Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
Historian, writer, broadcaster. She/her. Latest book, FALLEN IDOLS, shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2022. HISTORY’S SECRET HEROES and THE LUCAN OBSESSION on BBC Radio 4. One of the Silk Road Slippers https://www.silkroadslippers.com
Pinned
Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
· Oct 28
Fifty years ago, a possibly mistaken murder and the disappearance of a playboy aristocrat gripped the nation. My documentary The Lucan Obsession starts this lunchtime at 1.45pm on BBC Radio 4. Or you can binge all 10 eps (they’re only 15 mins each) on BBC Sounds now. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Bluesky in a nutshell.
Some context: BLS released its jobs numbers today, which were better than expected, and resistance libs would rather stay mad/conspiratorial than listen to actual on-the-ground experts that the data is still reliable.
Some context: BLS released its jobs numbers today, which were better than expected, and resistance libs would rather stay mad/conspiratorial than listen to actual on-the-ground experts that the data is still reliable.
February 11, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Bluesky in a nutshell.
Some context: BLS released its jobs numbers today, which were better than expected, and resistance libs would rather stay mad/conspiratorial than listen to actual on-the-ground experts that the data is still reliable.
Some context: BLS released its jobs numbers today, which were better than expected, and resistance libs would rather stay mad/conspiratorial than listen to actual on-the-ground experts that the data is still reliable.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
i would replace “but” with “and so”
Gen Zers and millennials are swimming in student debt and may never own homes, but they’re splurging on gut-healthy juices and rotisserie chickens.
The Booming Business of Luxury Grocery Stores
A new crop of gourmet grocers has hit the city, drawing lines of trendy TikTokers, MAHA-curious health fiends and Instacart devotees who want to pop in for a treat.
on.wsj.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:01 PM
i would replace “but” with “and so”
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Martin Wolf is very clear on trad wives:
February 11, 2026 at 6:30 AM
Martin Wolf is very clear on trad wives:
My husband volunteers at St Joseph’s Hospice Bereavement Service in Hackney and he’s running the local Half Marathon to raise a little bit of cash for them. If you can spare something, it’s a very worthy cause: www.justgiving.com/page/mike-wi...
Mike's fundraiser for St Joseph's Hospice Hackney
Help Mike Witcombe raise money to support St Joseph's Hospice Hackney
www.justgiving.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:53 AM
My husband volunteers at St Joseph’s Hospice Bereavement Service in Hackney and he’s running the local Half Marathon to raise a little bit of cash for them. If you can spare something, it’s a very worthy cause: www.justgiving.com/page/mike-wi...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I urge you to fill in this consultation if you can - with this very helpful support from Amnesty International - although AND because ! it is heart-breaking that this country has sunk so low that Amnesty suggest in a number of cases to provide no answer as the terms of the question are so evil
The UK government is proposing radical and punitive changes to settlement rules. This is settlement, not citizenship. The consultation is open until 12 February; please respond to it and oppose these evil proposals. Amnesty have a good guide: www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/gu...
Guidance for responding to 'A Fairer Pathway to Settlement' consultation
We are Amnesty International UK. We are ordinary people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights.
www.amnesty.org.uk
February 10, 2026 at 5:43 PM
I urge you to fill in this consultation if you can - with this very helpful support from Amnesty International - although AND because ! it is heart-breaking that this country has sunk so low that Amnesty suggest in a number of cases to provide no answer as the terms of the question are so evil
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
big thanks to @theguardian.com for making my Musk-Epstein blogging workload a little lighter with this fantastic rundown of Kimbal Musk's sordid involvement with Epstein
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Epstein engineered intimate relationship for Tesla’s Kimbal Musk, emails show
Elon Musk’s younger brother and the woman were involved for about six months between 2012 and 2013
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:41 PM
big thanks to @theguardian.com for making my Musk-Epstein blogging workload a little lighter with this fantastic rundown of Kimbal Musk's sordid involvement with Epstein
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Ahead of the release of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, I want to relay something from the Q&A after the early screening I attended.
There's a scene where people are shown scrolling a tik-tok-like app showing endless AI slop videos. Per Verbenski, all of them were made by human animators.
