Barbara VanDenburgh
@babsvan.bsky.social
Poor, obscure, plain, and little. Writer, critic. Former books editor at USA TODAY. Let’s talk movies https://boxd.it/lA7b
Pinned
2025 watch #1: Wicked. This is as if BookTok became sentient and made a film. The green and pink Stanley cup of movies, the Starbucks of cinema, the cultural lowest common denominator for a country that just reelected a disgraced reality TV star president. No gravity defied here.
Hurried home after expending so much energy to make nice what ended up being a lousy Christmas with dad on especially poor behavior. Attempting a course correction. Busting out the big guns.
December 26, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Hurried home after expending so much energy to make nice what ended up being a lousy Christmas with dad on especially poor behavior. Attempting a course correction. Busting out the big guns.
A sampling of my Christmas book haul. 2025 has me in a MOOD.
December 26, 2025 at 4:23 AM
A sampling of my Christmas book haul. 2025 has me in a MOOD.
Someone should fall madly in love with me and take me to Paris next Christmas *manifesting*
December 26, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Someone should fall madly in love with me and take me to Paris next Christmas *manifesting*
My dad, who just treated himself to a brand new Bronco paid for in cash, got me a flashlight for Christmas and said “You’re hard to shop for.” Posting this as a reminder to myself for next year, because I really didn’t need to do all this.
December 25, 2025 at 6:05 PM
My dad, who just treated himself to a brand new Bronco paid for in cash, got me a flashlight for Christmas and said “You’re hard to shop for.” Posting this as a reminder to myself for next year, because I really didn’t need to do all this.
A lovely story that has me in tears in part because it shouldn’t be so extraordinary. This is how life SHOULD be: created community, sharing of resources, making a place for everyone to fit in and feel loved.
December 25, 2025 at 5:47 PM
A lovely story that has me in tears in part because it shouldn’t be so extraordinary. This is how life SHOULD be: created community, sharing of resources, making a place for everyone to fit in and feel loved.
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
I was born in April 1805
Napoleon was master of Europe
Only the BRITISH FLEET stood before him
Oceans were now battlefields
Napoleon was master of Europe
Only the BRITISH FLEET stood before him
Oceans were now battlefields
December 24, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I was born in April 1805
Napoleon was master of Europe
Only the BRITISH FLEET stood before him
Oceans were now battlefields
Napoleon was master of Europe
Only the BRITISH FLEET stood before him
Oceans were now battlefields
Zuzu bestows you with her Christmas blessings
December 25, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Zuzu bestows you with her Christmas blessings
Having a bit of a lousy, sad-brained Christmas, so attempting a course correction with my favorite comfort read.
December 25, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Having a bit of a lousy, sad-brained Christmas, so attempting a course correction with my favorite comfort read.
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
the all-staff equivalent of “go ahead. keep screaming ‘Shut The Fuck Up’ at me. it only makes my opinions Worse”
Bari Weiss just sent this Christmas Eve email to the CBS News staff about "building trust," which includes her tripling down on spiking the CECOT piece "to make sure it's comprehensive and fair."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
December 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
the all-staff equivalent of “go ahead. keep screaming ‘Shut The Fuck Up’ at me. it only makes my opinions Worse”
Me in a couple of months I guess
December 24, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Me in a couple of months I guess
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
hey panera can we have the lemonade that kills us again
June 22, 2025 at 12:35 AM
hey panera can we have the lemonade that kills us again
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
if bari weiss had tried to do 9/11 there'd be three towers now
December 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM
if bari weiss had tried to do 9/11 there'd be three towers now
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5
December 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
One of the more important stock-taking moments to watch a bootlegged news program censored in your country.
December 23, 2025 at 12:12 AM
One of the more important stock-taking moments to watch a bootlegged news program censored in your country.
The posture of a woman who has very definitely read a book before
December 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
The posture of a woman who has very definitely read a book before
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
My brilliant strategy of yelling “THIS WILL TAKE YOUR JOB AND YOU’LL DIE IN THE GUTTER LOL” hasn’t worked. I guess it’s because everyone is too stupid to appreciate it.
December 21, 2025 at 8:33 PM
My brilliant strategy of yelling “THIS WILL TAKE YOUR JOB AND YOU’LL DIE IN THE GUTTER LOL” hasn’t worked. I guess it’s because everyone is too stupid to appreciate it.
I have never used ChatGPT for the same reading I have never ridden and will never ride in a Waymo, and either that makes perfect sense to you or we’ll never understand one another.
December 22, 2025 at 5:24 AM
I have never used ChatGPT for the same reading I have never ridden and will never ride in a Waymo, and either that makes perfect sense to you or we’ll never understand one another.
The people at this Christmas party simply aren’t appreciating my Jean-Claus Van Damme Christmas sweater Goodwill find, so I’m sharing it with you.
December 22, 2025 at 2:51 AM
The people at this Christmas party simply aren’t appreciating my Jean-Claus Van Damme Christmas sweater Goodwill find, so I’m sharing it with you.
Looks like I have to add "Get invited to Mandy Patinkin's house for Hanukkah" to the ol' bucket list
It was such a joy to celebrate Hanukkah with Mandy, Kathryn and their son, Gideon. As Jewish New Yorkers across our city prepare to light candles and mark the seventh night today, I wish you and your families a Hanukkah full of light and love.
youtu.be/KIxAKyioXng
youtu.be/KIxAKyioXng
Happy Hanukkah
YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Looks like I have to add "Get invited to Mandy Patinkin's house for Hanukkah" to the ol' bucket list
Get in, gang, we’re going to reject our violent individualism and become one through radical empathy.
December 20, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Get in, gang, we’re going to reject our violent individualism and become one through radical empathy.
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
we’re so lucky to have the avatar movies man. where else are you gonna find a sold-out IMAX theatre watching in rapt attention while a whale council debates the future, with the subtitles in papyrus font.
December 20, 2025 at 5:58 AM
we’re so lucky to have the avatar movies man. where else are you gonna find a sold-out IMAX theatre watching in rapt attention while a whale council debates the future, with the subtitles in papyrus font.
Forcing myself to feel festive
December 20, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Forcing myself to feel festive
Reposted by Barbara VanDenburgh
“Literary snob takes issue with Epstein’s reading of Lolita” is an onion headline
I can think of worse things about him than this but OK
December 20, 2025 at 1:53 AM
“Literary snob takes issue with Epstein’s reading of Lolita” is an onion headline