Josh

A blog for all the other stuff.

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[joshcockroft2]

Bluets – Maggie Nelson

13.1.2026

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[joshcockroft2]

Carol – Patricia Highsmith

4.1.2026

This has been on my shelf for a long time, waiting for a winter read. It's very different to anything else I've read of hers, without a thriller formula and with a much more personal writing style.

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What I was reading in 2025

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The Order of the Day – Éric Vuillard

18.12.2025

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Her Body and Other Parties – Carmen Maria Machado

12.12.2025

A book club selection. I wasn't into these, they felt like responses to creative writing class prompts.

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Orbital – Samantha Harvey

4.12.2025

Best book I've read this year? Very possibly could be, it felt like a balm after Stolen Focus to be floating in space with a small group of critical thinkers.

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Stolen Focus – Johann Hari

29.11.2025

This has been enlightening, and frustrating, and helpful, and terrifying. It's made me think a lot about my relationship with tech, and my phone in particular, and led to some changes. I really do wish everyone would read this one, it's thoroughly depressing but I appreciate Hari being honest about the reality of the situation.

[joshcockroft2]

[joshcockroft2]

Paprika – Yasutaka Tsutsui

16.11.2025

The story was a touch difficult to follow at the beginning – a lot of names and poorly described characters, but the premise was interesting enough to continue with. However, it became increasingly tedious, and then incredibly sexist and homophobic, to a startling degree towards the end.

[joshcockroft2]

[joshcockroft2]

Eileen – Ottessa Moshfegh

3.11.2025

An author finding their voice – there wasn't much substance here, but luckily I've already read My Year of Rest and Relaxation, so I know that she's got a lot more to offer than this shows.

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Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? – Harold Schechter & Eric Powell

28.10.2025

There's a new tv drama about Ed Gein on a subscription service I don't have, but I saw this mentioned in an online review as a faithful telling of the true story. It didn't moralise or theorise, and felt like being a townsperson getting the news in dribs and drabs.

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East of Eden – John Steinbeck

27.10.2025

My first time reading what is considered by many to be the best work of my favourite author – I obviously thought it was a masterpiece.

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[joshcockroft2]

Claimed – Gertrude Barrows Bennett

29.9.2025