Max Cairnduff
@maxcairnduff.bsky.social
Repairer of Reputations.
2026 reading 🧵
Astronomy and faith and love in various forms, requited and unrequited. Shades of Melmoth and shout-outs to Essex Serpent. Rich chewy prose. A tendency though to coincidence (or god or unfolding natural laws) as driver of plot. I liked it but perhaps didn’t love it.
Astronomy and faith and love in various forms, requited and unrequited. Shades of Melmoth and shout-outs to Essex Serpent. Rich chewy prose. A tendency though to coincidence (or god or unfolding natural laws) as driver of plot. I liked it but perhaps didn’t love it.
February 3, 2026 at 7:03 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Astronomy and faith and love in various forms, requited and unrequited. Shades of Melmoth and shout-outs to Essex Serpent. Rich chewy prose. A tendency though to coincidence (or god or unfolding natural laws) as driver of plot. I liked it but perhaps didn’t love it.
Astronomy and faith and love in various forms, requited and unrequited. Shades of Melmoth and shout-outs to Essex Serpent. Rich chewy prose. A tendency though to coincidence (or god or unfolding natural laws) as driver of plot. I liked it but perhaps didn’t love it.
2026 reading 🧵
A bout of insomnia last night means I’ve finished my nighttime book sooner than expected. An enjoyable Miss Marple adventure. Miss Marple goes on holiday, but murderers do not and so she finds her beach-relaxation interrupted by an unexpected death. Fun as ever.
A bout of insomnia last night means I’ve finished my nighttime book sooner than expected. An enjoyable Miss Marple adventure. Miss Marple goes on holiday, but murderers do not and so she finds her beach-relaxation interrupted by an unexpected death. Fun as ever.
January 31, 2026 at 5:06 PM
2026 reading 🧵
A bout of insomnia last night means I’ve finished my nighttime book sooner than expected. An enjoyable Miss Marple adventure. Miss Marple goes on holiday, but murderers do not and so she finds her beach-relaxation interrupted by an unexpected death. Fun as ever.
A bout of insomnia last night means I’ve finished my nighttime book sooner than expected. An enjoyable Miss Marple adventure. Miss Marple goes on holiday, but murderers do not and so she finds her beach-relaxation interrupted by an unexpected death. Fun as ever.
2026 reading 🧵
I hadn’t planned to read this yet but it worked well while I was still recovering. Another excellent and rightly lauded slice of xenoecological SF with good characterisation and amazing worldbuilding. Echoes of Shroud and Cage of Souls.
I hadn’t planned to read this yet but it worked well while I was still recovering. Another excellent and rightly lauded slice of xenoecological SF with good characterisation and amazing worldbuilding. Echoes of Shroud and Cage of Souls.
January 30, 2026 at 9:08 PM
2026 reading 🧵
I hadn’t planned to read this yet but it worked well while I was still recovering. Another excellent and rightly lauded slice of xenoecological SF with good characterisation and amazing worldbuilding. Echoes of Shroud and Cage of Souls.
I hadn’t planned to read this yet but it worked well while I was still recovering. Another excellent and rightly lauded slice of xenoecological SF with good characterisation and amazing worldbuilding. Echoes of Shroud and Cage of Souls.
2026 reading 🧵
Enlightenment still on hold sadly (read that how you want tbh), but I did manage the last in Gene Wolfe’s Soldier historic fantasy trilogy, written near 20 years after the first two. Melancholy and strange, but then it is Wolfe! Egypt, gods, man and memory.
Enlightenment still on hold sadly (read that how you want tbh), but I did manage the last in Gene Wolfe’s Soldier historic fantasy trilogy, written near 20 years after the first two. Melancholy and strange, but then it is Wolfe! Egypt, gods, man and memory.
January 25, 2026 at 7:02 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Enlightenment still on hold sadly (read that how you want tbh), but I did manage the last in Gene Wolfe’s Soldier historic fantasy trilogy, written near 20 years after the first two. Melancholy and strange, but then it is Wolfe! Egypt, gods, man and memory.
Enlightenment still on hold sadly (read that how you want tbh), but I did manage the last in Gene Wolfe’s Soldier historic fantasy trilogy, written near 20 years after the first two. Melancholy and strange, but then it is Wolfe! Egypt, gods, man and memory.
2026 reading 🧵
Perhaps not Eliot’s most accessible poems. There’s an In Our Time on the Four Quartets that I’ve saved. I’m going to listen to that, treat this as a dry run and then reread. Dense poems that feel like they contain treasures but for now their meaning is locked away from me.
Perhaps not Eliot’s most accessible poems. There’s an In Our Time on the Four Quartets that I’ve saved. I’m going to listen to that, treat this as a dry run and then reread. Dense poems that feel like they contain treasures but for now their meaning is locked away from me.
January 24, 2026 at 12:19 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Perhaps not Eliot’s most accessible poems. There’s an In Our Time on the Four Quartets that I’ve saved. I’m going to listen to that, treat this as a dry run and then reread. Dense poems that feel like they contain treasures but for now their meaning is locked away from me.
Perhaps not Eliot’s most accessible poems. There’s an In Our Time on the Four Quartets that I’ve saved. I’m going to listen to that, treat this as a dry run and then reread. Dense poems that feel like they contain treasures but for now their meaning is locked away from me.
2026 reading 🧵
Another impressive outing by Simon Mason, his second that I’ve read. Here his ‘finder’ investigates the years-old suicide of of a middle aged accountant. New evidence comes to light that suggests a second life hidden from his wife, and did he really die? Efficient and well written.
Another impressive outing by Simon Mason, his second that I’ve read. Here his ‘finder’ investigates the years-old suicide of of a middle aged accountant. New evidence comes to light that suggests a second life hidden from his wife, and did he really die? Efficient and well written.
January 23, 2026 at 12:36 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Another impressive outing by Simon Mason, his second that I’ve read. Here his ‘finder’ investigates the years-old suicide of of a middle aged accountant. New evidence comes to light that suggests a second life hidden from his wife, and did he really die? Efficient and well written.
Another impressive outing by Simon Mason, his second that I’ve read. Here his ‘finder’ investigates the years-old suicide of of a middle aged accountant. New evidence comes to light that suggests a second life hidden from his wife, and did he really die? Efficient and well written.
Haven’t read them all yet but:
January 17, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Haven’t read them all yet but:
2026 reading 🧵
18thC Japan, Samurai remain but the old ways are fading in the long peace. Some still keep to the way of the sword though, and some of them get involved fighting corruption, dishonourable crimes and even murder. What’s not to love? First of sixteen apparently!
18thC Japan, Samurai remain but the old ways are fading in the long peace. Some still keep to the way of the sword though, and some of them get involved fighting corruption, dishonourable crimes and even murder. What’s not to love? First of sixteen apparently!
January 17, 2026 at 8:13 PM
2026 reading 🧵
18thC Japan, Samurai remain but the old ways are fading in the long peace. Some still keep to the way of the sword though, and some of them get involved fighting corruption, dishonourable crimes and even murder. What’s not to love? First of sixteen apparently!
18thC Japan, Samurai remain but the old ways are fading in the long peace. Some still keep to the way of the sword though, and some of them get involved fighting corruption, dishonourable crimes and even murder. What’s not to love? First of sixteen apparently!
Watched the 1995 Persuasion which I thought was very good, faithful to Austen without being slavish and a lovely lived-in quality rare to period movies.
January 14, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Watched the 1995 Persuasion which I thought was very good, faithful to Austen without being slavish and a lovely lived-in quality rare to period movies.
2026 reading 🧵
Last of the Earthsea novels, which I’m fine with. While I loved Tehanu these last two not so much. Le Guin continues to subvert her own mythology, which fine but it means the characters lack agency and for me becomes a bit inward-facing. Big focus on accepting death in this one.
Last of the Earthsea novels, which I’m fine with. While I loved Tehanu these last two not so much. Le Guin continues to subvert her own mythology, which fine but it means the characters lack agency and for me becomes a bit inward-facing. Big focus on accepting death in this one.
January 13, 2026 at 1:50 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Last of the Earthsea novels, which I’m fine with. While I loved Tehanu these last two not so much. Le Guin continues to subvert her own mythology, which fine but it means the characters lack agency and for me becomes a bit inward-facing. Big focus on accepting death in this one.
Last of the Earthsea novels, which I’m fine with. While I loved Tehanu these last two not so much. Le Guin continues to subvert her own mythology, which fine but it means the characters lack agency and for me becomes a bit inward-facing. Big focus on accepting death in this one.
Watched Laura on Sunday, 1944 with Gene Tierney, directed by Otto Preminger. A strange early film noir, about romantic obsession with a detective in love with the murder victim he never met. Clocks in with extraordinary confidence and efficiency at 84 minutes!
