“The effect of the Cold War on British academia is a relatively unexplored subject” so wrote plashmar and James Oliver a quarter of a century ago and it remains true today. I’d love to read a book on universities, IRD, intelligence etc… with interesting insight re impact”!

“The reasoning skills that come with a well-rounded humanities education actually result in higher-paying jobs over time” Not that that’s the be all and end all but… theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Enjoyed this. Just finished. Richard Moore, does MI6 have a poetry club? Get publishing!!

“The Ed Sec shelved a free speech law in part because British universities wanted to protect their operations in authoritarian states such as China” If only there was a way to prevent unis from being dependent on “authoritarian states such as China”… telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/…

Just hanging out with Chomsky, Marx, and Marxism… you know where to find me (Thanks to my spy who sent me this from a bookshop in bath)

Nearly back to work and finished the 3rd and final book of my hols This was a page-turning insight into Putin’s Russia gifted by a friend who knows. I also enjoyed The Stasi Poetry Circle recommended by Claudia Hillebrand and the Book Forger rec’d by Joanne Cormac What next?

The advice I was given pre-viva: “try to enjoy it. It’s a v rare chance to have a detailed discussion about your work with someone who has engaged closely with it. Vivas are v rarely hostile - even uncomfortable - these days; don’t sweat..it’s more a discussion than a ‘defence’.”

My son learnt about David Bowie at school today. He came home singing Space Oddity. …And my faith in the primary curriculum is restored