James Robert Evison
@jamesevison.bsky.social
Postgrad in Modern Literature and Culture @ University of London, Birkbeck. Undertaking a PhD on Robert Aickman 2026/27 -.
Doris Lessing’s reaction to winning the Nobel is still the best.
There is often focus on her initial “Oh Christ”, but it’s the following “well, it’s been going on now for thirty years”, like it is a long-running feud about a neighbour’s party wall, that I love: m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBO...
There is often focus on her initial “Oh Christ”, but it’s the following “well, it’s been going on now for thirty years”, like it is a long-running feud about a neighbour’s party wall, that I love: m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBO...
British author Doris Lessing reacts to Nobel win
YouTube video by ReutersLC
m.youtube.com
October 7, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Doris Lessing’s reaction to winning the Nobel is still the best.
There is often focus on her initial “Oh Christ”, but it’s the following “well, it’s been going on now for thirty years”, like it is a long-running feud about a neighbour’s party wall, that I love: m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBO...
There is often focus on her initial “Oh Christ”, but it’s the following “well, it’s been going on now for thirty years”, like it is a long-running feud about a neighbour’s party wall, that I love: m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBO...
And now M. John Harrison has been shortlisted for the Booker. Proper mainstream!
Delighted that M. John Harrison has been longlisted for the Booker. I’ve spent the last four months researching his work for my MA dissertation. He is one of our greatest fiction writers, and glad he is finally getting his moment. Also, I assume he is a bit annoyed to be so mainstream now.
September 22, 2026 at 8:40 PM
And now M. John Harrison has been shortlisted for the Booker. Proper mainstream!
Giles Coren’s view of M John Harrison.
September 18, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Giles Coren’s view of M John Harrison.
My copy is waiting at a local bookshop and I’m almost scared to go and pick it up.
I want to talk a bit more about this novel, The Rouse by China Mieville, because any review is kind of inadequate. You can more or less review one or two "types" of fiction it is without really even peeling away the surface. 1/?
Probably the scariest and also most intellectually rigorous uncanny novel I have ever read. My review for the NYT. Free link. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/b...
September 18, 2026 at 9:02 PM
My copy is waiting at a local bookshop and I’m almost scared to go and pick it up.
I’m nearing the editing phase for my dissertation on M. John Harrison. I suppose my top takeaway is the range of his works surpasses any other British writer. Perhaps Michel Faber or Ishiguro. I struggle to think of anyone who has transcended genre like him though - and made his own rules.
August 14, 2026 at 11:34 AM
I’m nearing the editing phase for my dissertation on M. John Harrison. I suppose my top takeaway is the range of his works surpasses any other British writer. Perhaps Michel Faber or Ishiguro. I struggle to think of anyone who has transcended genre like him though - and made his own rules.
Delighted that M. John Harrison has been longlisted for the Booker. I’ve spent the last four months researching his work for my MA dissertation. He is one of our greatest fiction writers, and glad he is finally getting his moment. Also, I assume he is a bit annoyed to be so mainstream now.
July 28, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Delighted that M. John Harrison has been longlisted for the Booker. I’ve spent the last four months researching his work for my MA dissertation. He is one of our greatest fiction writers, and glad he is finally getting his moment. Also, I assume he is a bit annoyed to be so mainstream now.
80s post-punk band get back together for new album.
July 27, 2026 at 3:37 PM
80s post-punk band get back together for new album.
A reminder about the other Christopher Nolan.
July 24, 2026 at 12:42 PM
A reminder about the other Christopher Nolan.
Reposted by James Robert Evison
This week, Andy Burnham – an English graduate with a love of poetry – stepped closer to becoming Prime Minister.
Andy’s remarkable journey embodies the central message of the #EnglishCreates campaign: this subject has the potential to enrich lives, open up opportunities, and shape the future.
Andy’s remarkable journey embodies the central message of the #EnglishCreates campaign: this subject has the potential to enrich lives, open up opportunities, and shape the future.
