Dr Joe Baker

I’m so efficient I made a three-course meal in two courses.

I’m so efficient I made a three-course meal in two courses.

If I had a nickel for every time Franz Ferdinand was involved in the precursor events of a world war, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird it happened twice

A muddy path in a pine wood in rural Warwickshire

I absolutely love Komoot, the walking, hiking, cycling, whatever route app. I’ve lived in Birmingham for 30+ years, and with Komoot we keep discovering new and wonderful parts of the area that I’ve never known about, beautiful and breathtaking countryside all around. Fantastic.

A muddy path in a pine wood in rural Warwickshire

I absolutely love Komoot, the walking, hiking, cycling, whatever route app. I’ve lived in Birmingham for 30+ years, and with Komoot we keep discovering new and wonderful parts of the area that I’ve never known about, beautiful and breathtaking countryside all around. Fantastic.

You would be surprised at the number of people in these parts who are nearly half people and half bicycles.

This novel is genius. Read it. I’d offer you my copy, but I’m about to re-read it again.

The poetic symmetry is quite remarkable, eh.

Apt that it was published posthumously, too.

One of my favourite books, copies of which have been given to numerous bemused or bewildered friends. De Selby should be recognised as one of the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century.

I love The Third Policeman and this *significantly underplays* its weird funny genius.

great writing indeed

This book is an absolute masterpiece and everyone should be forced to read it.

May everyone be hooked by its brilliant oddity for themselves — it’s superb, as you say, but I’d rather underplay it and let the book its magical self than overcook its weirdness and put off a recruit to the police force.

Yeah, sure, new books are great, but do you ever read old books? Have you ever read 'The Third Policeman' by Flann O’Brien?

Yeah, sure, new books are great, but do you ever read old books?

Have you ever read 'The Third Policeman' by Flann O’Brien?

It's a brilliantly absurd story of a village police force and a brief, unrequited love affair between a man and his bicycle.

drbslibrary.com/thirdpoliceman

Yeah, sure, new books are great, but do you ever read old books? Have you ever read 'The Third Policeman' by Flann O’Brien?

Yeah, sure, new books are great, but do you ever read old books?

Have you ever read 'The Third Policeman' by Flann O’Brien?

It's a brilliantly absurd story of a village police force and a brief, unrequited love affair between a man and his bicycle.

drbslibrary.com/thirdpoliceman

Man’s ‘disbelief’ after five-year quest for rare book ends in local Oxfam shop Paul Dixon had trawled bookshops and specialist sellers across the UK, and had even contacted shops on the island of Iona

This is so fun!

news.stv.tv/scotland/man...

As discussed in here the problem with Labour attacking Reform and Greens as two sides of extremism is that Labour and Green voters are very similar in their views.

And the big majority of Labour voters would be willing to join a coalition with Greens, when almost none would with Reform.

POP-OLOGY (ポポロジー)

This Greg Spero album grooves so hard I hear there’s had to be a government enquiry examining whether it’s safe to listen to after setting off all the seismometers here in Birmingham.

open.spotify.com/album/1Zjhtx...

Consumption's back on the menu, boys!

POP-OLOGY (ポポロジー)

This Greg Spero album grooves so hard I hear there’s had to be a government enquiry examining whether it’s safe to listen to after setting off all the seismometers here in Birmingham.

open.spotify.com/album/1Zjhtx...

Dr B's Library: Stoner, by John Williams Have you ever read … Williams's classic about love, literature, and the dignity of an unremarkable life?

Sure, new books are great, but do you ever read old books? Welcome to Dr B's Library.

Have you ever read … Stoner, John Williams's classic about love, literature, and the dignity of an unremarkable life?

DrBsLibrary.com/stoner/

Lunch outside in the garden twice this week. What is the world coming to?

#marchMadness #butItsFebruary

A completely unremarkable man who is the profound beating heart of one of the best novels of the 20th Century.

What?

Come on now, Mr Williams.

What?

How can you do that?

How can you start one of the most celebrated stories of the 20th Century like that, John Williams?

That's all there is to him.

Wow.

Pg. 1: “An occasional student who comes upon the name may remember idly who William Stoner was, but he seldom pursues his curiosity beyond a casual question.”

Blunt.

You open this novel, and in the first paragraph you tell us everything.

You give us our character, William Stoner. You tell us his whole life in just a couple of sentences.

And in the end, he's barely remembered by his colleagues.

How can you do it, John Williams?

It's just not right.