Damian Barr
@damianbarr.bsky.social
Writer & broadcaster.
🏴 🌈 🖊️📚 🎭 📺 📻 🪴 🐔 🥃
He/Him
📕 The Two Roberts is my new novel. I’ve also curated an exhibition about them for Charleston in Lewes.
📕 Maggie & Me.
📕 You Will Be Safe Here.
📺 Big Scottish Book Club on BBC iPlayer.
PhD, FRSL, FRSE.
🏴 🌈 🖊️📚 🎭 📺 📻 🪴 🐔 🥃
He/Him
📕 The Two Roberts is my new novel. I’ve also curated an exhibition about them for Charleston in Lewes.
📕 Maggie & Me.
📕 You Will Be Safe Here.
📺 Big Scottish Book Club on BBC iPlayer.
PhD, FRSL, FRSE.
'What if the protagonist of a novel was not a single person but a couple?'
A gay working-class couple of genius artists (who also happen to be Very Handsome).
Grateful to Lara Feigel for this thoughtful review of the Two Roberts.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
A gay working-class couple of genius artists (who also happen to be Very Handsome).
Grateful to Lara Feigel for this thoughtful review of the Two Roberts.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
The Two Roberts by Damian Barr review – lost story of a gay art duo
The lives of Scottish artists Bobby MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun, who found love and fame and lost it all, are vividly reimagined
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:33 PM
'What if the protagonist of a novel was not a single person but a couple?'
A gay working-class couple of genius artists (who also happen to be Very Handsome).
Grateful to Lara Feigel for this thoughtful review of the Two Roberts.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
A gay working-class couple of genius artists (who also happen to be Very Handsome).
Grateful to Lara Feigel for this thoughtful review of the Two Roberts.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
Reposted by Damian Barr
1. A landmark study was just published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
Study In The Journal Of Pediatrics Finds Trans Youth Care Lowers Suicidality, Few Detransition
The groundbreaking study found that suicidality dropped for transgender youth receiving hormone therapy by nearly 70%, with only 7 patients of 432 discontinuing treatment.
www.erininthemorning.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
1. A landmark study was just published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
Tickets for my final event of this here year. Sharing the stage @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social in London with the lovely @michaelpedersen.bsky.social Join us this wknd! www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...
www.ticketsource.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Tickets for my final event of this here year. Sharing the stage @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social in London with the lovely @michaelpedersen.bsky.social Join us this wknd! www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...
Reposted by Damian Barr
We're seeking committee members for #CILIP's new Intellectual Freedom Committee. The Committee will work towards everyone's right to read, think, and speak freely, and lead discussions on issues of censorship and access to information. Join us: https://ow.ly/k3I250XwXKR. Apply now!
November 25, 2025 at 9:30 AM
We're seeking committee members for #CILIP's new Intellectual Freedom Committee. The Committee will work towards everyone's right to read, think, and speak freely, and lead discussions on issues of censorship and access to information. Join us: https://ow.ly/k3I250XwXKR. Apply now!
I have always been terrified and mesmerised by Udo Kier. 🧛♀️
Once, in a gay bar in Palm Springs, I turned around and he was just standing there, holding a drink. I checked in the bar mirror to see if he had a reflection. He saw me checking and smiled. It was perfect.
Once, in a gay bar in Palm Springs, I turned around and he was just standing there, holding a drink. I checked in the bar mirror to see if he had a reflection. He saw me checking and smiled. It was perfect.
November 25, 2025 at 8:26 AM
I have always been terrified and mesmerised by Udo Kier. 🧛♀️
Once, in a gay bar in Palm Springs, I turned around and he was just standing there, holding a drink. I checked in the bar mirror to see if he had a reflection. He saw me checking and smiled. It was perfect.
Once, in a gay bar in Palm Springs, I turned around and he was just standing there, holding a drink. I checked in the bar mirror to see if he had a reflection. He saw me checking and smiled. It was perfect.
Dearest Writer Pals, have we all now had an email promising us up to 150 in-depth reviews from 'dedicated readers'? It reads: 'My mission isn’t commercial; there’s no formal service or hidden agenda. It’s simply to ensure that stories worthy of attention find it.'
Feels....scammy?
Feels....scammy?
