Here's our Booker prize longlist and us judges!

I've got a UK and Ireland autumn tour with "More secret histories of Rome", from Exeter to Liverpool, Dublin to Cardiff. Details here:

Ok slipped a bit. But chuffed that Talking Classics is still in best sellers. A bit of vanity. But more the pleasure that lots of people want to read about, debate & spend money on antiquity! Engage & enjoy.(despite what it says here, you won’t find a book trading in too many parallels!)

Last orders. Here are the final dates for my upcoming book tour (only a very few tickets left for Geog Soc and Penarth)..hope to see you

"My" Aphrodite (of course she's not "mine") is getting around. Talking Classics is published on 16 April & if you pre order from UK from Waterstones by then, you will be entered in the prize draw for a free trip to Pompeii + tour with me.

I love my publishers who have produced this cardboard cutout Aphrodite as or for my latest book “Talking Classics”. She’s looking great. But what shall I do with her afterwards. ?

Getting up in Ullswater. How beautiful is that. Here for the Words by the Water Literature Festival at Keswick

I do hope people appreciate the joke! For my new book (partly reflecting on a career in Classics, partly asking 'WHY study the deep past?', 'What do we get out of it?'), I chose an 'author photo' taken by my friend Di, 50+ years ago. Book details: tinyurl.com/fktznv5c

Rehearsing for our programme of women’s music at the wigmore hall tonight at 7.30 (8march). Hop along!

Come and join me and Nardus and Liz, speaking and singing in celebration of women at the Wigmore Hall on 8 March (inc a new composition by Errollyn Wallen) www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/202...

Bargain. Until 23.59 on 20 Feb you can order my new book 25%off RRP from Waterstones online. Discount code is FEB26. Details here: www.waterstones.com/campaign/feb...

could someone briefly explain what accounts for the US volte face on the Chagos settlement since May!?

My 8th decade starts today. Grateful to have made it. I'm going loads of places in UK this year, to talk about the ancient world - from Exeter to Belfast, Penarth to Glasgow. Some dates here: tinyurl.com/5n6tcn6m and fane.co.uk/talking-clas... + more here (check with bookstores)

I'm both over the moon and a bit nervous to be chairing the Booker judges for 2026. These are the people I'm going to be getting to know rather well #BookerPrize2026 @thebookerprizes.com

Fancy a free trip to Pompeii and a walk around the site with me? Waterstones have a prize draw for exactly that. Just pre-order my new book (UK only I think). Details here www.waterstones.com/win/talking-...

Tomorrow on Instant Classics (tinyurl.com/4s6vr4vp) we're looking at the long and complicated history of the toga. You'll never look on a toga party in thesame way again. That's FDR having a toga birthday party.

Not exactly a fashionista! But v chuffed about this 👇👇

I had great fun talking to Roger Mosey at Selwyn Coll about a lifetime in Cambridge (yes!) and other things. You can watch the discussion here. tinyurl.com/23hvczuz Here's Roger and me limbering up!

I am coming to Australia in November, to talk at Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Hope to see you then friend in Oz. Details here: a

My last cocktail in DC at my local (the lovely Bar Riggs). Will miss it!

It’s spring and soon I will no longer be able to see the Capitol from my office window!

Today is the Ides of March. Here is Julius Caesar stabbed in the back (in fact he was stabbed in the front). He defended himself with his stylus (I talk about pens as a key attribute of emperors in my recent emperor book).

Waking up in New York after a big lecture last night. What glorious day for some working in bed looking at the view!

The Canadian embassy in DC has just removed its friendly banners… just in time for the presidential motorcade to pass. Coincidence? See below, before and after

This is the sarcophagus in which Andrew Jackson refused to be buried

This is weird, they've left the woman out of the picture again?

Talking in DC next Tuesday 25 Feb, at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center. Free and open to all, but registration essential via QR code at bottom of this pic (or go to Krieger School website)

i wondered why they left the women out of this picture! Perhaps they were all sitting at the other end of the table?

Thanks to all for a great classical time in Asturias today. We are all Medusa now!

I just had a great time talking to 600 highschool students in Xixon in Asturias. Now a well deserved seaside lunch!