Barber-surgeons and the anatomy of authoring
Or how being a twenty-first century author is weirdly like being a seventeenth-century barber-surgeon. Detail of one side of a painted wooden partition for a...
A bear called Paddington: who gets to be human?
This 1966 reprint of the first Paddington book was a second-hand steal at 40p. I’ve been re-reading the Paddington Bear books. If you’ve never encountered...
Strange, wondrous, and hopeful podcasts
A siren and a centaur from a bestiary c. 1270. MS Ludwig XV 3. Digital image courtesy of Getty’s Open Content Program, fol. 78r. Hallo, readers! In today’s...
Spooky season tidbits - and a 30% preorder discount on Humans: A Monstrous History!
Which monsters would you like to read about this fall?
"Disambiguate, disambiguate!" Monday morning in Dalek mode
For a creative person, errands can feel bone-crushing. Here's my latest workaround.
HUMANS: A Monstrous History is available for preorder!
... and some upcoming book events.
The coach, the cataloguer and the chaos muppet: authors are many-headed hydra
On warring headspaces during copy edits, and some books and music I'm enjoying this summer.
Who are we, and what might we become? What to read next.
Fiction and nonfiction asking the big questions.
Cover reveal! Humans: A Monstrous History
The book is in production! - and some essays I published, plus some museum recommendations.
How I got a literary agent
On what I did en route to getting offers of representation from three New York City literary agents.
‘Realms of the Imagination’ Review: The Worlds of Fantasy
An exhibition at The British Library takes visitors on a journey through fantasy literature, a testament to humanity's persistent attempts to understand this world by imagining others.
Kraken-wrestling and other monster (mis)adventures
Deep in the weeds of chapter revisions, but looking ahead to talks in Chicago and Toronto.
"OOH, SHINY!" lists of doom and Draft no. 3
What should I do with the forest of to-do lists in order to finish Draft no. 3 of HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY?
The book manuscript is in! - and some changes afoot
What I did in the final stages of draft number 3 of my book manuscript.
YOUNG QUEENS: Catherine de' Medici, Elisabeth de Valois, and Mary Queen of Scots
In which I rave about Leah Redmond Chang's terrific new book, and update readers on my own book revisions in progress.
Not just Josephine Baker: African Americans abroad
In which I reflect on Tamara J. Walker's terrific BEYOND THE SHORES: A HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS ABROAD, and offer museum tips for photography fans
Habits: the good, the bad, and the pointless
Unhelpful voices from grad school, and a terrific water, beach, and landscape memoir grappling with childhood demons.
Thar she blows! Reading, viewing, and thinking about whales
In which I talk about some Really Big Bones, recommend a terrific whale-related historical novel, and share a tall tale about whaling.
“Burble, burble, burble” and other confessions from a writer on the road
The view out from Leadenhall Market, London, UK. According to one early modern commentator, his mother-in-law was frightened by a lobster in this market, and...
Colour Me Thrilled: Art and Nature in Stuttgart and Innsbruck
Two paintings, a castle, and some wildlife: how the book I read at breakfast is changing how I think about writing and looking.
Vermeer: How Not to Curate an Exhibition
In which I muse on a disturbing visit to the Rijksmuseum's Vermeer show.
Art, monsters, and Gothic Revival in North Carolina
In which I go adventuring among artworks, rare books, and manuscripts - and notes on historic houses and museums, and dining recommendations.
Eating and doing in Washington, DC
Last week's museum visits, and how I fuelled them.
How not to buy a couch
In which I release half-read bits of psychology into the ether.
Art, trade, and colonialism, then and now
How a contemporary Nigerian-British sculptor updated an old European art motif.
Around a continent on lots of trains
In which I look ahead to a season of travel around Europe, muse on writers' relationships to their drafts, and offer dining recommendations for Philadelphia.
Three cheers for accountability buddies!
In which I reflect on starting book ms revisions, and on the writing buddies who keep me honest.
Small mammal problems: managing the creative brain
In which I go down a musical rabbit-hole in my quest for a sustainable way to stay on top of errands without sabotaging writing or resting.
Operation Errand: Whack-a-moling for People Who Think Too Much
In which I lay out my five notes-to-self for the season, and recommend a podcast series on method in the writing of history.
The Craft behind HUMANS: A Monstrous History
In which I expand on last week's presentation at the American Historical Association Annual Meeting, and ask readers what they'd like me to write about in the coming year.
The Historian as Storyteller
On writing trade-list history books, and some takes and recommendations
London Calling
In this newsletter, I puzzle over the time-machine effect of last month’s trip to London, UK, and recommend a few things to eat and to visit.
Jump Day!
In which Day 1 as a footloose writer finally arrives.
Enter the Everything Historian
Notes and musings from a historian who sees connections everywhere.