Peter Fiennes
@pfiennes.bsky.social
Latest book, 'A Thing of Beauty: Travels in Mythical & Modern Greece'.
Now happily lost in France. Maupassant, Sartre, Colette and others. #books #nature #climate
oneworld-publications.com/contributor/peter-fiennes
Now happily lost in France. Maupassant, Sartre, Colette and others. #books #nature #climate
oneworld-publications.com/contributor/peter-fiennes
It's a fond hello to Enid Blyton, who died on this day in 1968, aged 71. Author of 100s of books (even she lost count), including the utterly thrilling Famous Five adventures. Excluded by libraries, banned by the BBC, clunky, parochial, hated by one daughter, loved by the other. And yet, and yet...
November 28, 2025 at 11:26 AM
It's a fond hello to Enid Blyton, who died on this day in 1968, aged 71. Author of 100s of books (even she lost count), including the utterly thrilling Famous Five adventures. Excluded by libraries, banned by the BBC, clunky, parochial, hated by one daughter, loved by the other. And yet, and yet...
Just printed out the final proofs. One last (or 12 more) anxious read(s)…
Out May 2026!
Out May 2026!
November 6, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Just printed out the final proofs. One last (or 12 more) anxious read(s)…
Out May 2026!
Out May 2026!
Pretty sure this is a Van Morrison song.
November 5, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Pretty sure this is a Van Morrison song.
Happy Birthday (probably!) to Dr Sam Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary and subject of the world's greatest biography (James Boswell's 'Life of Johnson').
'The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken' indeed...
'The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken' indeed...
September 7, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Happy Birthday (probably!) to Dr Sam Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary and subject of the world's greatest biography (James Boswell's 'Life of Johnson').
'The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken' indeed...
'The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken' indeed...
Apparently it’s International Dog Day. So here’s the much missed Bonnie - camping enthusiast, reader, beach lover and friend.
August 26, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Apparently it’s International Dog Day. So here’s the much missed Bonnie - camping enthusiast, reader, beach lover and friend.
Beautiful acorns.
Seems like a mast year.
Seems like a mast year.
August 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Beautiful acorns.
Seems like a mast year.
Seems like a mast year.
Happy Birthday Guy de Maupassant! Born #OTD 1850. Author of over 300 brilliant short stories, 6 novels, 3 travel books, some shit poetry, a smutty play - all in about 10 years. Died from syphilis age 43.
Here's the bar named after him in Étretat, Normandy.
He's buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.
Here's the bar named after him in Étretat, Normandy.
He's buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.
August 5, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Happy Birthday Guy de Maupassant! Born #OTD 1850. Author of over 300 brilliant short stories, 6 novels, 3 travel books, some shit poetry, a smutty play - all in about 10 years. Died from syphilis age 43.
Here's the bar named after him in Étretat, Normandy.
He's buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.
Here's the bar named after him in Étretat, Normandy.
He's buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.
Met BoJo. Finally had the chance to sort out his preposterous hair.
June 8, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Met BoJo. Finally had the chance to sort out his preposterous hair.
Publication day for this beauty from the amazing @julianhoffman.bsky.social. I started this morning - and have things to do, but can't tear myself away! It's beautiful AND wise.
May 15, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Publication day for this beauty from the amazing @julianhoffman.bsky.social. I started this morning - and have things to do, but can't tear myself away! It's beautiful AND wise.
Simone de Beauvoir died #OTD 1986.
Here's her grave in Montparnasse Cemetery, shared - of course - with Jean-Paul Sartre. Lipstick kisses, flowers and métro tickets.
And here's the first known photo of them together - shooting at a fairground in Paris. Eyes closed!
Here's her grave in Montparnasse Cemetery, shared - of course - with Jean-Paul Sartre. Lipstick kisses, flowers and métro tickets.
And here's the first known photo of them together - shooting at a fairground in Paris. Eyes closed!
April 14, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Simone de Beauvoir died #OTD 1986.
Here's her grave in Montparnasse Cemetery, shared - of course - with Jean-Paul Sartre. Lipstick kisses, flowers and métro tickets.
And here's the first known photo of them together - shooting at a fairground in Paris. Eyes closed!
Here's her grave in Montparnasse Cemetery, shared - of course - with Jean-Paul Sartre. Lipstick kisses, flowers and métro tickets.
And here's the first known photo of them together - shooting at a fairground in Paris. Eyes closed!
Beautiful dandelions!
Very happy with our ‘lawn’.
Very happy with our ‘lawn’.
April 13, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Beautiful dandelions!
Very happy with our ‘lawn’.
Very happy with our ‘lawn’.
Happy Birthday Émile Zola, 185 today!
(He died aged 62 and may have been murdered...)
Here's his weird house in Médan on the Seine (designed by himself), where he wrote his brilliant books and fought for Alfred Dreyfus. He loved tiles and towers. And hated antisemites. So.
