Kept losing my dumb expensive AirPods which are so overpriced so bought the wire ones for £20 and haven’t lost them… That’s my theory on why everyone’s got them again! Merry Xmas Steven 🎄
I am also in need of someone telling me a boring story to get to sleep (not for everyone but Sleep with Me podcast is my fave!) and my partner similarly cannot have a single bit of noise, so I’ve been using the £20 Apple wired headphones for that for ages but sometimes inside my ear goes numb… so I’ve asked for one of those ergonomic pillows with a hole in the middle for your ear for Christmas. Why is sleeping so convoluted?
When I was younger and could not sleep without some kind of audio my mum got me a pillow that had an aux cable attached to it which I could connect my *iPod shuffle* to, allowing me to listen to the famously mellow tones of Panic at The Disco sung softly into my ears through speakers submerged in the pillow fluff. Typing these words makes me feel like it existed in The Olden Days but I'm sure there must be some New Updated Technologically Advanced version of a speaker pillow that could solve your problem xx
Loved The Bee Sting, so glad you loved it too. I think about this passage a lot:
The two men stopped there, and looked at one another. And in that moment Dickie learned something. This thing about looking into someone’s eyes. If you’re talking about making a connection, the term is quite misleading. He looked into people’s eyes all the time. What’s really happening in these moments is that you find yourself looking at their eyes - that is, the gaze stops at the eye itself, two gazes and your souls behind them skate off each other, swirl over each other, like mercury on mercury, so that standing quite still you feel yourself spin out of control, around and around, like a car aquaplaning, until you come to rest again, and you show no sign at all that anything of note has happened, except to permit yourself perhaps a little smile.
I got too excited when you mentioned The Book of English Magic because it's wicked and then scrolled to the comments immediately so I wouldn't forget. Will read the rest properly again with my eyes.
A Substack before Christmas - early present! Massive thank you for keeping us fans entertained throughout the year again. Keep doing what your doing! Loved the gig at Exeter, one of the best comedy gigs I have been to. Happy Christmas 🎄
SNOOZEBAND okay okay maybe i'll get over the bluetooth thing. Maybe i need to focus on the fact that there's no scientific evidence for my theory at all and i'm insane x
Another strong vote for The Bee Sting! So absorbing, so soggifying and normally I hate that but this was just such a good story it swept me along. Really devoured it.
I loved The Bee Sting and yes it would have been tough to read on a plane. I first read Captain Corelli's Mandolin on a longhaul flight sitting between two strangers and cried my eyes out. It was tough for them too, I suppose.
Sarah Winman writes beautiful books, I recommend all of hers. Also recommend Andrew O'Hagan's other book Mayflies. I've put a few of your reads on my list, despite my purchased and not read yet list being at least 100, as it's a hobby to just add to it and pile physical books up at home as decoration now that my bookcasea of maybe 500 books is full. I've been a very slow reader this year, starting and not picking up my book unless I was in the office once a week and not ripping myself away from my phone and podcasts enough at home. Started Fairy Tale by Stephen King on the plane to Madrid mid-Nov and although SK writes too many pages (not something I've ever said before), I should have finished it by now but I'm still only on page 421 as of yesterday (when I actually did read for an hour at home on the sofa). Have a great Xmas Stevie and co.
You know what I've never read Stephen King because of my horror aversion, but I know there are some really good ones. My friend keeps recommending one particular SK and I keep forgetting what it is, and this cycle shalt continue til death. Happy christmas and good luck with your bottomless book shelf!!!
I used to read lots of SK and loved horror but I'm more fantasy and sci-fi now, and have always loved ordinary stories about people. This SK isn't horror, more fantasy with some peril from weird giants and an undead army with a dangerous aura that behave just like humans.
