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Reposted by Martin Shaw

minor literature[s] @minorliteratures.bsky.social · 13h

a year ago today ... next year in Berlin?

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 11h

indeed!

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 11h

Note that Walter Benjamin wrote "Unpacking My Library", but no "Alphabetising My Library" ever followed...

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 19h

“Every girl on the apps has this thing about ‘love languages’ – it’s just gibberish, but if you don’t talk about it, people are like, ‘Oh you’re a red flag.’”

So so funny...

C. Buckthorn @cbuckthorn.bsky.social · 19h

This is amazing. I laughed out loud www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

As 32-year-old Rich points out, though, "it's not like using ChatGPT guarantees success".
When he met someone in a bar one Friday night and swapped social media handles, he asked AI what his next move should be.
ChatGPT discerned that sending an initial message on Monday midmorning would set the right pace. "Then it gave me some options for what the message could be," says Rich.
"Keep it light, warm, and low-stakes so it reads as genuine interest without urgency," the bot advised. "Something like: Hey Sarah, still laughing about [tiny shared moment/reference if you've got one] - good to meet you!" Rich went back and forth with ChatGPT until he felt they'd hit upon exactly the right message ("Hey Sarah, it was lovely to meet you") but sadly she never replied, he says. "It's been two weeks now."

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 19h

"I noticed a slight figure with a froth of curly hair standing a few yards away from me: the real Charlie Kaufman. I stammered & said hello, adding, “This is kind of embarrassing for me.” “It’s more embarrassing for me,” he said, & rushed out the door...". Nice this www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

The Making of “Adaptation”

When your quirky book becomes a quirkier movie.

www.newyorker.com

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Anandi Mishra @anandimish.bsky.social · 20h

laszlo krazsnahorkai with george szirtes in the white review

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Michael Stipe @michaelstipe.bsky.social · 21h

and I feel fine

jamma10.bsky.social @jamma10.bsky.social · 2d

Toilet, Bristol UK circa 2015

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 20h

Always love reading a good Ryan Ruby essay, no matter if I'm actually that interested in the subject: he's a bright dude! And actually he might just have won me over with all things Pynchon too... newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...

Ryan Ruby, Post-American Blues — Sidecar

On Thomas Pynchon.

newleftreview.org

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 21h

Blooming hell, started to tally them all up, and @shawliterary.bsky.social is tracking to have 16 books out next year! But still klein & fein, I very much hope... #agentlife

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1d

Hours away potentially from a Gaza ceasefire, and the usual suspect is still bleating on about "the plight of the Australian Jewish community" I see...

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 1d

I so love popping in whenever I'm in town!

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 2d

Printing presses kept their letters in cases.

Capital letters went in the upper case.
Smaller letters went in the lower case.

This is why we say ‘UPPER CASE’ and ‘lower case.’

Ok, but what did we call them before the invention of the printing press?

MAJUSCULE and minuscule.

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

Richard Blandford @rblandford.bsky.social · 2d

Got Kraftwerk tickets! Disappointingly, did not have to tick a box confirming I was a robot.

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Reposted by Martin Shaw

So Mayer @suchmayer.bsky.social · 2d

I'm a committed small press author & editor. Small presses are the seed-heads of the books world & they are scorched. Pls read and share this excellent letter on the situation & what's needed in @thebookseller.com, signatories inc Peninsula Press, @cipherpress.bsky.social @silver-press.bsky.social

Open letter on the future of small press publishing in the UK

The industry must work together to ensure the longevity of the UK’s independent presses.

www.thebookseller.com

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

oh thanks (I've played that record a thousand times!)

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

Via @nonwayne.bsky.social: Moya's"Australian Writing Memoir" published just last year... sudojournal.com/wp-content/u...

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

“Devices are not dangerous for literature.
People can be dangerous for literature.
People, for example, who do not read.”
— László Krasznahorkai

[h/t Vince Czyz)

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

Alright, I’ve relented: I now declare it Gingerbread Season!

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

Yep, there is no depression in New Zealand, obviously!

the Juice Media @thejuicemedia.com · 2d

The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!

Honest Government Ad | Visit New Zealand!

YouTube video by thejuicemedia

www.youtube.com

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

One of those words you presumed universal and wonder what other people say instead!

Bec Shaw @brocklesnitch.bsky.social · 2d

I think pash/pashing is one of the best australian/nz words. lets all agree to start using it more

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Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 2d

Emmett Stinson writes just now (on twitter): "So sad to hear about the passing of Australian experimental author Moya Costello—a great writer, a lovely human being, an excellent scholar and teacher, and the inspiration for Coetzee’s Elizabeth Costello."