Claire
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thechesilbeach.bsky.social
Claire
@thechesilbeach.bsky.social
Love visiting Chesil Beach and reading books. In fact, I’ve probably got my head in a book while you’re reading this.

⬆️And yes, this is my Backlisted bookshelf. ⬆️
I won’t be getting Backlisted books in my advent calendar this year as we have too many we haven’t read already, and we don’t have the shelf space! Maybe next year, I’ll have had chance to catch up a bit, there will be more authors featured that we want to collect and it will make a return.
November 30, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I finished this last week, and I’m still thinking and chuckling about it now. I think few books make you laugh out loud, but chuckling aloud is a pretty good indicator of a humour. A bookseller by accident having lost his work as a journalist to online media, and attempting to revive …
I’m reading Service by John Tottenham at the moment. About a hundred pages in and it’s so good. It’s funny enough that I’ve chuckled out loud a few times, and the occasional footnotes are gems. Enjoying it enormously
November 26, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Cinema trip today to see Wicked For Good (good, but supposed highest quality “Epic” screen at Vue looked like you were watching it projected onto water that had an oily film on top) and The Running Man (very good but didn’t have anything that made it feel specifically like an Edgar Wright film).
November 25, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Going to the bookshop annual party this week, and they’ve asked everyone to come as book cover or in a costume inspired by a book. I’m not really a dress up person, so I’m going lowkey with a prop to make a favourite book cover. Can you guess what it is?
November 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Listened to the new @backlisted.bsky.social episode on Patreon this morning and it’s another excellent, interesting discussion. I went into the bookshop to order the book and H asked me what it was about. I tried to remember Una’s blurb and failed miserably. Advised him to just listen to Backlisted!
November 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Heron Books in Clifton, Bristol going all out with the window display for On the Calculation of Volume (love the calendars where every day is 18th Nov!)
www.instagram.com/p/DRPNAtMjCU...
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November 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Here we go again …
November 18, 2025 at 8:50 AM
I listened to the audiobook of Outline today. Unlike when I tried to read it for a book group a while back, I did make it to the end this time. I’m still bemused by the book, despite an excellent Backlisted episode discussion. Part of the problem with the audiobook is that KST does a Greek accent …
November 16, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I’m reading Service by John Tottenham at the moment. About a hundred pages in and it’s so good. It’s funny enough that I’ve chuckled out loud a few times, and the occasional footnotes are gems. Enjoying it enormously
November 15, 2025 at 2:45 PM
It’s here! On the Calculation of Volume III has arrived. I’ve taken the day off on Tuesday to read it. Also Outline and Transit by Rachel Cusk because, you know, Backlisted (although I have actually bought the audiobook of Transit this morning to see if KST can help me make it to the end this time.
November 15, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Clifton Oxfam always has the creepiest dolls on display in the window.
November 8, 2025 at 12:03 PM
It’s #LetterboxdFriday, and here are my #LastFourWatched.

I guess I’m fully in Christmas film mode now!
November 7, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Thank you so much for recommending Remember the Night @mariephillips.bsky.social. I’ve just watched it and it was fantastic. I will be adding it to my Christmas viewing list from now on. Barbara Stanwyck was absolutely brilliant, and I loved the ending. Thank you again!
November 4, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by Claire
I’ve pitched a project I really want to do and had zero interest so far: celebrating the history of books that aren’t “real books”. Rather than the usual “children’s canon”. Because those were my favourites growing up. And I suspect I’m not alone. My love of reading comes entirely from those.
October 26, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Time to start Hallowe’en reading. I’ve picked a collection of Robert Aickman stories, Dark Entries. I’ve been listening to all the previous @backlisted.bsky.social Hallowe’en episodes this week, and @andrewmale.bsky.social’s fist pick was Aickman’s Cold Hand in Mine, so Dark Entries is calling!
October 23, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I will miss Claudia so much on #Strictly. My favourite memories are mostly from It Takes Two days. Here’s one I found as a reminder youtu.be/TTxPWVqrW58?...
Len's Masterclass
YouTube video by Grace
youtu.be
October 23, 2025 at 2:36 PM
My latest book order arrived today with a few beauties! First up, I found another Joan Barfoot book from The Women's Press in great condition. Another @backlisted.bsky.social
influenced purchase, and I’m holding @regretteruane.bsky.social responsible.
October 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The anticipation is palpable … what book will be joining my @backlisted.bsky.social Hallowe’en shrine this year?
October 14, 2025 at 4:12 PM
This always fascinates me. I read a book this week and really enjoyed it, but only found out afterwards it was meant to be funny. I had no idea, but an event with the author the day after I finished reading it, confirmed that it was a comic novel.
When you write a book, you actually write several books. There's the one you know you wrote. Then there's the one your readers bring their experiences to. Suddenly your book becomes lots of different books, all equally valid.

But the book someone part-reads or presumes you wrote? That can fuck off.
October 12, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Haven’t done a #FridayReads in ages but I’ve started Everything Will Swallow You by Tom Cox (@dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social) this afternoon and I love it already, so just thought I’d share the news.
October 10, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I wonder if it was me being mentioned on Locklisted this week 😂
Least favourite of the year

I don’t really like being negative on social media as there’s enough of that without me adding to it, but I feel like I have to mention my least favourite read of year, just for a tiny bit of balance. It has to be The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
October 4, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Braved the wind and rain to find solace in Heron Books and @maxminervas.bsky.social this morning. Now I have some more bookshelf space, I immediately feel the need to fill it, so new books were purchased.
October 4, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Good news, @backlisted.bsky.social can continue for a while longer. I’ve managed to give away enough books for a reorganisation of the shelves to free up the remaining corner shelf for future episodes.
September 29, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Having to cull some books as we have NO SPACE left on the shelves. Here’s what will be going so far after going through 75% of the living room shelves.
September 28, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I hate to tell all @backlisted.bsky.social fans this, but the podcast needs to finish after the Bob Dylan episode, because I have no space left in the bookshelf.
September 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM