I’m happy to announce that I have started recording the first episode of my podcast, Victorian Curiosities!🎙️The episode will focus on the life of Victorian icon, Frederick Douglass, and will discuss his tireless advocacy for the civil rights of African Americans.

Amazing night at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham for #UncannyFearoftheDark last night! #UncannyCommunity #IKnowWhatISaw #TeamBeliever

Maybe I’m bias, but is it just me who hates it when Hollywood adapts a Victorian novel and alters it to suit modern audiences? Like, what’s with the graphic sex scenes? What about Victorian morality standards? 1/3 #WutheringHeightsMovie

Oh no!🫣 I have just watched the #WutheringHeightsMovie trailer, and I’m not impressed🙈 Sorry, but the novel will always be superior. I love Margot Robbie, but as a Victorianist, I feel compelled to defend Emily Brontë on this one. youtu.be/ID0rqEWrN44?...

Currently reading for Chapter Two, Section Three of my thesis, which focuses on Mary Kingsley’s Travels in West Africa (1897). It’s a fascinating narrative! 📚

Last night, I attended An Evening with Jacqueline Wilson, hosted by @waterstones.bsky.social at the beautiful St Mary’s Church in Nottingham. 1/3

Happy 207th birthday to my favourite Brontë sister, Emily, and happy 67th birthday to one of my favourite musical artists, Kate Bush! Two amazingly talented women born on the same day, 140 years apart. ‘I will walk where my own nature would be leading.’ - Emily Brontë

Just renewed my @dickensfellowhq.bsky.social subscription. It’s good to be back!🎩📚

Yesterday I completed the first draft of Chapter Two, Section Two on Charles Dickens after having a bit of a break from thesis-writing. Current overall word count is about 42,000 words, so I’m now onto the countdown to 50,000. Feeling more determined than ever to finish my PhD.

I’m back on the other place if anybody’s still there 😅 Same username as before.

I attended Thursday’s lovely service in Durham to remember and celebrate this incredible man, who had such an exuberance for life and positively impacted every person he came into contact with: Professor Simon James.

I am devastated to hear this news. Professor Simon James was my primary PhD supervisor, and I have been exceedingly lucky to have had him supervise my thesis for the past two years. He was incredibly kind, caring, passionate and funny, and I will miss him so much…

Hi Bluesky, it’s been a short while since I posted. I just wanted to update you all with some sad news😞. Unfortunately, my beautiful dog, Hope, who most of you will know as my PhD study buddy, went to Rainbow Bridge yesterday morning😢🌈🐾

Hi Bluesky, long time no see! Hope you’ve all been well. Haven’t posted for a while, as I’ve been concentrating on writing my thesis. Pleased to say that I am now over 40,000 words in total!

Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mum and to all the wonderful mums out there 🌸

I would really appreciate it if my lovely friends on Bluesky could like & share the Facebook page of my new podcast, Victorian Curiosities. I'm in the process of planning the first episode, and I would appreciate the support! ☺️ www.facebook.com/victoriancur...

My new podcast, Victorian Curiosities, is now available to listen via Apple Podcasts!🎙️ You can access it via this link: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/v... #podcast #victorians #history #academicsky #phdsky #phdlife #academiclife #phd #academia

Solidarity with staff and students at @kingstonuniversity.bsky.social. Please share 🙌🏾 #KingstonUniversity #AcademicSky docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Writing Chapter Two, Section Two on Charles Dickens!💻 #PhDlife #AcademicBluesky #PhDSky #AcademicSky #CharlesDickens #AcademicLife #Victorians

I'm pleased to announce my new #podcast, Victorian Curiosities! I've wanted to create a podcast on the Victorians, and I thought that now was the right time to do it. Here's the introduction: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tz4rc-... #history #victorians #academicbluesky #phdlife @thephdplace.bsky.social

I love having fresh flowers in front of my PhD desk☺️🌼

When you were doing an undergrad, you wanted to do a masters. When you did a masters, you wanted to do a PhD. Now you’re doing a PhD, you want to be a cat.

I really want to create my own podcast on the Victorians and the nineteenth century. Any podcast creators have any tips? #AcademicBluesky #PhDLife #podcast #podcasts #history #PhDSky

Literature academics ought to get World Book Day off as a religious holiday.

My first draft of Chapter Two, Section One is done! #PhDLife #MarySeacole

My boyfriend and I had a really busy day rearranging my bedroom. After several years of writing essays in my bed, I FINALLY have a desk to work at!😁💻 #PhDLife #AcademicBluesky

Happy #PancakeDay everyone!🥞

Started watching @davidolusoga.bsky.social’s Black and British: A Forgotten History series, which is absolutely fascinating! I also have the book, which has been a really good companion for my thesis.

Can’t get enough of #Uncanny, so of course I had to buy the book!👻 @dannyrobins.bsky.social #UncannyCommunity

So ready for another supervision meeting tomorrow, been struggling a little bit with one of my chapter’s sections 😩 #PhDLife

On Feb. 14th I try always to give honor to one of the greatest contributors to American democracy in our nation’s history, Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, Douglass never knew his actual birthdate, and adopted Feb. 14th as the day. His penetrating insights about our country inspire me daily.

Had a lovely stroll around Grasmere yesterday (the gingerbread is delicious!). Completely understand why Wordsworth fell in love with the place; the Lake District is truly beautiful.

Scary… Only a fifth of UK voters 'ashamed' of British Empire www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

Brain food 🍫

In my PhD supervision meeting yesterday, my supervisor advised me to own my research, and in terms of building upon existing scholarship, he wisely told me to ‘Stand on the shoulders of giants’...1/2

Advertise your account using 1 Simpsons image

Terribly sad news. Curators are important. Staff are important. Volunteers are important. Culture and history are important. A horrible (yet all too common) sign of stripping the essential stuff and leaving the excess. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

I’m trying to avoid all of the negative posts I encountered in the bad place. The list of political-related words I mute gets longer by the minute!

I’m a true Victorianist at heart, but I do love a bit of Tudor history. I loved the BBC #WolfHall series (Mark Rylance is a fabulous actor). Can’t wait to get stuck into this.

Attacks on higher ed are also attacks on the economy. Pass it on.

Papier diaries are just beautiful 🍓

My study buddy 🐾

🧵: Today, I sat in the Bodleian Admissions Office and recited the Bodleian Oath aloud, promising to ‘obey all rules of the library’. The lovely lady in Admissions then handed me my official Bodleian Reader card and officially welcomed me into the @bodleianlibraries.bsky.social! 1/6

Hahahaha, love this!

Decided to leave the other place permanently and delete my account, it just isn’t the same anymore.

Today I’m working through my supervisor’s feedback and adding more to Chapter One, Section Three on Ida B. Wells. I’m currently researching Frances Willard and the public dispute she had with Wells on racial issues. #PhDlife #AcademicBluesky #Victorianists

I’m saddened to hear of the closure of the English Literature course at Canterbury Christ Church University. I join @univeng.bsky.social in solidarity with both staff and students affected by this decision. universityenglish.ac.uk/english-lite...

This is full, so I have started a second starter pack for academics and organizations focused on the #19th century: see it here go.bsky.app/3W3Ykpe

Hello to all of my new followers! I’m Ayesha and I am currently in the second year of my PhD at Durham University Department of English Studies. I’m researching Representations of Blackness and Biracialism in c-19 British Literature, here is the link to my profile: www.durham.ac.uk/staff/ayesha....

Right now, Blue Sky feels like a reunion of people you haven't seen in a long time and are very happy to see.