John Grindrod

Today is publication day! johngrindrod.substack.com/p/tales-of-t...

Away from home, tutoring at Uni of Nottingham today. It’s also my birthday. I’m sure being surrounded by young people won’t make me feel my age at all

Martin Dines, who chaired the lovely Coast is Queer event I did, is running a series of creative walking and talking events along the Chessington Branch Line Railway, which sounds smashing www.eventbrite.com/cc/root-and-...

Timeline definitely cheerier this morning. Is winter in Narnia thawing?

THRILLING BALCONY ACTION HERE THOUGH.

On a cold wet London morning, it’s good to remember the hot chocolate in Bar Italia is the best in London. Love this place.

Lovely to be on @garius.eurosky.social’s Untitled History Podcast talking about the strange origins of futuristic Milton Keynes open.spotify.com/episode/61au...

Crikey Brazil, crikey Serbia. You next, the dancing narcissist

"Airliner of the future", New York World's Fair. Raymond Loewy. 1939.

So many years of building philanthropic housing and sponsoring awards for excellence in television has blinded us to the fact that the Peabody family have bodies made of peas. Presumably changing the narrative like this was always their intention. 

Tory chancellors sharing their budget think pieces like a reverse version of A Christmas Carol where the it’s the ghost of Scrooge that returns to extol the virtues of workhouses

Yay!

Saw a couple of hundred gulls and crows flying around above a field earlier, surfing the wind and swooping and gliding and tumbling around, and I can’t think of an explanation except that they were having enormous fun. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Hilda Ogden's Barbara Cartland themed party from a 1973 episode of Coronation Street, written by Julian Roach. It says so much to me about Barbara's readers, and what they desired. Note the damp effect on the bedroom wall set.

If you didn't hate this, there are an exhausting number of stupid Doctor Who jokes in my "fantastic" (Starburst) book Space Helmet for a Cow and its "disappointing" (also Starburst) sequel. #TargetBookClub

Well that’s been three talks, an online masterclass and an eye op this week. This extra hour in bed is getting a right pasting

In a footnote to this week's INVENTORY, Andy Miller remembers Jeffrey Archer AKA the master storyteller.

On Untitled History Podcast this week I'm joined @grindrod.bsky.social In the 1970s, Britain embarked on a quest to build a city of the future. This is the story of the birth of Milton Keynes. The future that could have been. Available below, on YouTube or your pod app of choice. #history #cows

I don’t really know what I think about this season’s Slow Horses 2 book mashup. Terrific cast, great set pieces, grimmer tone and a loss of low status wit. Enjoyed it but with reservations

Brilliant to see Milton Keynes on City of Culture 2029 shortlist! Been amazing to be part of the bid, and its a great shortlist. Doing it for the New Towns! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Probably not a great idea to have done an event in London after having eyes lasered in the morning, but on my way home now full of goodwill and painkillers

Thanks so much to everyone who came along, lots of amazing questions in the chat, and hope it was useful

I’ve been listening to Alan Bennett read Winnie the Pooh from 1984 on Radio 4 Extra. The BBC has just announced it’s closing the station. The enshitification of life is really on a roll.

Can you help #DoctorWho #TargetBookClub? BBC Books had organised a Target Book Shop but it's fallen through. Do you know a cuddly trader who'd like a free table to sell Dr Who books? Maybe old Targets like the market stalls of our childhood?

An Injury to All: The Unmaking of the British Working Class is published one week today! To celebrate, I'll be having an Edinburgh book launch at Leith Arches on Leith Walk. Sign up here! 🔽 argonautbooks.co.uk/event/2j2uXL...

There’s almost no point having a thought about Amy Winehouse, but just remembering whenever I heard her sing the world seemed to stop

Tomorrow evening it’s Arvon online creative writing masterclass time. www.arvon.org/writing-cour...

Tomorrow evening it’s Arvon online creative writing masterclass time. www.arvon.org/writing-cour...

The only way to get through the week is watching baby gorillas on Instagram

Design for film set 'You only live twice'. Ken Adam. 1967.

I also dropped by my friend Tom's LGBTQ+ bookstall in Lancaster market and picked up this by @grindrod.bsky.social

Off to Brighton, doing an event at Coast is Queer tomorrow. Tuesday evening am teaching an online Arvon writing masterclass; Wednesday evening its Site & Sound’s suburbia film event; and Saturday I’m doing a turn at the Doctor Who Target Book Club… www.johngrindrod.co.uk/events

Barbican. Acrylic on wooden board. Original now available.

I hope AI tries to colonise our fridge because a) it’s not a smart fridge and b) it’s really stroppy

HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY DARE

Croydon wins Stirling Prize! Whoop! Fascinating it’s Mary Duggan for Brick x Brick. Gutting they fucked that in-house developer up

Amazing news about Central Hill and Cressingham Gardens!

1/ 🚨 Breaking News: the Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill Estates - two high-quality and much-loved schemes built by Lambeth Council in the late 60s and early 70s have - after sustained campaigning by residents - been saved from demolition: www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Amazing Heritage Network day so far hearing from the people saving the Bernat Klein Studio, Hull Ships in the Sky, the Iron Duke deco pub in Great Yarmouth, and the Amulet in Shepton Mallet

Body of Comet aircraft from nearby de Havilland factory turns into Bridge Street, Chester, 1950s.

Running with a light on, whose beam moves like a firefly on crystal meth