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I was discussing only today the fact that I read (among other superb things) Robert Alter's translation of the Hebrew Bible during the first lockdown. Unexpectedly entertaining

Worse than that: it's down to my knackered phone!

I am really into the Torah right now. I love the arbitrary nature.

I love the way that tree/bush plays with the sun. We are incidental.

They left a few duds.

If you had told me in 1975 that my main means of communication with my older brother would eventually be anguished WhatsApp messages about The Archers

Heading home and weirdly keen to listen to Moses und Aron in full.

This is not my first rodent

It’s been widely reported that when he was chair of the Booker Prize judges in 1977, Philip Larkin threatened to throw himself out of the window if Paul Scott’s Staying On didn’t win. I’ve repeated it myself, and this week I’ve seen two bookish journo pals cite it. But I no longer think it’s true. 🧵

These chili capybara tacos are starting to kick in

I can't speak for Kika but I definitely quit that shit two or three days ago

These people are already stupid before they make spelling mistakes, and I have stopped pointing out similar errors made by nice people. I can't resist a cheap attack occasionally!

I am enjoying it but it feels a bit, I dunno, glib so far. I may change my mind, which is an activity I've been trying out recently.

Pallets! Idiot

Reading Helen of Nowhere. I already know how it ends. It would be very very funny if this won the Booker. But my heart still belongs to Mike.

Stupid word but there it is.

Just delivered a copy of "Gaining Ground" to my CO-PARENT

I like tetrinnit. Innit

Almost as good as the plagiarised essay where the student had left in the footnote “As I demonstrated in my 1968 paper …”