Chitra Ramaswamy
chitgrrl.bsky.social
Chitra Ramaswamy
@chitgrrl.bsky.social
Author: Homelands, Expecting. Journalist: The Guardian. Restaurant critic: The Times Scotland. Used to be a person whose profile said only 'don't conclude anything without cheese'. Still am, on the inside.
A salve, as always, @kathleenjamie.bsky.social
Kathleen Jamie on the northseapoets substack, writing on something we don’t like writing about … open.substack.com/pub/northsea...
On Not Writing
Kathleen Jamie considers the fallow times
open.substack.com
May 23, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
We are thrilled to have won the Podcast of the Year award at the Scottish Press Awards. Huge congratulations to our co-editor, @karingoodwin.bsky.social!
May 23, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Still some places left folks! Come!
This is happening next month and there are a few places left! If you can, JOIN US! Please share.
This May, spend a week in Devon exploring essays—a form with limitless possibilities. Tutored by prizewinning journalist, essayist and non-fiction writer @chitgrrl.bsky.social, writer and publisher Will Rees, plus special guest @briangdillon.bsky.social. More info: www.arvon.org/writing-cour...
April 12, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
This is happening next month and there are a few places left! If you can, JOIN US! Please share.
April 4, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
This May, spend a week in Devon exploring essays—a form with limitless possibilities. Tutored by prizewinning journalist, essayist and non-fiction writer @chitgrrl.bsky.social, writer and publisher Will Rees, plus special guest @briangdillon.bsky.social. More info: www.arvon.org/writing-cour...
Residential Writing Course: The Essay | One form, infinite possibilities | Arvon
What constitutes an essay, and why write one? Are there limits to what this ancient form can do, where it can go, or what it might contain? How do we know when an essay is done and how we might go abo...
www.arvon.org
April 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Loved doing this.
April 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Loved chairing and participating in this discussion of the great Hanif Kureishi with his official biographer @ruvaniranasinha.bsky.social and Mohammed Hanif for @writersmosaic.bsky.social introduced by @colincraiggrant.bsky.social listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/75lx...
Ruvani Ranasinha & Mohammed Hanif in conversation with Chitra Ramaswamy
WritersMosaic - In conversation · Episode
open.spotify.com
April 7, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This is happening next month and there are a few places left! If you can, JOIN US! Please share.
April 4, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
Also:
@palebackwriter.bsky.social on Ukraine
@gordonbuchan.bsky.social on his love of Scotland
Selali Flamanya on wild swimming in Scotland
@chitgrrl.bsky.social on the Real Food Cafe
Michelin-starred Stuart Ralston’s sesame roast recipe
And more…
March 8, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Because you clearly haven't read enough about it yet... my @theguardian.com review of With Love, Megan www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
With Love, Meghan review – toe-curlingly unlovable TV
The Duchess of Sussex’s tone-deaf lifestyle show vibrates with vacuous joylessness – and is packed with useless information that will take a long, long time to remove from your head
www.theguardian.com
March 5, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
Silver winter light in the northern corries of the Cairngorms yesterday. And look at that fabulous expanse of pine forest lapping the feet of the big hills. Pulls my heart northwards…

(Images by my parents, who were up in Coire an Lochan)
March 2, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
The word “spat” is a kind of gaslighting. We all saw what it was.
March 2, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
Fancy a stay at the gorgeous Gladstone's Library to work on a new writing project? You've got until Friday to apply for the Freelance Writing Jobs bursary. freelancewritingjobs.substack.com/p/the-freela...
The Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary
Announcing a new writing opportunity.
freelancewritingjobs.substack.com
February 25, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
BBC News on hour reporting straight that Trump has got rid of military chiefs because ‘they’re too mired in woke culture’ 🤯🤯🤯

Traditional liberal democratic media still hasn’t learned how to report on authoritarians, even now when it’s almost too late
February 22, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
I don’t like saying this but BBC News is utterly failing in its coverage of Trump. Go elsewhere to find out what is actually happening
BBC News on hour reporting straight that Trump has got rid of military chiefs because ‘they’re too mired in woke culture’ 🤯🤯🤯

Traditional liberal democratic media still hasn’t learned how to report on authoritarians, even now when it’s almost too late
February 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Was delighted to do this interview with the maverick Jonathan Nunn in his equally maverick @vittles.bsky.social about my life and work as the restaurant critic for the Scotland edition of @thetimes.com
February 22, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
"It would have taken little money/effort to remove bunk beds from single occupancy cells, & doorstops could have been replaced with anti-suicide alternatives.The bunk beds & doorstops were still in Polmont when the FAI began 6 years later." Last punt of my LRB longread. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Dani Garavelli · Jailed, Failed, Forgotten: Deaths in Custody
William had spent most of his life in the care of the state. His story was one of intergenerational trauma, common to...
www.lrb.co.uk
February 15, 2025 at 9:25 AM
My @theguardian.com TV review of the excellent Motherland spin off Amandaland is up. Highly approve of the headline... www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Amandaland review – a rare chance to laugh so hard you wee yourself
The worst Motherland mother of all gets her own spin-off – and the gag rate is so high it fizzes with the hysterical energy of perimenopause. It’s good to be back in hell
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
"waitrose finest Cornish mature vintage cheddar" is an anagram of "rev, the stationer's wife charmed a dancing suitor"
"waitrose finest" is an anagram of "stationer's wife"
February 4, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Chitra Ramaswamy
Auschwitz was at the end of a long process. It did not start from gas chambers.

This hatred was gradually developed by humans. From ideas, words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanization & escalating violence... to systematic and industrial murder.

Auschwitz took time.
January 27, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Thinking today, and every day, of my dear friends Henry and Ingrid Wuga. Holocaust survivors. Kindertransportees. German Jewish refugees. Magnificent humans. The subjects of my last book. My friends. #holocaustmemorialday
January 27, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Love Wrong Norma. What a book.
Our current bestsellers 🥊 lrb.me/6jh
January 27, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Love this podcast
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

Today’s episode in our history of revolutionary ideas explores the world-altering impact of Islam from the 7th century. David talks to the Islamic scholar Tim Winter (Abdal Hakim Murad) about what changed – and what didn’t – with its arrival.

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
January 27, 2025 at 6:08 PM
My @timesscotland.bsky.social restaurant review of the incomparable Kinneuchar Inn. Perfect.
January 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM