Andrew Downie
@adowniebrazil.bsky.social
Scottish foreign correspondent and author. Biographer of Sócrates. Currently writing a biography of Pelé. Português and Espan̈ol. #GGTTH São Paulo/Madrid/Edinburgh
Best books I read this year
ALL FOURS
Mad, captivating, and worthy of all the praise it got. Read it in two sittings.
ALL FOURS
Mad, captivating, and worthy of all the praise it got. Read it in two sittings.
December 5, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Best books I read this year
ALL FOURS
Mad, captivating, and worthy of all the praise it got. Read it in two sittings.
ALL FOURS
Mad, captivating, and worthy of all the praise it got. Read it in two sittings.
Best books I read this year
OLD SCHOOL
If you like films such as Dead Poet's Society then you'll love this beautifully written novel about a teacher at a midcentury New England private school. Wolff is a top notch stylist. Not one word is out of place.
OLD SCHOOL
If you like films such as Dead Poet's Society then you'll love this beautifully written novel about a teacher at a midcentury New England private school. Wolff is a top notch stylist. Not one word is out of place.
December 5, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Best books I read this year
OLD SCHOOL
If you like films such as Dead Poet's Society then you'll love this beautifully written novel about a teacher at a midcentury New England private school. Wolff is a top notch stylist. Not one word is out of place.
OLD SCHOOL
If you like films such as Dead Poet's Society then you'll love this beautifully written novel about a teacher at a midcentury New England private school. Wolff is a top notch stylist. Not one word is out of place.
Best books I read this year
EAST WEST STREET and THE RATLINE
Excelling in one field is impressive. Excelling in two, like barrister/author Philippe Sands, doubly so. A huge feat of reporting went into both books. Can't wait to read the third in the trilogy when it comes out in paperback in 2026.
EAST WEST STREET and THE RATLINE
Excelling in one field is impressive. Excelling in two, like barrister/author Philippe Sands, doubly so. A huge feat of reporting went into both books. Can't wait to read the third in the trilogy when it comes out in paperback in 2026.
December 5, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Best books I read this year
EAST WEST STREET and THE RATLINE
Excelling in one field is impressive. Excelling in two, like barrister/author Philippe Sands, doubly so. A huge feat of reporting went into both books. Can't wait to read the third in the trilogy when it comes out in paperback in 2026.
EAST WEST STREET and THE RATLINE
Excelling in one field is impressive. Excelling in two, like barrister/author Philippe Sands, doubly so. A huge feat of reporting went into both books. Can't wait to read the third in the trilogy when it comes out in paperback in 2026.
Best books I read this year
SUBMISSION
Picked this up in a second hand book shop in Madrid and was instantly captivated. Easy to see why Hollebuecq is such a star (and so controversial).
SUBMISSION
Picked this up in a second hand book shop in Madrid and was instantly captivated. Easy to see why Hollebuecq is such a star (and so controversial).
December 5, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Best books I read this year
SUBMISSION
Picked this up in a second hand book shop in Madrid and was instantly captivated. Easy to see why Hollebuecq is such a star (and so controversial).
SUBMISSION
Picked this up in a second hand book shop in Madrid and was instantly captivated. Easy to see why Hollebuecq is such a star (and so controversial).
Best books I read this year
STATE OF FEAR
Short but incredibly powerful memoir by a journalist covering the start of the Argentine military dictatorship in the 1970s. Has instantly jumped on to my top 20 list of favourite books of all time.
STATE OF FEAR
Short but incredibly powerful memoir by a journalist covering the start of the Argentine military dictatorship in the 1970s. Has instantly jumped on to my top 20 list of favourite books of all time.
December 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Best books I read this year
STATE OF FEAR
Short but incredibly powerful memoir by a journalist covering the start of the Argentine military dictatorship in the 1970s. Has instantly jumped on to my top 20 list of favourite books of all time.
STATE OF FEAR
Short but incredibly powerful memoir by a journalist covering the start of the Argentine military dictatorship in the 1970s. Has instantly jumped on to my top 20 list of favourite books of all time.
Best books I read this year
THE MANY LIVES OF JAMES LOVELOCK
Fascinating biography by Guardian environment journalist Jonathan Watts of someone I knew nothing about and am now pleased that I do. Lovelock had so many strings to his bow and Watts does them all justice.
THE MANY LIVES OF JAMES LOVELOCK
Fascinating biography by Guardian environment journalist Jonathan Watts of someone I knew nothing about and am now pleased that I do. Lovelock had so many strings to his bow and Watts does them all justice.
December 5, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Best books I read this year
THE MANY LIVES OF JAMES LOVELOCK
Fascinating biography by Guardian environment journalist Jonathan Watts of someone I knew nothing about and am now pleased that I do. Lovelock had so many strings to his bow and Watts does them all justice.
THE MANY LIVES OF JAMES LOVELOCK
Fascinating biography by Guardian environment journalist Jonathan Watts of someone I knew nothing about and am now pleased that I do. Lovelock had so many strings to his bow and Watts does them all justice.
Best books I read this year.
GLORIOUS EXPLOITS
Brilliant fiction, taking an outlandish idea and turning it into a novel that is both fresh and interesting. We'll see imitators soon.
GLORIOUS EXPLOITS
Brilliant fiction, taking an outlandish idea and turning it into a novel that is both fresh and interesting. We'll see imitators soon.
December 5, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Best books I read this year.
GLORIOUS EXPLOITS
Brilliant fiction, taking an outlandish idea and turning it into a novel that is both fresh and interesting. We'll see imitators soon.
GLORIOUS EXPLOITS
Brilliant fiction, taking an outlandish idea and turning it into a novel that is both fresh and interesting. We'll see imitators soon.
Best books I read this year.
DAYS OF ABANDONMENT Came to this after reading the four Neapolitan novels. This is different, capturing the unhinged spirals of a woman whose husband leaves her. No one writes female characters like Elena Ferrante.
DAYS OF ABANDONMENT Came to this after reading the four Neapolitan novels. This is different, capturing the unhinged spirals of a woman whose husband leaves her. No one writes female characters like Elena Ferrante.
December 5, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Best books I read this year.
DAYS OF ABANDONMENT Came to this after reading the four Neapolitan novels. This is different, capturing the unhinged spirals of a woman whose husband leaves her. No one writes female characters like Elena Ferrante.
DAYS OF ABANDONMENT Came to this after reading the four Neapolitan novels. This is different, capturing the unhinged spirals of a woman whose husband leaves her. No one writes female characters like Elena Ferrante.
Best books I read this year.
WINNIE AND NELSON
What a book. Steinberg goes where the story takes him, unafraid of contradicting established and sacred narratives. He found so much incredible information. The result is an absolute masterpiece of research and organisation.
WINNIE AND NELSON
What a book. Steinberg goes where the story takes him, unafraid of contradicting established and sacred narratives. He found so much incredible information. The result is an absolute masterpiece of research and organisation.
December 5, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Best books I read this year.
WINNIE AND NELSON
What a book. Steinberg goes where the story takes him, unafraid of contradicting established and sacred narratives. He found so much incredible information. The result is an absolute masterpiece of research and organisation.
WINNIE AND NELSON
What a book. Steinberg goes where the story takes him, unafraid of contradicting established and sacred narratives. He found so much incredible information. The result is an absolute masterpiece of research and organisation.
We're doomed. (To be imbeciles with great teeth.)
November 25, 2025 at 2:57 PM
We're doomed. (To be imbeciles with great teeth.)
In defence of the Oxford comma.
November 12, 2025 at 9:57 AM
In defence of the Oxford comma.
Happy birthday to Pelé, who would have been 85 today.
October 23, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Happy birthday to Pelé, who would have been 85 today.
Out today, for fans of film and football. And of course, Pelé, Michael Caine and Bobby Moore.
October 20, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Out today, for fans of film and football. And of course, Pelé, Michael Caine and Bobby Moore.
This is the totally brilliant graphic for today's Japan v Brasil friendly game.
October 14, 2025 at 11:10 AM
This is the totally brilliant graphic for today's Japan v Brasil friendly game.
A three-star review in the Guardian! ⭐⭐⭐
Eminently watchable or TV misery? Turns out it's the same thing!
Eminently watchable or TV misery? Turns out it's the same thing!
September 18, 2025 at 1:01 PM
A three-star review in the Guardian! ⭐⭐⭐
Eminently watchable or TV misery? Turns out it's the same thing!
Eminently watchable or TV misery? Turns out it's the same thing!
What Brazil can teach the US about democracy and stopping the far-right. By The Economist
August 28, 2025 at 1:32 PM
What Brazil can teach the US about democracy and stopping the far-right. By The Economist
Celtic Rangers
Embarrassed Humiliated
Embarrassed Humiliated
August 27, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Celtic Rangers
Embarrassed Humiliated
Embarrassed Humiliated
She's baaaaaack!!!!
@miblogestublog.bsky.social
@miblogestublog.bsky.social
July 30, 2025 at 1:51 AM
She's baaaaaack!!!!
@miblogestublog.bsky.social
@miblogestublog.bsky.social
Taken by a friend in Rome.
July 28, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Taken by a friend in Rome.
Marco Rubio has banned Brazil's top judge from the US after he targeted criminals who tried to overthrow the Brazilian government. Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes yesterday slapped an electronic tag and social media ban on far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro.
July 19, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Marco Rubio has banned Brazil's top judge from the US after he targeted criminals who tried to overthrow the Brazilian government. Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes yesterday slapped an electronic tag and social media ban on far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Convicted rapist and pathological liar meets world's worst dressed mercenary at soccer game. The club owned by the American billionaire beat the club owned by the Gulf petrostate.
July 13, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Convicted rapist and pathological liar meets world's worst dressed mercenary at soccer game. The club owned by the American billionaire beat the club owned by the Gulf petrostate.