January 13, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Watched Laura on Sunday, 1944 with Gene Tierney, directed by Otto Preminger. A strange early film noir, about romantic obsession with a detective in love with the murder victim he never met. Clocks in with extraordinary confidence and efficiency at 84 minutes!
2026 reading 🧵
Published in the 1780s this is a fascinating slice of Venice-based gothic fiction. Despite the title there’s (probably?) nothing supernatural in it, but rather cunning deceptions and perfidious Catholic scheming (18thC prejudices…). Really quite fun if you like books of this period.
Published in the 1780s this is a fascinating slice of Venice-based gothic fiction. Despite the title there’s (probably?) nothing supernatural in it, but rather cunning deceptions and perfidious Catholic scheming (18thC prejudices…). Really quite fun if you like books of this period.
January 10, 2026 at 5:27 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Published in the 1780s this is a fascinating slice of Venice-based gothic fiction. Despite the title there’s (probably?) nothing supernatural in it, but rather cunning deceptions and perfidious Catholic scheming (18thC prejudices…). Really quite fun if you like books of this period.
Published in the 1780s this is a fascinating slice of Venice-based gothic fiction. Despite the title there’s (probably?) nothing supernatural in it, but rather cunning deceptions and perfidious Catholic scheming (18thC prejudices…). Really quite fun if you like books of this period.
2026 reading 🧵
‘Dr Weiss, at 40, knew that her life had been ruined by literature.’
My first Brookner of the year (I plan around one a quarter), and her first too. Beautifully observed, superbly written, often very funny, and absolutely tragic. Extraordinary for a debut novel.
‘Dr Weiss, at 40, knew that her life had been ruined by literature.’
My first Brookner of the year (I plan around one a quarter), and her first too. Beautifully observed, superbly written, often very funny, and absolutely tragic. Extraordinary for a debut novel.
January 8, 2026 at 8:31 AM
2026 reading 🧵
‘Dr Weiss, at 40, knew that her life had been ruined by literature.’
My first Brookner of the year (I plan around one a quarter), and her first too. Beautifully observed, superbly written, often very funny, and absolutely tragic. Extraordinary for a debut novel.
‘Dr Weiss, at 40, knew that her life had been ruined by literature.’
My first Brookner of the year (I plan around one a quarter), and her first too. Beautifully observed, superbly written, often very funny, and absolutely tragic. Extraordinary for a debut novel.
2026 reading 🧵
Second of the Parker novels and my god but it’s brutal. A money-van heist, double-crosses, murder and revenge. Parker the most amoral of anti-heroes. It wouldn’t be my thing but it’s done so very, very well. Westlake (Stark) always delivers.
Second of the Parker novels and my god but it’s brutal. A money-van heist, double-crosses, murder and revenge. Parker the most amoral of anti-heroes. It wouldn’t be my thing but it’s done so very, very well. Westlake (Stark) always delivers.
January 6, 2026 at 12:53 PM
2026 reading 🧵
Second of the Parker novels and my god but it’s brutal. A money-van heist, double-crosses, murder and revenge. Parker the most amoral of anti-heroes. It wouldn’t be my thing but it’s done so very, very well. Westlake (Stark) always delivers.
Second of the Parker novels and my god but it’s brutal. A money-van heist, double-crosses, murder and revenge. Parker the most amoral of anti-heroes. It wouldn’t be my thing but it’s done so very, very well. Westlake (Stark) always delivers.
2026 reading 🧵
A trio of Korean Lovecraftian horror fiction (two novellas and a graphic novel) from the ever interesting Honford Star. Alien Gods probably my favourite with a story focused on traditional Korean shamanism.
A trio of Korean Lovecraftian horror fiction (two novellas and a graphic novel) from the ever interesting Honford Star. Alien Gods probably my favourite with a story focused on traditional Korean shamanism.
January 3, 2026 at 3:59 PM
2026 reading 🧵
A trio of Korean Lovecraftian horror fiction (two novellas and a graphic novel) from the ever interesting Honford Star. Alien Gods probably my favourite with a story focused on traditional Korean shamanism.
A trio of Korean Lovecraftian horror fiction (two novellas and a graphic novel) from the ever interesting Honford Star. Alien Gods probably my favourite with a story focused on traditional Korean shamanism.
2026 reading 🧵
It begins! I’d read this was a weak outing in the Miss Marples with the concept and character not developed yet, so I skipped it even though it’s the first and I’ve been reading in sequence. What nonsense! It’s a classic fun little mystery and an easy start to the year.
