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Love all this Kate. What a treasure trove of links and ideas. This issue is right up my street, it's all the things I'm thinking about too at the moment. I heard Masha Gessen on The New Yorker podcast on trans issues this week, thanks for the link to the article, good to reflect on it in print too. I'm thinking about how to write about this in The Gallery Companion. I'm reading a book called Hags by Victoria Smith at the moment which is adding to my thinking.

I'm also thinking about how to write about the refugee crisis and the UK government's approach to asylum seekers. Gary Lineker and the BBC -- do you listen to The News Agents podcast? Really interesting perspectives on current affairs in the UK and around the world there. I really rate Lewis Goodall as a journalist, as well as Sopel and Maitlis.

Also, I'm with Murakami on Thelonious Monk. Thanks for the links to Fitzgerald, you've inspired me to find out more about her.

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Thank you, Victoria. Ah, and now I need to listen to Masha Gessen! I would love to hear their voice in this interview and also reflect a little more. I don't listen to The News Agents. Sounds like another great rec and I see now the episode you mean re Lineker. Connected to both good investigative journalism and Gessen's discussion of many issues related to trans rights, you mentioned the podcast about JK Rowling to me - The Witch Trials. Wow, I've listened to the first episode. Really intriguing conversation, especially with the cult past of the interviewer.

Would love to read a piece from you about the refugee crisis in the UK. I wonder also if there are some refugee artists out there who would want to talk with you about their work.

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Mar 14, 2023Liked by Dr. Kathleen Waller

Ah how kind

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Also...thank you for sharing this New Yorker piece/interview on trans rights and gender, which has some of the clearest ideas around these issues that I have read.

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It’s really such an awesome interview, isn’t it? I like how it takes many views into consideration.

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Omg I am such a Judy Blume fan girl!! Not unusual for a girl growing up in the 1980s, I know. I actually got to meet her a few years ago when she visited the UK & I totally turned back into a gushing teenager! She was every bit as warm and wonderful as her books.

Also, thank you for the reminder here to find space and time every day to be creative just for creativity's sake - I often get caught up in the idea that I must be reading or writing to be "productive". Looking forward to hearing more about your yoga and writing ideas : )

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What?!! You met Judy Blume? Amazing. Can’t wait to see these adaptations.

And thank you -- your newsletter has a ton of inspiration for creativity and imagine you must experience a lot of this. But we can always have more, eh? :)

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Yes!! She did a UK book tour with 'In the unlikely event', her last book, and I attended a talk she gave at Manchester library. Her husband even sat in the audience, where she conversed with him, which was so sweet! Then I got her to sign my pld battered copies of her books and was so tongue-tied haha

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Wow so jealous! How sweet about her husband

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Love the "in really nuanced ways" re Chappelle etc. Nuance is our best friend, people!

Michael Mohr

"Sincere American Writing"

https://michaelmohr.substack.com/

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