Nobody has a personality anymore. Now you are always late not because you are forgetful, but because of ADHD. You are shy not because you are sweet, but autistic. You love deeply not because you are romantic, but anxiously attached. My latest for GIRLS: freyaindia.co.uk/p/nobody-has-a…

Hey Greta Thunberg , why don’t you sail to my country Yemen where more than 10 million children are starving? Is it because there won’t be any cameras waiting for you there?

Just finished reading a new novel by a celebrated French author in English translation. I don’t understand how Picador Books can release a paperback (i.e., not the first edition) featuring so many typos, missing words and syntax bloopers. Do they no longer employ proofreaders?

I keep receiving a spam email that really makes me smile. It tells me I have won a fire safety kit. This is such a pleasingly innocent attempt at a scam that I'm almost tempted to click on the link...

The bad news - only 17% of the Birthgap documentary audience are female since its launch last weekend! And less than 30% are under 35!! This documentary was made by a production crew made up entirely of young women (except me!) who wanted fertility to be better understood by

Today my spam email tells me I have won a '170 Piece Stanley Tool Set'. Sorely tempted, but after a moment's reflection... 170 pieces? I Google it. Nice, but no handsaw. I need a new handsaw. So, no thanks. Nice try.

unherd.com/2025/10/why-pe…

Today, if my spam emails are to be believed, I have won an ‘AAA Car Emergency Kit’! Not knowing what this great gift entails, I have looked it up. Underwhelming, frankly. Apart from the transparent poncho, that is. The transparent poncho I want. Remain dry and stylish. Nice.

Saw Marc Ribot in concert last night. Consummate artist. A heckler tried to stop him playing Bella Ciao because Charlie Kirk’s assassin wrote the words on a bullet. Ribot refused to allow this classic anti-fascist anthem to be sullied and played on. youtube.com/watch?v=50GvkA…

This week my spam tells me I won a Kobalt tool set. Sadly, they did not specify which set. The brand name is super-rugged though, right? I looked up the etymology of cobalt: it’s derived from a mischievous household elf. This is what Big Kobalt doesn’t want you to know.

Just finished reading this gem by @samantaschweblin. Short stories that take your breath away, astonish, frighten and delight in equal measure. Such an accomplished storyteller! Masterfully translated from the Spanish by megan mcdowell. Highly recommended.

Such a great piece! Recommended reading for anyone who writes. open.substack.com/pub/rebeccamak…

Hi Carol, we have some book recommendations for you. Here's what to read after finishing Pluribus: reactormag.com/what-to-read-a…

Delighted to announce my short story ‘Safe Hands’ has been published by the wonderful folks at Fiction Attic. fictionattic.substack.com/p/safe-hands

etgarkeret.substack.com/p/fake Etgar Keret hits the nail on the head again.

RGB KILLER X-R-A-Y The Missouri Review xraylitmag.com/in-loving-stra…

#writingplan: I reflected, decided and made a sensible writing plan. Then I did something else altogether. Perhaps, to get myself to act sensibly, I need to deliberately make a foolish plan, which will prompt me to ignore it and do the sensible thing. Worth a try?

Part speculative dystopia, part morality tale. #GeorgePacker portrays a world in which traditional societal structures are replaced by radical egalitarianism and primitive tribalism, with terrifying consequences. Intriguing, thought-provoking, disturbing, highly recommended!

SHAME: UN Human Rights Council to host TWO reps of murderous Regime in Iran. 📍 Feb 16-20: Afsaneh Nadipour starts new term on UNHRC Advisory Committee 📍 Feb 24: Deputy FM Kazem Gharibabadi now to speak at UNHRC opening All diplomats must walk out. Sign: actionnetwork.org/petitions/disi…

Had such fun reading this unpigeonholeable collection! Disappearing furniture, parallel universes, marriage woes, marriage delights, slomo disasters, unheard children, poetic justice and so much more. Highly recommended! J. Robert Lennon #letmethink