1. The International Booker Prize has just been won for the first time by a Bulgarian writer, Georgi Gospodinov (whose name, I think, translates as ‘Gentleman George’) for his novel, ‘Time Shelter’, translated by Angela Rodel.

Here’s The Guardian’s review https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/may/20/time-shelter-by-georgi-gospodinov-review-the-dangers-of-dwelling-in-the-past

and here’s an extract from the novel https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/time-shelter-extract-by-georgi-gospodinov-translated-by-angela-rodel

It was a very rich longlist this year. Here’s extracts from all the thirteen novels longlisted, from Mexico to Sweden, from Norway to South Korea, from China to Guadeloupe, from Côte d’Ivoire to Ukraine and between and beyond https://thebookerprizes.com/extracts-from-the-international-booker-prize-2023-longlist

Lots more to explore on The Booker Prizes site https://thebookerprizes.com/

2. Three from The Conversation, for the first time in a little while:

a) Greedy gulls decide what to eat by watching people https://theconversation.com/greedy-gulls-decide-what-to-eat-by-watching-people-new-research-206144

b) Chow mein and chips: a brief history of the British Chinese takeaway https://theconversation.com/chow-mein-and-chips-a-brief-history-of-the-british-chinese-takeaway-206021

c) Seven tips for a healthier relationship with your phone https://theconversation.com/seven-tips-for-a-healthier-relationship-with-your-phone-202215

3. Three from TED, likewise:

d) The timeless, ancient language of art with Wangechi Mutu https://www.ted.com/talks/wangechi_mutu_the_timeless_ancient_language_of_art

e) How to tame your wandering mind with Amishi Jha https://www.ted.com/talks/amishi_jha_how_to_tame_your_wandering_mind

f) What is déjà vu? What is déjà vu? by (rather than with) Michael Molina https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_molina_what_is_deja_vu_what_is_deja_vu

4. And, finally, something completely and utterly different, a ‘rainbow flick’ tutorial https://youtu.be/QBKi8isLE-M

Hands up if you think it’s a hairstyle?