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An ill wind: Poppyland, by David Taylor, reviewed in The Spectator by George Cochrane ‘Norfolk life looks quietly bleak in these carefully worked short stories of broken homes, precarious employment, dwindling expectations and torpor’ spectator.co.uk/article/an-ill…

Norfolk life looks quietly bleak in these carefully worked short stories of broken homes, precarious employment, dwindling expectations and torpor. ✍️ George Cochrane spectator.co.uk/article/an-ill…

Excellent book and review by Alexander Larman

Terrific piece about experimental fiction by Philip Hensher in The Spectator

Naturally delighted to see this!

For once I have to concede that there are several models for this.

No point in being snobbish about the late Frederick Forsyth. The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File were first-rate thrillers.

And now Sly Stone is dead! Only just posted about Frederick Forsyth…

Great to see Ashley Hickson-Lovence on BBC News paying tribute to Uriah Rennie.

“No milestone on the almost year-long publishing process went unremarked in cyberspace” — David Taylor profiles “Emma Booster” thecritic.co.uk/issues/june-20…

Always enjoy doing these essays for Engelsberg Paul Lay

Is it just me or is BBC reporting of Indian airline crash awful - intrusive, glutinous, repetitive, badly put together. Been going on for 20 minutes now. Relatives must be appalled.

A very happy 79th birthday to the immortal Noddy Holder, co-writer of the first single I ever bought. (‘Coz I Luv You’)

Emboldened by example of Norwich City FC legend Darren Huckerby who yesterday ran 30km in 2 hours, I have just done 7k in 39 minutes. Excuse is that I’m 15 years older than him…

Depressed to learn that Jarrold’s in Norwich is closing its book department. Granted, it had been pretty feeble in recent years, but…Now I have no incentive to visit the shop at all.

On BBC Norfolk radio tomorrow morning talking about this. Think Henry from The Book Hive also on. Could see this coming as Jarrold's lost interest in books years ago.

Wonderful to be encouraged to write at this length about the great Arthur Benson.

Would have loved to be there to listen to this!

The bestselling Hugh Walpole, J.B. Priestley and their colleagues had undeniable cachet. ✍️ D.J. Taylor spectator.co.uk/article/comfor…

Includes essay on Norwich characters - background to Poppyland Salt Books