Apparently the word ‘coincidence’ was possibly used earliest by Sir Thomas Browne, and thus is better left to rest in his Baroque prose as another supposed certainty in a world that is more uncertain than that.

August 24, 2026

Apparently the word ‘coincidence’ was possibly used earliest by Sir Thomas Browne, and thus is better left to rest in his Baroque prose as another supposed certainty in a world that is more uncertain than that. Statue of Browne in Norwich by ell brown – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4582394924/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25718189 The Online Etymological Website tells … More Apparently the word ‘coincidence’ was possibly used earliest by Sir Thomas Browne, and thus is better left to rest in his Baroque prose as another supposed certainty in a world that is more uncertain than that.

Do Booker winners become so for a reason? The 2026 Longlist came out on 28 July. Update.

August 23, 2026

Do Booker winners become so for a reason? The 2026 Longlist came out on 28 July The question is open. Each year I set out to read at least some of the books. Here is the list for this year, which I will update as I progress through my reading and responses: 2026 Booker Longlist … More Do Booker winners become so for a reason? The 2026 Longlist came out on 28 July. Update.

Agathe, the first-person narrator of ‘The Vivisectors’ tells us that she has ‘never been good at …bringing disparate events into a cohesive narrative’ , such that either its parts looked like statues standing independently, thus to be gazed at or mixed up as if they were an ‘inchoate mass’. This is a blog on Missouri Williams (2026) ‘The Vivisectors’.

August 23, 2026

Some books can be read till their end but still not be ‘finished’. Agathe, the first-person narrator of The Vivisectors tells us that she has ‘never been good at …bringing disparate events into a cohesive narrative’ , independently, thus to be gazed at or mixed up as if they were an ‘inchoate mass’. Perhaps you … More Agathe, the first-person narrator of ‘The Vivisectors’ tells us that she has ‘never been good at …bringing disparate events into a cohesive narrative’ , such that either its parts looked like statues standing independently, thus to be gazed at or mixed up as if they were an ‘inchoate mass’. This is a blog on Missouri Williams (2026) ‘The Vivisectors’.

Do we need ‘conspiracy theory’ because we find trust in short supply? August 20th Day Seven in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Pleasance Dome 10, ‘Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out’, a play exploring the relationship of two boys, their  coming out and the confrontation of distrust and ‘conspiracy’ involved (The Fringe Festival); 2. NW Room, Jem Calder & Derek Owusu (The  Book Festival) & Courtyard Theatre Édouard Louis (The Book Festival).

August 22, 2026

What’s a conspiracy theory you actually find believable? Do we need ‘conspiracy theory’ because we find trust in short supply? August 20th Day Seven in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Pleasance Dome 10, Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out, a play exploring the relationship of two boys, their  coming out and the confrontation of distrust … More Do we need ‘conspiracy theory’ because we find trust in short supply? August 20th Day Seven in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Pleasance Dome 10, ‘Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out’, a play exploring the relationship of two boys, their  coming out and the confrontation of distrust and ‘conspiracy’ involved (The Fringe Festival); 2. NW Room, Jem Calder & Derek Owusu (The  Book Festival) & Courtyard Theatre Édouard Louis (The Book Festival).

Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh: Envisaging Buggers, A wandering Hannah Arendt & Men Hanging Together.

August 21, 2026

Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Buggers, a play exploring the relationship of Francis Bacon and George Dyer (The Fringe Festival); 2. Traverse Theatre Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library (the Fringe) & Lyceum Theatre … More Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh: Envisaging Buggers, A wandering Hannah Arendt & Men Hanging Together.

August 18th Day Five In Edinburgh Highlights: 1. National Galleries of Scotland Modern One ‘Gwen John: Strange Beauties’ (The Art Festival); 2. Traverse Theatre ‘Supposing:’ (the Fringe). Very few ‘fictional worlds’ worth their creation and recreation would be ‘fun to vacation in’! Try the world of Cassandra under the threat of a Reform government.

August 20, 2026

August 18th Day Five In Edinburgh Highlights: 1. National Galleries of Scotland Modern One Gwen John: Strange Beauties (The Art Festival); 2. Traverse Theatre Supposing: (the Fringe). Very few ‘fictional worlds’ worth their creation and recreation would be ‘fun to vacation in’! Try the world of Cassandra under the threat of a Reform government. The … More August 18th Day Five In Edinburgh Highlights: 1. National Galleries of Scotland Modern One ‘Gwen John: Strange Beauties’ (The Art Festival); 2. Traverse Theatre ‘Supposing:’ (the Fringe). Very few ‘fictional worlds’ worth their creation and recreation would be ‘fun to vacation in’! Try the world of Cassandra under the threat of a Reform government.

