This Rest Is History guys are endearingly shameless in promoting their own stuff on their Podcast. I've often wondered if historian's books they lean on get any bump in sales after a mention. I've definitely added a few to the TBR pile.

We're in starting to see some kids peeling off to private after primary. Some of the parents look for any kind of issues with the state school to justify the decision to go private they've obviously already made.

He is. His characters are especially great. About to start the Age of Madness trilogy - intrigued by the impact of having an industrial revolution changing the world.

Since his name has come up - I saw you recommend Joe Abercrombie ages ago on Twitter and have since then thoroughly enjoyed working my way through them, so a belated thanks.

Moment of the year for me was 28th January when West Indies and England pulled off incredible victories within a few hours of each other. Wonderful to wallow in a mix of cricketing hope, joy and schadenfreude in the middle of winter.

I loved Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Shehan Karunatilaka

Novelist? Up to 40 you could officially be classified as a Granta Young British Novelist.