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. ⬆️
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
Here we go again …
November 18, 2025 at 8:50 AM
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
Ooh, that’ll be another edition to add to our collection …
October 31, 2025 at 4:25 PM
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
And finally, a slightly battered Virago Modern Classics edition of A Touch of Mistletoe by Barbara Comyns, yet another @backlisted.bsky.social inspired choice.
October 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Next, I’d been looking to replace a horrible print on demand edition of An Unsuitable Attachment by my beloved Barbara Pym, and I might have welled up a bit when I saw the quote by lovely Jilly on the cover.
October 22, 2025 at 5:29 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
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
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
I loved All Creatures Great and Small, so my grandad gave me his copy of this book when I was about 9 or 10. I read it over and over again and it was already old when he gave it to me, but as you can see, it’s now falling apart. I’m hoping that when I retire, I can learn bookbinding and recover it!
September 28, 2025 at 8:54 AM
It’s #LetterboxdFriday, and here are my #LastFourWatched.

Can you believe I’d never actually watched The Great Escape before?
September 26, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The paperback of Monkey King, Journey to the West has finally been published and my @backlisted.bsky.social shelf is complete once again!
September 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Just finished The Last Days of Summer by @sarramanning.bsky.social. My favourite of her books so far. The perfect ending for the story that has developed over the book. Bravo.
September 20, 2025 at 1:14 PM
My favourite coaster
September 16, 2025 at 10:14 AM
My friend set a reading challenge for Women in Translation month this year. The challenge was to read six books, and gave us sixteen different prompts to help us choose our books. I finished the challenge yesterday, and thoroughly enjoyed all of the books I picked.
August 31, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Another Women in Tranlsation month crossover with @backlisted.bsky.social, this time it’s the poetry of Hannah Arendt
August 30, 2025 at 7:53 AM