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grantrintoul.bsky.social
@grantrintoul.bsky.social
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jacquiwine.bsky.social
New on the blog today. I've written about THE WATERFALL by Margaret Drabble.

An intriguing novel about an illicit love affair which raises questions about how we choose to frame and relate stories to one another. How can we trust what we are being told? 💙📚

jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026/02/03/t...
The Waterfall by Margaret Drabble
Alongside my ongoing aim of reading Anita Brookner’s novels in publication order, roughly one every six months, I’m trying to do the same with Margaret Drabble, albeit more slowly. Drabble’s first …
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:16 AM
Reposted
grantrintoul.bsky.social
Some eerie tales from a master of the short story - Bora Chung's The Midnight Timetable (translated by @antonhur.com)
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/02/01/t...
The Midnight Timetable
The Midnight Timetable is the latest collection of short stories / novel from Bora Chung translated by Anton Hur. Connected by a mysterious Institute and a narrator who is employed there, the stori…
1streading.wordpress.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:44 PM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
Some eerie tales from a master of the short story - Bora Chung's The Midnight Timetable (translated by @antonhur.com)
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/02/01/t...
The Midnight Timetable
The Midnight Timetable is the latest collection of short stories / novel from Bora Chung translated by Anton Hur. Connected by a mysterious Institute and a narrator who is employed there, the stori…
1streading.wordpress.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:44 PM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
I'm now at that age where I'm still working but people who haven't seen me for a while ask me if I'm still working.
January 31, 2026 at 6:11 PM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
There's no other writer I'd rather listen to than Ali Smith!
Cover of Glyph by Ali Smith
January 30, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Reposted
grantrintoul.bsky.social
Two stories intertwine across time in Kirstine Reffstrup's Iron Lung, translated by Hunter Simpson and published by Peirene Press:
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/29/i...
Iron Lung
Kirstine Reffstrup is a Danish author whose debut novel, I, Unica (about the German artist and writer Unica Zürn), was nominated for number of prizes. Now her 2023 novel, Iron Lung, has been transl…
1streading.wordpress.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:55 PM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
Two stories intertwine across time in Kirstine Reffstrup's Iron Lung, translated by Hunter Simpson and published by Peirene Press:
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/29/i...
Iron Lung
Kirstine Reffstrup is a Danish author whose debut novel, I, Unica (about the German artist and writer Unica Zürn), was nominated for number of prizes. Now her 2023 novel, Iron Lung, has been transl…
1streading.wordpress.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Reposted
jacquiwine.bsky.social
New on the blog today, my thoughts on IN FARTHEST SEAS by Lalla Romano (tr. Brian Robert Moore).

I loved this profound, intimate and deeply moving elegy to Cenzo Monti, Romano’s husband of fifty years. Fans of Annie Ernaux might appreciate this. #BookSky 💙📚

jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026/01/29/i...
In Farthest Seas by Lalla Romano (tr. Brian Robert Moore)
A couple of years ago, I read and thoroughly enjoyed A Silence Shared, a beautiful, enigmatic novel by the Italian writer, translator and artist Lalla Romano. First published in Italy in 1957, Tett…
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:19 AM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
Going to see Andy White @traversetheatre.bsky.social tonight 40 years after buying his first album.
January 28, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Reposted
kaggsy59.bsky.social
On the Ramblings today, for the #japaneseliteraturechallenge and #januaryinjapan I explore a heartbreaking short work, Grave of the Fireflies. More here: kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2026/01/26/b...
“By morning, half the fireflies had died…” #japaneseliteraturechallenge
Whenever I take part in reading events and challenges, I normally try to pick books which I already have in the stacks; goodness knows the TBR is already gigantic enough without adding to it! Howev…
kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com
January 26, 2026 at 9:06 AM
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roughghosts.bsky.social
Writing toward the endless horizon: Landscape with Landscape by Gerald Murnane roughghosts.com/2026/01/26/w...
Writing toward the endless horizon: Landscape with Landscape by Gerald Murnane
In his Foreword to Landscape with Landscape, written for its 2016 re-issue with Giramondo, Gerald Murnane describes his reaction to a number negative reviews that this, his fourth work and first fo…
roughghosts.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:42 AM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
For Burns' Night, an extract from Matthew Fitt's Kate o Shanter's Tale - what happens when Tam finally arrives home.
January 25, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Reposted
graemethomson.bsky.social
For Burns Night. Wrap yr lugs round this beauty.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ7o...
Dick Gaughan - Now Westlin Winds
YouTube video by 76AMD
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Reposted
agrayarchive.bsky.social
Alasdair Gray & Robert Burns - Pictured is Alasdair Gray’s 1953 Tam O’Shanter, inspired by Robert Burns. A fierce champion of Scots, Gray shows Tam riding home below as witches dance to bagpipes in the haunted kirk.
January 25, 2026 at 10:21 AM
Reposted
grantrintoul.bsky.social
The first step on my journey through Brian Moore's novels, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne:
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/24/t...
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Brian Moore’s first novel, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne published in 1955, was not actually his first novel – he had already written a series of pulp thrillers and would go on to write…
1streading.wordpress.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Reposted
asls.org.uk
Atween November’s end and noo
there’s really nithin else tae do
but climb inside a brindlet coo
and dream o Spring…

