Andrew Kelly
@pandaemoniumnow
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Commenting on ideas, books, films, cities, democracy, culture, animal rights and more. Former director, Bristol Ideas. Personal views.
Joined July 2021
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I can’t speak for all festivals but the ones I have run/ been involved in always paid a fee to speakers and chairs, paid for hotels and meals, and covered travel if publishers were not able to contribute. On top of this was room hire and marketing costs; staffing. 1/
In the great Book Festival Funding Stream debate, it's weird no one's mentioned what a racket they are: loads of nice authors doing it for free, loads of nice readers paying to hear them and buying a book. The real mystery is why the organisers need sponsors at all.
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To describe them as a ‘racket’ is nonsense. Whether it’s tweets like this or some of the things that Fossil Free Books say, important research is lacking and generalisations made which result in poor action and decisions. We need a better debate and understanding. 3/3
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I’m hosting
@GeorgeMonbiot
at Waterstones Bristol -
@Waterstones262
- 14 May. Book here:
‘Through deliberative, participatory democracy, both in politics and in the workplace, we can create systems that work for everyone. There is no natural law that states that playground bullies should continue exacting tribute for the rest of their lives.’
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Audience income contributed a fraction to these costs. Of the thousands of events we ran in
@bristolideas
(many free and we kept ticket prices low when we did charge) most needed support which came from partners and sometimes sponsors. We paid all this right from the start. 2/
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I’m proud of what we have achieved over 30 years.
The work goes on. Some festivals may move to other organisations.
We owe thanks to many people and organisations. Our final festival in April 2024 will include a celebration of our work and the people we have worked with.
We’re announcing today that Bristol Ideas will close in May 2024.
Our 2023 programme - Festival of the Future City and Festival of Economics - will go ahead as planned.
There will be a final festival in April
2024.
More details in the statement.
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My final day as director of Bristol Ideas, the last day of the company, but we go out on a high with an event by Jackie Kay, the publication of fine research on Bristol Broadsides, a new video interview on the Labour left, and our new book on our work. Thread below.
Final day of Bristol Ideas and we go out on a high with Jackie Kay. A great poet, we’re delighted Jackie is with us tonight. 1/
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There’s another interesting point we need to discuss in this quote in The Times when Fossil Free Books writes about ensuring ‘a source of income’. The problem is that festivals and arts organisations rely on many sources of income, each of which is under pressure. 1/
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Max Hastings: ‘…it will be painful to behold Johnson earning millions from pier-end performances, while the British people become poorer. But that is surely better than allowing him any further role in our governance, which he should never have been granted in the first place.’
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@ruskin147
@DianeCoyle1859
My neighbours and I would happily sponsor another appearance for a similar result.
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Looks like essential Christmas following will be
#sophiefromromania
with
@DianeCoyle1859
and
@ruskin147
.
Bravely,
#sophiefromromania
peers out at breakfast time, perhaps keen to know what is in the prof’s FT
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Just read advance copy of
@hoyer_kat
’s new book. Many interesting points for
@bristolideas
: cities coming out of war; democracy - and the trade offs many were prepared to make for stability and growth; how places fail. And it’s a terrific read. Out March from
@AllenLaneBooks
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One of the finest books you’ll read this year is Katja Hoyer’s Beyond the Wall: 1/2
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My first project was turning this car park into We the Curious.
You can any colour car as long as it's red. The old GWR goods shed at Canon's Marsh became a popular car park in the 1990s before its conversion into
@wethecurious_
for the Millennium. The elegant structure of the Grade II Listed building is shown off here
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‘Kennedy…is the answer to the question: “What would you get if you crossed Connor Roy — the idiot eldest son in Succession who believes he should be president — with the worst message board on the internet?”’
Another fine piece by
@HadleyFreeman
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Adam Wagner ‘counted 109 emergency laws’ during the pandemic. How many will remain on the statute book? How many were even needed? Did more laws lead to confusion amongst the public? I interviewed
@AdamWagner1
about his book The Emergency State.
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‘The economy doesn’t need us to be working five days a week any more. It was 100 years ago, the shift to a five-day week, and the economy’s transformed since then.’
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Times today: ‘Assisted dying will be scrutinised by MPs next year’
This is complex and safeguards are needed, but when you read this case there must be a better way for all involved.
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Should we have a hotel tax in Bristol to help pay for culture, marketing and events? This is something I’ve put forward in events and work in
@bristolideas
but was always told it was not possible legally and hotels were not willing. Other cities are now planning this. 1/
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Honoured to be hosting Hadley Freeman -
@HadleyFreeman
- with
@bristolideas
22 May in an event on her new book.
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Started discussions today with
@KYPBristol
for a possible Bristol atlas inspired by these three wonderful books.
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One of my favourite books this year so far is
@hoyer_kat
's Beyond the Wall: East Germany 1949-1990. We recently discussed the book with
@bristolideas
. You can see and read the interview here: . Thank you Kat and
@corinaromonti
for this.
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Fine piece by
@HadleyFreeman
: ‘Auster books are often about more than they seem. His death is too. It’s the end of not just an era, although it is that, but of an education so many of us went through, in which he taught us how to love literature.’
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Pamela Hutchinson -
@PamHutch
- introducing The Dragon Painter
@CineRedis
yesterday. It was a fine introduction to a real find of a film (for me at least). This by Pam on the new Faye Dunaway documentary is good, too:
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Mike McCartney and Paul McGann
@SlapstickFest
introducing A Hard Day’s Night
@BristolOldVic
today.
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Excellent weekend spent mostly in
@wshed
watching Berlin Alexanderplatz. It was a cinematic experience I’ll remember for a long time. Thank you Watershed for this and all your work to make the Berlin film season a success.
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This is terrific work. I’m looking forward to 16 February when I’ll be in conversation with Ayşe Behçet and Karl Stephan about the wonderful book project Charlie’s London
@Charlies_London
@SlapstickFest
with
@bristolideas
💥 JUST LANDED 💥
Sneak peak of a page from book 2! Which you can back below 👇🏻 ❤️
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Excellent book that deserves a huge readership.
Happy to share the news that The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister will be available as an e-book until 31 May 2023 for just 99p. Hurry up and get your copy. More here:
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Coming up tomorrow.
@SlapstickFest
puts online the recording of the Tiswas Reunion event which I hosted (and was supported by
@bristolideas
). It was a terrific evening. Great chat, custard pies, soaked audience.
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There’s lots of good things in the Sunday Times today and this piece by
@HadleyFreeman
is essential reading. .
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Good to see
@KeironPim
’s book on Joseph Roth in the FT’s Books of the Year. I’d wanted to read a full biography of Roth for two decades and this is it. We’ll have an interview online with Pim soon.
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In short, many sources of income are needed; it’s never been easy; and it’s harder to raise money now than it’s ever been, certainly in the 40 years I’ve been doing it. 4/
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This book has already gathered interest with readers. It’s one of the most painful but essential reads of 2022 and will be for a long time to come. This is the Covid diary people should read. It’s beautifully written by
@StuHennigan
and published by
@Ofmooseandmen
.
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This - by
@jeffyoungwriter
and out in September from
@LittleToller
- is excellent. It’s a wonderful memoir, brilliant on cities, and very moving at the end. Congratulations to all.
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This will be terrific.
@DavidOlusoga
new House Through Time looks at two apartments in London and Berlin from the 1920s to the Second World War. We look at Berlin in our
@bristolideas
Festival of the Future City in October.
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Spent last night at Bristol Beacon for party for Helen Holland as she leaves Bristol City Council after more than three decades. I’ve worked with
@helenhbristol
for much of this time. Her dedication to public service, to people, and to the city has been ever present. Thank you.
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This is upsetting to read. We should be saving and protecting trees, not bringing them down. It was horrid to watch Sheffield destroy its many trees. Cities need trees.
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This is a terrific book. Ed Conway is a brilliant communicator. He has also supported our
@bristolideas
Economics Festival which I’m pleased to say will now continue with the
@EconObservatory
based at University of Bristol.
🗓️One year since launching Material World.
Still SUCH a thrill when folks mention they've read it🙏
Out in paperback in a few weeks. I'll be back on the road doing more talks. The issues it covers are, I think, more crucial than ever.
Just need to get the election done first!
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This is a terrific list from
@brixtonbard
. Good to see Whizzer and Chips, Malorie Blackman, Treasure Island, CLR James and more.
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This will be a must-read book.
The Sunday Times have published an edited extract of my book. Out on July 11th.
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It was a joy to interview
@KeironPim
with
@bristolideas
today. It’ll be online in December. His book is important and a tour de force of research.
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Why does everything feel broke and what do we do? 18 October 19.30. Danny Dorling, Samira Shackle and Tom Clark -
@dannydorling
,
@samirashackle
and
@prospect_clark
- look at how we build better cities.
@bristolideas
’ Festival of the Future City.
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‘Far from being nostalgic and conservative, the maintenance of a stock of physical media at home is a progressive act of defiance.’
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Congratulations to
@EdsonBurton
@LouiseM_BMT
and
@sandyhruthven
on their new year honours. Three people who have worked hard for Bristol and the arts. They have helped me in my work with
@bristolideas
and provide ongoing inspiration, advice and partnership. Fully deserved.
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Interviewing George Monbiot last night about neoliberalism. The book is out now; the film - made with Peter Hutchison - is out later this year. I hope we can get the film shown and debated
@wshed
. Thank you Andrew Jester for the photograph.
