Donna Coonan
@donna1.bsky.social
Book lover, editor, feminist. Formerly longest serving publisher of the Virago Modern Classics 📚
Currently reading 'A Memoir of My Former Self' by Hilary Mantel; 'War & Peace' by Tolstoy; 'Tolstoy Together' by Yiyun Li; 'Deacon King King' by James McBride
Currently reading 'A Memoir of My Former Self' by Hilary Mantel; 'War & Peace' by Tolstoy; 'Tolstoy Together' by Yiyun Li; 'Deacon King King' by James McBride
Want to see my intrepid hound crossing the tallest aqueduct in the world in a canoe? Thought you did! Handsome beast on Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
August 31, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Want to see my intrepid hound crossing the tallest aqueduct in the world in a canoe? Thought you did! Handsome beast on Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
2 years ago I got a paeony for my birthday, but it's never flowered. Waiting, in my north-facing garden, with excitement. Soon, my pretty 😍
June 2, 2025 at 8:12 AM
2 years ago I got a paeony for my birthday, but it's never flowered. Waiting, in my north-facing garden, with excitement. Soon, my pretty 😍
It is such a special place. Try to allow some time for a mooch around Lewes too as it's lovely.
April 23, 2025 at 1:12 PM
It is such a special place. Try to allow some time for a mooch around Lewes too as it's lovely.
I took my friend for a surprise birthday day out, and it was magical. Charleston, followed by celeb spotting the magnificent John Agard, who read, right there & then, the poem he was writing. Unforgettable.
April 23, 2025 at 9:34 AM
I took my friend for a surprise birthday day out, and it was magical. Charleston, followed by celeb spotting the magnificent John Agard, who read, right there & then, the poem he was writing. Unforgettable.
Bloody hell - this is exciting!
April 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Bloody hell - this is exciting!
Tentatively planted the asparagus bed. It's a long-term relationship - even if they don't die, I won't be eating them for 2 years.
April 13, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Tentatively planted the asparagus bed. It's a long-term relationship - even if they don't die, I won't be eating them for 2 years.
I've resisted binning the kids' lockdown art projects for long enough 😟
March 19, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I've resisted binning the kids' lockdown art projects for long enough 😟
I am having the most perfect morning. Rare lie-in.
January 30, 2025 at 8:37 AM
I am having the most perfect morning. Rare lie-in.
I miss Hilary Mantel's writing so very much - her wry, knowing, humane take on the world. This book is just wonderful - I am savouring every page. Everything from Robocop to Jane Austen.
Here she is on the 2016 US election but the words are being whispered in my ear as if written today.
Here she is on the 2016 US election but the words are being whispered in my ear as if written today.
January 28, 2025 at 8:47 AM
I miss Hilary Mantel's writing so very much - her wry, knowing, humane take on the world. This book is just wonderful - I am savouring every page. Everything from Robocop to Jane Austen.
Here she is on the 2016 US election but the words are being whispered in my ear as if written today.
Here she is on the 2016 US election but the words are being whispered in my ear as if written today.
My kids actually took note of something I said I wanted to do last year and bought me these for Christmas, with their own money. I was so touched.
Tonight, the long-awaited journey begins - #WarandPeace with @yiyunli.bsky.social
Tonight, the long-awaited journey begins - #WarandPeace with @yiyunli.bsky.social
January 6, 2025 at 11:06 AM
My kids actually took note of something I said I wanted to do last year and bought me these for Christmas, with their own money. I was so touched.
Tonight, the long-awaited journey begins - #WarandPeace with @yiyunli.bsky.social
Tonight, the long-awaited journey begins - #WarandPeace with @yiyunli.bsky.social
Ooh, Merry Jolabokaflod! Very happy with my present 😊
December 24, 2024 at 9:59 PM
Ooh, Merry Jolabokaflod! Very happy with my present 😊
Well, I needed a pick-up and I must say I'm finding this rather delightful. Serendipitously, it's set during the festive season.
'The WomEn in Black' by Madeleine St John (not to be confused with 'The WomAn in Black' which, other than sartorially, is its polar opposite.)
'The WomEn in Black' by Madeleine St John (not to be confused with 'The WomAn in Black' which, other than sartorially, is its polar opposite.)