June 25, 2026 at 8:42 AM
This week, Andy Burnham – an English graduate with a love of poetry – stepped closer to becoming Prime Minister.
Andy’s remarkable journey embodies the central message of the #EnglishCreates campaign: this subject has the potential to enrich lives, open up opportunities, and shape the future.
Andy’s remarkable journey embodies the central message of the #EnglishCreates campaign: this subject has the potential to enrich lives, open up opportunities, and shape the future.
Journeyed through the latest M John Harrison.
Initial thoughts:
- Usual intertextuality, “The Crisis”, allusions to Empty Space trilogy (beaches, cats, body horror), “Settling the World”, many others
- Short, almost novella
- Classic Harrison genre-fluid vibes
- Said’s “late style” for sure
Initial thoughts:
- Usual intertextuality, “The Crisis”, allusions to Empty Space trilogy (beaches, cats, body horror), “Settling the World”, many others
- Short, almost novella
- Classic Harrison genre-fluid vibes
- Said’s “late style” for sure
June 19, 2026 at 6:56 PM
Journeyed through the latest M John Harrison.
Initial thoughts:
- Usual intertextuality, “The Crisis”, allusions to Empty Space trilogy (beaches, cats, body horror), “Settling the World”, many others
- Short, almost novella
- Classic Harrison genre-fluid vibes
- Said’s “late style” for sure
Initial thoughts:
- Usual intertextuality, “The Crisis”, allusions to Empty Space trilogy (beaches, cats, body horror), “Settling the World”, many others
- Short, almost novella
- Classic Harrison genre-fluid vibes
- Said’s “late style” for sure
This M John Harrison guy is breaking my brain.
Or, to use his language, “exploding my brain into fractals of light accelerating at 15 million nanoseconds across the sky while a robot-alien with a horse’s skull is laughing at me”, etc.
Questioning my life decisions.
(Very enjoyable writer).
Or, to use his language, “exploding my brain into fractals of light accelerating at 15 million nanoseconds across the sky while a robot-alien with a horse’s skull is laughing at me”, etc.
Questioning my life decisions.
(Very enjoyable writer).
June 4, 2026 at 3:09 PM
This M John Harrison guy is breaking my brain.
Or, to use his language, “exploding my brain into fractals of light accelerating at 15 million nanoseconds across the sky while a robot-alien with a horse’s skull is laughing at me”, etc.
Questioning my life decisions.
(Very enjoyable writer).
Or, to use his language, “exploding my brain into fractals of light accelerating at 15 million nanoseconds across the sky while a robot-alien with a horse’s skull is laughing at me”, etc.
Questioning my life decisions.
(Very enjoyable writer).
A man has won “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” by answering this question:
“Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel ‘Ulysess’ and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso?”
It’s Bass Ale. Here is a great passage where Bloom stares at the scarlet logo.
“Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel ‘Ulysess’ and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso?”
It’s Bass Ale. Here is a great passage where Bloom stares at the scarlet logo.
April 27, 2026 at 7:08 AM
A man has won “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” by answering this question:
“Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel ‘Ulysess’ and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso?”
It’s Bass Ale. Here is a great passage where Bloom stares at the scarlet logo.
“Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel ‘Ulysess’ and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso?”
It’s Bass Ale. Here is a great passage where Bloom stares at the scarlet logo.
RIP Prynne
“Still the snow hums, fetching my life:
the pain to come, still the key
takes cover in the chamois case.
The key is the edge of our day.”
“Still the snow hums, fetching my life:
the pain to come, still the key
takes cover in the chamois case.
The key is the edge of our day.”
April 22, 2026 at 8:54 PM
RIP Prynne
“Still the snow hums, fetching my life:
the pain to come, still the key
takes cover in the chamois case.
The key is the edge of our day.”
“Still the snow hums, fetching my life:
the pain to come, still the key
takes cover in the chamois case.
The key is the edge of our day.”
Still processing…could be some time.
April 13, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Still processing…could be some time.