It begins! I’d read this was a weak outing in the Miss Marples with the concept and character not developed yet, so I skipped it even though it’s the first and I’ve been reading in sequence. What nonsense! It’s a classic fun little mystery and an easy start to the year.
January 2, 2026 at 5:09 PM
2026 reading 🧵
It begins! I’d read this was a weak outing in the Miss Marples with the concept and character not developed yet, so I skipped it even though it’s the first and I’ve been reading in sequence. What nonsense! It’s a classic fun little mystery and an easy start to the year.
It begins! I’d read this was a weak outing in the Miss Marples with the concept and character not developed yet, so I skipped it even though it’s the first and I’ve been reading in sequence. What nonsense! It’s a classic fun little mystery and an easy start to the year.
2025 reading 🧵
Slight curate’s egg this one. Contains The Great God Pan and The Novel of the Black Seal, easily among Machen’s best, but the Three Imposters itself is an odd mix of nested stories of varying quality, multiple massive coincidences and a slightly odd framing device.
Slight curate’s egg this one. Contains The Great God Pan and The Novel of the Black Seal, easily among Machen’s best, but the Three Imposters itself is an odd mix of nested stories of varying quality, multiple massive coincidences and a slightly odd framing device.
December 30, 2025 at 11:24 AM
2025 reading 🧵
Slight curate’s egg this one. Contains The Great God Pan and The Novel of the Black Seal, easily among Machen’s best, but the Three Imposters itself is an odd mix of nested stories of varying quality, multiple massive coincidences and a slightly odd framing device.
Slight curate’s egg this one. Contains The Great God Pan and The Novel of the Black Seal, easily among Machen’s best, but the Three Imposters itself is an odd mix of nested stories of varying quality, multiple massive coincidences and a slightly odd framing device.
2025 reading 🧵
Late 2025 entry but a good one! A memoir of growing up in Azerbaijan before and from the arrival of the Soviets. Well written, full of life, hugely enjoyable. Feel odd to talk this way about what were real people but full of great characters.
Late 2025 entry but a good one! A memoir of growing up in Azerbaijan before and from the arrival of the Soviets. Well written, full of life, hugely enjoyable. Feel odd to talk this way about what were real people but full of great characters.
December 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
2025 reading 🧵
Late 2025 entry but a good one! A memoir of growing up in Azerbaijan before and from the arrival of the Soviets. Well written, full of life, hugely enjoyable. Feel odd to talk this way about what were real people but full of great characters.
Late 2025 entry but a good one! A memoir of growing up in Azerbaijan before and from the arrival of the Soviets. Well written, full of life, hugely enjoyable. Feel odd to talk this way about what were real people but full of great characters.
2025 reading 🧵
Christmas special edition! I’ve read Song of Roland before but this old Dorothy L Sayers translation is lively and feels like epic poetry being declaimed. A tragic tale of overweening pride leading to destruction, but also of chivalry and courage. Great intro by Sayers.
Christmas special edition! I’ve read Song of Roland before but this old Dorothy L Sayers translation is lively and feels like epic poetry being declaimed. A tragic tale of overweening pride leading to destruction, but also of chivalry and courage. Great intro by Sayers.
December 25, 2025 at 10:12 PM
2025 reading 🧵
Christmas special edition! I’ve read Song of Roland before but this old Dorothy L Sayers translation is lively and feels like epic poetry being declaimed. A tragic tale of overweening pride leading to destruction, but also of chivalry and courage. Great intro by Sayers.
Christmas special edition! I’ve read Song of Roland before but this old Dorothy L Sayers translation is lively and feels like epic poetry being declaimed. A tragic tale of overweening pride leading to destruction, but also of chivalry and courage. Great intro by Sayers.
2025 reading 🧵
This is why I don’t do end of year lists early. What a book. Ishiguro’s anxiety dream of a novel. Funny, confounding, Fluid and inconsistent but with characters I still cared about. Poor Boris! Such a good book. Surrender yourself to it and it delivers.
This is why I don’t do end of year lists early. What a book. Ishiguro’s anxiety dream of a novel. Funny, confounding, Fluid and inconsistent but with characters I still cared about. Poor Boris! Such a good book. Surrender yourself to it and it delivers.
December 23, 2025 at 4:59 PM
2025 reading 🧵
This is why I don’t do end of year lists early. What a book. Ishiguro’s anxiety dream of a novel. Funny, confounding, Fluid and inconsistent but with characters I still cared about. Poor Boris! Such a good book. Surrender yourself to it and it delivers.
This is why I don’t do end of year lists early. What a book. Ishiguro’s anxiety dream of a novel. Funny, confounding, Fluid and inconsistent but with characters I still cared about. Poor Boris! Such a good book. Surrender yourself to it and it delivers.
2025 reading 🧵
Fun SF/heist novella by the ever-enjoyable Adam Roberts. A late night read this one and a nice blend of readability and implied depth. Like Lavie Tidhar, Roberts avoids the common SF trap of over-explaining making his setting all the richer for being a bit less explicated.
Fun SF/heist novella by the ever-enjoyable Adam Roberts. A late night read this one and a nice blend of readability and implied depth. Like Lavie Tidhar, Roberts avoids the common SF trap of over-explaining making his setting all the richer for being a bit less explicated.
December 23, 2025 at 12:11 PM
2025 reading 🧵
Fun SF/heist novella by the ever-enjoyable Adam Roberts. A late night read this one and a nice blend of readability and implied depth. Like Lavie Tidhar, Roberts avoids the common SF trap of over-explaining making his setting all the richer for being a bit less explicated.
Fun SF/heist novella by the ever-enjoyable Adam Roberts. A late night read this one and a nice blend of readability and implied depth. Like Lavie Tidhar, Roberts avoids the common SF trap of over-explaining making his setting all the richer for being a bit less explicated.
2025 reading 🧵
The ever enjoyable Penelope Lively plays with the butterfly effect and how a random mugging leads to a cascade of consequences changing multiple lives, some just a bit, some dramatically. Clever and fun with great characters as you’d expect of Lively.
The ever enjoyable Penelope Lively plays with the butterfly effect and how a random mugging leads to a cascade of consequences changing multiple lives, some just a bit, some dramatically. Clever and fun with great characters as you’d expect of Lively.
December 20, 2025 at 11:20 AM
2025 reading 🧵
The ever enjoyable Penelope Lively plays with the butterfly effect and how a random mugging leads to a cascade of consequences changing multiple lives, some just a bit, some dramatically. Clever and fun with great characters as you’d expect of Lively.
The ever enjoyable Penelope Lively plays with the butterfly effect and how a random mugging leads to a cascade of consequences changing multiple lives, some just a bit, some dramatically. Clever and fun with great characters as you’d expect of Lively.
I had this recently in Japan. Tempting but I already had enough Stupid hormone stew when I was a teenager.
December 20, 2025 at 8:46 AM
I had this recently in Japan. Tempting but I already had enough Stupid hormone stew when I was a teenager.
2025 reading 🧵
This one was a late night reread. Murder mystery against the backdrop of a civilisation-ending plague which remains a great idea. Reading it post-Covid I’m a bit less persuaded by the societal breakdown depicted but still an enjoyable read.
This one was a late night reread. Murder mystery against the backdrop of a civilisation-ending plague which remains a great idea. Reading it post-Covid I’m a bit less persuaded by the societal breakdown depicted but still an enjoyable read.
December 18, 2025 at 11:17 AM
2025 reading 🧵
This one was a late night reread. Murder mystery against the backdrop of a civilisation-ending plague which remains a great idea. Reading it post-Covid I’m a bit less persuaded by the societal breakdown depicted but still an enjoyable read.
This one was a late night reread. Murder mystery against the backdrop of a civilisation-ending plague which remains a great idea. Reading it post-Covid I’m a bit less persuaded by the societal breakdown depicted but still an enjoyable read.
2025 reading 🧵
Slightly disappointed by this one. I’d hoped for a Midnight Diner vibe but that was perhaps an unrealistically high bar. Interconnecting short stories about the lives and loves of the owners, barmen and hostesses working Shinjuku bars and clubs in early ‘60s Japan.
Slightly disappointed by this one. I’d hoped for a Midnight Diner vibe but that was perhaps an unrealistically high bar. Interconnecting short stories about the lives and loves of the owners, barmen and hostesses working Shinjuku bars and clubs in early ‘60s Japan.
December 14, 2025 at 2:16 PM
2025 reading 🧵
Slightly disappointed by this one. I’d hoped for a Midnight Diner vibe but that was perhaps an unrealistically high bar. Interconnecting short stories about the lives and loves of the owners, barmen and hostesses working Shinjuku bars and clubs in early ‘60s Japan.
Slightly disappointed by this one. I’d hoped for a Midnight Diner vibe but that was perhaps an unrealistically high bar. Interconnecting short stories about the lives and loves of the owners, barmen and hostesses working Shinjuku bars and clubs in early ‘60s Japan.