John

Reading is life......Life is reading. Follow only a few so I have time to read books not Twitter. he/him see pinned tweet for Bluesky and Mastodon identities

[John @BooksAndJohn]

I am here less and less often, better to follow me on Bluesky. @booksandjohn.bsky.social OR Mastodon @[email protected]

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Apologies if this is already known. But I dine out on my friendship with Lucy

https://t.co/C2RqBVKyD0

[John @BooksAndJohn]

I am really excited by @naomialderman’s Couch to 5k programme for getting back to reading. She explains on Substack https://t.co/ef6HAmyqKa naturally I thought I would follow track 3 but when I saw the level of reading she set out, i decided that track 2 was better 😀📖

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@ShelfSiobhan Me also

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@batch_bunch Couldn’t see how to rsvp so using twitter to say Yes, I hope to be there, speech impediment (but watch my demo of Claude based app!), and all.

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@ShelfSiobhan I am also very jealous

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Very excited to be at @waterstonesng to hear the historian @hallierubebenhold her book The Five is one of the VERY best books i have ever read

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@ShelfSiobhan Thanks for the warning 🥲

[John @BooksAndJohn]

My annual offer to buy an ice cream for any follower who joins me at Love Gelatto before I finish

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Volume 4, On the Calculation of Volume, by Solvej Balle, translated by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell takes up almost the entire tweet. Just to say it is wonderful, nice return to the small, more ish chapters, and a real plot twist at the end. Can’t wait for vol 5: Nov

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Very excited to learn that volume 4 of the sequence On the Calculation of Volume is now awaiting me at @BromleyHouseLibrary. Just need to plan my reading, past volumes have been very “more ish”

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Very excited to learn that volume 4 of the sequence On the Calculation of Volume is now awaiting me at @BromleyHouseLibrary. Just need to plan my reading, past volumes have been very “more ish”

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Very excited to learn that volume 4 of the sequence On the Calculation of Volume is now awaiting me at @BromleyHouseLib Just need to plan my reading, past volumes have been very “more ish”

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@FiveLeavesBooks Ha. They have you sussed 😂

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@FiveLeavesBooks Thanks for the reminder. Loved that shop, used to go regularly when working in town

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Last year my favourite event at @brightonfringe was the @bitesizeplays breakfasts: coffee, croissant, strawberry, six short plays. I went twice, separate programmes. So when I found out that they were coming back this year, that determined the dates for this year’s trip. #excited

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@lonesomereader Great interview Eric. Learnt a lot but no spoilers. Thanks. Looking forward even more to reading this ❤️

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Good news

[Brighton Festival @brightfest]

We're excited to unveil our programme for Brighton Festival 2026 on Wed 18 Feb - mark your calendars!⁠
⁠
Starting on Thu 26 Feb at 10 AM, tickets will be up for grabs 📅⁠
(Members priority booking opens Thu 19 Feb)⁠
⁠
We can't wait to mark our 60th edition with you all! Looking forward to seeing you in May 🎉

[John @BooksAndJohn]

@NottmLibraries Sorry to see you go, but understand. Wish you were going in to Bluesky as well

[John @BooksAndJohn]

And the best of the best:
Top books
Solvej Balle, On the Calculation of Volume Books I, II, III
Ben MacintyreThe Siege
Simon MasonA Voice in the Night

Thanks to all the authors who allowed me to escape the mess of real life, for a few hours ❤️

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Late, but here are my Best Books of 2025

Crime/Thriller Pleasers
Zoe SharpThe Girl in the Dark
Jo CallaghanHuman Remains
Simon Mason A Voice in the Nightj
Henry PorterThe Enigma Girl
Secret BarristerCutThroat Trial

[John @BooksAndJohn]

Non Fiction
Maureen Callaghan Ask Not: the Kennedys and the Women they Destroyed
Ben MacintyreThe Siege
Hallie RubeholdThe Story of a Murder
Polly ToynbeeAn Uneasy Inheritance