New Posts
“Lessons in Diplomacy” talks – updated
Here are my next few book talk dates. Updated April 2025. Do bookmark!
Katse Dam Site, Lesotho
Katse Dam site, Lesotho: photographs taken on visits in March-April 1988 as construction of the Dam began. Katse: where are the photos from? In March-April 1988, I visited my brother Stephen Turner in Lesotho. At the time, Stephen was head of the environmental division of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA). His focus was on compensation for those affected by
Full-time writing: 2 years on
What’s full-time writing like? What are the pitfalls? How do you make the most of it? Reflections from a newbie writer.
PALLADIUM ON AUDIBLE
My Istanbul thriller “Palladium” is on Audible. It’s a cracker! Contact me now if you’d like a free audio review copy while stocks last.
Can You Forgive Her?
Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope oozes sex and politics. It’s funny, moving and enlightening. Read it.
Mitch Rapp – Action Hero
Searching for a satisfying action hero? Look no further! Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp is an no-nonsense counter-terrorism special ops assassin.
Cocktails for women
Cocktails for women are a subject Ms N, heroine of the “Seven Hotel Stories”, holds dear. She also has views on how to deal with men who behave badly – in cocktail bars or elsewhere.
The Winter King – The Warlord Chronicles
The Winter King is a TV adaptation of The Warlord Chronicles, a trilogy by Bernard Cornwell. What are the books like? I devoured them.
Launching a book: “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy”
Launching a book: how do you go about it? Here’s how I launched the German edition of my book “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy”, in Austria, in April and May 2023.
Diplomacy: The Hitchhiker’s Guide
Ever wondered what diplomacy is all about? Here’s an easy-to-read step-by step guide from a diplomat who spend 42 years working for Her Majesty.
“Uncle Dynamite” by PG Wodehouse
Uncle Dynamite, aka Uncle Fred is one of the finest comic creations of PG Wodehouse. Despite his age, he is a whirlwind of chaos in whose presence younger men feel terror at what he will do next. Read this book.
Writing The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy
Writing “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy” was fascinating and demanding. It was published in April 2023. How did this happen?
Rezensionen: hallo Deutschsprachige Freunde!
Am 12. April erscheint auf Deutsch mein neues Buch “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy – Wie Diplomatie die Welt Erklärt” (Czernin Verlag, Wien). Ich habe einen Vorschlag und eine Bitte.
Russia-Ukraine War One Year On
The Russia-Ukraine war: one year on. Three lessons. 1. The war is not over. 2. The war is neo-colonialist. 3. Putin’s position is vulnerable. What you can do.
How to travel: adventures with leeches
How to travel in an age of global tourism is less obvious than it looks. Is your goal to see things? Meet people? Harvest experience? Tell us!
Komodo cruise – highs and lows
A Komodo cruise in the rainy season includes ecstatic highs as well as some pretty awful moments. Want a holiday you’ll never forget? This could be it.
20th Century Books: top 100
20th Century Books – one for each year from 1900 to 1999 – which would you choose? How many have you read? And do you agree with the ratings?
Barnaby Rudge – why it is relevant today
“Barnaby Rudge”, written by Dickens in 1841, depicts riots in London in 1780 that echo eerily the storming of the US Capitol in January 2021.
Does Duolingo work? Yes, but…
Does Duolingo work? A professional diplomat tries it out. The answer is “yes, but…” Find out why from a language-learning expert.
“Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies”
“Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel, and its sequels “Bring up the Bodies” and “The Mirror and the Light” may seem intimidating. But dive in and you will find thrilling, engrossing writing.
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