@IanPlayfair

Non-fiction Publishing Director at Bloomsbury; author of the Playfair Cricket Annual. All views are my own.

Joined November 2013
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This interview with Edmund Richardson includes a brilliant one-word summary of the 135,000 words in Alexander: God, King, Man - but don't think that gives you a reason to miss out on the other 134,999! Out now from @BloomsburyBooks
Baillie Gifford Prize@BGPrize9h
Black coffee. Pens that don't work. And enough books to fill several suitcases. ☕📚 We asked Edmund Richardson about his writing habits and why travelling light isn't an option. Read Smart podcasts are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. #BGPrize2026
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#OTD 1775, George III declared the American colonists rebels and ordered them crushed. Six years later, British troops marched out of #Yorktown in #Virginia as the defeated army. Few predictions age worse than confidence at the start of a war. See my take in #Battle @HistoryExtra
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Bracing walk earlier today along the beach in Eastbourne watching the waves
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On the bright side, United just four points off sixth...! On the other hand, not looking like they know how to find a point.
Premier League
@premierleagueOct 25
How things stand after Matchweek 8 🔢
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Two catastrophic defensive errors by United on the way to going 3-0 down. Not much blame on Carrick for that. A side utterly bereft of self-belief and so short in all areas of the pitch.
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A terrible decision to let England’s greatest bowler go after a season where he was the leading wicket taker in a difficult campaign.
Lancashire Cricket
@lancscricketOct 25
Lancashire Cricket can confirm that, following a remarkable 25-year association with the Red Rose, Sir James Anderson’s playing career with the Club will come to an end at the conclusion of his current contract. Read more: cricket.lancashirecricket.co… 🌹 #RedRoseTogether
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Hard to see any positives in that half: toothless in attack, fragile at the back and a midfield that neither creates nor protects. Sesko, Mainoo and Shaw among those looking better by not playing. #MUNBOU
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Cunha for Mount, Bruno for Tielemans, Martinez for Heaven at half time.
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Yet again United’s midfield looking full of holes and lacking creativity. Not a great combination.
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Lancashire Cricket can confirm that wicketkeeper-batter George Bell will leave the Club to join Essex. All the best for the future, Belly! Read more: cricket.lancashirecricket.co… 🌹 #RedRoseTogether
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Marina Litvinenko’s husband, Alexander, died from polonium poisoning 20 years ago. The assassination has inspired books, documentaries and plays. Now she has written her own account of his death thetimes.com/uk/crime/articl…
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Enjoyed finalising my selection for #Battle - Which is your favourite, and which ones have I missed out? Its all subjective!
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Terrific piece by @aliceTTimes about the ‘extraordinary’ Marina Litvinenko, whose powerful and important new book, A Life in Fragments, is out from @BloomsburyBooks on 5 November.
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So proud to have helped bring Marina’s story to a new audience. A Life in Fragments is a powerful love story, but also reveals how hard you have to fight for justice - especially with Putin’s Russia. What was true in 2006 remains true in 2026. Out on 5 Nov from @BloomsburyBooks
The Times and Sunday Times
@thetimesOct 24
Marina Litvinenko’s husband, Alexander, died from polonium poisoning 20 years ago. The assassination has inspired books, documentaries and plays. Now she has written her own account of his death thetimes.com/uk/crime/articl…
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Battle is out now from @BloomsburyBooks & available from @Waterstones; it's packed with fascinating insights into the most consequential battles in history, but as @Iain_MacGregor1 shows, there are so many constant themes across the centuries, from Alexander the Great to Ukraine
Iain_MacGregor1 (@iainmacgregor1.bsky.social)@Iain_MacGregor1Oct 23
My article for @TheScotsman today on the evolution of the Scotsman in warfare - albeit condensed into 900 words! With a personal tribute to generations of my family in highland regiments. @The_SCOTS @EdinBookshop @BBCRadioScot @BloomsburyBooks @HistoryHit
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As the band played on in the Titanic ballroom, the call for requests for what tune to play next was not picked up with great enthusiasm...
Manchester United
@ManUtdOct 23
This is your opportunity to have your say on our future home 🔴 We want to hear more about what matters to you. We're launching the next phase of fan engagement for our proposed new stadium and we want to hear more about what matters to supporters.

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Despite the howling winds of #StormAusten the history lovers of Salisbury turned out last night for my talk at @watsalisbury . A recommendation to stay at Sarum College (canteen breakfast) opposite the cathedral. It thankfully still has its spire intact! #Battle @BloomsburyBooks
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Quite the game in Rawalpindi! Before 2026, only once in LOIs had the side batting second reached 400; this was the third occasion this year.
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Sam Curran's 103 runs conceded in his nine-over spell is the joint 14th highest amount in all LOIs, but only Brian Vitori (105) and Rashid Khan (110) have gone for more in nine overs.
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England v Sri Lanka has alreaday become the ninth LOI where the match aggregate has topped 750 runs - and there's still almost ten overs left. The record of 872 can't be broken, but Sri Lanka need to reach 397 for this to be the second highest aggregate in history.
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