“To expect therefore, that Plays should be altogether without obscene Passages, were it not to expect that Nature should make Bodies altogether without Privy parts?" - Sir Richard Baker, 1662

This is Sir Francis Verney's idea of flattering poetry, from a poem to the earl of Salisbury (1605): "Men are prone mightie Lords to flatter / Yet wish their heads served in a platter". Not surprisingly, Verney gave up on poetry and playwriting and instead became a pirate on the Barbary coast.

My latest publication is out in Early Theatre: new evidence about a specific playgoer in early modern Worcester (UK)--and not just any other playgoer but one of the rarest kinds to appear in the historical record by name: a middle-class woman. earlytheatre.org/earlytheatre...

A letter from Jacques De Coucy in Boulogne to Lord Lisle, the English lord deputy of Calais, sent on October 18, 1534, translated from French: "I send you a boar's head. I am sorry I have not got the rest to go with it." That's it. The whole letter.

Campus alert system not exactly inspiring confidence…

Looking forward to talking about book history pedagogy this afternoon with a stellar panel at the Society for Textual Scholarship conference at UPenn! textualsociety.org/2025-confere...

Sir Francis Verney: the only early modern amateur playwright to appear as a Disney character.

Progressive. Professional. Pangallo!

We have more to do to ensure that #SalemMA continues to be safe and welcoming, affordable and forward-looking -- a city led with competence and with compassion.  That’s why I’m excited to announce that I’m running for re-election as Salem’s Mayor! Join our campaign at www.pangalloforsalem.com.

Anyone ever have RSA change their conference session on them and simply not tell them? Two weeks before the conference and I find out indirectly that my paper has been moved to a different panel...

On Feb 4, join Scott Oldenburg and me, along with contributors from our new collection for a discussion about the book, early modern plays about England's relationship to Europe, and how early modern drama can (and can't) help us think about Brexit, Trumpism, and the rise of neonationalism.

Spies! Assassins! Actors! Going to #RSA2025 or #Shax2025 and need a little more espionage in your life? Come listen to me channel my inner John le Carré with "'For Her Majesty’s Special Service': Performers as Spies in Renaissance England"

Pre-ordering now available for "None a Stranger There"! Paperback is just $35, so only $3.50 per chapter for 10 fantastic works of insightful, original scholarship on the England/Europe relationship in early modern drama as seen through a post-Brexit lens. www.uapress.ua.edu/978081736173...

Proofs have arrived for "None a Stranger There"! #earlymoderndrama #theaterhistory #Shakespeare #Brexit

It was a great pleasure be invited on the New Books Network yesterday to discuss my co-edited volume "Teaching the History of the Book" (UMass Press, 2023) with my co-editor, Emily Todd! You can listen to it here (or anywhere you get podcasts): newbooksnetwork.com/teaching-the...

Pre-ordering is now available "None a Stranger There"--a collection of essays by a brilliant group of scholars thinking about early modern drama in the age of Brexit & the rise of neo-nationalism, co-edited by me & the wonderful Scott Oldenburg. www.uapress.ua.edu/978081736173...

Another small liberal arts college is closing its doors (in Vermont, the 4th in the past 5 years). This time it's Goddard College (alma mater of David Mamet and William H. Macy): vtdigger.org/2024/04/09/f... #highered #liberalarts #college #capitalismwilldestroycivilization

An ad in the May 12, 1854 “Oregon Spectator”…

Call for essay proposals for a planned volume honoring the memory of William Proctor Williams. Essays are sought on subjects such as #textual criticism, scholarly #editing, #bookhistory, early modern #theater history, #earlymoderndrama, & #Shakespeare. call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2024/03/...

Took advantage of being in Chicago for RSA to explore some of the highs and lows of local cultural offerings…

Closing out my time at RSA, after presenting on a fantastic panel yesterday, with my perpetual conference goal of finding a decent local greasy spoon for breakfast and avoiding the overpriced conference hotel restaurant.

On my way to RSA and wishing there was some Shakespeare or any early modern drama on stage in Chicago this week. Alas.

"So, if the projections by these agencies range from weak growth to stability to very slight decline, why are administrators preaching cliffs, crises, and cuts?"

Just out with Studies in Philology. Was great to work with @pangallo.bsky.social and Rachel. muse.jhu.edu/pub/12/artic... #earlymodern

Remember the old days, when Mastodon was a thing?

Did the students provide informed consent for the university to sell their intellectual property? If so, how much are the students being paid? Did the instructors in these courses provide informed consent to have their pedagogical labor re-commodified by the university? How much are they being paid?

Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" more than a class discussion about act five of "Merchant of Venice"...

This fall I'm teaching an MA course on scholarly editing. Among the subjects will be a discussion of the politics of the practice. I'm looking for recommendations for effective articles or book chapters on scholarly editing and race or scholarly editing and colonialism. Thoughts?

First review is out for "Teaching the History of the Book", from David Lemmons in the journal "Teaching & Learning Inquiry": "comprehensive and engaging....this volume is essential." #bookhistory #teaching #highered #humanities journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TL...

For extra credit in my #earlymodern lit survey, students can write a poem emulating one of the poems we studied. Part of the course looked at the wealth of responses to Marlowe's "Passionate Shepherd", so one of the students decided to write a modern parodic take on it (share with permission)...

Looking forward to this hybrid roundtable with Emily Todd and seven of the contributors to our collection, "Teaching the History of the Book". I hope you can join us on Thursday evening! www.umass.edu/renaissance/...

Both Tennessee Williams and Quincy Jones were direct descendants of the Bassano and Lanier families of immigrant musicians employed at the English court in the Elizabethan to Caroline period...

Prepping my pirate literature course again & never get tired of the fact that “Peter Pan" takes place in the same world as “Treasure Island". In Barrie's play, Hook is described as "the only man of whom Barbecue [Long John Silver] was afraid" and Peter's sword is “the same he slew Barbecue with".

Any chance there’s someone I know here who works in the world of art/historical conservation or knows someone in that world? Specifically looking for someone knowledgeable in the business/legal side of it.

Proofs Day for a fun article on authorship, manuscript plays, and Thomas Heywood, co-written with the brilliant @notwithoutmustard.bsky.social and Rachel White--forthcoming in "Studies in Philology". #earlymoderndrama #theaterhistory #manuscriptstudies

Thinking of everyone in my hometown of Salem on this magical, bizarre day. And good luck especially to my brother on his first Halloween as mayor of that great city...

It's all fun and games until.... "it so happened that the aforesaid John Hypper...was playing certain games called 'Christmas games'...and that while playing and sporting, by misfortune and against his will, squeezed himself and injured his testicle against his will...so that he died" (1563)

The VCU Humanities Research Center's virtual roundtable on "Teaching the History of the Book" (UMass Press) starts in just over an hour. It's not too late to register and listen in! (Attendees will also get a 20%-off discount code for the book!) humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/events/meet-...

I'm very excited for this upcoming virtual roundtable discussion with my co-editor and 7 of the contributors from "Teaching the History of the Book", hosted by the VCU Humanities Research Center. Please join us! #highered #teaching #bookhistory humanitiescenter.vcu.edu/events/teach...

Joan needs to get a new man.

One of my students today referred to Orsino as having "deep Kenergy," which I'd say checks out.

One of my colleagues bought our department four replica printing presses (used in the AMC TV show "Turn"). Total cost at auction: $7. First investment in our department's Book Lab! #humanities #earlymodern #bookhistory #highered #teaching

I know what they’re trying to say, but celebrating the fact that there are no interviews at #MLA this year seems a bit out of touch given the state of the job market…

Finished the unit on "The Faerie Queene" in my early modern lit survey & a student has, for fun, made D&D character sheets & monster stat blocks for the people & creatures in the first canto. Looking forward to using these in my current campaign. (This is what's meant by work/life balance, right?)

I had a wonderful time visiting UConn's beautiful campus last week to give a talk with my co-editor, Emily Todd, about our collection "Teaching the History of the Book" from UMass Press. Excited for more events to discuss the collection in the coming months! events.uconn.edu/clir/event/4...

My first post on this platform! Big pressure, so here goes: use the code MAS103 to get 30% off when you order "Teaching the History of the Book" direct from UMass Press: www.umasspress.com/978162534731...