Nicholas Birns
@nicholasbirns.bsky.social
Academic, literary critic etc. teaching at NYU. Books from Cambridge UP, Bloomsbury, Broadview, Palgrave, U of South Carolina P, Sydney UP, Routledge. He/him
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
If you don't approve of attempts to sanitize history on the US's 250th birthday but want to learn more about the founding era, the state of the field continues to innovate & there are new books coming out like John's on Washington, mine on migration & @gauthamrao.bsky.social's on policing slavery.
My book about how Americans have remembered, forgotten, and manipulated the history of George Washington and slavery over the past 250 years comes out in April. And Titus Kaphar’s art makes it the one of the coolest covers you’ll see next year. uncpress.org/978146969352...
November 27, 2025 at 11:23 AM
If you don't approve of attempts to sanitize history on the US's 250th birthday but want to learn more about the founding era, the state of the field continues to innovate & there are new books coming out like John's on Washington, mine on migration & @gauthamrao.bsky.social's on policing slavery.
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
To know Susanna Elm is to stand in awe of her writing, kindness, & depth. Her new book from @ucpress.bsky.social is out now and open access: The Importance of Being Gorgeous: Gender and Christian Imperial Rule in Late Antiquity. I do love a tale of Theodosian beauty
luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1... 📕
luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1... 📕
November 26, 2025 at 9:16 PM
To know Susanna Elm is to stand in awe of her writing, kindness, & depth. Her new book from @ucpress.bsky.social is out now and open access: The Importance of Being Gorgeous: Gender and Christian Imperial Rule in Late Antiquity. I do love a tale of Theodosian beauty
luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1... 📕
luminosoa.org/books/m/10.1... 📕
Me with Nepalese poet Yuyutsu R. D. Sharma.
November 26, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Me with Nepalese poet Yuyutsu R. D. Sharma.
Two great books to teach.
November 26, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Two great books to teach.
Two great books to teach
November 26, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Two great books to teach
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Excited to be at the “Dulles Airport is sending me flight updates” stage of conference organising!!
We’re looking forward to welcoming @profchander.bsky.social to the RSAA/DNS conference next week ❤️
We’re looking forward to welcoming @profchander.bsky.social to the RSAA/DNS conference next week ❤️
So pleased to announce our 1st keynote for the joint 18C & Romantic studies conference that we're hosting in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, this November....Manu Samriti Chander (Georgetown)! @profchander.bsky.social
More details about the conference here: www.wgtn.ac.nz/fhss/about/e...
More details about the conference here: www.wgtn.ac.nz/fhss/about/e...
November 14, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Excited to be at the “Dulles Airport is sending me flight updates” stage of conference organising!!
We’re looking forward to welcoming @profchander.bsky.social to the RSAA/DNS conference next week ❤️
We’re looking forward to welcoming @profchander.bsky.social to the RSAA/DNS conference next week ❤️
I never managed to meet Graeme Turner but his work taught me a lot about Australian culture. So sorry to hear of his passing..
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner AO FAHA FQA — one of Australia’s most influential humanities scholars and a towering figure in the Academy’s history. humanities.org.au/our-communit...
November 26, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I never managed to meet Graeme Turner but his work taught me a lot about Australian culture. So sorry to hear of his passing..
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Finally found a use for the marble and pewter Selangor thingy for serving pate which we were given as a wedding present (so approx a thousand years ago).
November 26, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Finally found a use for the marble and pewter Selangor thingy for serving pate which we were given as a wedding present (so approx a thousand years ago).
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
I look forward to this list every year. If you’re a non-tenure-track historian who has published work this year, this is a great opportunity to promote it.
Haven't received as many contributions as usual for this year's lists--could be many things, but one aspect is surely that our ability to get this in front of people is much diminished. If you know folks whose stuff should be on here, please suggest it! contingentmagazine.org/yearly-pub-l...
Publications by Non-Tenure-Track Historians
Since we began publishing in 2019, Contingent has published end-of-year lists of books and articles by non-tenure-track historians released in the past calendar year. To submit something for inclusion...
contingentmagazine.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I look forward to this list every year. If you’re a non-tenure-track historian who has published work this year, this is a great opportunity to promote it.
peopleandpaintings.com/exhibitions/... you can vote for my mom’s painting” Pavel and Peter throw the bride to the wolves” (of course, from Cather’s My Antonia) at the above link.
Exhibition: From the Gallery's Storeroom 2025 | People And Paintings
peopleandpaintings.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:57 PM
peopleandpaintings.com/exhibitions/... you can vote for my mom’s painting” Pavel and Peter throw the bride to the wolves” (of course, from Cather’s My Antonia) at the above link.
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Starting with today's post on one of my favorite recent books, a moving family memoir (& history of one of my favorite places, Martha's Vineyard) that's also much more, @josephvlee.bsky.social's Nothing More of This Land!
blackwhiteandread.com/november-24-...
blackwhiteandread.com/november-24-...
November 24, 2025: Indigenous Voices: Joseph Lee’s Nothing More of This Land – Black and White and Read All Over
[Thanksgiving is a hugely fraught holiday for us AmericanStudiers, but I also have a ton I’m thankful for. So this year I wanted to combine those two perspectives by highlighting indigenous voices, pa...
blackwhiteandread.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Starting with today's post on one of my favorite recent books, a moving family memoir (& history of one of my favorite places, Martha's Vineyard) that's also much more, @josephvlee.bsky.social's Nothing More of This Land!
blackwhiteandread.com/november-24-...
blackwhiteandread.com/november-24-...
Hal was a fine and entertaining poet who faced illness with great bravery. My condolences to his friends and family.
November 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Hal was a fine and entertaining poet who faced illness with great bravery. My condolences to his friends and family.
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Every day, Georgian police carry out countless unlawful orders.
Today, they suddenly decided that standing on the raised platform in front of Parliament is forbidden — and arrested young activist Sopo Markozia for simply being there.
Day 360.
🎥 Tornike Jandieri
Today, they suddenly decided that standing on the raised platform in front of Parliament is forbidden — and arrested young activist Sopo Markozia for simply being there.
Day 360.
🎥 Tornike Jandieri
November 22, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Every day, Georgian police carry out countless unlawful orders.
Today, they suddenly decided that standing on the raised platform in front of Parliament is forbidden — and arrested young activist Sopo Markozia for simply being there.
Day 360.
🎥 Tornike Jandieri
Today, they suddenly decided that standing on the raised platform in front of Parliament is forbidden — and arrested young activist Sopo Markozia for simply being there.
Day 360.
🎥 Tornike Jandieri
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
This piece is good but the photo and choice to use it is perfection
Greene's departure represents another political notch in Trump’s belt, the retreat of another would-be Republican rebel. But the defiant nature of her video announcement hinted at the fissures now dividing the president’s movement. Lisa Lerer @reidepstein.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/u...
Trump Shows His Power, and Greene Reveals His Weakness
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:10 PM
This piece is good but the photo and choice to use it is perfection
William Merritt Chase at Princeton Museum.
November 21, 2025 at 7:34 PM
William Merritt Chase at Princeton Museum.
Still life by Giorgio Morandi at Princeton Museum of Art
November 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Still life by Giorgio Morandi at Princeton Museum of Art
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Rewarding a dictator-aggressor always leads to another war. One that is usually even worse.
November 21, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Rewarding a dictator-aggressor always leads to another war. One that is usually even worse.
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
From Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, Rep. @velazquez.house.gov has always been a champion and tireless advocate for immigrants, small businesses and working families. Your grace and fight showed us what real leadership looks like. From the bottom of my heart, thank you La Luchadora.
November 20, 2025 at 10:50 PM
From Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, Rep. @velazquez.house.gov has always been a champion and tireless advocate for immigrants, small businesses and working families. Your grace and fight showed us what real leadership looks like. From the bottom of my heart, thank you La Luchadora.
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
toronto looking magical this afternoon
November 20, 2025 at 11:42 PM
toronto looking magical this afternoon
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Remembering Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray on her 115th birthday
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Remembering Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray on her 115th birthday
Finally out! Written in 2020, great to see it finally appear in such good company…
November 21, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Finally out! Written in 2020, great to see it finally appear in such good company…
I met Robert Gray once, and briefly, in Sydney but I had a 40 year relationship with his poetry, one of the finest bodies of poetic work produced by an Australian .
Robert Gray was an extraordinary poet who I found late, after a recommendation from a friend who knew him. This story from his autobiography whispers to me every time I am walking in boggy bush. Vale.
November 18, 2025 at 1:18 PM
I met Robert Gray once, and briefly, in Sydney but I had a 40 year relationship with his poetry, one of the finest bodies of poetic work produced by an Australian .
Reposted by Nicholas Birns
Great news! A new edition of J.R.R. #Tolkien's Unfinished Tales by @harpercollins.bsky.social is due out on 12 March, just in time for Tolkien Reading Day! RRP of £16.99 and ISBN 9780008785697 - this will match in perfectly with the other hardbacks.
November 18, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Great news! A new edition of J.R.R. #Tolkien's Unfinished Tales by @harpercollins.bsky.social is due out on 12 March, just in time for Tolkien Reading Day! RRP of £16.99 and ISBN 9780008785697 - this will match in perfectly with the other hardbacks.
A tribute to my late uncle in the journal, which he edited.,
November 18, 2025 at 12:22 PM
A tribute to my late uncle in the journal, which he edited.,