Carolyn Newton
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carolynnewton.bsky.social
Carolyn Newton
@carolynnewton.bsky.social
Historian. Author. Seeker of lost stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Welcome encouragement ❤️
November 10, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Oh Louisville. A fabulous book festival capped with a glorious sunset over the mighty Ohio River.
October 12, 2025 at 3:35 AM
And she’s off! Songs of the Dead Road manuscript is now in the capable hands of her editor at Bloodhound Books. Launch date is January 12, and I promise lots of teasers between now and then!

“Jump” by Melvin Sokolsky, 1965
September 4, 2025 at 12:29 AM
A profound thank you to all who labor 🫶
(Photo LA Times)
September 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Dorothea Lange is famous for her images of the Great Depression, but her 1942 photographs of the imprisonment of Japanese Americans were suppressed. The War Relocation Authority hired her as part of a PR campaign, but when they saw the cruelty depicted in her work, the images were impounded.
July 6, 2025 at 11:12 PM
World Refugee Day

June 17,1939, German Jewish refugees peer out of the portholes of the MN St. Louis in Havana after being denied entry into both the US and Cuba. Later granted asylum in Belgium, most were later deported and became victims of the Holocaust. Getty Images.
June 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Claudia Heinermann, a photographer and journalist based in the Netherlands, has dedicated her career to preserving the stories of those who suffered under Soviet authoritarian rule. Her unflinching portraits honor the courage and dignity of those who endured unimaginable loss.
June 1, 2025 at 1:00 AM
This 1908 photograph of a child mill worker (credit: Princeton) inspired me to write a novel (as yet unpublished but hope springs eternal) Photographer Lewis Hine’s haunting evidence of the exploitation of children in mills, mines, and factories led to sweeping reforms in early 20th century America.
May 22, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Celebrating photographers who bring us the world and cultivate empathy. Children frolicking on swings in Pakistan by Muhammed Muheisen, Pulitzer Prize winning photographer and the founder of the Dutch non-profit organization Everyday Refugees Foundation. The power of images for hope and healing.
May 12, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I’ve generally ordered my German language books from Amazon but will learn to do without. A message to all the doubters: the tariffs are a tax on us.
April 28, 2025 at 6:04 PM
When you go for a stroll in Texas and your shadow looks like this the entire way. 😂
April 18, 2025 at 4:41 PM
"Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." John Lewis
April 6, 2025 at 1:52 AM
For those insisting that English is the official language of the U.S., here’s a copy of the Declaration of Independence written in German and published in 1776. Wunderbar, ja?
March 24, 2025 at 12:13 AM
In this tiny corner of Appalachia that I call home, there is a little secret treasure: the Oconee Bell. These tiny white trumpet-shaped blooms appear only here and only in mid-March through early April. Maybe in these chaotic times, the little subversive buds are something to cherish.
March 17, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Big news! Stay tuned for details of book 2 😉. Huge thanks to all who have purchased, read, and given rave reviews to “The Refugee’s Daughter”! I am so grateful.
March 4, 2025 at 12:22 AM
March 1, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Just released, the war journal of Ukrainian poet Victoria Amelina, published posthumously. Essential reading.
February 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Hate to bust a myth but our lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day likely began with Geoffrey Chaucer and a line in his lesser-known work, “Parlement of Fouls,” tying the February feast of St. Valentine to the mating ritual of birds. Lusty imaginations took it from there. l adore a good literary connection. ❤️
February 14, 2025 at 7:53 PM
How lovely that there are flowers willing to bloom in winter.
February 9, 2025 at 2:16 PM
This morning in my corner of the world. Wishing all a happy Lunar New Year. 🐍
January 29, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Newton
Mary Oliver never misses.
January 23, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Reposted by Carolyn Newton
January 21, 2025 at 9:27 AM
I’m off Instagram and Facebook for the week. I miss my social media friends who are a lovely bunch, but it felt right to take a stand against the changes that threaten to erode common decency in the social media world. I’ll be back next week!
January 20, 2025 at 1:11 AM
“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” EL Doctorow
January 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Standing at the precipice of a moody new year. My hope is that empathy overrides hate, intelligence prevails over ignorance, and power rests in love, not wealth. I’m cherishing those who foster creativity, curiosity, knowledge, and joy. Wishing you all a year of peace and good health.
#humankindness
January 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM