This is a blog that reflects on a fine biography, perhaps the best I have ever read of anyone. The book is Adam Shatz (2024) ‘The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon’.

This is a blog that reflects on a fine biography, perhaps the best I have ever read of anyone, of Frantz Fanon. The book is Adam Shatz (2024) The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon London, Head of Zeus, Bloomsbury Publishing Co. Frantz Fanon has fascinated me for a long time. I can’t … More This is a blog that reflects on a fine biography, perhaps the best I have ever read of anyone. The book is Adam Shatz (2024) ‘The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon’.

I learned that to hear the voice of some people you love for their writing is a joy.

Despite the puffy face and the sustained pain of the consequences of that wisdom tooth extraction on Monday, I just had to see Andrew Macmillan read from his novel ‘Pity‘. I blogged on his novel soon after it came out [see this link], even though the Bounds Bookshop at Whitley Bay is a long journey … More I learned that to hear the voice of some people you love for their writing is a joy.

‘History is all omissions and distortions of the truth’. Would there be any point in writing a novel using evidence of facts from queer history, if the truth was easily sifted from the lies? This is a very brief blog on Neil Blackmore (2023: 272) ‘Radical Love’

‘History is all omissions and distortions of the truth’.[1] Would there be any point in writing a novel using evidence of facts from queer history, if the truth was easily sifted from the lies? This is a very brief blog on Neil Blackmore (2023: 272) Radical Love London, Hutchinson. This blog is just a speculation … More ‘History is all omissions and distortions of the truth’. Would there be any point in writing a novel using evidence of facts from queer history, if the truth was easily sifted from the lies? This is a very brief blog on Neil Blackmore (2023: 272) ‘Radical Love’

My challenge – I can’t think of six months ahead: only today’s wisdom tooth extraction.

What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months? Have you ever noticed how sometimes little but immediate ‘challenges’ take your mind off the long term ones – even if we count the ‘next six months’ as long-term or not. And this is the case for me today. For today I … More My challenge – I can’t think of six months ahead: only today’s wisdom tooth extraction.

If there were a ‘fate’ or ‘destiny’ in our lives, would it matter if we believed in it or not?

The Three Fates: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, 1558-59. After Giulio Romano. Artist Giorgio Ghisi. (Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images) Available at: https://historydaily.org/three-fates-greek-mythology This is a deceptive prompt question. It pretends to be about whether the respondents believes in the ‘existence’ of ‘fate/destiny’, in the same way one might ask whether one BELIEVES in GOD, … More If there were a ‘fate’ or ‘destiny’ in our lives, would it matter if we believed in it or not?

This is blog is about seeing the Hayward Gallery’s sculpture  exhibition on 21st January 2024 ‘When Forms Come Alive’.

This is blog is about seeing the Southbank Hayward Gallery’s modern historical and contemporary sculpture  exhibition on 21st January 2024 When Forms Come Alive. This is the second follow-up blog to one introducing my day trip: For other parts use links here: Part 1 General Introduction & Part 2: On Auerbach’s Charcoal Heads The Hayward Gallery … More This is blog is about seeing the Hayward Gallery’s sculpture  exhibition on 21st January 2024 ‘When Forms Come Alive’.

Part 2 of a two-part blog about Andrew Scott’s achievement in enacting all the multiple personae of ‘Vanya’.

Part 2 of a two-part blog about Andrew Scott’s achievement in enacting all the multiple personae of Vanya, as aspects of the solitary and solipsistic self, perhaps (or perhaps not). (Part 1 was about preparing myself for the novelties of the Simon Stephens’ text). Part 2 of this two-part blog about Andrew Scott’s achievement in … More Part 2 of a two-part blog about Andrew Scott’s achievement in enacting all the multiple personae of ‘Vanya’.

This is blog is about seeing Auerbach’s ‘Charcoal Heads’ exhibition on 21st January 2024 at the Courtauld Gallery.

This is a follow-up blog to one introducing my day trip: https://livesteven.com/2024/02/21/a-day-visit-to-visit-on-21st-february-2024-to-london-to-the-courtaulds-charcoal-heads-by-frank-auerbach-to-the-haywards-when-forms-come-alive/ It will itself be followed up by one on When Forms Come Alive, an exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, Southbank. https://livesteven.com/2024/02/24/this-is-blog-is-about-seeing-the-hayward-gallerys-sculpture-exhibition-on-21st-january-2024-when-forms-come-alive/ 7‘… evocative of a wider post-war society emerging from a long period of death and destruction, had left Auerbach himself an orphan … More This is blog is about seeing Auerbach’s ‘Charcoal Heads’ exhibition on 21st January 2024 at the Courtauld Gallery.

A day visit to visit on 21st February 2024 to London to The Courtauld’s ‘Charcoal Heads’ by Frank Auerbach & to the Hayward’s ‘When Forms Come Alive’.

Diary blog: A day visit to visit on 21st February 2024 to London to The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House exhibition of Charcoal Heads by Frank Auerbach and to the Hayward modern sculpture exhibition, When Forms Come Alive. This is the Introduction blog to one introducing my day trip: For other parts use links here: Part 2: … More A day visit to visit on 21st February 2024 to London to The Courtauld’s ‘Charcoal Heads’ by Frank Auerbach & to the Hayward’s ‘When Forms Come Alive’.

In truth, if we even just tried to understand ourselves when we feel inclined to say that we are ‘bored’, nothing would be ‘boring!’

We are all bearers of our own contradictions. I am a desperate believer in the danger of the concept of elitism, yet I dislike the drive to blame élites (the word derives from the French meaning to select or sort out from the mass) – especially intellectual élites – for the malaise of the modern … More In truth, if we even just tried to understand ourselves when we feel inclined to say that we are ‘bored’, nothing would be ‘boring!’

This is a blog on Édouard Louis ‘Changer: méthode’ (2021) (‘Change’ (2024) but literally ‘To Change: Method’).

…, j’échouais partout et il fallait trouver un type d’existence dans lequel un corps et une histoire comme les miens auraient été possibles, c’est tout” (translated by John Lambert as “…, I was failing everywhere and I had to find a type of existence in which a body and story like mine would be possible, … More This is a blog on Édouard Louis ‘Changer: méthode’ (2021) (‘Change’ (2024) but literally ‘To Change: Method’).

The feeling of rejection and abandonment: a personal case study.

I am very much a person who continually questions their past, present, and decisions about the future in the light of those otherwise unconsidered trifles (thank you, Autolycus) picked up out of books. I say picked up out, merely I suppose to reference the character from The Winter’s Tale but actually these trifles seem to select … More The feeling of rejection and abandonment: a personal case study.