Patrick McGuinness
@padrig.bsky.social
Writer, academic, endotic traveller. Books: Blood Feather 2023; Real Oxford 2021. Ghost Stations, CB Editions , Sept 2025. FRSL. Prof of French and Comp Lit, Oxford. Rep'd Peter Straus RCW.
Small mercies: the first rainless day in what feels like months, followed by a sunset that involves a visible sun, visibly setting.
February 11, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Small mercies: the first rainless day in what feels like months, followed by a sunset that involves a visible sun, visibly setting.
Reposted by Patrick McGuinness
Congratulations to the winner of the Scott Moncrieff Prize for translations into English of full-length French works of literary merit and general interest:
ruthdiver.bsky.social for a translation of The Convoy by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse (openborderspress.bsky.social )
ruthdiver.bsky.social for a translation of The Convoy by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse (openborderspress.bsky.social )
February 11, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Congratulations to the winner of the Scott Moncrieff Prize for translations into English of full-length French works of literary merit and general interest:
ruthdiver.bsky.social for a translation of The Convoy by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse (openborderspress.bsky.social )
ruthdiver.bsky.social for a translation of The Convoy by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse (openborderspress.bsky.social )
London 3 times in a week. Lights on, nobody much home at Centre Point. The future as imagined by the past.
February 10, 2026 at 10:40 PM
London 3 times in a week. Lights on, nobody much home at Centre Point. The future as imagined by the past.
There's always something to see.
February 8, 2026 at 9:41 PM
There's always something to see.
February 6, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Delighted and extremely grateful for this kind review of Ghost Stations @cbeditions.bsky.social by Jonathan Keates in this month's @litreview.bsky.social . I'd like to stay on this train, thank you.
February 5, 2026 at 11:21 AM
Delighted and extremely grateful for this kind review of Ghost Stations @cbeditions.bsky.social by Jonathan Keates in this month's @litreview.bsky.social . I'd like to stay on this train, thank you.
Another genius move by Labour. Shaft potential young Labour voters then pick a fight with Martin Lewis about it. www.theguardian.com/money/2026/f...
Student loans: why is Martin Lewis clashing with Rachel Reeves?
MoneySavingExpert founder has said changes that will lead to some graduates in England and Wales paying more are ‘not moral’
www.theguardian.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:41 AM
Another genius move by Labour. Shaft potential young Labour voters then pick a fight with Martin Lewis about it. www.theguardian.com/money/2026/f...
Delighted to see this woodpecker at the bird feeder this morning. When he's finished the fat ball hors d'oeuvre he can move onto the tree.
January 31, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Delighted to see this woodpecker at the bird feeder this morning. When he's finished the fat ball hors d'oeuvre he can move onto the tree.
Reposted by Patrick McGuinness
Remember them. Murdered by the forces of the British state in Derry on this date in 1972.
January 30, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Remember them. Murdered by the forces of the British state in Derry on this date in 1972.
Reposted by Patrick McGuinness
De l'importance des bistrots
Quand les bars-tabacs ferment : l’érosion du lien social local et la progression du vote d’extrême droite en France
(CEPREMAP)
www.cepremap.fr/2026/01/quan...
(CEPREMAP)
www.cepremap.fr/2026/01/quan...
January 30, 2026 at 11:17 PM
De l'importance des bistrots
Like snowdrops and the dawn chorus, the 1st signs of spring: the first pallet of Morrisons compost
January 30, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Like snowdrops and the dawn chorus, the 1st signs of spring: the first pallet of Morrisons compost
Reposted by Patrick McGuinness
Wonderful.
January 29, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Wonderful.
Reposted by Patrick McGuinness
Anonymous briefer, you would not tell with such high zest
To reporters ardent for some exclusive story,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro party leadership approval ratings on Ipsos MORI
To reporters ardent for some exclusive story,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro party leadership approval ratings on Ipsos MORI
And yet, it could all backfire for Burnham.
Even if he gets through all the hurdles, there's no guarantee he'll be welcomed.
“Where was he in the Corbyn years?," says one MP. "I was in the trenches, dealing with all the abuse, with people in tears – and he swans off to be mayor of Manchester."
Even if he gets through all the hurdles, there's no guarantee he'll be welcomed.
“Where was he in the Corbyn years?," says one MP. "I was in the trenches, dealing with all the abuse, with people in tears – and he swans off to be mayor of Manchester."
