vinyl and CD on Dimple Discs @jahwobble.bsky.social @dimplediscs.bsky.social

This has made my day. Delivery from @bertsbooks.bsky.social with the new @wednesdayerskin.bsky.social book.Her debut novel,The Benefactors,out today. I loved Wendy's short story collections & have been excitedly waiting for this for ages.Need to hurry up & finish what I'm reading so I can dive in.

Hey @stuhennigan.bsky.social not sure this link will be viewable but good to see Keshed sitting next to Jon Fosse www.facebook.com/groups/theri...

My @nightingalesuk.bsky.social pill box has arrived. Lovely. Top merch.

Books read in May. Favourites were the superb The Orange Notebooks by @susannacrossman.bsky.social , the wonderful and unhinged in the best way Saltburn by @drewgum.bsky.social , the prescient Crooked Cross by Sally Carson, and The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad..

The Orange Notebooks is a beautifully written novel that deals with the most difficult of griefs, a parent's loss of their child. Exquisitely told and ultimately offering hope. Along with bees and beige. Loved it. Another winner from @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social @susannacrossman.bsky.social

And more recommendations for Keshed.

You need to read Keshed when it's published early next year. Raw, vital and brilliant.

Brilliant news. Can't wait. Congratulations to @ronanhession.bsky.social and @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social

I loved Salt Lick by @luluallison.bsky.social , so am really looking forward to Beast. Coming in July, published by the mighty @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social

#currentlyreading About a third of the way through Butcher's Crossing by John Williams, and absolutely loving it. Don't know why I've never read it before. I'm guessing Cormac McCarthy was a fan.

Well this is exciting news. I was honoured to be an early reader of Keshed and can't wait to see it published and get my mitts on a copy. Visceral, real, and truly brilliant. Go @stuhennigan.bsky.social

Books read in March. My favourites were Naomi Booth, Adelle Stripe, David Peace, Donald Ray Pollock and Colin Barrett, but all had their merits. A good month.

Nice haul from secondhand bookshop today. Tenner for the lot.

What a terrific novel raw content by Naomi Booth is. @stuhennigan.bsky.social describes it much more eloquently than I - 'A haunting & bruising psychodrama about the anxieties of 21st motherhood, that links the primal potency of the female body with the northern landscape's elemental power'. 5*****

Finally completed my collection of Colin MacInnes novels with the Peter Blake covers. All these were 1964 editions from Penguin.

Thanks to the ever reliable @bertsbooks.bsky.social for the new Naomi Booth. Am a big fan of Naomi's so have been looking forward to this

Look at this beauty just arrived from @normanrecords.com (impeccable service as always). I used to be a customer of Volcanic Tongue, feeding my addiction for Charalambides LP's & Wooden Wand tour cdr's & other delights, so really looking forward to diving into this @reversediorama.bsky.social

Books read in February. Favourites were The Accidental Immigrants by @jomcmillan.bsky.social , All Fours by Miranda July, and Fup by Jim Dodge

Thanks postie. Look at this pretty thing that's turned up from @bertsbooks.bsky.social . New book from Adelle Stripe. Been looking forward to this one.

What a superb novel this is. A novel of/for our times. The dangers of where the vile rhetoric from Farage/Braverman etc will lead us (if it hasn't already). 'It is hard to believe that a beautiful island can turn so ugly and so fast. But it can.' @jomcmillan.bsky.social @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social

Books read in January. Favourites were Ursula Parrott, Peter Carey and Richard Wright.. but got something out of/enjoyed them all

Got back from my run to find this waiting for me. A new Bluemoose is always a Blue Riband day. Looking forward to diving in soon as I finish my current read, hopefully at the weekend @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social @jomcmillan.bsky.social

Always a treat when postie knocks on the door with a package from @normanrecords.com . New @rosecityband.bsky.social album and a beauty I'm late to from Bonnie Prince Billy, Nathan Salsburg, and Tyler Trotter doing Lung fish. Heard this just before Christmas and immediately fell in love.

New @influxpress.bsky.social just dropped through the letterbox. Always a treat when that happens. This looks great. I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both by Mariah Stovall..

RIP David Lynch. Terrible news youtu.be/VIdONLv3qJw?...

Of the new books published in 2024, here's a baker's dozen of my favourites of the ones I read. In no particular order

Books read in December 2024. Faves were Richard Stark and Elizabeth Hand, but enjoyed them all to one degree or another. #BookSky

Elizabeth Hand has heard it @memorialdevice.bsky.social

That's the Christmas Stouts and Porters sorted. I may have got carried away. There are some right beasts in there. Most of them sourced from the always excellent Sir Toby's Beers , but a few from elsewhere too. Better make a start on them tonight.

Just thinking about what my books of the year will be. Definitely in my top 10 will be @orlaowenwriting.bsky.social Christ On A Bike @cauverymadhavan.bsky.social The Inheritance @ronanhession.bsky.social Ghost Mountain, Willy Vlautin - The Horse, and Percival Everett - James..

Books read in November. Nothing I didn't like, but particularly enjoyed Tim Winton, Laura Cumming, Cormac McCarthy and Stuart Murdoch

All shopped out. Time for my happy place. the pub, a pint and a book.

#currentlyreading Nobody's Empire by Stuart Murdoch

The Delines play Rough Trade East on March 24th. Limited tickets available link.dice.fm/Zf9b42492130