xxx.
Currently reading.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, 2014 — xxx
The Shining by Stephen King, 1977 — xxx
Stone Lands by Fiona Robertson, 2025 — xxx
Best of the bunch.
Carrie by Stephen King, 1974 — xxx
Orbital by Samantha Harvey, 2023 — xxx
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, 2021 — xxx
Weird Walk zines, 2023 — xxx
Sight and Sound magazine by BFI — xxx
For the shelves.
‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, 1975 — Only his second novel, but this was when I realised that writing can introduce a whole lot of context around the story that seems totally irrelevant, before you realise its function was to make the world the protagonist is living feels far more real and textured.
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, 1954 — Man suppresses feelings as the world around him collapses and tries to kill him, surprisingly enjoyable. (Am I okay? Who knows!)
Minority Rule by Ash Sarkar, 2025 — Sarkar has a form of communication I kept hold of Instagram for (eventually, the other nonsense got me off). While unapologetically defending the vulnerable and morals of left-wing politics, she’s equally willing to tear down her comrades if what they’re doing is posturing and focusing on petty arguments rather than collaborating, recognising we’re never going to all agree on everything, and focus on what we can move forward with. Great book on how the true minority threat are the few of us who have all the money.
Monsters by Claire Dederer, 2023 — What feels like a taboo conversation I’ve always wanted to have but never found the forum to do so in, this tussles with the idea of what we do with great art by bad people, and how we define ‘bad’. There weren’t many conclusions, and I didn’t agree with all of them, but a brilliant thinker to keep hold of.
Southern Reach series by Jeff VanderMeer, 2014-24 — [1/4 done]. We start with Annihilation, where an area of ecological wonder and mutation is spreading. By Authority, which tries to explain what’s going on a little more, you kind of wish it didn’t, as the first story ends with satisfying feelings of I have no idea but it sounds weird and cool.
Rereads.
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, 1995 — xxx
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, 2021 — Read for book club.
& the rest.
Rivers of London series (#1-3) by Ben Aaronovitch, 2012 — xxx
The Hour of the Wolf by Fatima Bhutto, 2026 — xxx
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton, 2013 — xxx
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark, 2020 — xxx
Atomic Habits by James Clear, 2018 — xxx
Boy in the Water by Tom Gregory, 2018 — xxx
The Post Office Scandal and Me by Jo Hamilton, 2025 — xxx
The ADHD Advantage by Anders Hansen, 2017 — xxx