Rob Cook
@robgcook.bsky.social
Slightly older than Sgt Pepper, slightly younger than Milton Keynes. 🏴🇮🇪. Dad. Registered Nurse. Minimally published unit. Variegated dilettante.
I finished this remarkable book by @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social a couple of days ago & its acute prescience is terrifying. It’s a clear-sighted future history of now, written as a character-focused history of then. The sections on how fascism warps reality describe today’s headlines chillingly well.
January 25, 2026 at 4:20 AM
I finished this remarkable book by @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social a couple of days ago & its acute prescience is terrifying. It’s a clear-sighted future history of now, written as a character-focused history of then. The sections on how fascism warps reality describe today’s headlines chillingly well.
He's actually correct. At a full speed of 21.5 knots it would've taken about 3 minutes. So, he's right, but also stupid.
January 24, 2026 at 3:30 AM
He's actually correct. At a full speed of 21.5 knots it would've taken about 3 minutes. So, he's right, but also stupid.
@mark-carney.bsky.social is my new favourite world leader. Not that I really had any favourite world leaders before — I mean, it’s a low bar right now, let’s be honest. But Mark Carney’s just set his own bar, at a decently ambitious height, and welded it into place. Just got to hope others follow.
January 21, 2026 at 11:08 AM
@mark-carney.bsky.social is my new favourite world leader. Not that I really had any favourite world leaders before — I mean, it’s a low bar right now, let’s be honest. But Mark Carney’s just set his own bar, at a decently ambitious height, and welded it into place. Just got to hope others follow.
This book causes serious whiplash to one’s historical consciousness — you’re in the Now, reading a history of Then, but it feels like you’re in the Yet-To-Be reading a history of Now. It also reads like an essential survival manual for the ongoing calamity.
January 19, 2026 at 3:08 AM
This book causes serious whiplash to one’s historical consciousness — you’re in the Now, reading a history of Then, but it feels like you’re in the Yet-To-Be reading a history of Now. It also reads like an essential survival manual for the ongoing calamity.
Reading @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social’s brilliant WE ARE FREE TO CHANGE THE WORLD. Replace ‘Jewishness’ here with ‘Palestinianness’, ‘Somaliness’, ‘Venezualanness’, or ‘pick-your-preferred-racial-stereotype-ness’; after ‘bystander’ add ‘not least because one might get shot in the face’; & hello USA.
January 15, 2026 at 7:42 AM
Reading @lyndseystonebri.bsky.social’s brilliant WE ARE FREE TO CHANGE THE WORLD. Replace ‘Jewishness’ here with ‘Palestinianness’, ‘Somaliness’, ‘Venezualanness’, or ‘pick-your-preferred-racial-stereotype-ness’; after ‘bystander’ add ‘not least because one might get shot in the face’; & hello USA.
Portrait of a constipated old bully trying to shit standing up.
January 11, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Portrait of a constipated old bully trying to shit standing up.
Covers of this year’s books (as per previous post) [1/2]
December 30, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Covers of this year’s books (as per previous post) [1/2]
My RTY pile (Read This Year) for 2025. Fell back in love with fiction thanks to Gwendoline Riley, Claire-Louise Bennett & Olga Ravn. Rediscovered the joy of crime via Seichō Matsumoto. And Maggie Nelson remains essential. (Three books not in the pile because ebooks or out on loan — see next post.)
December 30, 2025 at 12:25 AM
My RTY pile (Read This Year) for 2025. Fell back in love with fiction thanks to Gwendoline Riley, Claire-Louise Bennett & Olga Ravn. Rediscovered the joy of crime via Seichō Matsumoto. And Maggie Nelson remains essential. (Three books not in the pile because ebooks or out on loan — see next post.)
This thing still plucks at my brain 30 years later, which I suppose is exactly what it’s supposed to do, so buying a new edition before the old one succumbs, like the heart, to overuse, seems reasonable, no? I do so love that old cover though @mjohnharrison.bsky.social - the Steadmanesque lettering!
November 30, 2025 at 6:57 AM
This thing still plucks at my brain 30 years later, which I suppose is exactly what it’s supposed to do, so buying a new edition before the old one succumbs, like the heart, to overuse, seems reasonable, no? I do so love that old cover though @mjohnharrison.bsky.social - the Steadmanesque lettering!
Waiting in the sea light for @willdalrymple.bsky.social at QPAC in Brisbane, hoping he’ll sign his ancient book for his increasingly ancient fan 🤞🏽
November 12, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Waiting in the sea light for @willdalrymple.bsky.social at QPAC in Brisbane, hoping he’ll sign his ancient book for his increasingly ancient fan 🤞🏽
I don’t know that anyone’s going to say it better than @moiradonegan.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 11:02 PM
I don’t know that anyone’s going to say it better than @moiradonegan.bsky.social
I’d always thought that the whole point of America was that the American people “get to decide what the American people think” but I guess that whole ‘No tyrants! Give me liberty!’ thing is all just old hat now. Shame, really.
September 18, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I’d always thought that the whole point of America was that the American people “get to decide what the American people think” but I guess that whole ‘No tyrants! Give me liberty!’ thing is all just old hat now. Shame, really.
The gangs, criminals, youth & maniacs all have extra inherently loaded descriptors. The homeless people don’t, because for Trump ‘homeless’ is equivalent to ‘violent/bloodthirsty/wild/drugged out’ & it’s meaningless to him that they’re people. On Sunday he told the homeless people to leave DC. (1/2)
August 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
The gangs, criminals, youth & maniacs all have extra inherently loaded descriptors. The homeless people don’t, because for Trump ‘homeless’ is equivalent to ‘violent/bloodthirsty/wild/drugged out’ & it’s meaningless to him that they’re people. On Sunday he told the homeless people to leave DC. (1/2)
Post someone who looks good in a hat.
August 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Post someone who looks good in a hat.
Right then. The Return of Covid, the sequel that no one (specifically me) wanted after two and a half years since the original. At least this time I have themed reading material.
August 4, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Right then. The Return of Covid, the sequel that no one (specifically me) wanted after two and a half years since the original. At least this time I have themed reading material.
Just starting it on my tea break. Reading you is akin to drinking mulled wine. Warm and friendly and pleasing, while also being spicy and piquant and surprising.
July 30, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Just starting it on my tea break. Reading you is akin to drinking mulled wine. Warm and friendly and pleasing, while also being spicy and piquant and surprising.
I only went in for one of these (gesturing at you @damonyoung.com.au) but @willdalrymple.bsky.social is never less than dazzling, @keithhouston.bsky.social’s Book book & the pocket @tate.bsky.social Blake were impossible to resist, & @mosababutoha.bsky.social’s poems are infinitely necessary.
July 30, 2025 at 2:54 AM
I only went in for one of these (gesturing at you @damonyoung.com.au) but @willdalrymple.bsky.social is never less than dazzling, @keithhouston.bsky.social’s Book book & the pocket @tate.bsky.social Blake were impossible to resist, & @mosababutoha.bsky.social’s poems are infinitely necessary.
Mike Harrison @mjohnharrison.bsky.social on his blog back in January. Increasingly applicable beyond just phones, I feel.
July 14, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Mike Harrison @mjohnharrison.bsky.social on his blog back in January. Increasingly applicable beyond just phones, I feel.
A finely balanced pair of headlines from @theguardian.com today.
May 12, 2025 at 10:49 AM
A finely balanced pair of headlines from @theguardian.com today.