That which we fear we lock away, drown or bury,  if we can and, hopefully, forever (or perhaps until Time catches up with desire at least). “Close it down, Danni. Put a dust sheet over the piano. Bolt the shutters. Turn the key”.  This is a blog on Rose Tremain (2026) ‘The Housekeeper’.

October 28, 2026

What’s a book or movie that genuinely scared you? View all responses That which we fear we lock away, drown or bury, if we can and, hopefully, forever (or perhaps until Time catches up with desire at least). This is precisely what Max de Winter does with the body and memory of his first wife Rebecca … More That which we fear we lock away, drown or bury,  if we can and, hopefully, forever (or perhaps until Time catches up with desire at least). “Close it down, Danni. Put a dust sheet over the piano. Bolt the shutters. Turn the key”.  This is a blog on Rose Tremain (2026) ‘The Housekeeper’.

A trip to York for my birthday was ‘nasty, brutish, and short’, or rather the description should read at the end ‘but short’ in order to emphasise the best part – the homecoming.

October 25, 2026

What’s the worst travel experience you’ve ever had? View all responses The phrase ‘nasty, brutish, and short’ comes from Thomas Hobbes Leviathan, in which he sets out the need to maintain central governments as the head and brain of political decision making, however inadequate and self-interested such governments may be, for they keep populations from … More A trip to York for my birthday was ‘nasty, brutish, and short’, or rather the description should read at the end ‘but short’ in order to emphasise the best part – the homecoming.

The world of ‘The Perfect Gentleman; or, Etiquette and Eloquence’ of 1860 USA.

October 23, 2026

Which book’s world would be the absolute worst to live in? The world of ‘The Perfect Gentleman; or, Etiquette and Eloquence’ of 1860 USA. In 1860’s New York, the ‘manners’ of a New York ‘Gentleman’ may well have aped those of Old England, it being understood tht by then the word ‘gentle’ in ‘gentleman’ had … More The world of ‘The Perfect Gentleman; or, Etiquette and Eloquence’ of 1860 USA.

What in fact do you really seek / to live a life of fame for just one week? / And what is it truly, that week of fame, / If it’s the fame life gave another’s name.

October 20, 2026

If you could switch lives with a famous person for a week, who would it be and why? What in fact do you really seek to live a life of fame for just one week? And what is it truly, that week of fame, If it’s the fame life gave another’s name.

When I was young I was obsessed with words but not with pictures. I never thought I could spend time with wordless pictures, but I do? I struggle though with the idea that I may turn them into words somwhere inside! This blog reflects on a visit to the Bowes Museum for exhibitions on Norman Cornish’s ‘Sketchbooks’ & ‘Impressions of Light: Masterpieces fromMuMA Le Havre & the Bowes Museum’.

October 19, 2026

What’s something you’ve done that you never thought you could? View all responses When I was young I was obsessed with words but not with pictures. I never thought I could spend time with wordless pictures, but now I do? I struggle though with the idea that I may turn them into words somwhere inside! … More When I was young I was obsessed with words but not with pictures. I never thought I could spend time with wordless pictures, but I do? I struggle though with the idea that I may turn them into words somwhere inside! This blog reflects on a visit to the Bowes Museum for exhibitions on Norman Cornish’s ‘Sketchbooks’ & ‘Impressions of Light: Masterpieces fromMuMA Le Havre & the Bowes Museum’.

‘… happy endings are best achieved by keeping your mouth shut, and the right doors locked. … but who cares about public opinion now? The opinion of shadows, of echoes. So I’ll spin a thread of my own’. Preparing to see ‘The Penelopiad’ at York Theatre Royal.

October 17, 2026

What’s something you’ve done that your past self would be proud of? View all responses ‘… happy endings are best achieved by keeping your mouth shut, and the right doors locked. … but who cares about public opinion now? The opinion of shadows, of echoes. So I’ll spin a thread of my own’. [1] Preparing … More ‘… happy endings are best achieved by keeping your mouth shut, and the right doors locked. … but who cares about public opinion now? The opinion of shadows, of echoes. So I’ll spin a thread of my own’. Preparing to see ‘The Penelopiad’ at York Theatre Royal.

