Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 10h

In a good mood because I found a £20 note on the pavement when I went out to buy milk! Once I found £10 on Cowley Road but think this is the lifetime jackpot so far. (£50 would be too difficult to spend anyway.)

1 4

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 20h

History faculty at Columbia & Barnard decrying the harassment of @mark-bray.bsky.social: "This is the first case in recent memory of a historian who has fled the country after receiving death threats on account of the history that they teach."

38 620 1.8K

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Luke Seaber @thelong1930s.bsky.social · 1d

Lord Peter Wimsey is the narrative voice of The Waste Land.

Rachel Feder @rachelfeder.bsky.social · 1d

Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat

32 61 340

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Clare Hooper @clarehooper.bsky.social · 4d

Open letter on the future of small press publishing in the UK.

www.thebookseller.com/comment/open...

Open letter on the future of small press publishing in the UK

The industry must work together to ensure the longevity of the UK’s independent presses.

www.thebookseller.com

8 10

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 2d

In Cromarty, a vibe: "FERRY SEASON ENDED."

1 3

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 2d

Went up to Scotland by Caledonian Sleeper, which is ridiculously expensive but also irresistible if you're a train obsessive or, y'know, a romantic (a writer, in other words). Waking up somewhere completely different...

Tea and a notebook in a train cafe car with a murky view of the Scottish Highlands out the window

4

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 2d

Back from one writing retreat, already pondering the next. Cannot say enough good things about Moniack Mhor. What a brilliant, kind, inspiring group of people, and can you imagine a better place to write?

2 7

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 9d

For the past 60 years, about 50% of NASA engineers have seemed to be named Steve. Never realized this phenomenon extended to other professions.

John86 @john86l.bsky.social · 9d

You don’t have to be called Steve or Stephen to work at Blackpool, but it does help.

A club statement from Blackpool saying Steve Bruce has been sacked along with coaches Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence. Stephen Dobbie and Steve Banks will take temporary charge.

1 2

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Ben Whitham @drbenwhitham.bsky.social · 9d

Men in balaclavas set fire to a mosque in East Sussex last night. It's only appearing on the BBC's local coverage, rather than its main national headlines, despite coming just a week after the (also under-reported) firebombing of an asylum hotel in London last week
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Peacehaven: Fire at East Sussex mosque probed as 'hate crime'

Video appears to show two people in balaclavas at the mosque before a large blaze spreads.

www.bbc.co.uk

49 830 1.1K

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

🇵🇸 Caleb 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼 🏳️‍⚧️ @littlestpersimmon.bsky.social · 10d

Thinking abt how Tolkien was a fan of Mary Renault (his ex student BTW). And he wrote abt being "deeply engaged" with her work. It lives completely rent free in my mind. Like she almost exclusively wrote twinks from the ancient near east edging. This is like if GRRM was a huge fan of MXTX.

2 21 110

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · Jun 20

One thing you will never think after reading a great book or listening to a great album or seeing a great piece of art is, “I’m really glad this person remained cautious while they were making this and guarded against being perceived as weird.”

23 1.2K 3.4K

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Deanna Kreisel 🌱 @doctorwaffle.substack.com · 12d

In honor of National Poetry Day, the greatest parody rewrite of all time:

Screen cap of parodic version of William Blake's "The Tyger" that begins:
Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright
(Not sure if I spelled that right)
What immortal hand or eye
Could fashion such a stripy guy?
What the hammer that hath hewn it
Into such a chonky unit?
Did who made the lamb make thee,
Or an external franchisee?

39 1.4K 3.7K

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 10d

What's great about writing, though, is that you can do things most readers would consider a mistake and then win major literary prizes.

2 1 1

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 11d

CST: 'we utterly reject his message of hate and division. His so-called support for our community is not welcome or helpful'

That was 2021. I hope + anticipate similar sentiments in 2025

5 36 190

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 11d

Utterly despicable.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 11d

This Israeli government decision to host Tommy Robinson will widen the growing gulf between the Netanyahu government and the British public, including the broad majority of Jews in Britain (3/4 of whom dsapproved of Netanyahu, before this new link to this anti-Muslim racist UK far right convict).

29 160 730

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 11d

Keeping my fingers crossed for you - and I will report back on the sleeper

1

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 11d

Sympathy! I was meant to be on the Caledonian Sleeper to Aberdeen this evening. It has been cancelled but luckily I was also able to cancel my B&B without charge and I'll pick up the holiday in Inverness (also by sleeper, now on Sunday night).

1 1

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 11d

Breaking news: major triumph against antisemitism as Jewish woman successfully purchases loaf of challah from M&S in time for Shabbat.

(Taking small joys where I can today.)

1 5

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Joel S. @joelhs.bsky.social · 13d

On the eve of the holiest day of the year for globalists, no less.

Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 13d

DHS appears to suggest that it will deny citizenship to "globalists"

Homeland Security
@DHSgov
"Communist?"
DENIED.
"Terrorist?"
DENIED.
"Globalist?"
DENIED.

Above a meme of a bearded smiling guy, in this case wearing a USCIS hat

5 9 37

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 12d

The reposts have been heartening too! But there's something about hearing from someone person-to-person.

1

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 12d

Even a simple "I heard the news and am thinking of you tonight" would be enough, I'm sure.

1 1

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 12d

Thank you so much for amplifying this.

1

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 12d

If you have any Jewish friends, this would be an immensely meaningful thing to hear right now. Ideally as a personal message and not a social media repost.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 12d

This invitation is to join in sending messages of solidarity and support to Jewish people in Britain at 723pm tonight (& beyond).

In your own words, or by sharing this message/image from Together if you would like to use it

1 3

Zohar Jacobs @zoharjacobs.bsky.social · 16d

Why are litfic/SFF crossovers usually marketed as litfic rather than as SFF? Wondering if it's because litfic is, ironically, considered more "commercial" than commercial genre in this context – in other words, publishers think more people will pick it up if it's on the litfic shelves?

2 5

Reposted by Zohar Jacobs

Tim Howard @tmhwrd.bsky.social · 16d

The solution to the male loneliness epidemic is to normalise retreating to your library to produce a volume of digressive, idiosyncratic essays that remain an essential repository of humanist thought and skeptical inquiry 400+ years after your death.

1 22 130