Amanda Watson
@amndw2.bsky.social
Librarian, literature geek, knitter, opera fan, book history person. Writing a book about commonplace books and poetry readers. Opinions here are my own. She/her/hers. Queer and furious. 🏳️🌈
This is the greatest thread ever.
hi, can you do me a favor?
take a picture of your pet and then take a picture again while you sing to them
thank you, this is for science
here is my contribution
take a picture of your pet and then take a picture again while you sing to them
thank you, this is for science
here is my contribution
November 11, 2025 at 12:57 PM
This is the greatest thread ever.
Reposted by Amanda Watson
Found the tweet that Joyce Carol Oates bodied Elon Musk with and it's so beautiful in its eloquent, simple take down. So much so he's crashing out trying to prove he reads books now. Put this in the Louvre.
November 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Found the tweet that Joyce Carol Oates bodied Elon Musk with and it's so beautiful in its eloquent, simple take down. So much so he's crashing out trying to prove he reads books now. Put this in the Louvre.
Anyone know what's going on with ArchiveGrid? It's been down since at least last week.
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Anyone know what's going on with ArchiveGrid? It's been down since at least last week.
I don't know exactly who the Van der Luydens in The Age of Innocence are inspired by, but I'm picturing the Wave Hill estate, or at least its gardens, as my mental model for Skuytercliff. 🏹 www.wavehill.org
Home - Wave Hill
Famous public garden in the northwest Bronx along the Hudson River, with flower gardens, alpine house, greenhouses, and cultural center.
www.wavehill.org
November 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
I don't know exactly who the Van der Luydens in The Age of Innocence are inspired by, but I'm picturing the Wave Hill estate, or at least its gardens, as my mental model for Skuytercliff. 🏹 www.wavehill.org
Reposted by Amanda Watson
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
Do not taunt Carnivorous Death Ball.
November 8, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Do not taunt Carnivorous Death Ball.
Conceding to fascists is a sign of weak moral character, and I am so, so tired of constant displays of weak moral character from people in positions of power. If you can't locate your spine and your principles, you have no business leading anyone.
November 7, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Conceding to fascists is a sign of weak moral character, and I am so, so tired of constant displays of weak moral character from people in positions of power. If you can't locate your spine and your principles, you have no business leading anyone.
I could write an entire essay about who gets to expect feelings of safety all the time and who doesn’t (and whose concerns are ignored in the name of “safety”).
One thing the NYC mayoral race underscored for me is how easily the phrase "I don't feel safe" can be weaponized. It's an argument I would hesitate ever to use again, even for a good cause. I hope we can all agree that we have the right to BE safe. Maybe we should leave it at that.
November 7, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I could write an entire essay about who gets to expect feelings of safety all the time and who doesn’t (and whose concerns are ignored in the name of “safety”).
Reposted by Amanda Watson
Let's just cancel everything from now until the holidays. Everyone gets a six week sabbatical.
November 6, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Let's just cancel everything from now until the holidays. Everyone gets a six week sabbatical.
OMG. Between this and the Abolish ICE beanie (www.ravelry.com/patterns/lib...), I foresee a lot of hat knitting this winter.
November 7, 2025 at 12:07 AM
OMG. Between this and the Abolish ICE beanie (www.ravelry.com/patterns/lib...), I foresee a lot of hat knitting this winter.
Greatly amused by the detail (in The Age of Innocence chapter 9) of Mrs. Welland methodically working through the round of engagement-announcement family visits -- in alphabetical order by last name. 🏹
November 6, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Greatly amused by the detail (in The Age of Innocence chapter 9) of Mrs. Welland methodically working through the round of engagement-announcement family visits -- in alphabetical order by last name. 🏹
Reposted by Amanda Watson
At this point, anyone—a university, a law firm, a corporation, a Democrat—bending the knee to Trump is doing it because they want to, not because of any political reality.
November 5, 2025 at 2:23 AM
At this point, anyone—a university, a law firm, a corporation, a Democrat—bending the knee to Trump is doing it because they want to, not because of any political reality.
Reposted by Amanda Watson
So many times SO MANY TIMES I have said I don't trust any politician who throws trans people and immigrants under the bus.
Look at this dude. LOOK AT THIS. He's here for ALL OF US.
There is NO EXCUSE for any politician who doesn't step up like this. No excuse.
Look at this dude. LOOK AT THIS. He's here for ALL OF US.
There is NO EXCUSE for any politician who doesn't step up like this. No excuse.
