News

Open Book

This is on Sunday if you fancy a listen. As you can see, I’d been listening to something about Stevie Smith when I took this screenshot. I’ve had a run of literary listening lately. I particularly recommend Crafting with Ursula. Ursula K Le Guin is one of the two writers I’ve been rereading in the past year or two who has left me wondering where I’ve been. The other is Tove Jansson.

General thanks

So many thanks to everyone who has come to and made possible all the Sarn Helen events of the past two weeks – in Cardiff, Brecon, Hay, Crickhowell, Mold and Oswestry. Every event this week has been sold out. I’ve just been blown away by it all: the warmth, the kindness and, perhaps above all, the willingness of so many people to engage with the issues of the climate and ecological crisis. It does seem that there has been a sea change in attitudes sometime over the past few years, that it has now become possible to speak publicly of these things without the self-consciousness – even the shame – that could once so often be the case. Sometimes, these days, there can seem genuine grounds for hope.

At Hay Castle with two of Jackie Morris’s magnificent images
Talking with the wonderful Carrie Morris (no relation to my knowledge…) on Thursday, at Booka in Oswestry

Waterstones

Thanks so much to everyone (I couldn’t believe how many people were there) who turned out at Waterstones in Cardiff last night, to Rowan for hosting and Matthew for chairing so conscientiously. It was a really heartening first event and a great spur for these next few days… Eee, but Jackie’s curlew does look beautiful in the windows and on the tables…

Prospect Magazine

The first Sarn Helen reviews seem to be arriving. I have to say, I can’t read such things – good or bad, they bring a feeling far too much like falling off a cliff – but I’m told this is very nice start. Thank you, Peter Hoskin, very much.