I loved Ruvani Ranasinha's Hanif Kureishi: Writing the Self, one of the best biographies of last year (or any year). Here's my review in the Spectator

I will be reprising our excellent Margate Bookie event with my brother James Cook on Friday 2nd Feb 6-7.30pm at the legendary Soho Poly venue on Riding House Street. 

We'll be playing songs from James' memoir In Her Room: How Music Helped me Connect With My Autistic Daughter, along with readings from the book. Expect music from Beach Boys, Beatles, REM, our old band Flamingoes, and an exploration of autism and its relationship with music, followed by a Q&A. 

Tickets are £7 with the first drink free! Book here

So I've started a Substack for 2024. OVERCOOKED: Miscellaneous meditations on books, music, literary life and much else in between. Expect a new essay every month; some from the archive, but mainly new.

The first piece on literary posterity, The Kind Mistress: Posterity's Warm Embrace, is free to read here