Coinciding with Pride Month, Flamboyance by Jack Parlett is being published in the UK. I proofread the book, which argues for the importance of flamboyance in life and celebrates the queer community's contribution to popular culture while describing the author’s experience of growing up gay.

'Despite It All' by Fred Pearce. This new book provides seven cautious reasons for hope that we might avoid the worst ravages of environmental breakdown and climate change. I was the copy-editor and fact-checker. granta.com/products/des...

I recently copy-edited 'A Nation Wrestles with God: American Prophets, Philosophers, and Firebrands', an anthology containing speeches, articles, cartoons, and poetry by over 100 Americans, including Thomas Jefferson, Walt Whitman, Isaac Asimov, Lana Del Rey, and er... Donald Trump!

It's always nice when someone spots your name in the thanks and asks if it was you – it was!

Fractured France by Andrew Hussey (which I copy-edited) explores tensions in France that have led to the far right and massive protests. The recollections of 40 years in France are fascinating and full of dry humour. Recommended to anyone interested in contemporary France. granta.com/products/fra...

There is an iconic figure of Japan that will not be with us much longer. He is an endangered species, almost extinct. He will be mourned. Read my salaryman elegy on this week's Substack:

The sad stupidity of UK police. Private Eye jokes now ‘criminal’ as the magazine hits back at dumbass cops www.thecanary.co/trending/202...

Some more on the latest threat to liberty in Japan.

Underpants! Made from recycled drinks bottles! I'll give them a try!

my essay for @aeon.co on the science of alien languages and science fiction has gone live! This thing is over a year in the making. Give it a read and let us know what you think! #xenolinguistics #alien #language #scifi #philosophy #solaris

this is gold 🤣. the political clarity is unmatched. i need the daily digest.

This new Pulp song is fantastic (and so is the video) – as good as anything they did in the 1990s. www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_xn...

Miffy cafe Tokyo. This one's for you @merisi-vienna.bsky.social!

A quirky and delightful children's book based on a traditional Ukrainian folk tale that I proofread. www.amazon.com/Glove-Based-...

With my Miffy posse.

🚨 Outrage as 20 police officers break into Westminster Quaker Meeting House and arrest six. 🚨 This shocking violation of a place of worship is a direct result of crackdowns on protest and dissent - freedom of speech, assembly and democracy are at risk.🕊️ 👉 www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Not that we in the library wish to encourage profanity, but if you want to get rid of these AI-search summaries (which are often absolute nonsense), just swear in your search terms. It really works.

Soba restaurant, Asakusa, Tokyo.

A comment from a customer: 'I ... appreciate your copy-editing; your thoughtful feedback has taught me valuable lessons in academic expression and writing techniques. I've always found our communications comfortable, warm, and pressure-free, [making] working together such a pleasant experience.'

Always a delight to see a book you copy-edited go on sale with a beautiful cover. This book provides four inspiring but realistic visions of the future based on 'more than human', degrowth, solarpunk, and the metaverse. www.waterstones.com/book/designi...

This is what I'm listening to at the moment, thanks to my 18-year-old son. This rap (English translation in the video) kicks the shit out of most of the dross that is J-pop. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHm6...

This is an amazing statement by Norway. Kudos 👏 to Norway

🐧💛😍

The word 'bed' kind of looks like a bed.

This the funniest thing I've seen for a while. Stomach-hurting funny. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iab...

It’s up there with this

Another piece of the US government machinery is being destroyed right now.

Very sad to read this. I used to have a lot of fun working with USAID-funded Americans in Namibia. Another thing destroyed by the new US administration.

It's great to see so many editors and proofreaders joining up on Bluesky!

'Terminal capitalism'. I certainly feel that we're reaching the end of days.

Some new words, from the Cambridge Dictionary blog, with the theme of working in an office. They make us rather appreciate the freelance life! Read the definitions here 👇 dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2024/12/16/n...

Been heating up stuff and pulverising it with a blender – very satisfying! Carrot soup (left) and apple stew (right).

Hello from another refugee from the abomination that Meta is creating.