November 21, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Dearest Writer Pals, have we all now had an email promising us up to 150 in-depth reviews from 'dedicated readers'? It reads: 'My mission isn’t commercial; there’s no formal service or hidden agenda. It’s simply to ensure that stories worthy of attention find it.'
Feels....scammy?
Feels....scammy?
ICYMI. ❤️ ☕️ 📕 🖼️ 🌈 🏴
Some lovely news. Somewhere Bobby and Robert are celebrating!
Congratulations to everyone shortlisted and thank you to the judges and Nero and to @canongate.co.uk and my agent Clare Conville and to every bookseller, librarian and reader for giving my story space.
Congratulations to everyone shortlisted and thank you to the judges and Nero and to @canongate.co.uk and my agent Clare Conville and to every bookseller, librarian and reader for giving my story space.
November 21, 2025 at 12:32 PM
ICYMI. ❤️ ☕️ 📕 🖼️ 🌈 🏴
Signed and sharing for all. Indie bookshops anchor communities.
November 21, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Signed and sharing for all. Indie bookshops anchor communities.
Only twice as much?
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Brexit Hit to UK Economy Double Official Estimate, Study Finds
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Only twice as much?
Reposted by Damian Barr
Damian Barr’s The Two Roberts (Canongate), Ian McEwan’s What We Can Know (Jonathan Cape) and Lyse Doucet’s The Finest Hotel in Kabul (Hutchinson Heinemann) have been shortlisted for the 2025 Nero Book Awards 👇 #BookSky
Damian Barr, Ian McEwan and Lyse Doucet shortlisted for 2025 Nero Book Awards
ebx.sh
November 20, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Damian Barr’s The Two Roberts (Canongate), Ian McEwan’s What We Can Know (Jonathan Cape) and Lyse Doucet’s The Finest Hotel in Kabul (Hutchinson Heinemann) have been shortlisted for the 2025 Nero Book Awards 👇 #BookSky
Reposted by Damian Barr
We read a LOT of books for the Nero Book Awards Fiction category and it was hard to whittle it down to four.
Recommended reading:
* What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
* Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
* Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
* The Two Roberts by @damianbarr.bsky.social
#NeroBookAwards
Recommended reading:
* What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
* Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
* Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
* The Two Roberts by @damianbarr.bsky.social
#NeroBookAwards
November 20, 2025 at 11:03 AM
We read a LOT of books for the Nero Book Awards Fiction category and it was hard to whittle it down to four.
Recommended reading:
* What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
* Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
* Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
* The Two Roberts by @damianbarr.bsky.social
#NeroBookAwards
Recommended reading:
* What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
* Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
* Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
* The Two Roberts by @damianbarr.bsky.social
#NeroBookAwards
Wahoooo!
Delighted to share the news that Damian Barr @damianbarr.bsky.social's THE TWO ROBERTS has been shortlisted for the Nero Book Awards in the fiction category, congratulations Damian!
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
November 20, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Wahoooo!
Some lovely news. Somewhere Bobby and Robert are celebrating!
Congratulations to everyone shortlisted and thank you to the judges and Nero and to @canongate.co.uk and my agent Clare Conville and to every bookseller, librarian and reader for giving my story space.
Congratulations to everyone shortlisted and thank you to the judges and Nero and to @canongate.co.uk and my agent Clare Conville and to every bookseller, librarian and reader for giving my story space.
November 20, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Some lovely news. Somewhere Bobby and Robert are celebrating!
Congratulations to everyone shortlisted and thank you to the judges and Nero and to @canongate.co.uk and my agent Clare Conville and to every bookseller, librarian and reader for giving my story space.
Congratulations to everyone shortlisted and thank you to the judges and Nero and to @canongate.co.uk and my agent Clare Conville and to every bookseller, librarian and reader for giving my story space.
Today, in a comfy corner of Soho, a beloved old friend and I had a long long lunch that was long overdue. It felt borderline pre-pandemic. By the end we knew our waiter’s mother. All wrongs righted.
November 19, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Today, in a comfy corner of Soho, a beloved old friend and I had a long long lunch that was long overdue. It felt borderline pre-pandemic. By the end we knew our waiter’s mother. All wrongs righted.
Tickets for my final event of the year. Sharing the stage with the lovely @michaelpedersen.bsky.social @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...
www.ticketsource.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Tickets for my final event of the year. Sharing the stage with the lovely @michaelpedersen.bsky.social @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...
