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Stephen Bickers

@stephenbickers.bsky.social

41 followers 50 following 190 posts

UK Diplomat in Uganda (and previously Zambia). Posts are personal opinion - mostly about books, boardgames, travel, rugby and cricket. Please don’t expect many great insights.

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Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

It was a devastingly sad ending, but also not a surprise. It made sense within the context of the book. For me, the courage to have that ending was one of the best aspects of the book.
Bel Canto, the next book I read, also has a similarly themed ending. You might like it.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#BookSky
Formulae for a good holiday.
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Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksof2025 75 - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.
A party at the house of the vice president of an unnamed Latin American republic turns into a long running hostage situation.
The exaggerated scenario fits with the recurring opera theme and has a sweet charm about love, life and death.
#BookSky

The paperback cover of Bel Canto. It depicts a house in silhouette against a deep red sunset.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksof2025 74 - The Perfect Golden Circle by @benjaminmyers76.bsky.social The summer of 1989 in southern England and two friends, Redbone and Calvert are spending their weekends creating crop circles. Has the perfect end of summer tinge of melancholy. A great book.
#BookSky

The paperback cover of The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers

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Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksof2025 - Republican Party Reptile by PJ O'Rourke
An odd book. The 'comic' essays are tedious and boring, but the factual essays are well written and interesting. Particularly his criticism of Reagan's support for Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
#BookSky

The paperback cover of Republican Party Reptile. It is a very 1980s style cover.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksof2025 72 - The Men by @sannewman.bsky.social
One day all the world's men suddenly disappear. Where did they go, and what are the consequences for the world's women? Enjoyable and interesting, but I thought the plot unravelled towards the end.
##BookSky

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksof2025 71 - The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates. A thought-provoking memoir about Ta-Nehisi's childhood in Baltimore, and in particular, his relationship with his father. There is sadness and struggles, but also humour. Made me reflect on my teenage past. Highly Recommended
#BookSky

The paperback cover of The Beautiful Struggle

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Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksof2025 70 - We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
The story of Darling, a Zimbabwean girl growing up in the slums of Harare before moving to America.
#BookSky

The yellow hardback cover version of We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo

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Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 3d

Played Ticket to Ride Map Collection 5: United Kingdom & Pennsylvania today boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexp... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Ticket to Ride Map Collection 5: United Kingdom & Pennsylvania

Develop tech in the UK or buy stock in historic Pennsylvania rail companies.

boardgamegeek.com

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 3d

Visiting Minister demands Schweppes

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 3d

Played Qwirkle 2 times on 2025-10-11 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

Qwirkle

Complete a set of shapes or colors among the criss-crossing tiles for big points!

boardgamegeek.com

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 3d

Played CuBirds 2 times on 2025-10-11 boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24... #bggplay via @boardgamegeek.com

CuBirds

Group birds into flocks and help them find their way back to their nest.

boardgamegeek.com

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 11d

#Booksof2025 69 - Displacement by @kikuhughes.bsky.social The story of the Japanese internment camps set up in the USA during WW2 as told through the eyes of a teenage girl who has been displaced through time.
Interesting story told in a different and thoughtful way.
#BookSky

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 12d

#Booksof2025 68 - A Castle in England by Jamie Rhodes. A collection of stories inspired by the history of Scotney Castle in Kent.

The hardback cover of A Castle in England by Jamie Rhodes.

Reposted by Stephen Bickers

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 13d

My new book of science cartoons, PHYSICS FOR CATS is out in a week! Order a copy today from you local bookshop or at one of the links here: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2

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Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 13d

Feel genuinely sad about this. My son was possibly going to meet her in November. A great scientist.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 14d

#Booksof2025 67 - A Thousand Ships by @nataliehaynes.bsky.social A retelling of the story of the Trojan Wars through the eyes of the women involved. A powerful and wonderful read, with a mix of famous names (Helen, Penelope etc) and lesser known such as Laodamia and Penthesilea.
#BookSky

The hardback cover of A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 19d

#Booksof2025 66 - Notes From The Burning Age by Claire North (aka Catherine Webb), who is one of the best current science fiction authors. It's a spy thriller set in a post-environmental collapse future. It has themes of forgiveness and taking the long term approach.
#BookSky

Paperback edition of Notes From The Burning Age. The cover was designed by Leo Nickolls. The pink flowers around the title are evocative of flames and burning, which fits with the title and plot.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 23d

Not the right album; but I want to thank you for the Sale of the Century earworm now running through my head all morning.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 25d

This is the first time I've been able to watch Canada this tournament. It's been phenomenal.

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 26d

#Booksof2025 65 - The Zombie Survival Guide by @maxbrooks.bsky.social
A companion piece to World War Z, it is full of practical tips on how to handle a zombie outbreak.
#BookSky

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 28d

All the best whisky and whiskey - and we get the Bossche Bol!

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · 29d

#Booksof2025 64 - The Star Witness by Andy Hamilton
I think I would have enjoyed this satire on celebrity culture more if I read it when it first came out.
I just wasn't particularly interested in the main character, or the situations he found himself in.
#BookSky

Yellow paperback edition of The Star Witness by Andy Hamilton

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · Sep 14

It's very good. I also recommend Binet's HHhH (also translated by Taylor) which is about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich and the immeduate aftermath, but also throws a lot of scorn at sympathisers of fascism.
#BookSky

Stephen Bickers @stephenbickers.bsky.social · Sep 14

#Booksof2025 63 - Civilisations by @atahualpavasari.bsky.social (translated by Sam Taylor).
Alternative History fiction where vikings reach the Caribbean, hundreds of years later the Inca invade Europe... then the Aztec cross the Atlantic.
Interesting ideas told in a different way
#BookSky

Paperback edition of Civilisations by Laurent Binet

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