Rob Tyers
@thexclaim6.bsky.social
Leeds via Leicester. Project Manager. Band member. Ex-zine author. 📚 and records. Punk. Cinema. Old stones. The Long Sixties. Modernism. Weird fiction. Film Noir. JG Ballard. You get the idea…
Reposted by Rob Tyers
I tried to read Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia (1993) following all of you praising it, and I have to say… it wasn’t for me. Endless clever-clever postmodern witticisms that made me physically eyeroll more than once
(I know, I know - I should have watched a performance, but I do enjoy plays on the page)
(I know, I know - I should have watched a performance, but I do enjoy plays on the page)
Tempted to do a WORST BOOKS I READ IN 2025 thread.
December 8, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I tried to read Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia (1993) following all of you praising it, and I have to say… it wasn’t for me. Endless clever-clever postmodern witticisms that made me physically eyeroll more than once
(I know, I know - I should have watched a performance, but I do enjoy plays on the page)
(I know, I know - I should have watched a performance, but I do enjoy plays on the page)
Reposted by Rob Tyers
Now reading - The Blue Room (1964) by Simenon
I really enjoyed the film adaptation from 2014 (very Chabrol) and am looking forward to seeing how faithful it is to the book
This also might be the raunchiest Simenon judging from the first page!
#booksky
I really enjoyed the film adaptation from 2014 (very Chabrol) and am looking forward to seeing how faithful it is to the book
This also might be the raunchiest Simenon judging from the first page!
#booksky
December 8, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Now reading - The Blue Room (1964) by Simenon
I really enjoyed the film adaptation from 2014 (very Chabrol) and am looking forward to seeing how faithful it is to the book
This also might be the raunchiest Simenon judging from the first page!
#booksky
I really enjoyed the film adaptation from 2014 (very Chabrol) and am looking forward to seeing how faithful it is to the book
This also might be the raunchiest Simenon judging from the first page!
#booksky
Reposted by Rob Tyers
Bought someone this Alien bookend for Christmas but I immediately dropped it when opening the package and a bit broke off, so decided to keep it for myself…🤷♂️
December 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Bought someone this Alien bookend for Christmas but I immediately dropped it when opening the package and a bit broke off, so decided to keep it for myself…🤷♂️
This book of Weird Tales rules and I’d strongly recommend it
If you are still looking for a "stocking filler" please bear in mind that "The Anechoic Chamber" is a slimline A-format paperback, so it fits snugly in a standard men's sock or the pocket of a winter coat. This also means savings on wrapping paper, postage, etc. and it's only £9.99.
December 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
This book of Weird Tales rules and I’d strongly recommend it
Bought someone this Alien bookend for Christmas but I immediately dropped it when opening the package and a bit broke off, so decided to keep it for myself…🤷♂️
December 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Bought someone this Alien bookend for Christmas but I immediately dropped it when opening the package and a bit broke off, so decided to keep it for myself…🤷♂️
Reposted by Rob Tyers
I haven't blogged for ages, so I wrote far too many words about something that happened 40 years ago, and which nobody outside of America cares about.
New Coke: A Warning from History
If, like me, you’re British then your knowledge of New Coke is likely to be (a) it was a massive failure, (b) everyone hated it, (c) it was a terrible business decision, and, if your go-to re…
excelpope.net
December 7, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I haven't blogged for ages, so I wrote far too many words about something that happened 40 years ago, and which nobody outside of America cares about.
Reposted by Rob Tyers
A stop off for a night in Stamford, en route to Cambridge for the weekend. Bizarrely only 35 mins drive from where I grew up but I’d never been before now
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
December 4, 2025 at 10:59 PM
A stop off for a night in Stamford, en route to Cambridge for the weekend. Bizarrely only 35 mins drive from where I grew up but I’d never been before now
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
Reposted by Rob Tyers
First time properly visiting Cambridge. I’ve hit up a bunch of medieval sites, museums, pubs, bookshops etc, and it’s been GREAT. Who knew?
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
December 6, 2025 at 8:52 AM
First time properly visiting Cambridge. I’ve hit up a bunch of medieval sites, museums, pubs, bookshops etc, and it’s been GREAT. Who knew?
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
First time properly visiting Cambridge. I’ve hit up a bunch of medieval sites, museums, pubs, bookshops etc, and it’s been GREAT. Who knew?
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
December 6, 2025 at 8:52 AM
First time properly visiting Cambridge. I’ve hit up a bunch of medieval sites, museums, pubs, bookshops etc, and it’s been GREAT. Who knew?
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
Also read on for the obligatory spotting of a famous person (a good one too)…
🧵
A stop off for a night in Stamford, en route to Cambridge for the weekend. Bizarrely only 35 mins drive from where I grew up but I’d never been before now
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
December 4, 2025 at 10:59 PM
A stop off for a night in Stamford, en route to Cambridge for the weekend. Bizarrely only 35 mins drive from where I grew up but I’d never been before now
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
Check out this 12th century Norman arch. Originally a house entrance
Short 🧵 of other sights
Reposted by Rob Tyers
Cafe review appreciation
December 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Cafe review appreciation
Cafe review appreciation
December 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Cafe review appreciation
Lest we forget the smooth Mars bar
!["The only reason I emailed [Mars] was because I was interested in what might have caused it to happen. That is all I wanted to know and they kept side-lining that question," he told BBC.
"I think £2 is great, it will be two free Mars bars. Maybe they could have sent me more but I'm not being ungrateful. I think it's amazing after everything that's happened that I got the £2 voucher."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:mqzh33g6litm5olul4dwonx5/bafkreiemwlrzcm4j3sp3kxt6bfohcennoqjp64wa2cjzlo3sm6r6xvuztu@jpeg)
December 4, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Lest we forget the smooth Mars bar
Reposted by Rob Tyers
My algorithms are fucked
December 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM
My algorithms are fucked
Reposted by Rob Tyers
Another excellent Simenon with a familiar theme to much of his non-Maigret work - the slow crack up of mundane men. Claude Chabrol could have done a great adaptation of it (Chabrol did in fact adapt two non-Maigret Simenons, neither of which I’ve seen - Betty and The Hatters Ghost)…
#booksky
#booksky
Now reading - The Hand (1968) by Georges Simenon
I usually love his non-Maigret novels and so far so good with this one 🤌
#booksky
I usually love his non-Maigret novels and so far so good with this one 🤌
#booksky
December 1, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Another excellent Simenon with a familiar theme to much of his non-Maigret work - the slow crack up of mundane men. Claude Chabrol could have done a great adaptation of it (Chabrol did in fact adapt two non-Maigret Simenons, neither of which I’ve seen - Betty and The Hatters Ghost)…
#booksky
#booksky
Reposted by Rob Tyers
To continue the SHIP THEMED architecture content from Amsterdam, a few years ago we also visited Het Schip - pioneering social housing from over 100 years ago that (you guessed it) was designed to look like a ship 🤌👌
December 1, 2025 at 4:58 PM
To continue the SHIP THEMED architecture content from Amsterdam, a few years ago we also visited Het Schip - pioneering social housing from over 100 years ago that (you guessed it) was designed to look like a ship 🤌👌
Reposted by Rob Tyers
I very rarely re-read books - I can’t even remember the last time - but I’ve been inspired by @kirkdalebooks.bsky.social revisit of To The Lighthouse, and the recognition that books hit different at different ages
So I’m re-reading a fav from my youth - Koestler’s Darkness at Noon (1940)
#booksky
So I’m re-reading a fav from my youth - Koestler’s Darkness at Noon (1940)
#booksky
December 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I very rarely re-read books - I can’t even remember the last time - but I’ve been inspired by @kirkdalebooks.bsky.social revisit of To The Lighthouse, and the recognition that books hit different at different ages
So I’m re-reading a fav from my youth - Koestler’s Darkness at Noon (1940)
#booksky
So I’m re-reading a fav from my youth - Koestler’s Darkness at Noon (1940)
#booksky
The rising of Pazuzu starts earlier every year
Debenhams is selling idols of Pazuzu, in case you were wondering what stage of late capitalism we’re in…
December 2, 2025 at 8:24 AM
The rising of Pazuzu starts earlier every year