Forgotten Churches by Luke Sherlock
a journey around English ecclesiastical architecture with a nerd I (eventually) warmed to
Author: scottmanleyhadley
I like to read but little else. I have bad mental health and a dog. And a baby. And no hair. And a blog.
june movie round up
what I was watching in May 2025
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Marina Vantara, author of Mission Homo Liberatus: The Beginning
a chat with Marina Vantara, author of Mission Homo Liberatus: The Beginning
Notes To John by Joan Didion
a rallying hypocritical cry or is Notes To John an unethical publication in this form only???
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Tim Whitehouse, author of The Tender Wall
a chat with Tim Whitehouse, author of The Tender Wall
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
too many notes on a lyrical novel that is frequently beautiful but isn’t quite perfect
video: scott manley hadley returns to Will Mars’ Joke Thieves
watch a room full of people chant my name (I didn’t instigate it)
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Harry Legge, author of Friend or Suspect
a conversation with Harry Legge, author of Friend or Suspect
Playing for Time by Arthur Miller
some life updates, some political commentary and a reflection on an unsubtle Arthur Miller play…
notes for an interview with FRANK ABRAMS, author of THE COCKFIGHT
find out more about THE COCKFIGHT by FRANK ABRAMS through my pre-interview notes
VIDEO INTERVIEW: FRANK ABRAMS READING & SONG: Triumph Of The Now Interviews Ep. 2
a new video interview series continues with reading & music from FRANK ABRAMS, author of THE COCKFIGHT
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Barbara Adair, author of In the Shadow of the Springs I Saw
a conversation with Barbara Adair, author of In the Shadow of the Springs I Saw
VIDEO INTERVIEW: FRANK ABRAMS IN CONVERSATION: Triumph Of The Now Interviews Ep. 1
a new video interview series begins with FRANK ABRAMS, author of THE COCKFIGHT
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (The Expanse #1)
Leviathan Wakes is wall-to-wall fast paced excitement, and absolutely nothing else…
may movie round up
what I was watching in May 2025
video – scott manley hadley ten minute alternative comedy set
a longer set than I’ve previously posted…
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Rebecca Gransden, author of Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group
a chat with Rebecca Gransden, author of Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group
video – scott manley hadley aka SOLID BALD tries musical comedy
an attempt at musical comedy from scott manley hadley aka SOLID BALD
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Duncan Heenan, author of Lead Us Not
a chat with Duncan Heenan, author of Lead Us Not
After Dead by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood #15 (of 13))
probably the greatest book of flash fiction ever published
God Help The Child by Toni Morrison
sadness, cruelty, oppression, magical realism, and a writer in their mid-80s putting out possibly the best depiction of the millennial experience to date
FEATURE INTERVIEW: Pierce Day, author of A Phone of the Artist as a Young Man
author Pierce Day responds to a series of questions about his novel A PHONE OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN
Nova by Samuel R. Delany
a fine novel that didn’t blow my mind like samuel delany usually do
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Louise McLaughlin, author of Discovery
a chat with Louise McLaughlin, author of Discovery
A Phone of the Artist as a Young Man by Pierce Day – PART FOUR OF FOUR
am i bitter? am i jealous? am i over the hill??? – a four part review concludes
A Phone of the Artist as a Young Man by Pierce Day – PART THREE OF FOUR
closer to the text, the faults fall away – a four part review continues
A Phone of the Artist as a Young Man by Pierce Day – PART TWO OF FOUR
LITERATURE DIDN’T DIE WITH JAMES JOYCE: a four-post special series continues
A Phone of the Artist as a Young Man by Pierce Day – PART ONE OF FOUR
I WOULD HAVE SOLD MY DIRTY SOUL TO WRITE THIS BOOK: a four-post special series begins
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Jessica Aike, author of This Thing in My Head
a chat with Jessica Aike, author of This Thing in My Head
10 Year Hair Free “Celebration”: SOLID BALD video playlist link
10 years hair free… and still making a song (not a dance) about it
The Book of Outcasts by Matt Nagin
fun, unpretentious, short fiction collection about men behaving badly
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Karl Lorenz Willett, author of A Good Life: The Perception of Perfection
a short chat with Karl Lorenz Willett, author of A Good Life: The Perception of Perfection
april movie round up
what I was watching in April 2025
Provincial Squinting At The Mercury Orgy by Jai Knight
an intriguing prose and poetry collection that is deceptively simple or simply deceptive
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: George Carter, author of Beyond Boundaries
George Carter, author of Beyond Boundaries, answers some questions
Reverse Cowgirl by McKenzie Wark
a spectacular sex memoir (the memoir is spectacular (and maybe the sex was too))
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Jai Knight, author of Provincial Squinting at the Mercury Orgy
a chat with Jai Knight, author of Provincial Squinting at the Mercury Orgy
A Man & Two Women by Doris Lessing
i read a brilliant, flawless, collection of stories
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Matt Nagin, author of The Book of Outcasts
Matt Nagin answers some questions in ten words or fewer
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch & Sheila McGraw
i read a devastatingly beautiful book for children
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Stephen D Owen, author of Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice
interview with Stephen D Owen, author of Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice
A Dream Wants Waking By Lydia Kwa
i enjoyed this chaotic novel but never worked out if it was in control or not…
LUKA: A Novel by Ian Bancroft
an interesting novel about the horrors of intergenerational sectarian conflict
march movie round up
adventures in cinema in March 2025
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: J.S. Morton, author of You’re Gone
interview with J.S. Morton, author of You’re Gone
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
some thoughts and questions raised by Wharton’s wintry non-wonderland
Tell Me How Long The Train’s Been Gone by James Baldwin
it’s not Baldwin at his best, but at its best, it’s still brilliant
TEN WORDS OR FEWER INTERVIEW: Frank Abrams, author of The Cockfight
interview with Frank Abrams, author of The Cockfight
James Bond 007: COLD by John Gardner
an awful book anyone should be ashamed to have read
Triumph Of The Now 