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Andrea Elliott’s brilliant book Invisible Child is now out in paperback. Observer has this short review today. Follow
@andreafelliott
for updates.
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Current reading: advance copy of new
@dannydorling
book. Out from
@VersoBooks
in September. Dorling will be in
@bristolideas
Festival of the Future City in October.
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I’m introducing All That Heaven Allows, 10 December
@wshed
, part of their glorious technicolour season. Background research underway.
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I’m currently planning
@bristolideas
Festival of the Future City (18/19 October 2023). One key area of work will be fairness, productivity and cities. We’ll be working with
@resfoundation
on this. You can see details of their Economy 2030 Enquiry here:
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‘She was sad never to have had children, but she was brilliant with other people’s and had an instinctive touch for treating them as if they were grown-ups. It was possibly the secret of her success as speaker.’
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As usual
@fromTGA
is spot on. There’s a new book from him in the new year. I’ve had chance to read an advance copy and it’s highly recommended. I’m hoping we can get an interview with him for
@bristolideas
. 4/4
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Advance reading copy of Jeff Young’s new book goes straight to the top of the pile. Will start tonight. It’s out September. In the meantime, Young’s Ghost Town is highly recommended and follow
@jeffyoungwriter
for updates.
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Two Bristol heroes here. And good to see Stephen Macfarlane getting the credit he deserves. He was a good friend to us
@bristolideas
.
.
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Happy birthday to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, born on this day in 1806. One of the best moments in my life was directing our
@bristolideas
massive celebration of his life and work in 2006. Thank you Met Museum for making this image by Robert Howlett open access. 1/
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Sources of income - based on my work over 40 years - are: local authority (in decline); arts council funding (not enough and thinly spread); lottery (greater pressures on the funding available); private sponsorship (hard to get especially outside capital cities); 2/
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Actually one more point: none of these sources of income have been - nor can be - ‘safe and secure’, I’m sure. I look forward to hearing more on that idea. 6/end
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I’ve done 60 in-depth interviews over the past year for this work. The first results will be released in this
@bristolideas
event 19 October. Delighted to be joined by
@OJGarling
@AlisonBevanRWA
@annabel___smith
and
@SuzanneRolt
. 1/
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Coming up 22 May. Hadley Freeman -
@HadleyFreeman
- has written another important book. Look forward to discussing this
@bristolideas
.
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Book cover for my latest
@bristolideas
book coming soon: a 40,000 word obituary/ celebration for the company as it closes at the end of April.
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This is a wonderful film. Saw it first in 1982. And again last year, four decades on. I was hoping to try to get together a 40th anniversary event but Covid stopped work on that. Now trying for October for our cities film festival.
Bill Forsyth's charming Scottish coming-of-age classic is brought to life by the boyish charms of nonprofessional actors. GREGORY'S GIRL is now showing as part one of our Bill Forsyth double-bill.
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With the renewed talk of Covid variations and regulations, following Adam Wagner -
@AdamWagner1
- is essential.
His book Emergency State is important. You can read and watch my
@bristolideas
interview on this here.
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This is disappointing to hear and is further evidence of the need to find new ways of funding activities like this which celebrate art, enable new art to be created, and bring visitors to the city.
Hey folks, we have made the incredibly tough decision not to hold the UPFEST festival in 2023.
With increasing costs related to the events industry, we simply won't be able raise the necessary funds to put on the event that we know you all love and deserve.
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I’m chairing the third panel in this with
@DianeCoyle1859
,
@henrimurison
,
@muniya_b
and
@darrenpjones
.
What will central government give and where will Whitehall resist when it comes to future devolution? Join our conference 18 April.
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Audience income (rarely a huge contributor for most); individual giving (we found this difficult - larger festivals may have people working directly on this); charitable support (hard to get); university contributions (a growing area for some but now in difficulty); 3/
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From 1958 to 1961, author and civil rights activist James Baldwin rented an apartment in 81 Horatio Street, where he continued work on his third novel, Another Country (1962).
My
@bristolideas
project on Baldwin starts next year at Festival of the Future City.
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‘Everything we’ve done on regional policy over the last 40 years has failed to deliver. The central reason for this lack of progress…is that policy has chopped and changed between, and even within, governments to a debilitating degree.’
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What might Bristol have looked like? 18 October join Eugene Byrne in our
@bristolideas
walking tour exploring the ‘city that might have been’ - the buildings, monuments, bridges, gardens that were never built, including The Harbourside Centre:
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Booked quadruple bill at Watershed -
@wshed
- Sunday. Truffaut said ‘Three films a day, three books a week and records of great music would be enough to make me happy to the day I die.’ I agree.
First up a film in the
@carycomeshome
festival:
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I think I’m on the list for this and look forward to reading it. Jeff is a terrific writer. If you’ve not read Ghost Town get it now. Jeff wrote this for
@bristolideas
which is highly recommended. And follow
@jeffyoungwriter
.
