A day he won’t have

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

Do not pass go, do not collect £200

The grief keeps on coming. Though I write from my place of privilege, of safety, it still feels relentless. … More

On the Edge After your mother dies, you will learn to live on the edge of life, to brace … More

A few words about the piece below. I wrote the first draft of it in 1989, a year after the … More

I dreamt about my friend X last night. I don’t think I normally dream about him, and don’t recall having … More

Breathing Space July The man who lies on his back under huge trees is also up in them. He … 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

The Dead Woman If suddenly you do not exist,if suddenly you no longer live,I shall live on. I do not … More

The thing about having cancer was that it was pretty obvious what was going on. I had been feeling fairly … 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

I had bumped into a friend at the cash machine. We greeted each other, as we always do, with a … More

Medicine The black hair of my Chinese doctor gleams like combed ink as he leans over his desk, with quick … More

I want to live – Sharon Olds The most intense reading group I ever belonged to wasn’t really a reading … More

The chances are, more of us are mortal than have multiple orgasms -Violet Weingarten, Intimations of Mortality When I was diagnosed … More