Sally

…really know what UPF is doing to us. A book well worth the read (and I’m looking closer at what’s in my food now, so maybe it has changed my diet). Also again weirdly relevant to my other current read, Goliath’s Curse for who controls the fundamental resource of food. Recommended 4/4 #booksky

… to the point instead of meandering in his anecdotes. The examination of the USA system & complete lack of meaningful regulation was really interesting, as was the account of biases and manipulation in studies of the effect of UPF. And of course one of the problems is that bias means we don’t 3/?

… regulatory accountability, rather than pushing blame on the consumer (who is ultimately trapped in the system, especially if you can’t afford better quality food). I enjoyed the book which is written in a very accessible way - although the academic bit of my brain sometimes wanted him to stick 2/?

Fourth book of the year was Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken, about the Ultra Processed food industry. Bookclub read I was nervous about in case it was pushing a diet/clean food hocum. I was pleasantly surprised as it’s very much an investigation that focuses on industry and 1/? #booksky

Best season of The Crown so far.

Yeah I felt he got to the point Shakespeare turned up, got distracted and decided he’d have more fun going and reading MacBeth instead of finishing the book! Still, sign of a good book if it leaves you wanting more, I guess?

…read. Frustratingly it ends at Elizabeth 1, and despite good justifications for it, they don’t really make up for a book ending suddenly just when you’re enjoying it and really looking forward to the bit when they start getting their heads cut off. Ah well. Hope there’ll be a sequel. 4/4 #booksky

I had to edit out as I went along for fear of offending the other folk in the home. As well as fun and funny the book is brutally sane in its analysis of monarch, freed by being humour from the historians ‘duty’ to provide a balanced view. It made a good companion to Goliaths Curse, my other 3/?

Most important was whether Dad enjoyed it which is hard to tell as his communication is poor after a stroke a couple of years ago. But he pretty regularly chortled at the funny bits, so I think this is a win and seal of approval. There’s lots of sweary bits (dunno why I would expect not) that 2/?

Third book of the year was Unruly by David Mitchell, read to my Dad in his care home (he’s a 94 year old former history teacher with advanced dementia). The book is a humourous/satirical take on the kings and queens of England. It was a fun read 1/? #booksky

Guards series, which is a pity as Mort was what first made me love the Discworld. Still well worth the re-read though 3/3 #booksky

…thoughts on the nature of being human and being alive into the reader. I had mixed feelings about Unity’s ending, but I suspect you’re supposed to and was consistent with his later views on death.

Whilst still a joy to read I don’t think the Death sequence is as strong as say the Witches or 2/?

Second book of the year was Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett, read with my son, completing our reading of the Death series in the Discworld books. It was of course a delight and great fun to read, handily explains away any inconsistencies in the confusing Discworld timeline and sneaks some deep 1/?

First book of the year was The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer for my Bookclub. Not a novel I would normally pick up. Sad to say the whole group found it just really really bad. We did conclude from it that Mortimer seems a really nice guy we’d love to go to the pub with. So there’s that #booksky

After neglecting this account for a while, time to get back to its main purpose, talking about books I’ve read, as I seem to be getting back into a good reading groove in 2026 #booksky

A friend did this with their branch a few years back for other reasons, the group is still thriving, so it’s absolutely possible.

Fun fact - it’s possible for local WI branches to simply go independent and then they can have whatever membership rules they want. Lots of other advantages too. Would send a real message to Women’s Institute where your branch stands and you wouldn’t have to chuck out your trans members. Win-win

Excluding trans people won’t stop you getting sued | Good Law Project Girl Guiding and the Women’s Institute have announced that they will now exclude trans women and girls after legal threats – but organisations can and should remain inclusive.

Girl Guiding and the Women’s Institute have announced that they will now exclude trans women and girls after legal threats – but organisations can and should remain inclusive:
https://goodlaw.social/cpfx

Ink painting of two otters as if swimming with curling bodies, playflully, one above the other

'Otters' in ink by Jackie Morris, artist, author who lives and works in a small cottage by the sea in Wales #WomensArt

Important research…

Next to Trump and Musk, Shatner and I look like adoring newlyweds.

Sir Terry Pratchett and his daughter, Rhianna, at the launch of Dodger.

Happy birthday, Dad. Time to come back now, it’s all gone a bit rubbish without you. ❤️❤️❤️

Monstrous Regiment (Signed 1st edition) Auction item 'Monstrous Regiment (Signed 1st edition)' hosted online at 32auctions.

THE BIGGEST NEWS! Rob and I are offering up a hand-signed hardback, first edition/first printing copy of Monstrous Regiment straight from the Pratchett archives. Those who know the story will know why it’s a pertinent one for this cause. (More pics to come.)

www.32auctions.com/organization...

Section 28 didn’t come out of nowhere.
It came from a society where 75% thought homosexuality was wrong.
From a society that feared the sight of a man in drag would corrupt.
From a society that believed ignorance was better for children than any knowledge of gay lives.
🧵 1/16

Trans rights are a feminist issue and always have been. Trans people are at the sharp edge of the patriarchy but how they are treated affects *all* of us in the end

It’s a strange place to be to even have to be considering self-censoring to enter the USA, home of ‘free speech’ though.

And I’m back.

Went to the USA for a long weekend. Deleted Bluesky for the duration as a precautionary measure, as it’s my only really political online space. It was probably unnecessary (going through JFK anyway). NY was a lovely place full of lovely people (much more friendly than London! 😆)

Will shortly be going offline for a bit. Will be back though! :)

…fiction of the time, and probably a first in Star Wars. So yeah, the Thrawn trilogy is thin and flawed compared to literary sci-fi. They work well for kids (I’ve read them with mine - he loved them). But they still have something to offer and that’s probably why they’re still deeply loved. 💙📚

…the impact of empire and colonialism and how fundamentally exploitative those things are (other spoiler - it’s also the exploited ‘aliens’ that save the day and free themselves).
Of course none of these points were ground breaking in genre literature but they weren’t very common in popular…