Author Archives: John S

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About John S

I'm blogging about the things I love: music, sport, culture, London, with some photos to illustrate aspects of our wonderful city. I’ve written a novel called “The Decision”, a futuristic political thriller, and first of a trilogy. I’m also the author of a book on music since the 1970s called “ I Was There - A Musical Journey” and a volume of poetry about youth, “Growin’ Up - Snapshots/ Fragments”. All available on Amazon and Kindle.

Canal and River Life: (2) The Waterfowl

Posted on August 6, 2020 by John S

These last three months of walking along the River Brent/ Grand Union canal and the Thames have allowed me to follow the development of the natural world from day to day. And the birds that inhabit these spaces have been … Continue reading →

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Canal and River life: (1) Reflections of…

Posted on July 28, 2020 by John S

For the last couple of months I’ve spent a lot of time walking along the nearby Grand Union Canal and from time to time along the River Thames too. I’ve been absorbing the beauty of the natural world – the … Continue reading →

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My new novel: “Hope Rising”

Posted on July 27, 2020 by John S

I’ve just published my new novel “Hope Rising” on Amazon and Kindle. It’s the follow up to “The Decision” which came out in 2018. Like “The Decision” it is set in 2027, and it continues the story of the eco-socialist … Continue reading →

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50 Latitude moments, from 2012 to 2019

Posted on July 17, 2020 by John S

Yesterday we would have been crawling up the A12 to Henham Park in Suffolk, for the start of the latest Latitude festival. It would have been my ninth and Jon G’s tenth. But like so many things, it had to … Continue reading →

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A Thames Journey: (3) From Newbridge to Oxford

Posted on July 14, 2020 by John S

In this third part of the Thames journey we travel downstream from Newbridge to the river’s second city, Oxford – a place dear to my heart, having spent three years there, at university. This stretch of the river runs for … Continue reading →

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lovelondonscenes 170 – Back to the heart of London

Posted on June 22, 2020 by John S

Last Monday I took a train for the first time in three months to central London, and some of my favourite locations down by the river. I stayed away from the tube and caught a near-empty train at Brentford to … Continue reading →

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40 from 2020

Posted on June 12, 2020 by John S

BBC 6 Music has just had a day where all the DJs played their favourite tracks of the first half of 2020. I listened to quite a lot and loved it. And, as ever, discovered a few new tunes I … Continue reading →

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A Thames Journey: (2) From Cricklade, via Lechlade, to Newbridge

Posted on June 3, 2020 by John S

This stretch of the river, winding its way through Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire involves a walk of just under 28 miles. We did it over three days at two different times. The walk from Cricklade to a spot between Highworth … Continue reading →

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lovelondonscenes 169 – Return to the Canal

Posted on May 21, 2020 by John S

I walked along the Grand Union Canal for the first time since lockdown today. It’s not that far away, but I have diligently been doing circuits of the local park, listening to podcasts, over the past nine weeks. I was … Continue reading →

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A Thames Journey: (1) From the Source to Cricklade

Posted on May 14, 2020 by John S

Sweete Themmes, runne softly, till I end my song. (Edmund Spenser, 1596) One of the things I’ve missed most in this time of lockdown is being able to walk along the banks of the River Thames. I’ve whiled away many … Continue reading →

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