There's a scene where people are shown scrolling a tik-tok-like app showing endless AI slop videos. Per Verbenski, all of them were made by human animators.
February 10, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Ahead of the release of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, I want to relay something from the Q&A after the early screening I attended.
There's a scene where people are shown scrolling a tik-tok-like app showing endless AI slop videos. Per Verbenski, all of them were made by human animators.
There's a scene where people are shown scrolling a tik-tok-like app showing endless AI slop videos. Per Verbenski, all of them were made by human animators.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
chat how do we feel about pinning other people's posts to your profile
if i get even a whiff of discover tab off your reply i’m blocking with extreme prejudice
February 10, 2026 at 7:19 PM
chat how do we feel about pinning other people's posts to your profile
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
the wet market narrative is *bad for the Chinese government* and they have actively suppressed it at every turn! these people are incapable of the most basic understanding of the world.
Redfield is a Trump appointee and known crank. If COVID was circulating in summer of 2019, the entire timeline of the pandemic would be different. Chinese authorities were not "pushing the wet market narrative," they actively covered it up.
What is happening to people's brains over there
What is happening to people's brains over there
February 10, 2026 at 3:17 PM
the wet market narrative is *bad for the Chinese government* and they have actively suppressed it at every turn! these people are incapable of the most basic understanding of the world.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Stuck with a mansplainer at a party? Try turning to someone – anyone – else and asking, “What is a quasar?” If they reply: “Two shots of gin, a hint of vermouth and a twist of lemon. Shall I make you one?”, marry them
Feb 1970: The New English Encyclopedia ad from Purnell
«When the girl with the shortest skirt in the room says "What is a quasar?" do you speak up or shut up?»
«When the girl with the shortest skirt in the room says "What is a quasar?" do you speak up or shut up?»
February 10, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Stuck with a mansplainer at a party? Try turning to someone – anyone – else and asking, “What is a quasar?” If they reply: “Two shots of gin, a hint of vermouth and a twist of lemon. Shall I make you one?”, marry them
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
The choice to frame this rhetorically as a negotiation *with ICE and DHS* rather than, you know, a decision about their future made by their rightful superiors in the popularly elected legislature is, to me, incredibly grating.
Our DHS reform demands are exceedingly reasonable.
We're asking ICE to do nothing more than follow the standards that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies already follow.
Republicans, the ball is in your court. The clock is ticking.
We're asking ICE to do nothing more than follow the standards that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies already follow.
Republicans, the ball is in your court. The clock is ticking.
February 10, 2026 at 4:55 AM
The choice to frame this rhetorically as a negotiation *with ICE and DHS* rather than, you know, a decision about their future made by their rightful superiors in the popularly elected legislature is, to me, incredibly grating.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
There‘s lots of political incidents that still need clear accountability but if the Epstein stuff just gets turned into a stupid meme for zany tik toks and reels and there’s no justice then I feel like it will make people more insane than usual. How can anyone carry on pretending like it’s normal
February 10, 2026 at 8:39 AM
There‘s lots of political incidents that still need clear accountability but if the Epstein stuff just gets turned into a stupid meme for zany tik toks and reels and there’s no justice then I feel like it will make people more insane than usual. How can anyone carry on pretending like it’s normal
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
When trying to explain the strategic predicament that Canada now is in to people in London you really do find yourself wondering what the UK would be willing to do if Trump decided to escalate against Britain's most loyal ally
February 10, 2026 at 5:37 AM
When trying to explain the strategic predicament that Canada now is in to people in London you really do find yourself wondering what the UK would be willing to do if Trump decided to escalate against Britain's most loyal ally
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay
February 10, 2026 at 2:51 AM
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay
It’s easy to get things completely wrong when trying to read the deep reality of royal feelings from their deliberately clipped and opaque public statements. So I could be completely wrong! But I suspect HM would gladly throw his grotesque middle brother under any passing bus
Buckingham Palace is ready to support the police as they consider allegations against King Charles' brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#Epsteinfiles
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#Epsteinfiles
King's 'profound concern' as police consider Andrew claims over Epstein
Making his first intervention in the Epstein scandal, the King said he is ready to support the police in their inquiries.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 10:23 PM
It’s easy to get things completely wrong when trying to read the deep reality of royal feelings from their deliberately clipped and opaque public statements. So I could be completely wrong! But I suspect HM would gladly throw his grotesque middle brother under any passing bus
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
This is THEE thread on Benito's show. Someone called this thread an exegesis. :)
Disturbingly detailed analysis of my first rewatch incoming
February 9, 2026 at 8:48 PM
This is THEE thread on Benito's show. Someone called this thread an exegesis. :)
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
starting to feel like there's a direct relationship between the growing obsession with lifestyle hygeine (no drinking, no caffeine, no sex, obsessive working out and looksmaxxing) and the inability to meaningful moral stands on issues of actual import
Cafes across the U.S. are embracing the low- and no-caffeine lifestyle, with options that are a far cry from dusty tea bags and rewarmed decaf. nyti.ms/3XKlqoj
February 9, 2026 at 5:12 PM
starting to feel like there's a direct relationship between the growing obsession with lifestyle hygeine (no drinking, no caffeine, no sex, obsessive working out and looksmaxxing) and the inability to meaningful moral stands on issues of actual import
Just watched Bad Bunny’s Superbowl halftime show. Glorious. What a terrific performer; what an incredible celebration and assertion of American identity. Lol at people thinking it wasn’t political
February 9, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Just watched Bad Bunny’s Superbowl halftime show. Glorious. What a terrific performer; what an incredible celebration and assertion of American identity. Lol at people thinking it wasn’t political
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Problem with any anti-Starmer tweet that gets attention is I inevitably have to hear the thoughts of people who think Starmer is Blair 2.0, when a lot of the Starmer project's reactionary tendencies are an attempt to distance itself from the socially liberal aspects of Blairism
Starmer "led Labour to a thumping victory nobody thought possible" is one of those weird revisions of history, when 400+ seats was obviously in the realm of possibility from the moment the first post-minibudget polls dropped in September/October 2022
February 9, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Problem with any anti-Starmer tweet that gets attention is I inevitably have to hear the thoughts of people who think Starmer is Blair 2.0, when a lot of the Starmer project's reactionary tendencies are an attempt to distance itself from the socially liberal aspects of Blairism
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
U.K. might lose a prime minister because a guy who worked for him knew another guy who hung out with Epstein. Meanwhile the U.S. opposition party is telling our President, who was Epstein's best friend, that his secret police should get better training so their public street murders look less messy.
February 9, 2026 at 4:07 PM
U.K. might lose a prime minister because a guy who worked for him knew another guy who hung out with Epstein. Meanwhile the U.S. opposition party is telling our President, who was Epstein's best friend, that his secret police should get better training so their public street murders look less messy.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
BBC R4’s latest How Did We Get Here? on Israel and the Palestinians starts today. You’ll find me in Episode 4, with Eugene Rogan and Gudrun Krämer.
BBC Sounds - How Did We Get Here? - Available Episodes
Listen to the latest episodes of How Did We Get Here? on BBC Sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 11:49 AM
BBC R4’s latest How Did We Get Here? on Israel and the Palestinians starts today. You’ll find me in Episode 4, with Eugene Rogan and Gudrun Krämer.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
February 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
This is the key point that is lost in so much Westminster bubble talk on net zero. It is popular. It’s hugely popular with Labour’s base and with the progressive voters it needs to vote tactically to defeat Reform. And it’s even popular with Tories who Labour needs not to switch to Reform.
…as well as being supported by the vast majority of Lab/Lib/Gn voters, almost all Labour MPs, a 2-1 majority of voters overall and – even now – a healthy majority of Con voters
February 8, 2026 at 10:16 PM
This is the key point that is lost in so much Westminster bubble talk on net zero. It is popular. It’s hugely popular with Labour’s base and with the progressive voters it needs to vote tactically to defeat Reform. And it’s even popular with Tories who Labour needs not to switch to Reform.
Inject that uber-woke net-zeroist rejoinerism straight into my veins
Yes, god help we risk a floundering government that feels like no one is in charge.
February 8, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Inject that uber-woke net-zeroist rejoinerism straight into my veins