It looks like we like a lot of the same books! If you liked Wolf Hall then I highly recommend the Shardlake books by CJ Sansom. They are set in the same period and they are sooooo good. BTW saw you on tour in Reading and loved your show ♥️
OHHHHH ok shardlake for 2026. Thank you for that, I need to plug the gap once I've finished the TV series. Oh I loved Reading! That was the one where my parents were on the front row and the snail was in my bed x
Yes to the Sansoms - also to Sharon Penman who's done excellent historical fiction on the Plantagenets and Welsh princes. Really immersive and a good few to get your teeth into — think that I might do them all again…
I’ve only read one of these books (Ministry of Time) but you make them all sound great so now I want to read them all!! 📖 🤓 🧙🏻♀️ Thanks
Merry Christmas 🎄 and hope you do manage some rest and some puzzling and other fun! You’re definitely my favourite substack (as well as a favourite in various other categories) 🌟
Have you read any of Elizabeth Day’s fiction? That might be Posh Twats genre
Incidentally I got an email today implying Piper is going to do fortnightly book recommendations on the Nobody Panic Patreon. Is that real? Are there things happening on that Patreon? I am willing to be paid subscriber to both if there is any of your (or Tessa) new stuff. Let me know :)
Ooh I love this post because it reminded me of books I loved reading too. Just finished The Safekeep last week, and it was full of all the things. But now you’ve got me comparing it to The Bee Sting. that feels like a lot to unpack if I ever re-read them. Happy Christmas!
Kept losing my dumb expensive AirPods which are so overpriced so bought the wire ones for £20 and haven’t lost them… That’s my theory on why everyone’s got them again! Merry Xmas Steven 🎄
that makes way more sense than my theory ok ok
I am also in need of someone telling me a boring story to get to sleep (not for everyone but Sleep with Me podcast is my fave!) and my partner similarly cannot have a single bit of noise, so I’ve been using the £20 Apple wired headphones for that for ages but sometimes inside my ear goes numb… so I’ve asked for one of those ergonomic pillows with a hole in the middle for your ear for Christmas. Why is sleeping so convoluted?
Of course there is such a thing as an ergonomic pillow with a hole for your ear. Why did I not know this
When I was younger and could not sleep without some kind of audio my mum got me a pillow that had an aux cable attached to it which I could connect my *iPod shuffle* to, allowing me to listen to the famously mellow tones of Panic at The Disco sung softly into my ears through speakers submerged in the pillow fluff. Typing these words makes me feel like it existed in The Olden Days but I'm sure there must be some New Updated Technologically Advanced version of a speaker pillow that could solve your problem xx
Apple love the combo of very expensive and very short leads. With the Airpods, they took this to it’s logical conclusion :-)
Loved The Bee Sting, so glad you loved it too. I think about this passage a lot:
The two men stopped there, and looked at one another. And in that moment Dickie learned something. This thing about looking into someone’s eyes. If you’re talking about making a connection, the term is quite misleading. He looked into people’s eyes all the time. What’s really happening in these moments is that you find yourself looking at their eyes - that is, the gaze stops at the eye itself, two gazes and your souls behind them skate off each other, swirl over each other, like mercury on mercury, so that standing quite still you feel yourself spin out of control, around and around, like a car aquaplaning, until you come to rest again, and you show no sign at all that anything of note has happened, except to permit yourself perhaps a little smile.
I got too excited when you mentioned The Book of English Magic because it's wicked and then scrolled to the comments immediately so I wouldn't forget. Will read the rest properly again with my eyes.
IT'S SO GOOD ISN'T IT I love all that stuff and it has made me want to go on a walking holiday on a ley line so that's something to look forward to
Strongly recommend south Cornwall around Penwith moor for maximum weirdness
A Substack before Christmas - early present! Massive thank you for keeping us fans entertained throughout the year again. Keep doing what your doing! Loved the gig at Exeter, one of the best comedy gigs I have been to. Happy Christmas 🎄
OHHH I loved exeter! Wish I'd stayed longer and got to poke around the shops a bit
Being a Plymouth resident it pains me to say so but it is a nice place to shop. The Christmas market was epic!
If you can get past the Bluetooth Thing, then buying a Snoozeband (or similar) is going to be a game changer - best thing I've bought this year.
SNOOZEBAND okay okay maybe i'll get over the bluetooth thing. Maybe i need to focus on the fact that there's no scientific evidence for my theory at all and i'm insane x
I was about to mention that product too. I would get one but my husband falls asleep in seconds despite me playing podcasts so no need!
