James Bailey
@drjamesbailey.bsky.social
Writer who lives in Manchester. Rep’d by Creative Artists Agency. LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD, my biography of Muriel Spark, is out in April 2026 🐈⬛
https://lnk.to/LikeaCatLovesaBird
Instagram.com/drjamesbailey
https://lnk.to/LikeaCatLovesaBird
Instagram.com/drjamesbailey
Well here’s something: the BBC has included LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK in a round-up of the must-reads of 2026. I’m sandwiched between Liza Minnelli and Cher - a big camp old Merry Christmas to me! ✨
December 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Well here’s something: the BBC has included LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK in a round-up of the must-reads of 2026. I’m sandwiched between Liza Minnelli and Cher - a big camp old Merry Christmas to me! ✨
Once again thinking about the time Sinéad O'Connor attended an anti-Sinéad O'Connor demonstration in disguise 💛
December 20, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Once again thinking about the time Sinéad O'Connor attended an anti-Sinéad O'Connor demonstration in disguise 💛
Reposted by James Bailey
James Bailey - Like a Cat Loves a Bird
The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark
À paraître en juin aux Princeton UP
The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark
À paraître en juin aux Princeton UP
December 15, 2025 at 4:44 PM
James Bailey - Like a Cat Loves a Bird
The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark
À paraître en juin aux Princeton UP
The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark
À paraître en juin aux Princeton UP
Reposted by James Bailey
some men sneeze like they've never sneezed before and they're not sure what's happening and they think they might be dying
December 15, 2025 at 1:13 PM
some men sneeze like they've never sneezed before and they're not sure what's happening and they think they might be dying
Reposted by James Bailey
Watercolour painting in a woodland, with an interesting wooden footbridge over a stream. This is the second version: I gave the first version to the person who owned these grounds but she has since moved. I hope it's a nice reminder for her.
#art #watercolour #woodland
#art #watercolour #woodland
December 15, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Watercolour painting in a woodland, with an interesting wooden footbridge over a stream. This is the second version: I gave the first version to the person who owned these grounds but she has since moved. I hope it's a nice reminder for her.
#art #watercolour #woodland
#art #watercolour #woodland
Reposted by James Bailey
Here’s the cover for LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK, out 16 April with @sceptrebooks.bsky.social
Preorder here: lnk.to/LikeaCatLove...
Please share! The book doing well means I can write another (and fulfil my dream of owning a pizza oven), so it’s pretty serious
🐈⬛ 🐈⬛ 🐈⬛
Preorder here: lnk.to/LikeaCatLove...
Please share! The book doing well means I can write another (and fulfil my dream of owning a pizza oven), so it’s pretty serious
🐈⬛ 🐈⬛ 🐈⬛
November 2, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Here’s the cover for LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK, out 16 April with @sceptrebooks.bsky.social
Preorder here: lnk.to/LikeaCatLove...
Please share! The book doing well means I can write another (and fulfil my dream of owning a pizza oven), so it’s pretty serious
🐈⬛ 🐈⬛ 🐈⬛
Preorder here: lnk.to/LikeaCatLove...
Please share! The book doing well means I can write another (and fulfil my dream of owning a pizza oven), so it’s pretty serious
🐈⬛ 🐈⬛ 🐈⬛
Reposted by James Bailey
The real victim at the centre of this absurd case is very clearly Dr Beth Upton
To witness the way in which she’s been dehumanised and vilified by Peggie and their (Sex Matters) legal team, the tribunal judge, the British media, and UK politicians has been beyond horrifying
Solidarity Beth
To witness the way in which she’s been dehumanised and vilified by Peggie and their (Sex Matters) legal team, the tribunal judge, the British media, and UK politicians has been beyond horrifying
Solidarity Beth
Decision in the Sandie Peggie case.
She was not directly or indirectly discriminated against, her claim of victimisation fails entirely, her claim of harassment fails largely and her claim against Beth Upton fails entirely. www.judiciary.uk/judgments/sa...
She was not directly or indirectly discriminated against, her claim of victimisation fails entirely, her claim of harassment fails largely and her claim against Beth Upton fails entirely. www.judiciary.uk/judgments/sa...
Sandie Peggie -v- Fife Health Board and another (judgment and summary) - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
Case number: 4104864/2024 Employment Tribunal, Scotland 8 December 2025 Before: Employment Judge A KempTribunal Member L BrownTribunal Member C Russell Between: Mrs Sandie Peggie -v- Fife Health Board...
www.judiciary.uk
December 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM
The real victim at the centre of this absurd case is very clearly Dr Beth Upton
To witness the way in which she’s been dehumanised and vilified by Peggie and their (Sex Matters) legal team, the tribunal judge, the British media, and UK politicians has been beyond horrifying
Solidarity Beth
To witness the way in which she’s been dehumanised and vilified by Peggie and their (Sex Matters) legal team, the tribunal judge, the British media, and UK politicians has been beyond horrifying
Solidarity Beth
Reposted by James Bailey
Do I have any journalist/reviewer followers who are fans of Muriel Spark and would like to join Miriam Margolyes in owning a proof copy of Dr Bailey's excellent book about the writer? I have ended up with an extra proof, and proofs are precious, so I'd not want to let it go to waste.
December 5, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Do I have any journalist/reviewer followers who are fans of Muriel Spark and would like to join Miriam Margolyes in owning a proof copy of Dr Bailey's excellent book about the writer? I have ended up with an extra proof, and proofs are precious, so I'd not want to let it go to waste.
