Host & Producer @BookingClubPod, @MyMartinAmis, @TheLitPathPod | Speak Volumes Substack | “A one-man Goalhanger.” | Podcast Producer at @GlobeGov
South London
Joined April 2012
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It’s one battle after another…
…but this might just be the best yet!
Join me for a live taping of @bookingclubpod at #battlefest 26, with @jjcharlesworth_, Tim Black and Georgina Mumford, as we discuss:
75 years of 📚 The Catcher in the Rye 📚
🎙️ Have the rituals of adolescence changed too much for the novel to still resonate with Gen Z and Gen Alpha?
🎙️ What does Holden Caulfield’s demotic New York patter and limited vocab have in common with Donald Trump’s speech patterns?
🎙️ What made Catcher JD Salinger’s masterpiece in 1951, and what does it retains of its power today?
@MaximumCities @Fox_Claire @ella @elladorn_ @Stsantek
#BattleFest 26 is on its way from @acadofideas
Find us in the cafe of Church House on Sun 18 Oct for a celebration of JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye at 75
⭐@jjcharlesworth_ editor @ArtReview_
⭐Tim Black associate editor @spikedonline
⭐Georgina Mumford, writer
🔗🎟️👇
Jack Aldane retweeted
Digger – Alejandro G Iñárritu’s latest film – looks like it might lose Warner Bros $245m. That would make it one of the worst performing productions in industry history. The loss may sting now. But it is all in service of Digger’s central argument: the masses have no taste. Yes, including you.
@finn_mcredmond watches the flop of the year: newstatesman.com/culture/fil…
The power of #AI is worrying senior Labour figures – as is the fear of ‘falling behind the public’
@globegov report referred to here in The Guardian over the weekend
theguardian.com/technology/2…
Jack Aldane retweeted
Enjoyable discussion of The Catcher in the Rye on @bookingclubpod with @jackaldane @jjcharlesworth_ Tim Black and emergency guest whose name I didn’t catch. Strange how it’s such a curriculum favourite but also associated with Kurt Cobain’s death and Lennon’s killer.
Jack Aldane retweeted
The @the_met_review party last night was incredible. Literary life is alive and well in this technological age.
Jack Aldane retweeted
Anne Carson boxes three times a week. Every day is a school day.
lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/n16/…
Anne Carson boxes three times a week. Every day is a school day.
lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/n16/…
Jack Aldane retweeted
The whole architecture of publishing pushes towards gender segregation. My book on feminism wasn’t reviewed by a single man; my book on genius (very male coded) was overwhelmingly reviewed by men.
Jack Aldane retweeted
The Catcher in the Rye, 75 years on: does Holden Caulfield still speak to us? 9/14🧵
@BookingClubPod’s @jackaldane joins Tim Black, JJ Charlesworth & Georgina Mumford to explore Salinger’s classic of teenage rebellion.
Sun 18 Oct | 11:00–12:30
battleofideas.org.uk/session…
We really should put an end to the phrase “the history books will show”, as if any attempt to wrangle our age into a coherent and thorough account will ever be possible, let alone credible. It’s nice to imagine such books being written, but the idea is a lexical skeuomorph at this point, based on a hope that we will one day pause long enough to look back with attention to detail. I don’t think that’s ever happening.
Jack Aldane retweeted
Excellent example of how an active state can support start-ups, entrepreneurs and economic dynamism – credit to Burnham for moving swiftly.
Jack Aldane retweeted
Looking forward to talking about male friendship next Saturday - a subject almost as close to my heart as female friendship, as celebrated in The Three Graces! I focus on Andrew O’Hagan’s Mayflies but I’ll be talking about many other literary friends too inc Lord of the Rings.
Ep #5 is coming this October, and our first female guest on The Lit Path is the marvellous @AmandaPCraig, author of the new novel High and Low.
Amanda speaks to @jackaldane about the melodies and mysteries of male friendship as written in Andrew O'Hagan's Mayflies (2020).
Stay tuned!
Jack Aldane retweeted
Thom Yorke says Michael Stipe from R.E.M. was the one who dragged him out of his dressing room to get out in the world:
“He said, ‘If you don’t care, they don’t care. If you’re not looking, they’re not looking.’ And it works. I remember being in Stockholm going to some really busy club, and he said, “Try it.” And it worked. Nobody bothered us.”
Read more:
rollingstone.com/music/music…
Jack Aldane retweeted
“He met Heracles, and the kingdoms of his life all shifted down a few notches.”
Wow 😳…
@ioanmarcjones reads from Anne Carson’s 📚 Autobiography of Red 📚 with @jackaldane on Ep. 2
#AnneCarson was today announced this year’s #nobelprize winner in literature.
Full episode ⬇️
Jack Aldane retweeted
11:00–12:30 on Sunday 18 October at #battlefest 2026: @BookingClubPod celebrates 📚 The Catcher in the Rye 📚 at 75 🎂
Me, Tim Black, @jjcharlesworth_ & Georgina Mumford together explore the novel’s groundbreaking portrayal of rebellion, alienation and dubious self-formation through JD Salinger’s infamous protagonist, Holden Caulfield.