Fuelled by coffee I’ve just packed almost 100 proofs of
@jeffyoungwriter
’s superb new book
#WildTwin
Heading to the PO now. If your on our list then they should land on Monday and boy are you in for a treat!
@tabithapelly
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I’m hosting this event 14 March with
@WeCanMakeHomes
. We’ve featured this work in past
@bristolideas
Festival of the Future City. Looking forward to it.
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I’ve written about our Bristol Ideas work here. It looks at how and why we were formed, our partnerships, our philosophy and approach, the work we did and our impact. Jasmine Thompson did these wonderful illustrations to accompany this. 1/2
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Journalist and author Hadley Freeman -
@HadleyFreeman
- talks about her experience with anorexia, the initial triggers and subsequent hospitalisations and her long journey to recovery. 22 May with
@bristolideas
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Alan Bennett’s LRB diaries are an annual treat. Here’s the Queen talking to Prunella Scales who had played her in the Blunt play A Question of Attribution
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The ongoing transformation of the RWA is a huge tribute to the hard work of many people and especially
@AlisonBevanRWA
. This looks terrific.
Well what an exciting day! At last the final piece of the
@RWABristol
#LightAndInspiration
project is in place: these stunning gates by Toni Davey RWA, beautifully complimenting the lift shaft by
@PRPsculpture
(supported by
@artfund
)
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Current reading (for the nth time). Hoping to do something on Calvino and cities at
@bristolideas
Festival of the Future City in October.
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We know this anyway, but it’s even more clear now that a bunch of incompetents and amateurs took power for a few weeks and ensured long-term misery for millions.
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Seems good value to me. Venues need to be paid; BSL interpreters shouldn’t be expected to work for nothing; filming and editing cost money. And we should welcome and pay for events where city leaders can meet and engage with the public.
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Another double-bill treat from
@jamesmjharrison
,
@SWSilents
and
@wshed
about to start. Thanks to
@BFI
for supporting this season.
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Good points made here on this issue.
WANTED: A sponsor for all the literary festivals in the UK. Must have an interest in books and the arts generally. Must be willing to give sufficiently that tickets prices can be subsidised. Must be willing to create and pay for a whole internal department for organisational
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Pictures from just before the triumphant opening of
@Bristol_Beacon
last night. The place has been transformed into the world-class venue the city deserves. Many congratulations to all involved.
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Being an MP/ being WECA mayor is a full-time job. It is not new news that Dan Norris plans to do both but it should still be resisted:
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Joan Smith -
@polblonde
- called Peter Apps’s new book ‘…a damning verdict, but justifiably so. This is simply one of the most horrifying books I have ever read.’
I interviewed
@PeteApps
and
@housingpaul
with
@bristolideas
.
Watch and read it here:
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‘Chinatown, released 50 years ago today, shone a bleak light on the machinations of money and power—a theme that still animates U.S. politics.’
Good piece by Ronald Brownstein on a film you can see
@CineRedis
this year
@wshed
.
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One of my favourite films with a wonderful performance by Dick Powell. I’ve always wanted to read a good biography of Powell given his acting career and his move into TV.
Anyway - this is on 24 January thanks to
@FilmNoirUK
and
@wshed
.
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Brad DeLong -
@delong
- has written an important book, one which is being discussed widely. It’s work we’ll return to next year. In the meantime, you can watch - and read - my interview with Brad for
@bristolideas
here:
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One of the best books out currently on how and why politics works and doesn’t work is Ian Dunt’s -
@IanDunt
- How Westminster Works. Here’s
@DianeCoyle1859
praising the book.
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Edson Burton, Roger Griffith and Madhu Krishnan read their essays about James Baldwin in our special afternoon about Baldwin and cities today at Watershed.
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Nice. I’m right at the top on the Slapstick cover next to Marilyn Monroe.
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Attended the very good launch of this new report yesterday. Look forward to reading the book. We’ll have a
@bristolideas
event with
@resfoundation
on the lessons for Bristol/ West of England in March 2024.
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Book proof arrives and it’s one we’ve been anticipating for a while.
@sianushka
has been a good friend to us
@bristolideas
and deserves all the plaudits this will get.
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Neil Brand’s been a good friend to Bristol over many years. Do support his work if you can. And follow him
@NeilKBrand
. It’s worth it.
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Things are so gloomy it’s good to have the annual winter tonic of Slapstick -
@SlapstickFest
- back. The full programme is here: .
It’s a terrific programme on 14-19 February.
Here’s events I’m hosting with
@bristolideas
(I’m on the back row here). 1/
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Two latest proofs to arrive are by Bristol-based writers:
@NoreenMasud
and
@sianushka
. Both good for our
@bristolideas
work on place and social justice.
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