My takeaway from this whole situation is that DeWitt’s blog post is a great work of literature in its own right.
Helen DeWitt on being awarded - and then not being awarded - a Windham-Campbell Prize.
We lose again: Windham-Campbell Prize manqué
Was going to post this on Substack, but they don't let you indent blocks of text. Today’s insanely long installmen...
paperpools.blogspot.com
April 9, 2026 at 10:23 PM
My takeaway from this whole situation is that DeWitt’s blog post is a great work of literature in its own right.
Looking forward to reading this.
April 9, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Looking forward to reading this.
Reposted by James Robert Evison
M. R. James and #WeirdFiction and #GhostStory people might be interested in this Kickstarter, which is to help fund a print run of annotated manuscripts of James's most famous stories. You can find out more on this project at the website, crumpledlinenpress.com
Coming soon: The Haunted Archive - A Ghost Story Manuscript of M.R. James
A beautiful annotated facsimile manuscript edition of M.R. James's classic ghost story 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'.
www.kickstarter.com
April 1, 2026 at 7:41 AM
M. R. James and #WeirdFiction and #GhostStory people might be interested in this Kickstarter, which is to help fund a print run of annotated manuscripts of James's most famous stories. You can find out more on this project at the website, crumpledlinenpress.com
Irony is that STEM degrees will be the actually worthless qualifications in an AI-centred world. Critical and creative thinking that LLMs cannot/struggle to process will be the high value asset to have for future economies.
Studying the language and literature that has helped to define our nation at home and around the world for centuries is a "rip-off" apparently
October 8, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Irony is that STEM degrees will be the actually worthless qualifications in an AI-centred world. Critical and creative thinking that LLMs cannot/struggle to process will be the high value asset to have for future economies.
The joys of second-hand bookshops. I picked this up in London, and look what fell out…assume Mr Brownjohn is literary critic and poet Alan Brownjohn, who died in 2024.
August 17, 2025 at 9:52 AM
The joys of second-hand bookshops. I picked this up in London, and look what fell out…assume Mr Brownjohn is literary critic and poet Alan Brownjohn, who died in 2024.
“Adolescence” is the greatest British drama in years. It’s soul-destroying television. Like all great social drama, it will change and save lives. The final dialogue of the parents, and the interrogation of the child murderer by the psychologist, are acting masterclasses. Must win every award.
March 19, 2025 at 10:45 AM
“Adolescence” is the greatest British drama in years. It’s soul-destroying television. Like all great social drama, it will change and save lives. The final dialogue of the parents, and the interrogation of the child murderer by the psychologist, are acting masterclasses. Must win every award.
Superb piece by Jess. John and Christian are North. I was lucky enough to award them the Publican Award for Best Brewing Pubco back in 2017. What they built was very, very special for British beer, UK business, and for the city of Leeds. A sad day.
Now Keystone has acquired North’s brands, the sector is saddened. Could it be that brand identity is meaningless without beer integrity? Here, I look to the duo who began the North brand in earnest to show why the industry cares so much. www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/02/wher...
Where's your true North?
Now that private equity firm Keystone has acquired North Brewing Co’s brands, the sector is reeling. Could it be that brand identity is meaningless without beer integrity? Jessica Mason looks to the d...
www.thedrinksbusiness.com
February 7, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Superb piece by Jess. John and Christian are North. I was lucky enough to award them the Publican Award for Best Brewing Pubco back in 2017. What they built was very, very special for British beer, UK business, and for the city of Leeds. A sad day.
Reposted by James Robert Evison
January 31, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Great fiction writers pay close attention. They always see the undercurrent.
Cannot stop thinking about how Octavia Butler wrote a book in 1993 about climate change. It opens with deadly fires in LA in 2025. In the story, a fascist President has just won office with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
January 15, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Great fiction writers pay close attention. They always see the undercurrent.
New biohack announced for Bryan Johnson’s blueprint.
Reading makes you live longer.
January 7, 2025 at 2:46 PM
New biohack announced for Bryan Johnson’s blueprint.