The walls of Magnus Martyr

everyone with an English degree rn: WELL, WELL, WELL,

Northern sun

Writing in the lovely Stromness library under the watchful eye of George Mackay Brown

Taking refuge from the heat in the beautiful north

CFP: Hogg’s World Now (Conference) navsa.org/News/13637856 Image Source: Portrait by John Watson Gordon, 1830

After giving the audience at @natlibscot.bsky.social an exclusive preview, we are delighted to share the first taste of our editions of Thomas Pennant's Scottish Tours! (Click on "Show Pennant's Tours" after following the link below) editions.curioustravellers.ac.uk/tours

St Kilda. Abandoned in 1930, when population decline and lack of medical facilities made the people evacuate after centuries of life there

Glorious day on Harris

Such a sad story

Neolithic architecture at Callanish

A professor and 3 doctors walk into a bar. 'Hi Johannes' says the bartender. 'What'll it be?' (h/t Phil whose photo it is and whose Bsky handle I've forgotten).

✍️ Looking to get your academic work published? Earlier this month, one of our Commissioning Editors @emilysharp.bsky.social joined a panel of fellow industry experts sharing tips on finding a publisher, writing proposals and more!

This was a great event, showing the great value not only of manuscripts but also on the importance of keeping them in a community that can learn from them and communicate their importance.

Margaritas in thé hope of summer

Two excellent things about Venice: great coffee in your B&B, and churches

Great papers and pretty good views at the Stevenson conference

Very pleased to have an article in this special issue of “Studies in Hogg and his World”. SHW does everything a journal of its kind should—articles, biographical and bibliographical notes, and reviews. Do consider submitting an essay.

I carefully read all the flyers for today's elections, and the one that had the clearest, most reasonable, and appropriately detailed set of proposals was ...

NEW from me: many of our universities are now in a dying fall. A new global-national-regional-local split is opening up, which could choke off progress on almost all the Government's plans. Do they have a plan? Nope, nothing, not a clue. 👇 isrf.org/blog/whats-t...

Small town seaside Piers. Beautiful elegance for the people.

May Day moonlight

Come along for Lighthouses and more. We're delighted to be celebrating the aquisition of Scott's manuscript by Abbotsford House.

It’s that time again

It's already destroyed a lot of fossil fuel supply, but the Iran War is shaping up to deliver the biggest destruction of fossil fuel demand in history. www.businessgreen.com/news/4528540...

I’ve said it before and I’ll no doubt say it again. Universities are roughly 1000 years old. They predate most operating models including capitalism and have lasted for a reason. Installing insecure, helpless managers who ape business methods results in bad businesses, not good universities.

RIP Len Deighton, the greatest 20th c author of spy fiction and a brilliant chronicler of the absurdities, historical complexities, and political violence of espionage. He was a wonderful, thoughtful stylist as well.

Finally spring

Our annual Susan Manning Lecture is an exciting one this year. Cedric Tolliver will be speaking on African-American spy novels. Book here: llc.ed.ac.uk/english-lite... @uoe-llc.bsky.social

Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow Through public scorn,—mud from a muddy spring.

Scenes from a wonderful symposium at UC Cork and the launch of @claireconnolly.bsky.social ‘s brilliant book

Uses of Romanticism symposium at @ucc.ie opens with a poetry reading from the fabulous Maureen McLane.

Gotta love a hotel with Yeats on the bottled water

Really enjoyed the Bodleian’s informative Le Carre exhibition. Was pleased to note that The Author seems to have had no more idea about the plot of The Honourable Schoolboy than I do

Just renewed my Bodleian reader’s ticket and was chatting about the changes since my first ticket. The lovely librarian said “This will always be your home” and I nearly burst into tears!

The wonderful thing about Tyggers Is Tyggers are burning bright Their tops are made out of rubber In the forest of the night What bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, Immortal hand or eye Did frame the most wonderful thing about Tyggers, Their fearful symmetry!

I'm an Anglo-Scot who has lived in Ireland and I'm here to tell you that I do not visit America to experience the joys of "English-Scotts [sic]-Irish" culture.

#FindsFriday The Cairns Character! Discovered in a pit at the #IronAge #Broch site of The Cairns on the island of South Ronaldsay, #Orkney. He or She was carved from a beach pebble around 2,000 years ago. 📸 mine

Just reread Silas Marner. Anyone thinking the humanities are a waste of time should read it and review their life choices.

Upcoming symposium: 'Uses of Romanticism' at University College Cork, 18-19 Feb 2026 This symposium will explore the uses and relevance of the term 'Romanticism'. More on the blog: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6312

Wonderful evening with @hebridesensemble.bsky.sociali and Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, one of my favourite pieces. Amazing musicianship. We're also lucky to be able to hear contemporary music--I enjoyed Arthur Keegan's beautiful, atmospheric Quartet for the Start of Life.

Burns Night cocktails

Save the Date: 14th International Walter Scott Conference in Edinburgh, 2027 Details on the blog: www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6280

So looking forward discussing Romanticism with these fantastic people in beautiful Cork.

It’s Penguin Awareness Day which seems like a great excuse to post the greatest ever Wikipedia edit.

Uh-oh

New year’s sky

Happy New Year

If it’s Saint Stephens day it’s time for leftover beef and colcannon. The best meal of the holidays.