I write about books and edit others’ writing about books, previously for NY Times and Washington Post. Apollonian/Order Muppet. Highly sociable misanthrope. (Photo: Larry McMurtry's Booked Up, 2018.)https://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mupflkc7n22gDoes occur to me that my preferences here are somewhat arbitrary and based on duration of experience. As with so many things, I guess. [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Sep 2026 16:37 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupflkc7n22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mupdjg7pes2eAbsolute epidemic of people backing into parking spaces. Widespread psycho behavior.04 Sep 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupdjg7pes2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mupakebj6k2dNew leader in the spam headline least likely to fool me sweepstakes.04 Sep 2026 15:07 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupakebj6k2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mumevny2qc25I have a pretty remarkable number of dreams that find me browsing in a British bookstore.03 Sep 2026 11:47 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumevny2qc25https://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mukpdzk2zc2aDidn't know her on the socials, but her talent was something. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LKF0ll5smc [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Sep 2026 19:49 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukpdzk2zc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mukn2kp3ds2aAny nerds have a favorite translation of Gogol's stories?02 Sep 2026 19:08 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukn2kp3ds2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3muhnxcy7jc2xDostoevsky pulling up with UNDRGRND [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Sep 2026 14:46 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3muhnxcy7jc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mud5kjpekc2gHello, old friend.30 Aug 2026 19:41 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mud5kjpekc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mu3zdzaink2zJust remembered and dug out this poster I bought in Nashville nine years ago. Good job, 2017 self.27 Aug 2026 23:38 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3zdzaink2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mu3toudu5c2qYou: The line between a commercial and art is always very clear. Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY8QIfIvmvo27 Aug 2026 21:56 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3toudu5c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtxd6x573s2tJust want to thank everyone for the great Dolly posts today. ❤️26 Aug 2026 02:50 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtxd6x573s2thttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtwp4lxcck2iI’ve been thinking along similar lines, of how amazing the breadth and vitality of her existence was, and also how good it feels to celebrate someone who was so uniquely American.25 Aug 2026 20:51 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwp4lxcck2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtwhh3a3722dhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn55-xvyBh025 Aug 2026 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwhh3a3722dhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtrwb4sgls2nA book, a martini, and Van Morrison’s “Full Force Gale” just came over the speakers. Sensed it was a good night to take myself out.23 Aug 2026 23:16 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtrwb4sgls2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtok2g6qxk2dIncredible to watch something nearly three minutes long, in English, and to have not previously known a single thing that was spoken. [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Aug 2026 14:59 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtok2g6qxk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtckwrycdc25In my calculus it’s very clear that the three worst months of the year are January, February, and August. What order they go in is up for debate.17 Aug 2026 20:43 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtckwrycdc25https://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mtaehvwogk2kOK, I’ve seen it. Any takes out there to read? [contains quote post or other embedded content]16 Aug 2026 23:42 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtaehvwogk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mt7sef5cbc2tBy this evening I will have become the last American to see The Odyssey.16 Aug 2026 18:18 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt7sef5cbc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mt7jyoo4wk2q"'Life of M' is not a disciplined dismantling; it is discombobulated and haphazard, a machine breaking down at random." I haven't read the novel yet to have an opinion, but Becca in strong form here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/08/24/life-of-m-rachel-cusk-book-review16 Aug 2026 15:48 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt7jyoo4wk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3msyfyuvtgk2mI am somehow more than 20 pages in on eight books. Not sustainable.13 Aug 2026 19:48 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3msyfyuvtgk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3mstngvkuck23“Interestingly, my doctor has given me permission to never eat a vegetable.” A dear longtime friend over dinner just now.11 Aug 2026 22:18 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3mstngvkuck23https://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3msf2m2bzu22jFinally watched Backrooms and it would have been more effective as just the long exploration scenes, like an art video. The story, such as it is, is distractingly weak. I guess adapting an internet meme into a feature film is dicey. Who’da thunk?06 Aug 2026 03:04 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3msf2m2bzu22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnwilliams.bsky.social/post/3msemwrcfk22mListened to this today for the first time in an age. Still hits.05 Aug 2026 22:59 +0000at://did:plc:hco3bkjoctj3oh6dgnu6h66v/app.bsky.feed.post/3msemwrcfk22m