Surprised and delighted to be alongside Philip Hoare as writing one of the New Statesman’s ‘Books of the Year 2025’, chosen by Geoff Dyer. Dyer is kind and generous to us both, characterising Hoare’s writing as ‘ecstatic, kaleidoscopic and visionary’, and mine as consistently thoughtful and moving.’

Just published, two inspiring collection of essays on the prospects for rural Britain in the future. Vol 1: Land, food & farming. Vol 2: Housing, planning & construction. From Assemble, Little Toller Books and the inestimable Common Ground. Fabulous photos by Kaye Song, designed by Polytechnic.

Looking forward to seeing old friends at the wonderful Wivenhoe Bookshop on Friday, 5 September, 2025 at 7pm. I'll be talking about rural socialism, artists's colonies, post-industrial landscapes, and eco- futurism, all part of the county's febrile 20th century history.

This documentary history of Frating Hall Farm in Essex, a unique pacifist community - taped interviews, photographs, letters, diaries - has now been given its own archive at Essex Record Office.

'What Worpole's account attests to is the paradise of making paradise...'

Olivia Laing, TLS, 2021

'No one knows where I am and that's the way I like it.' Congratulations to Jeff Young & Little Toller Books for winning the TLS Ackerley Prize last night for Wild Twin, the definitive British post-Kerouac road trip and dream diary.

Published in 1987, this overlooked London-Irish novel is marked by a Beckett-like mixture of comedy and tragedy. Written by publican & novelist, Jerry O' Neill, once of The Duke of Wellington in Balls Pond Road, two Irish labourers set themselves 24 hours to raise funds to bury their friend.

Another kind addition from Andrew Whitehead to my collection of 20th century 'experiments in living' (J.S.Mill) in Essex by all manner of peoples. Do read 'No Matter How Many Skies Have Fallen: back to the land in wartime Britain', beautifully published by Little Toller in 2021, now reprinted.

Terrific evening last night at the London Review Bookshop with Susie Thomas & Iain Sinclair discussing the new Faber edition of Alexander Baron's classic novel, 'The Lowlife'. Amazing how the 're-forgotten' novelist (in Sinclair's apt term) is enjoying a spectacular revival.