@spectator lit ed. My new book The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading is now out in paperback: bit.ly/TheHauntedWood
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Woohoo! Beautiful small book, much cheapness, please buy.
Paperback copies of The Haunted Wood by @questingvole have just arrived in the office!!
Out on 4h September!
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Loved joining the Slightly Foxed podcast to talk about My Rosemary Sutcliff Shame. You can listen here: mailchi.mp/foxedquarterly/poβ¦
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Sam Leith π retweeted
A very enjoyable Barbara chat with @questingvole spectator.com/podcast/mattheβ¦
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Sam Leith π retweeted
Nicholas Boggs, Anand Gopal, Patrick Radden Keefe, Edmund Richardson, Matthew Sweet and Andrea Wulf have been shortlisted for the 2026 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. π ebx.sh/VrH5aV
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Sam Leith π retweeted
What a fabulous shortlist
We got us a shortlist. NGL some *really* good books on here.
thebailliegiffordprize.co.ukβ¦
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Sam Leith π retweeted
Iβm speechless. And sooooo excited. βThe Travellerβ is shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize, the most important non-fiction prize in the UK. What an honour. Thank you @bgprize & thank you George Forster#TheTraveller
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We got us a shortlist. NGL some *really* good books on here.
thebailliegiffordprize.co.ukβ¦
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Sam Leith π retweeted
Eight years on and patients with an unmet clinical need still cannot access their medication via the NHS.
@questingvole βs article, written 8 years ago is as relevant now as it was then.
Standard column on medical cannabis standard.co.uk/comment/commeβ¦
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At last, a cool use for AI samleith.substack.com/p/at-lβ¦
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The history of the world in one book title samleith.substack.com/p/the-β¦
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Pleasure to have you
It was a pleasure to talk to @questingvole Sam Leith on
@spectator's The Book Club podcast, discussing some of the most fundamental groups who shaped the modern Middle East into the region we know today
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Sam Leith π retweeted
Sam Leith's Substack is one of the highlights of my week. And this week is no exception.
Notably, the apology to Alan Bennett and his colonoscopist...π§π©
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Sam Leith π retweeted
Again I am obviously biased - but the power of poetry to transform lives is unparalleled. If you know a school or care home that might benefit - get in touch!
@questingvole @exitthelemming @mrianleslie @IanHallard @IanMcKellen
Good morning in Westminster with @aphrabrandrethmp meeting MPs across the board & telling them about poetrytogether.com - the project that gets older people & younger people together enjoying poetry, tea & cake. Do you know a school or care home that might like to take part?
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Sam Leith π retweeted
Absolutely thrilled to be on the list!
Celebrating the finest non-fiction writing in all literary genres from philosophy to biography, the Baillie Gifford Prize 2026 longlist is here! From ancient warriors to modern resistance, from romance to conspiracy, discover them all:
waterstones.com/category/higβ¦
@BGPrize
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And the first review is in. "Masterpiece". That will do.
theguardian.com/books/2026/aβ¦
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