Kilpatrick braes, yesterday, short loop. Low clouds, some drizzle and a few bright spells. Quite warm. Paths like burns after yesterday’s heavy rain. On the first field a buzzard hunting. A couple of ravens appeared & moved it off. After the deer fence, under the trees, I saw them again, or another trio. Again the ravens chased the buzzard off. I could hear them kronk and also making an almost electronic 2 note call I’ve not heard before.
Read: And He Shall Appear by Kate van der Burgh ★★★★ 📚
Working class boy is dazzled by Cambridge & his magician, occultist “friend”. Page turner, dark academia.
Some people say we’re our true selves when we think nobody is watching. But how do we know our own identities without others’ confirming gaze? If, like the tree falling in the proverbial wood, nobody is around to hear us, is our story a story at all? And when were different things to different people, what then?
Read: Against Identity by Alexander Douglas ★★★ 📚 The Guardian describe this as a powerfully strange counterblast to identity fetishism and quote What we think of as our own special identity is just a suit of borrowed clothes but although I enjoyed parts the references & context in this philosopher’s book was a bit above my level.
Read: Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur ★★★★★ 📚 A scientist as monster father. Adam’s ego and bi-polar comes to a head his family is exploding in various ways. Alternative chapters written in close third keep some sympathy for all the privileged Cap Cod cast as the family history is dug up. Lots of nature, funny & exciting, I really enjoyed this one.
Read Dance Moves by Wendy Erskine ★★★ 📚 Slightly off kilter stories about off kilter characters that keep you wondering. The author leaves you waiting until you start to grasp the main ideas. All with a Northern Ireland connection.
