Edmund White

Vale Edmund White (1940-2025), prolific, highly talented and sex-positive gay author. His “A Boy’s Own Story” was seminal for many of us in the 1980s. His most recent memoir “The Loves of My Life”, published only this year, is a perfect capstone for a man who loved men, and wrote about them so well.


May reading

My reading last month, May 2025:


Finished reading: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie 📚

A fabulous and hugely enjoyable fantasy romp through an alternative medieval Europe with a female pope, an Empress of Troy, and ravaging hordes of human eating elves. Plus a vampire, werewolf, necromancer and a crusader who can’t die - amongst other treasures.


Double Mesopotamian Read

Currently reading two related books about Mesopotamia - one about the deciphering of cuneiform by divers colonial chaps; in the other historian Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid reveals what these ancient people chose to record about their lives using cuneiform.

First book: The Mesopotamian Riddle by Joshua Hammer 📚

Second book: Between Two Rivers by Moudhy Al-Rashid 📚

Two book stack


Finished reading: The Far Edges of the Known World by Owen Rees 📚

An innovative look at the boundaries and intersections of the ancient world and lesser known but equally vital and fascinating regions ‘beyond’.

 


Sunday morning done right. (At Volco Egmont Street)


Finished reading: Proto by Laura Spinney 📚

Extremely well written overview of the development and evolution of Indo-European languages - connecting linguistics, archaeology, history and geography.


Finished reading: Star Wars The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire by Chris Kempshall 📚

An excellent “in-universe” history of the Star Wars Galactic Empire - filled with insights and analysis relevant to any consideration of the emergence and defeat of totalitarianism….


Pairing this year’s Okham Prize winner for Best Illustrated Non-Fiction, the extraordinary “Toi te Mana - an indigenous history of Māori art” with “65000 years - A Short History of Australian Art”.

#art #indigenous #arthistory #aotearoa #australia #bookclub


Finished reading: Patria by Laurence Blair 📚

This book is a genuine wonder. It explodes myths and reveals hidden stories of the history of South America and demonstrates the importance of a broader and deeper understanding of this continent, particularly the vital role of its indigenous peoples and the struggles they shared with settlers and slaves seeking liberation and identity.


New book stand (featuring “Atlas of the New Zealand Wars, Volume 1”)


Finished reading: The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron 📚

This book was wonderful. You are transported to seventeenth century Venice, and swept up in a tale of political intrigue, cultural and religious conflict, and some good old-fashioned sword work! The characters are vivid, interesting and well written and developed, the plot(s) are fascinating and move things along at a spritely pace, and the writing is just great.

Highly recommended and can’t wait for the next installment!


Currently reading: Patria by Laurence Blair 📚

This book is a revelation. I’ve now finished the first two chapters and I can’t recommend it highly enough! Such excellent writing - weaving together contemporary travel, politics, and a bold fresh historical perspective. And wit!

Read it.


Finished reading: Open Throat by Henry Hoke 📚

That was a lot. Starts strong, then a little strange, then devastating.


Finished reading: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells 📚

These are so taught and snappy I can feel the twang :)


Finished reading: The Mad Ship (The Liveship Traders, Book 2) by Robin Hobb 📚

This just keeps getting better!!


Birthday book haul

Thanks to Mum, Dad, and Bill for the Unity Books vouchers 🥰


Finished reading: The Life to Come by E. M. Forster 📚

E. M. Forster’s short stories about love between men sadly unpublished in his lifetime.


Library Persian Rug


Finished reading: Faithbreaker (The Fallen Gods Trilogy, Book 3) by Hannah Kaner 📚

An absolute marvel. A fantastic ending to a gripping series. Godkiller, Sunbring, Faithbreaker. Exceptional.