Blogs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08gd0gc/growing-up-in-scotland-a-century-of-childhood-series-1-1-education This is fantastic viewing. I wasn’t about in the 16 th Century when John Knox thought it a good idea that every village and every Kirk should have a schoolteacher, and every child should be able to read god’s word in the bible as a bastion against Popery. Until fairly recently that was the model of schooling for many children in...

This week chosen by airyfairy: Our Story of the Week comes from a writer new to ABC Tales. LJ Huxton's 'Liminal' is a rich, evocative exploration of past echoes and present relationships. Please do read it if you haven't done so already: https://www.abctales.com/story/ljhuxton/liminal Our Poem of the Week shares the theme of memory and times lost. Accidentally Existing's beautiful 'Forgotten Copse' deals wryly with the disappointment change can...

Our Story of the Week comes from a writer new to ABC Tales. LJ Huxton's 'Liminal' is a rich, evocative exploration of past echoes and present relationships. Please do read it if you haven't done so already: https://www.abctales.com/story/ljhuxton/liminal Our Poem of the Week shares the theme of memory and times lost. Accidentally Existing's beautiful 'Forgotten Copse' deals wryly with the disappointment change can bring, but also looks forward...

All writers are historians. Subject and object. Subjecting what we know with what other people know. In other words, we read to write. We look for resonance in our writing and our reading. And sometimes somebody says it better and you’ve just got to acknowledge mastery. This is an honest book, a beautiful book in so many ways. When I start taking notes— Papers: 1991-2003; Tesserae 2003-2007; Letters 2011-2016—I find that I’ve copied word for...

Yes, that's right. Together with the rest of Exmouth I now only have half a Central Post Office. It moved into W.H.Smiths a couple of days ago and is now half its former size. I went in today to buy a stamp to post an important document. Where are all the old staff? Where's Dave, where's Claire. This lot are new faces. Yes I can see they have been trained to smile their little socks off and come out with loads of friendly patter, but.. Ah I see...

This week from Philip Sidney: Another bumper crop of fabulous pieces this week. Celticman's, 'Grimms', goes from strength to strength and Skinner_Jennifer has a cracking love story in four episodes called, 'Sir There's a Waiter in my Wine.' Story of the Week goes to Stephen Thom's noir in the snow, 'Flare'. It is very dark, shot through with gorgeous imagery, and a great thriller to boot: https://www.abctales.com/story/stephen-thom/flare Poem of...

On Monday I had the honour and pleasure of having lunch alongside a party of veterans, smart in their blazers and wearing various regimental badges and insignia of the British Legion. One was in the red coat of a Chelsea pensioner. All were in their eighties at the very least, and some were already centenarians. Men of all services were represented, and some wore medals too, including VCs and Military Medals and Crosses. Imagine the tales they...

I could see Pitbull was proving a smash success. Reviewers showing their enthusiasm with long paragraphs, exclamations and five-star ratings. A long run at the Exeter Odeon. Yes this police- action- drama-comedy-lovestory was pulling in the Poles from far and wide. Subtitles too... It's brilliant. If I had to choose between this and Trainspotting T2 I can only say see both! Different stories, same hard punchy reality humour, bish, bash bosh the...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08dww6z/the-scottish-bounty-hunter?suggid=b08dww6z Here’s the tagline Christian Matlock, aged 28, is a professional bounty hunter in Virginia. He used to be Scottish and now he’s an all-American action hero, spending days and nights hunting prisoners that have skipped bail. This is a three-act piece with a photogenic star, rock and roll music, guns, drugs, outlaws and shiny fast cars. ACT 1. Meet Christian...

Fiona Macdonald (2011) Robert Burns. A Very Peculiar History . This is a children’s book or a primer. ‘With the Bards own rhymes’. That suits me. I was once a child, and I’m always ready to be primed. Ignorance is a great motivation. I once shared a desk with the august figure of Professor Gerry Carruthers, Director of the Robert Burns Centre, University of Glasgow. I don’t remember him as being particularly smart, or brainy, as we used to call...