OYSTERHOOD is reclusiveness or solitude, or an overwhelming desire to stay at home.

— @HaggardHawks

Another day of work, work, work. Among my tasks today was picking up copies of the latest New Contrast issue from the printers. I will post them to subscribers and contributors tomorrow. Another great issue: 195 – it will be 200 next year!

At the end of the day, I had the great privilege to talk about Colum McCann’s Apeirogon to a book club – real readers gathered together in a room! All vaccinated. Simply amazing to be able to do this again. It was my second discussion at this particular book club. Last time (before the pandemic), I was invited to talk about Lyndall Gordon’s Outsiders. Everyone in the book club owns copies of the books they read and they really read them, so the discussions were wonderful both times. I will be invited again and I can’t wait. Apeirogon is stunning – we could have talked for hours, or thousand and one nights … ‘A community of feeling.’

Came home late, just before ten, and am now exhausted. But in a really good way.

Good night.

Be kind. Wear a mask. Support local. Get vaccinated, please.

“Physical distancing remains one of the key strategies to curb this pandemic.”

— NICD