"in this moment of political darkness, new york will be the light
"whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community one of the many black women that donald trump who has fired from her job... your struggle is ours too"
"whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community one of the many black women that donald trump who has fired from her job... your struggle is ours too"
November 5, 2025 at 5:01 AM
So many times SO MANY TIMES I have said I don't trust any politician who throws trans people and immigrants under the bus.
Look at this dude. LOOK AT THIS. He's here for ALL OF US.
There is NO EXCUSE for any politician who doesn't step up like this. No excuse.
Look at this dude. LOOK AT THIS. He's here for ALL OF US.
There is NO EXCUSE for any politician who doesn't step up like this. No excuse.
Reposted by Amanda Watson
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.
November 5, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.
Thinking fondly of the guy in this article who shook Cuomo's hand and said "I can't wait to watch you lose again," and hoping he's having a great night tonight.
Andrew Cuomo gets out on the streets of New York as he tries to take City Hall | CNN Politics
Andrew Cuomo made his way across New York City’s five boroughs over the weekend stopping into public housing cookouts in Harlem, pouring rum behind a bar in Brooklyn and walking in the Colombian Day P...
www.cnn.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Thinking fondly of the guy in this article who shook Cuomo's hand and said "I can't wait to watch you lose again," and hoping he's having a great night tonight.
I love New York City more than ever right now.
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 AM
I love New York City more than ever right now.
Some friends and I once decided that People should choose its Sexiest Man Alive by asking a bunch of lesbians who they'd make an exception for. Aside from Idris Elba (who I'm sure is on a LOT of exception lists), it's...not most of these guys.
I encourage you to review the entire history of alleged Sexiest Mens Alives, because no matter who you are, I think you will experience at least one jump scare. people.com/celebrity/al...
See All the Sexiest Man Alive Covers from the Past 40 Years
See every Sexiest Man Alive cover in PEOPLE's history, from 1985 until now.
people.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Some friends and I once decided that People should choose its Sexiest Man Alive by asking a bunch of lesbians who they'd make an exception for. Aside from Idris Elba (who I'm sure is on a LOT of exception lists), it's...not most of these guys.
Reposted by Amanda Watson
At least 26 billionaires donated to groups opposing Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who is the Democratic New York City mayoral candidate.
These Are The Billionaires Donors Behind Tuesday’s Elections
At least 26 billionaires donated to groups opposing Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who is the Democratic New York City mayoral candidate.
www.forbes.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
At least 26 billionaires donated to groups opposing Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who is the Democratic New York City mayoral candidate.
Reposted by Amanda Watson
sometimes I wonder what did academics do in the time before composing and sending hundreds of emails a day
November 4, 2025 at 6:09 PM
sometimes I wonder what did academics do in the time before composing and sending hundreds of emails a day
Reposted by Amanda Watson
Wharton's descriptions of Ellen Olenska as a precocious child ("a fearless and familiar little thing, who asked disconcerting questions, made precocious comments, and possessed outlandish arts"), raised by "continental wanderers," remind me a lot of Maisie in Henry James's What Maisie Knew. 🏹
November 4, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Wharton's descriptions of Ellen Olenska as a precocious child ("a fearless and familiar little thing, who asked disconcerting questions, made precocious comments, and possessed outlandish arts"), raised by "continental wanderers," remind me a lot of Maisie in Henry James's What Maisie Knew. 🏹
Six chapters into The Age of Innocence and I already need a family tree to keep track of how all these Archers, Newlands, Mingotts, Mansons, Van Der Luydens et al. are related to each other. I suppose the short answer is "all somehow cousins." 🏹
November 3, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Six chapters into The Age of Innocence and I already need a family tree to keep track of how all these Archers, Newlands, Mingotts, Mansons, Van Der Luydens et al. are related to each other. I suppose the short answer is "all somehow cousins." 🏹
Reposted by Amanda Watson
Job alert: the University of Illinois Library is hiring a Humanities Librarian to serve as liaison to African-American Studies and English Literatures. I’m sure someone here would be a great fit for this job—& we’ve got a pretty phenomenal community here
Please share!
Please share!
Humanities Librarian - (African American Studies and English Literature)
Duties & Responsibilities
illinois.csod.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Job alert: the University of Illinois Library is hiring a Humanities Librarian to serve as liaison to African-American Studies and English Literatures. I’m sure someone here would be a great fit for this job—& we’ve got a pretty phenomenal community here
Please share!
Please share!
Reposted by Amanda Watson
This is from Autocracy, Inc, about how modern autocratic propaganda works.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
November 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
This is from Autocracy, Inc, about how modern autocratic propaganda works.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.