David Simpkin
@simplerdave.bsky.social
Fine words butter no parsnips.
Once and future bookseller, currently based in deepest Nottinghamshire.
@Simplerdave on all decent social media - find me here, there and almost everywhere...
Once and future bookseller, currently based in deepest Nottinghamshire.
@Simplerdave on all decent social media - find me here, there and almost everywhere...
Love Dougray Scott on the One Show taking time to credit the writers (script and original novel)
November 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Love Dougray Scott on the One Show taking time to credit the writers (script and original novel)
Farewell to the great Gilson Lavis, drummer for Squeeze (and so much more). Here's a fine example of exactly what he did:
youtu.be/9bTWF7eirJw?...
youtu.be/9bTWF7eirJw?...
Squeeze - Another Nail In My Heart (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by SqueezeVEVO
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Farewell to the great Gilson Lavis, drummer for Squeeze (and so much more). Here's a fine example of exactly what he did:
youtu.be/9bTWF7eirJw?...
youtu.be/9bTWF7eirJw?...
This was my home for nearly forty years (the city, not the cathedral, obviously) - and these are some gorgeous photos...
Winchester went and got itself a cathedral too didn't it
October 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
This was my home for nearly forty years (the city, not the cathedral, obviously) - and these are some gorgeous photos...
Back in the late 80s, I came fourth in the Radio Times Comedy Writing competition. I got a cheque for £150 and some kind words from Prunella Scales (one of the judges that year).
I know which I valued more...
I know which I valued more...
October 28, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Back in the late 80s, I came fourth in the Radio Times Comedy Writing competition. I got a cheque for £150 and some kind words from Prunella Scales (one of the judges that year).
I know which I valued more...
I know which I valued more...
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Beaky, Mick, and Titch
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Cally and Gan.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Dandy and a Clown.
October 23, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Beaky, Mick, and Titch
Ah, automated switchboard for my broadband provider, my mother has only ever had one maiden name, but because it has a silent letter, you will never ever recognise it when I say it out loud. Put me through to a human being...
October 1, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Ah, automated switchboard for my broadband provider, my mother has only ever had one maiden name, but because it has a silent letter, you will never ever recognise it when I say it out loud. Put me through to a human being...
Coming soon, based on the show that's entirely responsible for the way I say the word 'tablet'...
✈️CLEARED FOR TAKE OFF!️✈️
Here’s your first chance to listen to a song from #TheHighLife: The Musical, with Air Stewards Steve and Sebastian reunited in the sound booth and hitting those high notes🎶
Here’s your first chance to listen to a song from #TheHighLife: The Musical, with Air Stewards Steve and Sebastian reunited in the sound booth and hitting those high notes🎶
September 25, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Coming soon, based on the show that's entirely responsible for the way I say the word 'tablet'...
Share your favourite black & white film (apart from all the others...)
September 25, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Share your favourite black & white film (apart from all the others...)
@eggsbened.bsky.social David, quick question if I may: are you aware of any good articles on the set design for the new Godot, and how they got it past the notoriously fastidious Beckett estate?
No worries if not, but please and thank you if there's anything out there.
No worries if not, but please and thank you if there's anything out there.
September 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM
@eggsbened.bsky.social David, quick question if I may: are you aware of any good articles on the set design for the new Godot, and how they got it past the notoriously fastidious Beckett estate?
No worries if not, but please and thank you if there's anything out there.
No worries if not, but please and thank you if there's anything out there.
Fuck me, that was brilliant #TheProms #BohemianRhapsody
September 13, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Fuck me, that was brilliant #TheProms #BohemianRhapsody
Slightly diminish a book:
The Two Towels
The Two Towels
Slightly diminish a book
A Tale of Two Kitties.
A Tale of Two Kitties.
Slightly diminish a book
Warm and Peace
Warm and Peace
September 8, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Slightly diminish a book:
The Two Towels
The Two Towels
1,184
(Location in alt text)
(Location in alt text)
September 8, 2025 at 10:04 AM
1,184
(Location in alt text)
(Location in alt text)
The BBC thriller music Prom is seriously, seriously good. BBC4 now or iPlayer if your region permits.
September 5, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The BBC thriller music Prom is seriously, seriously good. BBC4 now or iPlayer if your region permits.
Delighted to learn that Mitchell and Webb are, like all good comedy writing partners, a planter and a pacer. Excellent.
September 3, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Delighted to learn that Mitchell and Webb are, like all good comedy writing partners, a planter and a pacer. Excellent.
I think I've worked it out. On Bake-Off, Bee, Masterchef, etc., we learn who these people are by watching them do stuff - so we care about their ups & downs, highs & lows.
On Destination X, on the other hand, we watch them sit on a bus & occasionally do puzzles they can't solve. Not quite there, eh.
On Destination X, on the other hand, we watch them sit on a bus & occasionally do puzzles they can't solve. Not quite there, eh.
August 30, 2025 at 9:44 AM
I think I've worked it out. On Bake-Off, Bee, Masterchef, etc., we learn who these people are by watching them do stuff - so we care about their ups & downs, highs & lows.
On Destination X, on the other hand, we watch them sit on a bus & occasionally do puzzles they can't solve. Not quite there, eh.
On Destination X, on the other hand, we watch them sit on a bus & occasionally do puzzles they can't solve. Not quite there, eh.
Just spent a very happy couple of hours seeing the Thursday Murder Club in an actual cinema. Exceptional casting all the way down, and (as Stephen regularly points out) Chris Columbus is a very fine director. Nonsense on stilts, obviously, but huge, huge fun.
August 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Just spent a very happy couple of hours seeing the Thursday Murder Club in an actual cinema. Exceptional casting all the way down, and (as Stephen regularly points out) Chris Columbus is a very fine director. Nonsense on stilts, obviously, but huge, huge fun.
Destination X - it's just not quite there, is it. The bits on the bus are dull - and could have been filmed anywhere, for all we know; the clues are too cryptic - how many more times must we watch someone go "I have no idea what that means"; and there's just not enough of that gorgeous scenery.
August 21, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Destination X - it's just not quite there, is it. The bits on the bus are dull - and could have been filmed anywhere, for all we know; the clues are too cryptic - how many more times must we watch someone go "I have no idea what that means"; and there's just not enough of that gorgeous scenery.