The Word Hoard

I'm James - I've set my Wordpress blog up to automatically share here. I hope you like it! Visit https://ifearthosebigwords.wordpress.com/ for more.

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M. John Harrison is a master, and he's at it again. My review of his new novel, The End of Everything.

The Vibes are Off: Some Thoughts on The End of Everything by M. John Harrison

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The World is a Drop of Air: Some Thoughts on The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert

Like Daedalus, I am forging myself wings. I construct them little by little, adding one feather each day. I think collections of aphorisms, epigrams, and maxims are the form for today. They are like Twitter, but good. If you are looking for writing advice, and if you are reading this then you certainly have at some point, you will come across the idea that you can write little by little, day by…

The World is a Drop of Air: Some Thoughts on The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert

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Single-handed: Some Thoughts on Wasp by Eric Frank Russell

I’ve been having trouble focusing lately. This time I blame it on the fact I spent the first half of May worrying that Arsenal might not win the Premier League and then after that was rather anxious about the small matter of the Champion’s League final. Yeah, we lost. I think I am being honest with myself when I say that I think us getting over the line in the league was the big one, and that if…

Single-handed: Some Thoughts on Wasp by Eric Frank Russell

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Where Were You When Arsenal Won the League?

Where were you when Arsenal won the league? It feels so bizarre to win the league on a random Tuesday without having even kicked a ball. I knew that we could win the league last night, but I didn’t really feel it until I was sat eating dinner with my family and saw that Bournemouth had gone a goal up after forty odd minutes. We watched an episode of Good Mythical Morning and I just kept my phone…

Where Were You When Arsenal Won the League?

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I've been thinking again about what it means to be trying to create things in an era where a machine can just do it for you.

I Hate Almost Everything That I See

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Just popping my head back up to let you know about a couple of pieces I've been lucky enough to have published recently. It's been a very draining first three months of the year but I am hoping to get back in to the swing of publishing regularly, soon!

Popping My Head Back Up

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Thirty Things You Can Do

This is a list of things you can do. A lot of them are things I do. They might help. They help me.  I got this idea from Milan Cvitkovic, whose list of things you’re allowed to do is great and contains links to lots of other, similar lists, most of which have at least a few good ideas in them. This might smack of self-help. I have told you about my weaknesses.  Tell someone when you notice…

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The Word Hoard 2025 Year in Review

It’s been a year where I’ve only made fleeting progress on the things I really want to be working on, if I’m entirely honest. That’s fine. Not every year can be a banger. Sometimes you just survive, and learn nothing.  I’m really wary of making resolutions now. At least, out loud. I want to write and read as much as I can; that never really changes.  I have a hard time making new habits stick,…

The Word Hoard 2025 Year in Review

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I'll probably do a year-end wrap up post, but other than that, enjoy one last book review for 2025!

Are You Being Served? Some Thoughts on Termush by Sven Holm

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I am Begging You to Please Pay Attention to the Football, or; An Easy Way to Connect With More People

Nothing ever worked for me as a conversational gambit better than two beers, but unless you are very very careful in how you go about it, two beers is not something you can do at work.  You can, however, talk about the football at work. You can talk about the football anywhere. People expect you to talk about the football. Oh sure, there’s the weather, but that only has so many legs. Now, how…

I am Begging You to Please Pay Attention to the Football, or; An Easy Way to Connect With More People

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I do love a good catastrophe novel!

Why Say Many Word When Few Word Do Trick: Rebecca Gransden's Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group

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I saw mbv on their most recent tour; they were great!

Release the Jungle Album, Kevin! My Bloody Valentine at the OVO Arena Wembley 25th November 2025

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I got asked the other day how I allocate my tasks and manage my time. I told them I make lists.

Make a List

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I Don't Want to Use AI

I don’t wanna Every time someone tells me to just get AI to do it, I want to scream.  If AI was just an ocean-boiling plagiarism machine, I wouldn’t want to use it, but it’s not just that.  You’ve seen the studies about how using AI makes us stupider. I won’t link them, because it’s almost besides the point; if you’re all-in on AI then whether something is a fact or not won’t matter to you,…

I Don't Want to Use AI

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There are some lessons in The Old Patagonian Express for people who want to document their lives, or just take better notes. I've tried to distil some of it down in the blog post you can read here!

Look Closely, Listen Hard, Write Everything Down; How to Take Notes with Paul Theroux

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It's nice to get some fatherly advice for a change, or; What I Read in July/August 2025

Stop Apologising Sorry it’s been a while. I think I lead with that in my last post, too. Sorry for repeating myself. I promise this won’t turn into one of those blogs where someone posts every six months just to apologise for not posting and to say how crazy their life has been. I promise I will abandon this blog sooner than do that. Or just make one substantive post every two years. I have no…

It's nice to get some fatherly advice for a change, or; What I Read in July/August 2025

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My roundup of June 2025!

What I Read in June 2025