The preciousness of things

‘Do you miss it?’ the book says. ‘Miss what?’ I say. ‘Having cancer,’ the book says. ‘Is this a joke?’ … More

A book into which everything can go, by Thomas Merton

It is necessary to write a book in which there will be a little less of the first person singular, … More

‘What are you doing?’ the book says. ‘What’s it look like?’ I say. ‘Running a bath,’ the book says. ‘Genius,’ … More

‘What drives you?’ ‘I’ve only just woken up!’ I say to the book. ‘Don’t care. It’s morning. Work to be … More

‘You know what your main problem is,’ the book says. ‘Needing to be liked.’ ‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’ … More

‘Aren’t you going get the phone?’ I say. ‘It won’t be for me.’ With a little groan the book … More

Here is how it happens. The vision is, sub specie aeternitatis, a set of mental relationships, a coherent series of … More

‘What do you think?’ I say to the book. It has held on to my poem for a week, and … More

Even though it is sweltering, the book is wearing its dinner jacket. Its legs are stretched out, feet on my … More

The adventures of the book have now clocked up fifty blog posts. Here is a list of all of them, … More

The book is in its gardening clothes. ‘I’m going out,’ it says. ‘You’ve let the lawn go again.’ ‘You can’t … More

‘I don’t know if I can do this any more.’ ‘Do what?’ the book says. ‘This.’ ‘Sit around waiting for … More

‘I’ve been at the field.’ This, spoken by one of the teachers on last week’s writing residential at Totleigh … More

This blog would be nothing without its readers. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, made a comment or a … More

‘So you’re not going to write about it?’ ‘I’ve been writing about it for years. Two whole books of it! … More

‘So is that your main idea?’ ‘That’s it, yes.’ ‘That people get stuff done out of a social need to … More

On Literary Envy “Comparison is the thief of joy” –Teddy Roosevelt You wake up one morning. You check in … More