I was a sceptic until a psychic connected me to my dead husband. Here's what he told me about the afterlife and how to spot the signs your loved one is trying to contact you
I know how mad that sounds. How Victorian and 'woo-woo'. Yet as I pick up the phone to book my in-person 60-minute spirit reading, I am full of hope.
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The Guardian
7 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The Fathers by John Niven review – class satire with grit
They're an unlikely duo. Jada is a petty criminal who lives hand to mouth in a cramped 60s tower block and can't remember how many children he has. Dan is a TV producer with a Tesla outside his mansion and who – after five years of trying and six rounds of IVF – is about to meet his first child. The pair encounter each other outside the sliding doors of Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University hospital, where Dan takes sips of cold air while he comes to terms with the wonder and terror of first-time parenthood and Jada sneaks a quick fag. Dan examines Jada's vigilant eyes and seasonally inappropriate sportswear; Jada clocks Dan's Rolex and works out how quickly he could take him in a fight. They bump into each other again in the lift a few days later, laying the seeds for a relationship that will reveal what divides them and what they share, building to a climax of kinship and betrayal. Since leaving his job as an A&R manager in 2002, John Niven has written novels and screenplays that mix industry satire (pop, publishing, film) with sometimes eye-popping hedonism; presumably both will feature in his next project, a 2026 play about Blur and Oasis called The Battle. Yet while there's a fair bit of hard living in The Fathers, Niven's latest also shows his softer side, as the two fortysomething Glaswegian protagonists manage domesticity. Dan obsessively childproofs his house, buying expensive baby accessories and doing his best to be the perfect dad to Tom, while Jada tries to be more present with his girlfriend Nicola and new son Jayden than he has been for his other children – for which read 'not very'. For all Dan's efforts, the mums take on the greatest share of child rearing, giving the dads space to transform their careers. Dan, bored with his wildly popular TV series McCallister (think Taggart meets Hamish MacBeth), aims to kill off the main character and write a novel. Jada, meanwhile, has a contact at Prestwick airport who can siphon off military surplus meant for Ukraine – a gig he thinks could set him up for life. Classic Scottish literary themes of duality, sentiment and booze are rarely far from the surface, most of them viewed through the prism of class. In the hospital, Dan's wife, Grace, has a private room and a smoothie that 'cost more than wine and tasted like cut grass'. On Nicola's bedside are a pack of cigarettes, a giant Toblerone and a bottle of Irn-Bru. In the months that come, Jayden's sippy cup is filled with the fizzy nectar, while Nicola and Jada enjoy the occasional blow-out with beer from 'PriceBeaster', plus ecstasy and heroin. Down the road, the West End's gentrified stretches do a steady trade in 'macchiatos, pastel de natas and designer knitwear'. There's plenty of inequality, hypocrisy and self-destruction on show, but Niven is also here for the laughs in a book that is sometimes very funny, but also happy to lean into cliche. You yearn to hear from someone who's neither an upper-middle-class twit nor a feckless chancer, or to hear a man articulate his feelings without the spurs of alcohol or desperation. Yet Niven never forgets his characters' humanity, and there's some fine detail on the way, whether comic (brushing a baby's teeth is like trying to 'draw a moustache on a live eel with a felt-tip pen') or poetic (in a brighter moment, Nicola marvels at the city, 'aw golden and peach and the river was dead flat and calm and there wiznae a soul around'). As The Fathers gets going, Niven tightens his narrative like a noose. By a third of the way in, the book is veering between unputdownable and put-it-down-quick-before-something-bad-happens. Jada's airport connection unearths a crate of pistols, which he aims to sell to a Northern Irish terrorist group, while Dan suffers a shocking disaster that flings him out of his herringbone-floored home into Jada's world of dodgy deals, sporadic violence and daytime pints. The result is a comic melodrama that's never dull, and a satire that hits most of its targets. After the darkness Niven lets in, the ending feels a touch glib, but the slow comradeship that grows between the two leads is charming nonetheless. The Fathers is a fine choice for anyone who likes a little grit in their holiday read. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion The Fathers by John Niven is published by Canongate (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
Drake hints Cole Palmer is inspiration behind his new album name as he shares brilliant video of Chelsea star
FANS are convinced Cole Palmer is the inspiration behind the name of Drake's latest album. The Chelsea star adorned himself with the nickname "cold" following a stunning start to life at the club which shot him to stardom, including scoring in the 2024 Euros final and winning the Club World Cup. 2 2 However, Palmer's exploits have gone beyond the pitch, with the Wythenshawe ace racking up a load of celebrity mates at numerous events he has attended. One previous event saw Palmer, 23, make acquaintances with Canadian rapper Drake, as the duo starred in a video posted by British artist Central Cee. But Drake now appears to have revealed he took more away from Palmer than simply friendship. Instead, he appears to have hinted that the name of his latest album, "Iceman" was actually inspired by the attacking midfielder. In an Instagram post by Drake with a series of photos and videos, the 38-year-old shared a video of Palmer answering a question. The former Manchester City star then replied: "Iceman." Kendrick Lamar - being called Iceman while he also shares a clip of Palmer saying the name is surely more than simply a coincidence. Though some believe it is simply part of the marketing material. Fans took to social media to discuss. Cole Palmer and Chelsea celebrate in style as they arrive back at their hotel after Club World Cup victory One said: "There's no way Drake's album title is based on a Cole Palmer interview clip." A second said: "Was Iceman named Cole Palmer? I have just seen the video of Drake, Central Cee, and Cole Palmer. "Wow, man. My favourite ever artist and my 2nd favourite footballer collaborating. I hope Cole is part of the rollout for the new album. That is superstar territory no other current player has reached." A third added: "Drake using Cole Palmer in his Iceman rollout would be generational marketing." Another said: "Drake using Cole Palmer for the Iceman rollout would be genius." A fifth said: "Drake needs to drop a Cole Palmer bar in ICEMAN." While Drake builds hype for his new album, expected to release by the end of the year, Palmer has been chilling following his Player of the Tournament exploits at the Club World Cup in the USA. Last week, he was seen partying at Wayne Lineker's famous O Beach club in Ibiza days after he split with partner Connie Grace. Connie, who had been dating Palmer for a year with the pair having met when they were 17, rubbished rumours they had split because he had turned down a marriage proposal. She said: 'Don't believe everything you read online. The lies that people post to get views/likes is so sad! 'It's actually wild the amount of abuse I have received from grown men in the last 24hrs! No I have never proposed a marriage lol.' Following Connie and Palmer's split, a source told SunSport: 'Connie and Cole have known each other since they were teenagers — but handling a relationship in the public eye is never easy. 'Cutting ties on Instagram is a big deal for the young generation and speaks volumes. 'Cole has a lot on at the moment and has been spending time in the Caribbean to learn more about his family roots.'
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Pep Guardiola opens up on wanting to retire 'to watch COWS' when he leaves role as Man City manager
Pep Guardiola has opened up on his future as Man City manager with a strange analogy. Having dropped the bombshell that his plans for when he leaves are 'decided', the Spaniard explained his thinking with a phrase his grandfather used to use. The 54-year-old told GQ Espana: 'I know that after this stage with City I'm going to stop, that's for sure, it's decided, more than decided. I don't know how long I'll stop for, a year, two years, three years, five, ten, fifteen, I don't know. 'But I'm going to stop after this stage with City, because I need to stop and focus on myself, on my body, on... In Catalan, they say badar. Badar, badar, badar... I want to do this, simply stop and watch the cows go by when the train goes by. 'My grandfather used to say, you look at me like cows watch the train go by. Well, that's it, you have to stop and watch it go by. 'And then life... I had never thought that I would coach, that I would go to Germany to coach, to England, and be the coach of Barcelona, or that I would play for Barcelona. 'We think we're in control, but no, something's bound to happen that'll put something in front of me, and I'll say: "Oh, do I want to do this or not?" And if not, well, I'll figure it out. And I think my plan now is this: stop, stop... And then we'll see.' As City suffered a dramatic slump in form during the midway point of last season, speculation mounted that Guardiola would call time on his illustrious spell in charge of the club. It is understood that club chiefs began tentative planning for a future without the Catalan in charge, while Guardiola received contact from the FA about the then-vacant England job. However, in November the former Barcelona boss agreed an extension to his current deal with the club, keeping him at the Etihad until 2027. While speculation has consistently linked Guardiola with some of the top jobs in world football after his time in Manchester comes to an end, the 54-year-old recently revealed that he will instead look to step away from football when the time comes. Guardiola also reflected on his decision to leave Barcelona in 2012 after leading the club to 14 trophies during his four seasons in charge at the Nou Camp. He continued: 'I think I know how to stop at the right moment. The same thing happened to me with my coaching job [at Barcelona], there came a time when I said enough is enough. I'm going to look for another challenge.' Despite a dismal period that saw them drop as low as seventh in the Premier League table, Guardiola's side recovered to ultimately secure Champions League football. 'When you win six Premier Leagues, there comes a time when you go down,' he added. 'That's human nature. Then, we probably should have moved more players, but it's very easy to say that afterwards...' With the return of the Premier League now just weeks away, City have wasted little time strengthening their squad in the transfer market. Algerian defender Rayan Ait-Nouri completed a £33.7million move to the Etihad from Wolves last month, with Lyon winger Rayan Cherki following days later. City have also completed the signings of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan and Norwegian midfielder Sverre Nypan from Rosenberg. However, while Guardiola's squad is brimming with talent, the question of who will start between the sticks for the Citizens next season remains a mystery. Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson has long been the club's No 1 but has been increasingly linked with a move away from the club. Meanwhile Ederson's long-time understudy Stefan Ortega is expected to leave City this summer in search of first-team minutes. As a result, the club are reportedly prepared to re-sign 22-year-old James Trafford from Burnley. Trafford emerged from City's academy before joining the Clarets in a deal that included a 'matching clause' allowing City first refusal to match any bid offered by a rival suitor. Guardiola's side have reportedly done just that after igniting their interest in Trafford recently, with the goalkeeper in favour of a move to City over Newcastle. The deal is expected to be completed soon.
