The Duracell Bunny and the Deputy Political Commissar
An encounter in Wuxi with diviners, wizards, priests, the Duracell bunny, and the Deputy Political Commisar… with some thoughts on learning Chinese.
Painting Her to My Own Mind
A year or so back, I was invited by the Laurence Sterne Trust to contribute to their exhibition Paint Her to Your Own Mind, an exhibition with 147 artists and…
Lucy and the Rocket Dog on LITA Notable Books List
狗年大吉! It’s the year of dog, and I’m delighted to be kicking of the Chinese new year with some excellent news about my book Lucy and the Rocket Dog, which…
Back Home, Close to Midsummer
I am now back in the UK from Myanmar, and have been enjoying the beautiful midsummer weather. There’s a lot that I haven’t yet written about Myanmar — and may yet…
New Year Thoughts on Grief and Friendship
On New Year’s Eve, we stood outside — four of us gathered in the back garden — and we watched the fireworks blossoming in the sky over the rooftops. It…
The Cheerfulness that Keeps Breaking Through
We were in kitchen, you and I. It was February, not long after we had received the worst of news. Outside it was still winter. I was cooking, and you were at the sink washing up. We were doing our best. Although life had changed utterly over the previous few weeks, we were doing our best…
Under the radar, close to the ground…
I’m leaving academic after eight years, for new territories. And it’s good to be moving on.
A Poem for Elee
It is two weeks since the death from cancer of Elee Kirk — who for so long has been my closest companion, wisest advisor and greatest friend. And so I find…
Life, despite everything
It is a beautiful, clear Easter morning, and I’m back here in the UK sitting on the sofa with the cat, drinking coffee, and taking it easy. If I’ve not…
The Flaws of Writers (according to Liu Xie)
I’m over in Sydney for a few days, escaping the smog of Chengdu, and attending the conference at the University of New South Wales on cultivation in Greek and Chinese…