Reposted by James Bailey
George Buday continued creating many illustrations for The Radio Times amongst other commercial publications while living voluntarily at Netherne Hospital, working from his studio in an old summerhouse in the grounds, which was apparently full of cigarette smoke & blaring classical music
December 4, 2025 at 10:34 AM
George Buday continued creating many illustrations for The Radio Times amongst other commercial publications while living voluntarily at Netherne Hospital, working from his studio in an old summerhouse in the grounds, which was apparently full of cigarette smoke & blaring classical music
Reposted by James Bailey
this is Penelope.
December 4, 2025 at 3:48 AM
this is Penelope.
Reposted by James Bailey
kind of obsessed with this custom binding for Moby dick by Susan and Chaim Ebanks at Exeter Bookbinders
December 4, 2025 at 2:05 PM
kind of obsessed with this custom binding for Moby dick by Susan and Chaim Ebanks at Exeter Bookbinders
Well this is ridiculous.
December 3, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Well this is ridiculous.
A moment of appreciation for the pie dish I bought from the charity shop for a grand total of £3.50 🥧
December 1, 2025 at 7:23 PM
A moment of appreciation for the pie dish I bought from the charity shop for a grand total of £3.50 🥧
I am once again thinking about Cher’s author bio.
November 29, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I am once again thinking about Cher’s author bio.
Reposted by James Bailey
Discovering that Muriel Spark adopted Patricia Highsmith's cat, Spider, is all I needed to make a dull day better.
Some trivia: The cat Spark’s holding on the cover was named Spider; she’d adopted him from Patricia Highsmith. Spider was a fan of fireworks - he found that their booms tended to stun the nearby lizards, making them easy for him to hunt down and kill. I imagine Spark admired this display of cunning…
November 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Discovering that Muriel Spark adopted Patricia Highsmith's cat, Spider, is all I needed to make a dull day better.
Reposted by James Bailey
Take note, American Sparkites. Sparkettes? Sparkles.
Great big news!
My book, LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is coming to America! I'm so pleased that @princetonupress.bsky.social will be publishing my strange, slippery take on Spark's life and work. It'll be out in spring!
🐈⬛💘🐦⬛
My book, LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is coming to America! I'm so pleased that @princetonupress.bsky.social will be publishing my strange, slippery take on Spark's life and work. It'll be out in spring!
🐈⬛💘🐦⬛
November 25, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Take note, American Sparkites. Sparkettes? Sparkles.
Great big news!
My book, LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is coming to America! I'm so pleased that @princetonupress.bsky.social will be publishing my strange, slippery take on Spark's life and work. It'll be out in spring!
🐈⬛💘🐦⬛
My book, LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is coming to America! I'm so pleased that @princetonupress.bsky.social will be publishing my strange, slippery take on Spark's life and work. It'll be out in spring!
🐈⬛💘🐦⬛
November 25, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Great big news!
My book, LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is coming to America! I'm so pleased that @princetonupress.bsky.social will be publishing my strange, slippery take on Spark's life and work. It'll be out in spring!
🐈⬛💘🐦⬛
My book, LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is coming to America! I'm so pleased that @princetonupress.bsky.social will be publishing my strange, slippery take on Spark's life and work. It'll be out in spring!
🐈⬛💘🐦⬛
Reposted by James Bailey
The loneliest man in the world.
Everything about this might be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen
November 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
The loneliest man in the world.
Reposted by James Bailey
This gorgeous little book of slides from the Design Council collection has arrived & single handedly saved my sanity
November 21, 2025 at 1:53 PM
This gorgeous little book of slides from the Design Council collection has arrived & single handedly saved my sanity
Reposted by James Bailey
Ice pond at sunset, 4.05pm
November 21, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Ice pond at sunset, 4.05pm
Reposted by James Bailey
From the archive for Beryl Bainbridge, #BornOnThisDay in 1932, thoughts on THE BOTTLE FACTORY OUTING, a darkly comic novel w/ a note of tragedy.
A group of factory workers go on a company day out. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot as it turns out. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/t...
A group of factory workers go on a company day out. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot as it turns out. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/t...
The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge
First published in 1974, The Bottle Factory Outing was Beryl Bainbridge’s fifth novel. It’s only the third of her books that I’ve read (my first was An Awfully Big Adventure, a darkly comic gem); b…
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:14 AM
From the archive for Beryl Bainbridge, #BornOnThisDay in 1932, thoughts on THE BOTTLE FACTORY OUTING, a darkly comic novel w/ a note of tragedy.
A group of factory workers go on a company day out. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot as it turns out. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/t...
A group of factory workers go on a company day out. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot as it turns out. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/t...
Reposted by James Bailey
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.
This is who it was:
This is who it was:
November 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.
This is who it was:
This is who it was:
Reposted by James Bailey
News! On 16 April (same day my book comes out) I'll be chatting with @jennashworth.bsky.social at @blackwellsmcr.bsky.social
We'll be talking all about LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK, and I’d love it if you could join us. Tickets here! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/like-a-cat...
We'll be talking all about LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK, and I’d love it if you could join us. Tickets here! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/like-a-cat...
LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: James Bailey in conversation with Jenn Ashworth
Join us to celebrate the publication of James Bailey's illuminating biography of Muriel Spark
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 8:25 PM
News! On 16 April (same day my book comes out) I'll be chatting with @jennashworth.bsky.social at @blackwellsmcr.bsky.social
We'll be talking all about LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK, and I’d love it if you could join us. Tickets here! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/like-a-cat...
We'll be talking all about LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK, and I’d love it if you could join us. Tickets here! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/like-a-cat...