Let’s defend artistic licence over ‘history’. This blog is a reflection on seeing Paul Greengrass’s ‘The Uprising’ in The Reel Cinema at Bishop Auckland on Tuesday 13th October 2026.

October 16, 2026

What’s something you’ve done that your past self would be proud of? View all responses Let’s defend artistic licence over ‘history’. ‘From Villein to Villain or from Ploughman to outlaw woodsman: From Piers Ploughman to the legend of Robin Hood: The Paradox of the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt and Art. This blog is a reflection on … More Let’s defend artistic licence over ‘history’. This blog is a reflection on seeing Paul Greengrass’s ‘The Uprising’ in The Reel Cinema at Bishop Auckland on Tuesday 13th October 2026.

Seeing the author Ibtisam Azem [trans. Sinan Antoon] (2026 {first published in Arabic 2011}) speak of ‘The Sleep Thief’ [Sheffield, etc., And Other Stories] at The People’s Bookshop, Durham: Part Two.

October 15, 2026

In an interview Ibtisam Azem says of The  Sleep Thief that the novel is’fragmented and experimental, with surreal elements, references to Greek mythology, inner voices, the grotesque, and satire. Some of these elements may not sit easily with some readers, … perhaps because they do not expect to encounter them in Palestinian literature, because there … More Seeing the author Ibtisam Azem [trans. Sinan Antoon] (2026 {first published in Arabic 2011}) speak of ‘The Sleep Thief’ [Sheffield, etc., And Other Stories] at The People’s Bookshop, Durham: Part Two.

‘We each have our space and our illusion’. So says Gharib when asked for his identification as an ‘Israeli Arab’. We expect  him to claim to be a Palestinian but instead he says he is ‘Nada’, his chosen name and, as the policeman says, a ‘woman’s name’ (it is conventionally so in Arabic) to which, it is implied, he has no right.

October 14, 2026

What’s a country that’s at the top of your bucket list? View all responses ‘We each have our space and our illusion’. So says Gharib when asked for his identification as an ‘Israeli Arab’. We expect him to claim to be a Palestinian but instead he says he is ‘Nada’, his chosen name and, as … More ‘We each have our space and our illusion’. So says Gharib when asked for his identification as an ‘Israeli Arab’. We expect  him to claim to be a Palestinian but instead he says he is ‘Nada’, his chosen name and, as the policeman says, a ‘woman’s name’ (it is conventionally so in Arabic) to which, it is implied, he has no right.

You know one when you see one being ‘good’! A blog on seeing, hearing and feeling together with Christopher Eccleston reading Tony Harrison. A reflection on viewing how ‘The Working-Class library’ makes its podcast on Tony Harrison’s acceptance into the library for ‘The School of Eloquence’.

October 12, 2026

What does it mean to be a good person? View all responses You know one when you see one being ‘good’! A blog on seeing, hearing and feeling together with Christopher Eccleston reading Tony Harrison. A reflection on viewing hoiw ‘The Working-Class library’ makes its podcast on Tony Harrison’s acceptance into the library for ‘The … More You know one when you see one being ‘good’! A blog on seeing, hearing and feeling together with Christopher Eccleston reading Tony Harrison. A reflection on viewing how ‘The Working-Class library’ makes its podcast on Tony Harrison’s acceptance into the library for ‘The School of Eloquence’.

Are City Book & Art Festivals about meeting celebrity. A run-down on Durhams’ week

October 11, 2026

Which celebrity would you love to meet, and what would you talk about? View all responses Are City Book & Art Festivals about meeting celebrity. A run-down on Durhams’ week In an earlier blog I previewed the week that ends tonight as a week of Durham’s show at reviving city culture. See the blog at … More Are City Book & Art Festivals about meeting celebrity. A run-down on Durhams’ week