January 25, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Anonymous briefer, you would not tell with such high zest
To reporters ardent for some exclusive story,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro party leadership approval ratings on Ipsos MORI
To reporters ardent for some exclusive story,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro party leadership approval ratings on Ipsos MORI
Area around Oxford station feels transitional: businesses that don't 'take', planning that never settles, empty buildings, brisk footfall to or from historic centre. Through-place. So it's good to see these informative panels in the old (historic) Kings Motors building about St Thomas and St Ebbe's.
January 21, 2026 at 8:57 AM
Area around Oxford station feels transitional: businesses that don't 'take', planning that never settles, empty buildings, brisk footfall to or from historic centre. Through-place. So it's good to see these informative panels in the old (historic) Kings Motors building about St Thomas and St Ebbe's.
I've taught on this and attended some of the talks. It's a brilliant summer school: practical, creative, professional...
Exciting news! Our summer school has a new home @stedmundhall.bsky.social, Uni of Oxford. Aspiring & practising literary translators, join us online in July for workshops in 11 languages and an exciting range of events designed to prepare you for a career in translation.
After a successful 5 years at the University of Bristol, our online literary translation summer school is moving to St Edmund Hall, University of #Oxford. Once again, we have a line-up of stellar tutors and inspiring speakers!
January 17, 2026 at 12:01 PM
I've taught on this and attended some of the talks. It's a brilliant summer school: practical, creative, professional...
Reposted by Patrick McGuinness
Will throw this into the pot for Donald if it means he just fucks off.
January 16, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Will throw this into the pot for Donald if it means he just fucks off.
Watched @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social for the first time in a while. Tabloid TV , politics as soap opera, titillating rumour and totally content-free. This was once a great programme.
January 15, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Watched @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social for the first time in a while. Tabloid TV , politics as soap opera, titillating rumour and totally content-free. This was once a great programme.
Great Guardian pieces about Weir (and the Grateful Dead) by Alexis Petridis and Stevie Chick. I'd add add Jack Straw and Black-throated Wind to this list.
www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...
Truckin’ on: Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead’s 10 best recordings
From 46-minute jams to MTV video hits, here are the freedom-loving Dead guitarist and singer’s finest songs about ‘rainbows of sound’ and ‘enjoying the ride’
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:55 PM
Great Guardian pieces about Weir (and the Grateful Dead) by Alexis Petridis and Stevie Chick. I'd add add Jack Straw and Black-throated Wind to this list.
www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...
Some inverse relationship between how much History there is to learn from and how little is learned from History. Unless that's the point of it.
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Some inverse relationship between how much History there is to learn from and how little is learned from History. Unless that's the point of it.
Very pleased to end 2025 with a nice review in @thetls.bsky.social of Ghost Stations , available from @cbeditions.bsky.social . Giving nostalgia a good name.
www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...
www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...
Remembrance of infrastructures past
The themes that bind together this disparate collection of occasional pieces are nostalgia and railways. In the essay that begins Part II, “The Future of
www.the-tls.com
December 31, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Very pleased to end 2025 with a nice review in @thetls.bsky.social of Ghost Stations , available from @cbeditions.bsky.social . Giving nostalgia a good name.
www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...
www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...
Nadolig llawen, merry Christmas , Caernarfon
December 24, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Nadolig llawen, merry Christmas , Caernarfon
Festive florilegium of reviews of local Morrisons , tempered by the realisation that I know most if not all the people evoked in these comments. Da iawn dre, yma wyf innau i fod.
December 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Festive florilegium of reviews of local Morrisons , tempered by the realisation that I know most if not all the people evoked in these comments. Da iawn dre, yma wyf innau i fod.
Y Foryd, some elemental views
December 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Y Foryd, some elemental views
Also in 2026, my cross-channel Modernisms book. Starts with Mallarmé and Yeats, finishes with Derek Mahon's translations , by way of TE Hulme, Lynette Roberts, TS Eliot and the NRf , Rosemary Tonks, Odilon Périer, the birth of avant-garde theatre and other things.
December 12, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Also in 2026, my cross-channel Modernisms book. Starts with Mallarmé and Yeats, finishes with Derek Mahon's translations , by way of TE Hulme, Lynette Roberts, TS Eliot and the NRf , Rosemary Tonks, Odilon Périer, the birth of avant-garde theatre and other things.