December 17, 2024 at 6:49 PM
Well, I needed a pick-up and I must say I'm finding this rather delightful. Serendipitously, it's set during the festive season.
'The WomEn in Black' by Madeleine St John (not to be confused with 'The WomAn in Black' which, other than sartorially, is its polar opposite.)
'The WomEn in Black' by Madeleine St John (not to be confused with 'The WomAn in Black' which, other than sartorially, is its polar opposite.)
And I think the essence of the sitter is especially evident in the sketches, rather than the paintings
December 16, 2024 at 12:22 PM
And I think the essence of the sitter is especially evident in the sketches, rather than the paintings
While watching the final series of Wolf Hall, I've spent hours gazing at the photos I took of the magnificent Holbein exhibition earlier this year. He and Mantel breathe such life into the Tudor court. The men & women are fully human & fallible in their work. Masterpieces.
December 16, 2024 at 12:14 PM
While watching the final series of Wolf Hall, I've spent hours gazing at the photos I took of the magnificent Holbein exhibition earlier this year. He and Mantel breathe such life into the Tudor court. The men & women are fully human & fallible in their work. Masterpieces.
The novel by I'm most thrilled to see included in @sandtclassics.bsky.social 's new list is 'The Country of the Pointed Firs' by Sarah Orne Jewett, which I discovered during lockdown. It's a consoling marvel of a book and not nearly as well known as it deserves to be.
December 5, 2024 at 12:46 PM
The novel by I'm most thrilled to see included in @sandtclassics.bsky.social 's new list is 'The Country of the Pointed Firs' by Sarah Orne Jewett, which I discovered during lockdown. It's a consoling marvel of a book and not nearly as well known as it deserves to be.
These beauties are from @sandtclassics.bsky.social, a new classics list brilliantly curated by Brandon Taylor & Allison Woodnutt.
The choices are inspired & the quality is 🤌
Bravo!
I love innovations in classics publishing - here, instead of an introduction, there's a dialogue between 2 readers.
The choices are inspired & the quality is 🤌
Bravo!
I love innovations in classics publishing - here, instead of an introduction, there's a dialogue between 2 readers.
December 5, 2024 at 12:23 PM
These beauties are from @sandtclassics.bsky.social, a new classics list brilliantly curated by Brandon Taylor & Allison Woodnutt.
The choices are inspired & the quality is 🤌
Bravo!
I love innovations in classics publishing - here, instead of an introduction, there's a dialogue between 2 readers.
The choices are inspired & the quality is 🤌
Bravo!
I love innovations in classics publishing - here, instead of an introduction, there's a dialogue between 2 readers.
He just needed a bit of distraction to forget the trauma of his cosy coat. Luckily he's ball obsessed, so it didn't take long. 😁
December 1, 2024 at 10:48 PM
He just needed a bit of distraction to forget the trauma of his cosy coat. Luckily he's ball obsessed, so it didn't take long. 😁
I bought my dog his first ever coat as he was a bit shivery last week. Elwood thought he'd lost use of his front legs, poor untrusing hound, and couldn't move for a few minutes. 🤣 The cruelty!
December 1, 2024 at 2:45 PM
I bought my dog his first ever coat as he was a bit shivery last week. Elwood thought he'd lost use of his front legs, poor untrusing hound, and couldn't move for a few minutes. 🤣 The cruelty!
What a day for an early morning stroll with the faithless, squirrel-obsessed hound.
November 18, 2024 at 8:46 AM
What a day for an early morning stroll with the faithless, squirrel-obsessed hound.
I actually stopped in the street and gasped when I just saw this restaurant. How?
November 13, 2024 at 9:03 PM
I actually stopped in the street and gasped when I just saw this restaurant. How?
Just learnt that 'All of Us Strangers' is based on 'Strangers' by Taichi Yamada - a haunting story that summons up the Asakusa of the protagonist's youth, which he becomes addicted to - I've pushed it on people for close to 2 decades. Believe me, it's brilliant! Interested to see the film.
January 27, 2024 at 10:23 AM
Just learnt that 'All of Us Strangers' is based on 'Strangers' by Taichi Yamada - a haunting story that summons up the Asakusa of the protagonist's youth, which he becomes addicted to - I've pushed it on people for close to 2 decades. Believe me, it's brilliant! Interested to see the film.