Ohhh imagine being able to fall asleep that easily!! V jealous of your husband and tbh it seems like roughly 99% of husbands globally
Thank you for the reminder to empty the washing machine! Happy Christmas ⛄
It beeps for about 16 minutes and yet I still cannot
Another strong vote for The Bee Sting! So absorbing, so soggifying and normally I hate that but this was just such a good story it swept me along. Really devoured it.
ITS JUST SO GOOD ISN'T IT. Felt like I'd been completely swallowed whole everytime I was reading it, was so absorbed.
I loved The Bee Sting and yes it would have been tough to read on a plane. I first read Captain Corelli's Mandolin on a longhaul flight sitting between two strangers and cried my eyes out. It was tough for them too, I suppose.
should i read that? i should read that shouldn't i
Ignore the terrible film. It is a great book!
I think the film burned me but I will read the book!!
Sarah Winman writes beautiful books, I recommend all of hers. Also recommend Andrew O'Hagan's other book Mayflies. I've put a few of your reads on my list, despite my purchased and not read yet list being at least 100, as it's a hobby to just add to it and pile physical books up at home as decoration now that my bookcasea of maybe 500 books is full. I've been a very slow reader this year, starting and not picking up my book unless I was in the office once a week and not ripping myself away from my phone and podcasts enough at home. Started Fairy Tale by Stephen King on the plane to Madrid mid-Nov and although SK writes too many pages (not something I've ever said before), I should have finished it by now but I'm still only on page 421 as of yesterday (when I actually did read for an hour at home on the sofa). Have a great Xmas Stevie and co.
You know what I've never read Stephen King because of my horror aversion, but I know there are some really good ones. My friend keeps recommending one particular SK and I keep forgetting what it is, and this cycle shalt continue til death. Happy christmas and good luck with your bottomless book shelf!!!
I used to read lots of SK and loved horror but I'm more fantasy and sci-fi now, and have always loved ordinary stories about people. This SK isn't horror, more fantasy with some peril from weird giants and an undead army with a dangerous aura that behave just like humans.
Brilliant!!!!!!! And your review of Safekeep made me laugh out loud. I just pictured you on the Booker panel summarising to Sarah Jessica Parker 😂.
they should get me on there. everyone' a coward #boning
There’s a couple I would like in that list. Our Evenings out and THe Bee Sting to start.
Have a great rest and Merry Christmas to you both. X
an excellent start - both utter bangers. merry christmas!!
It looks like we like a lot of the same books! If you liked Wolf Hall then I highly recommend the Shardlake books by CJ Sansom. They are set in the same period and they are sooooo good. BTW saw you on tour in Reading and loved your show ♥️
OHHHHH ok shardlake for 2026. Thank you for that, I need to plug the gap once I've finished the TV series. Oh I loved Reading! That was the one where my parents were on the front row and the snail was in my bed x
Yes to the Sansoms - also to Sharon Penman who's done excellent historical fiction on the Plantagenets and Welsh princes. Really immersive and a good few to get your teeth into — think that I might do them all again…
The Bee Sting. Man, that stayed with me.
I’ve only read one of these books (Ministry of Time) but you make them all sound great so now I want to read them all!! 📖 🤓 🧙🏻♀️ Thanks
Merry Christmas 🎄 and hope you do manage some rest and some puzzling and other fun! You’re definitely my favourite substack (as well as a favourite in various other categories) 🌟
Have you read any of Elizabeth Day’s fiction? That might be Posh Twats genre
Incidentally I got an email today implying Piper is going to do fortnightly book recommendations on the Nobody Panic Patreon. Is that real? Are there things happening on that Patreon? I am willing to be paid subscriber to both if there is any of your (or Tessa) new stuff. Let me know :)
Ooh I love this post because it reminded me of books I loved reading too. Just finished The Safekeep last week, and it was full of all the things. But now you’ve got me comparing it to The Bee Sting. that feels like a lot to unpack if I ever re-read them. Happy Christmas!
There are more than 150 books in my list of things to read, now there are 7 more thanks to you!