—W.N. Herbert, “Rabbie, Rabbie, Burning Bright”
in OMNESIA (Remix), @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social 2013
Warming up for #BurnsNight
#poem
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/rabbie-...
Rabbie, Rabbie, Burning Bright by W. N. Herbert Atween November’s end and noo there’s really nithin else tae do but climb inside a brindlet coo and dream o Spring, fur Winter’s decked hur breist and broo wi icy bling. It feels like, oan St Andrae’s nicht, thi sun went oot and gote sae ticht he endit up in a braw fire fecht wi some wee comet – noo he’s layin low wi his punched-oot licht aa rimmed wi vomit. We too hae strachilt lik The Bruce and hacked up turkey, duck and goose; and let aa resolution loose oan Hogmanay, but waddle noo frae wark tae hoose lyk dogs they spayed. Each year fails tae begin thi same: fae dregs o Daft Deys debt comes hame and we gaither in depression’s wame aa duty-crossed – but Burns’s birthday is a flame set tae Defrost. Ye dinna need tae be Confucius tae ken, if Dullness wad confuse us, ye caa ‘Respite! Let’s aa get stocious – And dinna nag us. Grant us that globe of spice, thi luscious Delight caaed “haggis”!’ That truffle o the North must be dug frae the depths o January, but cannae pass oor lips, nor we cross Limbo’s border – unless that passport, Poetry, be quite in order. Sae thi daurkest deys o thi haill damn year can dawn in yawns baith dreich an drear – sae thi Taxman’s axe is at wir ear fur his Returns? We Scots sall neither dreid nor fear but read wir Burns.
January 24, 2026 at 2:46 PM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
The first step on my journey through Brian Moore's novels, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne:
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/24/t...
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Brian Moore’s first novel, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne published in 1955, was not actually his first novel – he had already written a series of pulp thrillers and would go on to write…
1streading.wordpress.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Reposted
kaggsy59.bsky.social
On the blog today, I spend time with a book by the bats but entertaining John Franklin Bardin - more here! kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/o...
“Oh, Philip, why can’t you remember?” #thelastofphilipbanter
Back in 2018, Mr Kaggsy presented me with an intriguing omnibus edition of three books by an author I’d never heard of – John Franklin Bardin. It seemed as if the author was quite obscu…
kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:39 AM
Reposted
jacquiwine.bsky.social
New on the blog today, I've written about more of my favourite London novels.

Including books by Anita Brookner, Elizabeth Bowen, Barbara Pym and many more! #BookSky #London 💙📚

jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026/01/22/l...
London novels – another ten favourites from my shelves
Back in July, I put together a list of ten favourite novels set in London. It seemed to strike a chord with many of you, so much so that I thought I’d pick another ten, including some of the books …
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
January 22, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Reposted
kaggsy59.bsky.social
On the Ramblings today, my thoughts on the truly magnificent Is A River Alive? by @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social - what a book! kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2026/01/21/p...
“…part of a web of entangled life…” #isariveralive
As I’ve no doubt mentioned many times before, I’m a great believer in every book having its time and so I don’t necessarily pick up each new title that comes through the door as s…
kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:26 AM
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tonysreadinglist.bsky.social
My latest #JanuaryInJapan review takes us far into the future with Hiromi Kawakami's 'Under the Eye of the Big Bird' (translated by Asa Yoneda, published by Granta Books), a novel telling us all about the human race, and how it ends... tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/01/21/u...
January 21, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Reposted
grantrintoul.bsky.social
For #JanuaryinJapan my first experience of the 'other' Murakami, Ryu (translated by Ralph McCarthy), Piercing:
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/18/p...
Piercing
Ryu Murakimi’s Piercing was originally published in 1994 and became the second of his novels to be translated into English (by Ralph McCarthy) in 2007. A dark thriller of dysfunctional love and dam…
1streading.wordpress.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:09 PM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
For #JanuaryinJapan my first experience of the 'other' Murakami, Ryu (translated by Ralph McCarthy), Piercing:
1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/18/p...
Piercing
Ryu Murakimi’s Piercing was originally published in 1994 and became the second of his novels to be translated into English (by Ralph McCarthy) in 2007. A dark thriller of dysfunctional love and dam…
1streading.wordpress.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Reposted
jacquiwine.bsky.social
New on the blog today, I've written about the first novel in Olivia Manning's superb semi-autobiographical LEVANT TRILOGY - The Danger Tree.

An acutely perceptive portrait of the early years of a fraught marriage set against the advancing front of WW2. 💙📚

jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026/01/18/t...
The Levant Trilogy (Book One: The Danger Tree) by Olivia Manning
Five years ago, I read and loved Olivia Manning’s Balkan Trilogy, a superb series of largely autobiographical novels based on the author’s experiences of a life lived on the advancing edges of turm…
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
January 18, 2026 at 7:20 AM
grantrintoul.bsky.social
1. B B King at the Playhouse (Edinburgh), my first.
2. Belle & Sebastian at the Carnegie Hall (Dunfermline) with a brass band.
3. Richard Thompson at St Mary's Cathedral (Edinburgh).
4. Rab Noakes/Michael Marra, Parkway Hotel (Kirkcaldy)
5. Bob Dylan, Usher Hall (Edinburgh), 2024.
staggerlee42.bsky.social Chris @staggerlee42.bsky.social · 17d
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen #musicsky 🎶

1. Pulp
2. American Music Club
3. Beach House
4. John Grant
5. Fuck Buttons
flyfishingfrankers.bsky.social Gary @flyfishingfrankers.bsky.social · 17d
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen #musicsky 🎶

1. Led Zeppelin
2. Genesis
3. Pink Floyd
4. Slipknot
5. Santana
January 17, 2026 at 11:14 AM