@Fox_Claire @MaximumCities
Watch your favourite podcasts – live and ‘in the flesh’ @ #BATTLEFEST 2026
SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER
10:15–11:45 | THE LIFE SCI FANTASTIC
Weight-loss jabs: the end of willpower? @EliotForster & Dr Federica Amati explore appetite, responsibility and better health.
12:15–13:30 | THE SPIKED PODCAST
Politics, free speech & the culture war with @FraserMyers @Tom_Slater_ @kafkaswife @francisjfoster & @AndrewGold_ok. @spikedonline
13:45–14:30 | ARTS FIRST
Myth, religion & national identity with Niall Crowley & Dolan Cummings.
13:45–14:30 | THIS ISN’T WORKING
Are women to blame for ‘woke’ workplaces? Tanya de Grunwald & @jowilliams293 tackle the question. @IsntWorkingPod
14:45–16:15 | THE FREE SPEECH UNION
On the free speech frontline with @_ConnieShaw @BenBarryJones @janmacvarish & @DavidRoseUK. @SpeechUnion
16:45–18:15 | THE BRINK
Islam in Britain after October 7: @mr_andrew_fox @JakeWSimons & Fiyaz Mughal discuss extremism, assimilation and British Muslim communities.
SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER
11:00–12:30 | PLANET NORMAL
News & views from beyond the bubble with @LiamHalligan @AllisonPearson @LucyTCWife & Robert Tombs.
11:00–12:30 | THE BOOKING CLUB
The Catcher in the Rye, 75 years on: @jackaldane, Tim Black, @jjcharlesworth_ & Georgina Mumford explore rebellion and alienation. @BookingClubPod
12:45–13:30 | COFFEE HOUSE SHOTS
Political analysis from @spectator with @JAHeale & @scarlett__mag.
13:45–15:15 | THE STATE OF IT
Reports from the coalface of British politics with @Steven_Swinford @patrickkmaguire & @lara_spirit. @thetimes
15:45–17:00 | LAST ORDERS
The latest nanny state news with @Tom_Slater_ @cjsnowdon @TonyLapidus & @GHWTowler. @spikedonline
17:15–18:30 | TAKE ME HOME
Growing Up in the Culture Wars: Sebastian Moore, @RedActuary, Jennie Bristow & Ellie Lee explore identity, adulthood and generational bonds.
Which debates will you join? Explore the programme and book your place:
battleofideas.org.uk/
#BattleFest #LivePodcasts #FreeSpeech
open.substack.com/pub/claire…
11:00–12:30 on Sunday 18 October at #battlefest 2026: @BookingClubPod celebrates 📚 The Catcher in the Rye 📚 at 75 🎂
Me, Tim Black, @jjcharlesworth_ & Georgina Mumford together explore the novel’s groundbreaking portrayal of rebellion, alienation and dubious self-formation through JD Salinger’s infamous protagonist, Holden Caulfield.
@Fox_Claire @MaximumCities
Watch your favourite podcasts – live and ‘in the flesh’ @ #BATTLEFEST 2026
SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER
10:15–11:45 | THE LIFE SCI FANTASTIC
Weight-loss jabs: the end of willpower? @EliotForster & Dr Federica Amati explore appetite, responsibility and better health.
12:15–13:30 | THE SPIKED PODCAST
Politics, free speech & the culture war with @FraserMyers @Tom_Slater_ @kafkaswife @francisjfoster & @AndrewGold_ok. @spikedonline
13:45–14:30 | ARTS FIRST
Myth, religion & national identity with Niall Crowley & Dolan Cummings.
13:45–14:30 | THIS ISN’T WORKING
Are women to blame for ‘woke’ workplaces? Tanya de Grunwald & @jowilliams293 tackle the question. @IsntWorkingPod
14:45–16:15 | THE FREE SPEECH UNION
On the free speech frontline with @_ConnieShaw @BenBarryJones @janmacvarish & @DavidRoseUK. @SpeechUnion
16:45–18:15 | THE BRINK
Islam in Britain after October 7: @mr_andrew_fox @JakeWSimons & Fiyaz Mughal discuss extremism, assimilation and British Muslim communities.
SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER
11:00–12:30 | PLANET NORMAL
News & views from beyond the bubble with @LiamHalligan @AllisonPearson @LucyTCWife & Robert Tombs.
11:00–12:30 | THE BOOKING CLUB
The Catcher in the Rye, 75 years on: @jackaldane, Tim Black, @jjcharlesworth_ & Georgina Mumford explore rebellion and alienation. @BookingClubPod
12:45–13:30 | COFFEE HOUSE SHOTS
Political analysis from @spectator with @JAHeale & @scarlett__mag.
13:45–15:15 | THE STATE OF IT
Reports from the coalface of British politics with @Steven_Swinford @patrickkmaguire & @lara_spirit. @thetimes
15:45–17:00 | LAST ORDERS
The latest nanny state news with @Tom_Slater_ @cjsnowdon @TonyLapidus & @GHWTowler. @spikedonline
17:15–18:30 | TAKE ME HOME
Growing Up in the Culture Wars: Sebastian Moore, @RedActuary, Jennie Bristow & Ellie Lee explore identity, adulthood and generational bonds.
Which debates will you join? Explore the programme and book your place:
battleofideas.org.uk/
#BattleFest #LivePodcasts #FreeSpeech
open.substack.com/pub/claire…