Chris Slaby
@cjslaby.bsky.social
Scholar, teacher, writer, earth human person (he/him/his). Art + history: Native American and Indigenous Studies; the environmental humanities; media, culture, and representation. Food and music, too, though those are more passions than subjects of study.
Aurora in New England! (Around this time last year, too, no?) Can’t see it either the naked eye but crystal clear on camera!
November 12, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Aurora in New England! (Around this time last year, too, no?) Can’t see it either the naked eye but crystal clear on camera!
My text to a colleague this morning!
October 20, 2025 at 9:59 PM
My text to a colleague this morning!
Any guesses about the writing on this shirt? It looks like Japanese to me, hentaigana or some such?
September 5, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Any guesses about the writing on this shirt? It looks like Japanese to me, hentaigana or some such?
First, can we please stop saying “polarization.” That word does not accurately describe what’s happened. A group of people has gone off the deep end.
Secondly, of course I worry so much for the most vulnerable in states like Florida now. But stuff still spreads! These aren’t the borders of nations!
Secondly, of course I worry so much for the most vulnerable in states like Florida now. But stuff still spreads! These aren’t the borders of nations!
September 3, 2025 at 7:18 PM
First, can we please stop saying “polarization.” That word does not accurately describe what’s happened. A group of people has gone off the deep end.
Secondly, of course I worry so much for the most vulnerable in states like Florida now. But stuff still spreads! These aren’t the borders of nations!
Secondly, of course I worry so much for the most vulnerable in states like Florida now. But stuff still spreads! These aren’t the borders of nations!
Snake oil yet to improve health, according to most fervent uses.
August 13, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Snake oil yet to improve health, according to most fervent uses.
And the man himself, page 4.
July 27, 2025 at 11:36 AM
And the man himself, page 4.
Really great to see the work of a historian on the front page of the Metro section of the Sunday Times! It’s not every day that the quality work of historians gets this sort of attention. Huzzah, @tsmullaney.bsky.social! mitpress.mit.edu/978026253610...
July 27, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Really great to see the work of a historian on the front page of the Metro section of the Sunday Times! It’s not every day that the quality work of historians gets this sort of attention. Huzzah, @tsmullaney.bsky.social! mitpress.mit.edu/978026253610...
Reminder: EPA stands for Environmental Protection Agency…
July 23, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Reminder: EPA stands for Environmental Protection Agency…
Huzzah! This is so great!!
Just thought of you when I saw this:
Just thought of you when I saw this:
June 28, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Huzzah! This is so great!!
Just thought of you when I saw this:
Just thought of you when I saw this:
More Rockwell Kent! (“Reader,” 1933. Wood engraving on maple.) So much going on here—the unidentified (Indigenous?) woman reading, the location/setting, the scale. Such a compelling image!
June 27, 2025 at 6:42 PM
More Rockwell Kent! (“Reader,” 1933. Wood engraving on maple.) So much going on here—the unidentified (Indigenous?) woman reading, the location/setting, the scale. Such a compelling image!
I fell down the Melville rabbit hole a couple of years ago. When I saw this conference was happening, and so close, I jumped (hesitantly?) at the opportunity. I still felt unsure (of myself), but as soon as I got there, I encountered this Matt Kish image of Queequeg on the program. It was kismet!
June 25, 2025 at 11:34 PM
I fell down the Melville rabbit hole a couple of years ago. When I saw this conference was happening, and so close, I jumped (hesitantly?) at the opportunity. I still felt unsure (of myself), but as soon as I got there, I encountered this Matt Kish image of Queequeg on the program. It was kismet!
Last but certainly not least was my own participation. I gave a talk that was titled “Picturing Indigenous Peoples at Sea in the Work of Herman Melville.” I basically just showed images of illustrations from two Melville editions (one Moby-Dick, one Typee).
June 25, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Last but certainly not least was my own participation. I gave a talk that was titled “Picturing Indigenous Peoples at Sea in the Work of Herman Melville.” I basically just showed images of illustrations from two Melville editions (one Moby-Dick, one Typee).
Though Melville studies is of course primarily a literary field, the study of Melville, his writing, his world, and the larger culture of all that is quite interdisciplinary (and—yay!—filled with art). Here is some of the work by @lubellwoo.bsky.social and Jos Sances.
June 25, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Though Melville studies is of course primarily a literary field, the study of Melville, his writing, his world, and the larger culture of all that is quite interdisciplinary (and—yay!—filled with art). Here is some of the work by @lubellwoo.bsky.social and Jos Sances.
Mystic Seaport is great. The Charles W. Morgan is great. So many things, really. But I’m always a sucker for a great print shop, which they have.
June 25, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Mystic Seaport is great. The Charles W. Morgan is great. So many things, really. But I’m always a sucker for a great print shop, which they have.
This was a pretty experiential conference, as far as these things go. (VAF’s are field trip-ful, too!) I (and many others) rowed a whale boat and got deep into the inner working of the Charles W. Morgan, for example.
June 25, 2025 at 7:54 PM
This was a pretty experiential conference, as far as these things go. (VAF’s are field trip-ful, too!) I (and many others) rowed a whale boat and got deep into the inner working of the Charles W. Morgan, for example.
As someone who studies land—and sea—scapes, place is so crucial. Of course Mystic was great because of everything they have there, but the Avery Point campus was amazing, too. (This included fog horns gently blowing in the background as we talked in classrooms abut Melville and oceans.)
June 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
As someone who studies land—and sea—scapes, place is so crucial. Of course Mystic was great because of everything they have there, but the Avery Point campus was amazing, too. (This included fog horns gently blowing in the background as we talked in classrooms abut Melville and oceans.)
The first thing to say is that it was so great to listen and learn from people, and to be in community with so many lovely people. This is generally true of my conference going experience (and why I love them) but especially as someone relatively new to Melville studies, I felt very welcomed.
June 25, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The first thing to say is that it was so great to listen and learn from people, and to be in community with so many lovely people. This is generally true of my conference going experience (and why I love them) but especially as someone relatively new to Melville studies, I felt very welcomed.
A day late and a dollar short, perhaps, but a quick note to say that I joined a group of Melville Scholars (@melville-society.bsky.social) last week in Connecticut to think about oceans (and Melville) at UConn-Avery Point and Mystic Seaport and it was wonderful and amazing! A few photos and ideas.
June 25, 2025 at 7:26 PM
A day late and a dollar short, perhaps, but a quick note to say that I joined a group of Melville Scholars (@melville-society.bsky.social) last week in Connecticut to think about oceans (and Melville) at UConn-Avery Point and Mystic Seaport and it was wonderful and amazing! A few photos and ideas.
A decently idiosyncratic and certainly not definitive list. The two blanks are Happy People and The Little Hours, neither of which was apparently a possible selection according to the Times.
June 25, 2025 at 2:44 AM
A decently idiosyncratic and certainly not definitive list. The two blanks are Happy People and The Little Hours, neither of which was apparently a possible selection according to the Times.
Screaming into the void!
April 14, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Screaming into the void!
So, this is not good, right?
March 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
So, this is not good, right?
The global triumph of enshittification!
January 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
The global triumph of enshittification!