Froggy urges me to spend more time outdoors, under blue skies, so I'm unlikely to be found here at Bluesky. But I am usually available at karenchristensen.substack.com/notes and c/o Berkshire Publishing.

Why the vegans lost: Bo’s Studio was named for a cat who disappeared, but Bo lives on in an adorable little vegan cookbook. You can see Bo the cat flying here. RIP. open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

The internet was nice while it lasted.

The US celebrates Labor Day at the beginning of September, while every other country celebrates a workers day on May 1st. American exceptionalism of a most unattractive kind. Here’s the global history for our Labor Day nonetheless! open.substack.com/pub/historyl...

Sign up for History Lessons open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

Third places (tiers lieux) in France - an interview open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

Is this really "Anything to get me back to Paris?" karenchristensen.substack.com/p/third-plac...: Third places (tiers lieux) in France - an interview open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

My flag is tangled on the roses that are climbing the house, and I got tangled up, too. The first version of this post had only half the text. This is the full version. karenchristensen.substack.com/p/deportatio...

The video produced by our hosts in Yangzhou is a treat, though I found it annoying to be followed by photographers the whole time and got into it with one of them who just wouldn't leave me alone. As so often, I could have been more patient and obliging! karenchristensen.substack.com/p/16-days-in...

North Korean literature! Amazing. You clearly need to know some of the people I met in Dunhuang, China earlier this month at a conference sponsored by the China Writers Association. The chair of the Academy of Letters in Pakistan comes to mind. Greetings from Great Barrington.

It seems we need to look back to revolutionary days. open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

FREE Union Station print for paid subscribers open.substack.com/pub/traintim...

There is something delicious about MAGA folks being told to buy Teslas - I suppose at some point they will realize that a Tesla is an electric vehicle.

Thanks to @anneapplebaum.bsky.social for sharing this. A Canadian friend tells me that Massachusetts and other states in New England will be especially welcome when they ask to join Canada. youtu.be/8peiLVFsLdw?...

From the original 1936 edition of How to Win Friends and Influence People. Useful lessons for US Democratic Party in 2025.

I recognized Mark Carney's name because he wrote a book called Value(s). Another difference between him and those in power in the US.

While while it's worthwhile to make fun of the top Dems who are getting it wrong, we need to highlight the Dems who are working very hard to get the messaging right. I'm an admirer of Chris Murphy and Beto O'Rourke but there are many others. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/o...

follow up to the program at #PrinciplesFirst. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdAD...

I’m writing a little piece about the Green Party and was looking for the party political broadcast John Cleese did for the UK party in 1989. No luck with that, but I found this one. youtu.be/ToFe49xvqgE?...

And it begins. FBI class action lawsuit against the retaliatory purge. First Amendment Violation of Due Process Rights to Privacy www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/u...

He threw us under the bus. www.slowboring.com/p/throw-bide...

I guess I won't rush to renew Berkshire Publishing Group's listing with the SBA.

Starting to back up current projects on thumb drive, just in case the tech thugs manage to knock out the internet. If all else fails, I have a typewriter. karenchristensen.substack.com/p/t-s-eliots...

3/ My colleagues and I on the @waysmeanscmte.bsky.social will not stand for this.

What the Musk is Happening? open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...

The weird thing about this piece by @jenrubin.bsky.social is that it doesn’t address the question of WHAT MESSAGE? And is getting on BlueSky really the way to reach new voters? A Guide for the Perplexed: Democrats in Distress open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

Desi pubs - a conversation about race, exclusion, and resilience open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

Celebrating Snakes at Lunar New Year I'm putting in a good word for snakes! open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

Never never surrender open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

We plebs do not lack control - though we may lack the self-discipline to turn off this money stream. I essentially stopped using FB years ago, but will be researching whether it matters to delete the account entirely.

I hope everyone who uses, and depends upon, Facebook realizes that they are contributing to the wealth of those who have bowed to Trump. Ditto, for those who use Amazon, or drive Teslas. Musk is a slightly different case: much of his wealth comes from US taxpayers via the US government.

Our longest march (with photos from the Shanghai launch) open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

I fear the Post may look very different a year from now.

One way I'm dealing with political polarization is to try to look on the bright side, in this case seeing the good things about Christianity. I think this is a fair assessment but I'm not so sure the right-wing Christians I know will agree. karenchristensen.substack.com/p/a-good-wor...

Latest podcast, and cheerful too. karenchristensen.substack.com/p/joyful-chr...

A friend said, “You know, at our age, driving at night, well, it’s harder.” Okay, probably. But I prefer the explanation in this article. www.theringer.com/2024/12/03/t...

To be a Woman: The Life of Jill Craigie with Carl Rollyson open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

Every day that passes, I am more grateful to the team at @thebulwark.bsky.social for holding fast and staying strong. I'm with you all the way.

I applied online for a new US passport last Friday, payment confirmed on Sunday. I expected to wait 4-6 weeks, but the new passport is now in my hands, 6 days after submitting the application.

Substack doesn't yet have Bluesky share buttons, but I remembered! open.substack.com/pub/karenchr...

While Arnade never uses the term “third place,” that’s just what he’s talking about. I’m wondering if this means McDonalds hasn’t been removing its seating as Starbucks and other fast-food places have? open.substack.com/pub/walkingt...

The year 2024 proved to be another landmark for books about Ukraine and Ukrainian literature in translation. The Kyiv Independent has curated a selection of the 10 most compelling books on Ukraine from 2024.

Caption contest. Go.

Back to back podcast recordings today: Jon Watts on his biography of James Lovelock and Bryant Simon on his book about Starbucks, which has a chapter on third places. They'll be released after editing, via Substack. www.ucpress.edu/books/everyt...

This is my current book project, due out in April 2025. www.greatgoodplace.org. Eager to hear about third places worldwide, and about the need for them.

This video was made at the pool at Simons Rock College in Great Barrington www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCX7.... A cheerful beginning on Bluesky.