Love, Poetry and Revolution - Thursday 19th February 2026

I've been to another reading group today - different people, different book. This group has just started reading the Kate Atkinson novel, 'Behind the Scenes At The Museum'.  Some interesting ideas and writing, though a family saga across the generations does not immediately appeal to me.  With any luck, I'll be able to go next week and perhaps be drawn into it.

We also read a poem by Philip Larkin (second one this week!) titled, 'Portrait', which I've screen-shotted (?) below:

This was chosen to parallel a darker section near the start of the novel.  There was a lot of discussion today, and a subset of us went for a coffee afterwards.  We chatted about the Geoff Dyer memoir 'Homework' and the Titanic exhibition at the White Star line building (as was) near the docks here.

Last night Q and I watched the first two episodes of the new Netflix series, 'How To Get To Heaven From Belfast', by the woman who wrote 'Derry Girls'.  It's billed as a comedy, but so far, it's a very dark one! I am intrigued and found it enjoyable.  (Coincidentally, in some of the shots filmed in Belfast the big yellow Harland and Wolf cranes are in the background.  It was Harland and Wolf that built the Titanic (see above))

Black Box Recorder are reforming for a gig in London, in the merry month of June. I'm pretty sure I'll be otherwise engaged.  Their best album is undoubtedly 'The Facts of Life', from which comes this track 'The English Motorway System'.   (Incidentally, the singer from BBR, Sarah Nixey, has also just released a new solo album, her first in several years)