The best books show that erasure is not an option but seeing all events as a part of a dynamic process to which we change our response, or even find atonemt for, is. August 17th Day Four in Edinburgh : At the Book Festival thinking about Two Queer books about transition and our response to it (Kae Tempest & Dean Atta), and accepting a New Cemetery with Simon Armitage.

August 19, 2026

The best books show that erasure is not an option but seeing all events as a part of a dynamic process to which we change our response, or even find atonemt for, is. August 17th Day Four in Edinburgh : At the Book Festival thinking about Two Queer books about transition and our response to … More The best books show that erasure is not an option but seeing all events as a part of a dynamic process to which we change our response, or even find atonemt for, is. August 17th Day Four in Edinburgh : At the Book Festival thinking about Two Queer books about transition and our response to it (Kae Tempest & Dean Atta), and accepting a New Cemetery with Simon Armitage.

Lets make it: ‘Can you See me Now!’ — August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh: Visibilising Fools, Queer Life, Voids & the queer comedy in queer lives.

August 18, 2026

Lats make my tatto: Can you See me Now!, such as I designed it below! This is a blog on August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh Highlights: . David Wilson Lear’s Fool at Olive Studio, Greenside at George Street (The Fringe); 2. Catherine Opie: To Be Seen  at the Royal Academy of Scotland, Princes Street … More Lets make it: ‘Can you See me Now!’ — August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh: Visibilising Fools, Queer Life, Voids & the queer comedy in queer lives.

Since as yet, Scotland has not forced its right to separate nationhood, I can still make my answer to be the Edinburgh Festivals. Day 2 Sunday 16th August 2026

August 17, 2026

Since as yet, Scotland has not forced its right to separate nationhood, I can still make my answer to be the Edinburgh Festivals. Day 2 Sunday 16th August 2026 Edinburgh Events: 1. Patrick Gale & Lisa Ridzén at  The International Book Festival; 2. The multimedia sculpture including sound and light play of Anne Hardy in … More Since as yet, Scotland has not forced its right to separate nationhood, I can still make my answer to be the Edinburgh Festivals. Day 2 Sunday 16th August 2026

‘Are we no all trying to get through our day without crying, or dying, or just fucking falling down and giving up?’ Seeing Alan Bissett as himself, Billy Connolly and a heart-breaking Alasdair Gray. Edinburgh Day one

August 16, 2026

So here I am at the age of fifty unemployable. Two weans. Nae savings. Nae pernsion. Shiteing myself. / So it does make you question some of your life choices. / But is that not what we are all doing? Are we no all questioning some of our choices? Are we no all worrying about … More ‘Are we no all trying to get through our day without crying, or dying, or just fucking falling down and giving up?’ Seeing Alan Bissett as himself, Billy Connolly and a heart-breaking Alasdair Gray. Edinburgh Day one

Is to ‘relive’ the past to change the elements of it? Or is it to endure the past’s limitations again?

August 15, 2026

We reinvent our past selves daily. FullOf lives to come, we place our bet, our hopeThat he become the centre of that worldI missed when living there unsatisfied;that the edge he leapt from promised endsI long for still now though I’m stilled by time.

No wonder I felt tears watching Jakob M. Erwa’s 2016 film, ‘Die Mitte der Welt’ (‘Centre of My World’) based on the 1998 best-selling novel ‘The Centre of the World’ by Andreas Steinhöfel (with a note on Rachel Mason’s ‘The Circus of Books’).

August 14, 2026

‘Stell dir dein Leben vor wie ein großes Haus mit vielen Zimmern, Phil. … Manche sind groß und voller Licht und wieder andere sind dunkel, sie verbergen Schrecken und Kummer. Und ab und zu – nur ab und zu, hörst du ? – öffnet sich zu einem dieser schrecklichen Zimmer und du musst hineinsehen, ob … More No wonder I felt tears watching Jakob M. Erwa’s 2016 film, ‘Die Mitte der Welt’ (‘Centre of My World’) based on the 1998 best-selling novel ‘The Centre of the World’ by Andreas Steinhöfel (with a note on Rachel Mason’s ‘The Circus of Books’).