Robert Smith in 1981.
Faith by the Cure.
It's Robert Smith's 67th birthday today. I've spent much of the last night fortnight listening to, and writing about, the Cure for tomorrow's INVENTORY. My thoughts on Faith etc, available only via www.patreon.com/backlisted. @backlisted.bsky.social
Reading The Beginning of Spring, saw this, and immediately thought of @iammilliam.bsky.social. Reading Fitzgerald in large part because of @backlisted.bsky.social .
Roll this out internationally.
There are no Backlisted events this year. Patreon is where to find what we’re up to. www.patreon.com/backlisted
Three books from both the Waterstones’ Vintage Penguin range and the Backlisted podcast range. The Horse’s Mouth by Joyce Cary, Riceyman Steps by Arnold Bennett and Hemlock and After by Angus Wilson.
A photo of Leeds Waterstones’ excellent Vintage Penguin display taken by Ben Williams (photo from the other place).
I bought three Vintage Penguins from Waterstones in Leeds, lovely things to own - and these are all @backlisted.bsky.social picks. Additional photo from the other place.
@iammilliam.bsky.social & @backlisted.bsky.social Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. #booksky
In which Penelope Fitzgerald's 'Offshore' makes yet another appearance this week.
@backlisted.bsky.social
This was a great event, @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social both insightful and funny. Thank you @waterstoneslpl.bsky.social for hosting. Lovely to see all these Beatles people, hello Huw I stood behind you but did not realise you are @teatles.bsky.social.
Can I say what a delight it was to meet you @iammilliam.bsky.social. I should have guessed I'd get a warm welcome, but last night in Liverpool felt very very special.
Found this in Oxfam. I'll always pick up a green spine, especially if it has a dedication like this inside. 💙📚 Unforch it didn't live up to the promise and had to be abandoned. Would love to see a @backlisted.bsky.social on this author.
The audio version of my Beatles INVENTORY is available now via the @backlisted.bsky.social Patreon.
This week: Step inside Strawberry Field and Penny Lane, get out of that sour milk sea. 🎶
www.patreon.com/backlisted
Because BlueSky was unavailable, today I was scolded by a bin.
An original Penguin edition of The Horse’s Mouth by Joyce Cary on a table in a pub in Timperley.
The end of 375 pages of said book.
Just finished this The Horse’s Mouth by Joyce Cary, a book I would never have heard of without @backlisted.bsky.social. I listened to the episode again (+Max Porter) when I was about halfway through. A quite brilliant read - the language, the humour and the character that is Gulley Jimson.
Over to the New Yorker, where there are mixed opinions about the suburbs.
—John Cheever, journal
When a reader as shrewd as @iammilliam.bsky.social is enjoying my book, it makes it all worthwhile.
Started @8minutesidle.bsky.social’s new book FAMOUS and was soon enthralled. Insightful, funny and informative, and the photo on the front becomes especially hilarious after you’ve read that chapter. Do you enjoy a grudge match? Then this is the book for you.
No Inventory today, sorry. But there will be an Auditory on Friday. I have recorded the Beatles entry I wrote a year ago, on Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever, and chucked in a couple of surprises… @backlisted.bsky.social
Brilliant @backlisted.bsky.social live last night discussing Offshore. So interesting to revisit this book - one of the best examples I've come across for the merits of rereading- I enjoyed this first time round 10 years ago, but loved it on reread. Fascinating discussion and input from listeners!
I interviewed DS onstage last year. It made me angry to see this playful bit of literary mischief being spun as an act of thievery that the author was refusing to acknowledge (and David Sexton should know better). Thank you for calmly pointing out the bullshit.
Just to be clear, David Szalay has acknowledged it. bsky.app/profile/drdo...
A rather lovely interview with J L Carr. For anyone suffering a reading drought - his novel A Month in the Country is a reliable antidote.
His charm and sense of mischief are very evident here.
With thanks to @backlisted.bsky.social who first made me aware of him.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=924-...
Love it.
But...not sure how many 80-y-o women affirming their right-to-have-rights as citizens and totally grown up functioning political agents it's going to take before they stop being patronised as 80-y-o women. As though being an old woman and doing politics were somehow mutually exclusive.
Bookselling. Publishing. Being an agent. Or an author. It all comes down to this.
Unexpectedly emotional about Chelmsford: loved this conversation about queer suburbia - recommended listening while tidying the greenhouse or other suitable weekend occupation.
Thanks for sharing @iammilliam.bsky.social and @grindrod.bsky.social
"We always like having him [on the show] because he reads a lot and he can talk...He's not so much an author as a multiplatform event."
@grindrod.bsky.social deftly introduced by @iammilliam.bsky.social, host of Backlisted @backlisted.bsky.social with winning mix of droll bluntness *and* whimsy. 💯🤷♂️
I’ve now read this and listened to it. I’m not sure what’s next but I’m ready for it.
The audio version of this week's INVENTORY is available now via the @backlisted.bsky.social Patreon.
This week: But Then We Went to Croydon, a walking tour of the sights and sounds of my teenage happy hunting ground. 🎶
www.patreon.com/backlisted
We bootlegged John’s talk in Manchester last week! You can say you were there, like for the Pistols at the Free Trade Hall.
This was a really great evening discussing Tales of the Suburbs, @backlisted.bsky.social listeners tune in. 👇