Really looking forward to this, wee bit of Scotland down in London. And my last event of the year!
My last London events of the year are not far off. First up: it's a lovely joint affair with Michael Pedersen at the St Andrew's Book Festival on Sat 29th Nov! Then, later that same day, I'll be talking Libraries with Amina Shah.
www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...
See you there?
www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...
See you there?
www.ticketsource.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Really looking forward to this, wee bit of Scotland down in London. And my last event of the year!
Reposted by Damian Barr
Nice write-up in House & Garden for the Two Roberts, novel and exhibition. You can catch both now. The exhibition is on at Charleston in Lewes till April.
November 11, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Nice write-up in House & Garden for the Two Roberts, novel and exhibition. You can catch both now. The exhibition is on at Charleston in Lewes till April.
You can’t out-right the right. But you can wrong everyone else….
Note to social Democratic parties - capitulation to the hard right doesn’t work.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Centre-left tipped to lose Copenhagen for first time in electoral history
Political rivals say PM’s divisive politics have encouraged voters to ditch the Social Democrats for the far right
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:11 PM
You can’t out-right the right. But you can wrong everyone else….
I haven’t aged a day since 🧛
On this day, 33 years ago, Bram Stoker’s Dracula was released in cinemas.
Starring #GaryOldman, #WinonaRyder, #KeanuReeves and #AnthonyHopkins it was an Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed success and one of the most revered #vampire movies ever.
Starring #GaryOldman, #WinonaRyder, #KeanuReeves and #AnthonyHopkins it was an Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed success and one of the most revered #vampire movies ever.
November 13, 2025 at 11:12 PM
I haven’t aged a day since 🧛
‘Dear Library’ is an exhibition @natlibscot.bsky.social Featuring shelves chosen by me, fellow Centenary Champion Val McDermid and many others. It’s free to visit and might suggest some new reads for you. On until April 2026.
Cracking conversation over carrot & coiander soup in a favourite place.
While there, had a wee peek at what was on @damianbarr.bsky.social's bookshelf [great choices].
@natlibscot.bsky.social happy 100th.
While there, had a wee peek at what was on @damianbarr.bsky.social's bookshelf [great choices].
@natlibscot.bsky.social happy 100th.
November 13, 2025 at 10:55 PM
‘Dear Library’ is an exhibition @natlibscot.bsky.social Featuring shelves chosen by me, fellow Centenary Champion Val McDermid and many others. It’s free to visit and might suggest some new reads for you. On until April 2026.
‘…people will begin to suspect that in truth you do not begin to value culture at all….’ Zadie Smith nailing the effects of decades of cuts to the arts and culture at every level in every nation of the UK.
November 12, 2025 at 9:42 AM
‘…people will begin to suspect that in truth you do not begin to value culture at all….’ Zadie Smith nailing the effects of decades of cuts to the arts and culture at every level in every nation of the UK.
This US goverment poster is from 1943. The Nazis burned books - this US goverment is banning them. Hard to imagine such a poster being produced now.
November 11, 2025 at 6:28 PM
This US goverment poster is from 1943. The Nazis burned books - this US goverment is banning them. Hard to imagine such a poster being produced now.
Tomorrow night in Glasgow :)
From finding a space from which to travel to distant lands through reading books as children, to using their university libraries as undergrads, @louisewelsh00.bsky.social & @damianbarr.bsky.social will reminisce about how libraries helped shape their careers.
📅Wed, Nov 12th |📍Kelvin Hall
🎫👇
📅Wed, Nov 12th |📍Kelvin Hall
🎫👇
Libraries that shaped me, in-conversation event with Professor Louise Welsh and Damian Barr | SAHA: The Scottish Arts and Humanities Alliance
A joint initiative of Scottish Higher Education institutions, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities.
saha.scot
November 11, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Tomorrow night in Glasgow :)
Nice write-up in House & Garden for the Two Roberts, novel and exhibition. You can catch both now. The exhibition is on at Charleston in Lewes till April.
November 11, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Nice write-up in House & Garden for the Two Roberts, novel and exhibition. You can catch both now. The exhibition is on at Charleston in Lewes till April.
Reposted by Damian Barr
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA