The death of the Special Collections reading room

On a recent researcht trip to Germany I wanted to look at some German editions and translations of English republican works from the seventeenth and eighteenth century at a university library. And for the first time in my career as an early modern historian, the Special Collections librarian asked me if it was really necessary… Continue reading The death of the Special Collections reading room

The Covid-19 backlog in academia

There is not just a massive Covid-19 backlog in NHS care in the UK, there is also a backlog in academic publications in this country, albeit one which is fortunately much less noticeable to the outside world. And hopefully nobody is going to die because of it. Of course I can only talk about my… Continue reading The Covid-19 backlog in academia

Mrs Dalloway as a Provincial Lady

The Diary of a Provincial Lady has become my unexpected favourite book of the year. Its unassuming and self-deprecating title very much sets the tone for the four parts of E.M. Delafield’s semi-autobiographical novel, as the main character from a small village in Devon embarks on a successful literary career that takes her first to… Continue reading Mrs Dalloway as a Provincial Lady

Studying while poor: Student life is not all it is cracked up to be

Reading recent reports on student loans not covering the actual cost of living really hit home with me as it brought back memories of my own student days. With Christmas approaching, I distinctly remember the time I was not able to attend the xmas party in my student halls because my flatmates had asked for… Continue reading Studying while poor: Student life is not all it is cracked up to be

Hunting the regicides in America – Robert Harris’s Act of Oblivion

The Act of Indemnity and Oblivion passed after the Restoration of the Stuarts to the English throne in 1660 was a general act of pardon for those who had acted against Charles I in the English Civil War and its aftermath. It was intended as a reconciliation between the incoming King Charles II and his… Continue reading Hunting the regicides in America – Robert Harris’s Act of Oblivion

WS: ‘Translating English republicanism in the European Enlightenment’

22 June 2023, Newcastle University, Armstrong Building ARMB 1.06 This workshop addresses the significance of translation for the dissemination of English republican ideas in the European Enlightenment. The contribution of English republican ideas by thinkers such as John Milton, Marchamont Nedham, James Harrington, Edmund Ludlow and Algernon Sidney to the European Enlightenment has been a… Continue reading WS: ‘Translating English republicanism in the European Enlightenment’

Are Zoom conferences making academia more exclusive?

The fashion for Zoom meetings in academia might have started out of necessity during the coronavirus pandemic, but the little video tiles on our laptop screens are likely here to stay. Generally, I am all in favour of it. Zoom has made my life a lot easier and saved many an unnecessary journey. I have… Continue reading Are Zoom conferences making academia more exclusive?

The Other Black Girl and the Power of Hair

Nella works at Wagner in New York. But life in the publishing world is not easy for a young black woman, especially as the only black person in the office. So Nella is excited when Hazel, a new black colleague, arrives. They go for lunch, compare notes on colleagues and cringe together over their white… Continue reading The Other Black Girl and the Power of Hair

Remembering the Holodomor

Erin Litteken tells the story of four generations of women of an American family. At the centre of the story is Cassie, the young widow, who struggles to come to terms with her husband’s recent death in an accident. She lives in Wisconsin with her little daughter Birdie, who has not spoken since her father… Continue reading Remembering the Holodomor