(He died aged 62 and may have been murdered...)
Here's his weird house in Médan on the Seine (designed by himself), where he wrote his brilliant books and fought for Alfred Dreyfus. He loved tiles and towers. And hated antisemites. So.
April 2, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Happy Birthday Émile Zola, 185 today!
(He died aged 62 and may have been murdered...)
Here's his weird house in Médan on the Seine (designed by himself), where he wrote his brilliant books and fought for Alfred Dreyfus. He loved tiles and towers. And hated antisemites. So.
(He died aged 62 and may have been murdered...)
Here's his weird house in Médan on the Seine (designed by himself), where he wrote his brilliant books and fought for Alfred Dreyfus. He loved tiles and towers. And hated antisemites. So.
Gives me an excuse to post this.
March 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Gives me an excuse to post this.
Happy Birthday Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, born #OTD 1873. The great Colette, cat lover! Here's the beach by her holiday home in Saint Coulomb on the north coast of Brittany. And her grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.
January 28, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Happy Birthday Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, born #OTD 1873. The great Colette, cat lover! Here's the beach by her holiday home in Saint Coulomb on the north coast of Brittany. And her grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.
Happy Birthday (for yesterday) to the brilliant and prolific Edith Wharton, born 24th Jan 1862. Here's her house in Hyères in the south of France. And the view! And her very own avenue. She'd like that.
January 25, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Happy Birthday (for yesterday) to the brilliant and prolific Edith Wharton, born 24th Jan 1862. Here's her house in Hyères in the south of France. And the view! And her very own avenue. She'd like that.
Oh sure you can try and finish your book but why would you even bother?
January 16, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Oh sure you can try and finish your book but why would you even bother?
She wrote the most brilliant, elusive, funny and heartbreaking stories.
And she lived for a while in Menton in the south of France.
She even has her own avenue - and her name on the bins!
And she lived for a while in Menton in the south of France.
She even has her own avenue - and her name on the bins!
January 9, 2025 at 10:19 AM
She wrote the most brilliant, elusive, funny and heartbreaking stories.
And she lived for a while in Menton in the south of France.
She even has her own avenue - and her name on the bins!
And she lived for a while in Menton in the south of France.
She even has her own avenue - and her name on the bins!
Katherine Mansfield died from TB #OTD in 1923, in a clinic outside Paris. She was 34.
Three months earlier, she had written this in her journal:
'Warm, eager, living life – to be rooted in life – to learn, to desire to know, to feel, to think, to act. That is what I want.'
Three months earlier, she had written this in her journal:
'Warm, eager, living life – to be rooted in life – to learn, to desire to know, to feel, to think, to act. That is what I want.'
January 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Katherine Mansfield died from TB #OTD in 1923, in a clinic outside Paris. She was 34.
Three months earlier, she had written this in her journal:
'Warm, eager, living life – to be rooted in life – to learn, to desire to know, to feel, to think, to act. That is what I want.'
Three months earlier, she had written this in her journal:
'Warm, eager, living life – to be rooted in life – to learn, to desire to know, to feel, to think, to act. That is what I want.'
Oh. 'The Poseidon Adventure' - 'Hell, Upside Down'.
January 8, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Oh. 'The Poseidon Adventure' - 'Hell, Upside Down'.
Happy Birthday Wilkie Collins! Born #OTD 1824.
Author of 'The Moonstone', the first great detective novel, the chilling/thrilling 'The Woman in White' and the travel book 'Rambles Beyond Railways', in which young Wilkie walked (or claimed to walk) around Cornwall in the days before railways.
Author of 'The Moonstone', the first great detective novel, the chilling/thrilling 'The Woman in White' and the travel book 'Rambles Beyond Railways', in which young Wilkie walked (or claimed to walk) around Cornwall in the days before railways.
January 8, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Happy Birthday Wilkie Collins! Born #OTD 1824.
Author of 'The Moonstone', the first great detective novel, the chilling/thrilling 'The Woman in White' and the travel book 'Rambles Beyond Railways', in which young Wilkie walked (or claimed to walk) around Cornwall in the days before railways.
Author of 'The Moonstone', the first great detective novel, the chilling/thrilling 'The Woman in White' and the travel book 'Rambles Beyond Railways', in which young Wilkie walked (or claimed to walk) around Cornwall in the days before railways.
And... Christmas Gift Idea #3!
oneworld-publications.com/work/oak-and...
oneworld-publications.com/work/oak-and...
December 18, 2024 at 2:58 PM
And... Christmas Gift Idea #3!
oneworld-publications.com/work/oak-and...
oneworld-publications.com/work/oak-and...
Christmas Gift Idea #2.
oneworld-publications.com/work/footnot...
oneworld-publications.com/work/footnot...
December 18, 2024 at 2:57 PM
Christmas Gift Idea #2.
oneworld-publications.com/work/footnot...
oneworld-publications.com/work/footnot...