Daryl
@drleeworthy.bsky.social
Writer, historian. Labour histories, social histories, biographies of writers, mostly British but occasionally elsewhere. Always got my nose in a novel.
“Each day is a little bit of history” — Jose Saramago
“Each day is a little bit of history” — Jose Saramago
Spending the evening with Søren Kierkegaard, either/or should I say Clare Carlisle's 2019 study, Philosopher of the Heart.
February 17, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Spending the evening with Søren Kierkegaard, either/or should I say Clare Carlisle's 2019 study, Philosopher of the Heart.
Was I alone in thinking this was about chocolate...?
Dairy Milk Day: a national day of action against woke soya and oatmilk. Only British cow milk mandated as well - for a whole 24 hours, no less. 🇬🇧
Your challenge for the day is to invent a ReformUK policy. On Shrove Tuesday next year we get to see if they’ve adopted it.
Remember, it should appeal to insane pensioners and absolutely nobody else. QT with yours!
Remember, it should appeal to insane pensioners and absolutely nobody else. QT with yours!
February 17, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Was I alone in thinking this was about chocolate...?
I love that my best performing, err, what are they, tweets, okay posts on this site are about Flaubert and Musil. I couldn't ask for more, to be honest.
February 16, 2026 at 10:03 PM
I love that my best performing, err, what are they, tweets, okay posts on this site are about Flaubert and Musil. I couldn't ask for more, to be honest.
Found a sixty year old Livre de Poche edition of Madame Bovary at the bookstall in the market today, for a pound. A true bargain.
I've read several English translations in the past, so it is a delightful (and fulfilling) challenge at last to read the French original.
I've read several English translations in the past, so it is a delightful (and fulfilling) challenge at last to read the French original.
February 14, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Found a sixty year old Livre de Poche edition of Madame Bovary at the bookstall in the market today, for a pound. A true bargain.
I've read several English translations in the past, so it is a delightful (and fulfilling) challenge at last to read the French original.
I've read several English translations in the past, so it is a delightful (and fulfilling) challenge at last to read the French original.
Now reading Robert Musil's Man Without Qualities, guided in part by one of the very best of @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social's Free Thinking episodes. Barometer at the ready... www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Free Thinking - Breaking Free: Robert Musil's The Man Without Qualities - BBC Sounds
William Boyd, Margaret Drabble and Matthew Sweet discuss Musil's The Man Without Qualities
www.bbc.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Now reading Robert Musil's Man Without Qualities, guided in part by one of the very best of @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social's Free Thinking episodes. Barometer at the ready... www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
And so I turn the final page of In Search of Lost Time. A wonderful experience (ignoring volume two, which almost ruined it for me) and highly rewarding. Ciao Marcel, à la prochaine.
February 11, 2026 at 8:22 PM
And so I turn the final page of In Search of Lost Time. A wonderful experience (ignoring volume two, which almost ruined it for me) and highly rewarding. Ciao Marcel, à la prochaine.
Almost finished volume four of In Search of Lost Time, which is not so much a speed read as an indication of how easily I got absorbed in the story. Why did I not read this before?
February 10, 2026 at 12:03 AM
Almost finished volume four of In Search of Lost Time, which is not so much a speed read as an indication of how easily I got absorbed in the story. Why did I not read this before?
Trying to pick myself up after quite a lot of bad news in recent weeks. I thought I might run away from here, but perhaps I shall stay and post about books and things instead. To that end, I'm finishing off my read through of À La Recherche and then it's time to tackle Musil's Man Without Qualities.
February 8, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Trying to pick myself up after quite a lot of bad news in recent weeks. I thought I might run away from here, but perhaps I shall stay and post about books and things instead. To that end, I'm finishing off my read through of À La Recherche and then it's time to tackle Musil's Man Without Qualities.
Finished reading Anthony Burgess's Earthly Powers (1980) last night — I found it extremely funny, a rich take on twentieth century history, Roman Catholicism, homosexuality, and literature from Jim Joyce to Willie Maugham. Heavy but brilliant.
January 12, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Finished reading Anthony Burgess's Earthly Powers (1980) last night — I found it extremely funny, a rich take on twentieth century history, Roman Catholicism, homosexuality, and literature from Jim Joyce to Willie Maugham. Heavy but brilliant.
Ace!
🚨Full set klaxon 🚨
(So far anyway, more coming in Spring
And not just Doctors 👀)
(So far anyway, more coming in Spring
And not just Doctors 👀)
December 30, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Ace!
Enjoying this very much, especially the Doc dressing up like a character from The Prisoner.
December 29, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Enjoying this very much, especially the Doc dressing up like a character from The Prisoner.
Watched the first two episodes of the Doctor Who/Sea Devils spin off this evening, on catch up, and... well, it was okay, but only okay. Some of the dialogue was clunky, the pacing rushed, and why, oh why, did UNIT have to be introduced and reintroduced over and over.
December 8, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Watched the first two episodes of the Doctor Who/Sea Devils spin off this evening, on catch up, and... well, it was okay, but only okay. Some of the dialogue was clunky, the pacing rushed, and why, oh why, did UNIT have to be introduced and reintroduced over and over.
A very clever choice, this one. www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
Misha Glenny to present BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time
The much loved series returns on 15 January 2026
www.bbc.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:57 PM
A very clever choice, this one. www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
The paper covers some of the material in A Little Gay History of Wales, material in subsequent articles on the theme, especially about North Wales, and some new medieval material I'm trying out for the first time. More to do on that front and the potential for a new book, I think.
Off to Oxford in the morning to give a paper at my old college, Oriel. I still have to pinch myself, sometimes, that this sort of thing still happens.
After the many bad experiences in academia, at Swansea, and in recent times when I fell off the radar, I shall enjoy going up to the old place.
After the many bad experiences in academia, at Swansea, and in recent times when I fell off the radar, I shall enjoy going up to the old place.
November 25, 2025 at 6:24 PM
The paper covers some of the material in A Little Gay History of Wales, material in subsequent articles on the theme, especially about North Wales, and some new medieval material I'm trying out for the first time. More to do on that front and the potential for a new book, I think.
Off to Oxford in the morning to give a paper at my old college, Oriel. I still have to pinch myself, sometimes, that this sort of thing still happens.
After the many bad experiences in academia, at Swansea, and in recent times when I fell off the radar, I shall enjoy going up to the old place.
After the many bad experiences in academia, at Swansea, and in recent times when I fell off the radar, I shall enjoy going up to the old place.
November 25, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Off to Oxford in the morning to give a paper at my old college, Oriel. I still have to pinch myself, sometimes, that this sort of thing still happens.
After the many bad experiences in academia, at Swansea, and in recent times when I fell off the radar, I shall enjoy going up to the old place.
After the many bad experiences in academia, at Swansea, and in recent times when I fell off the radar, I shall enjoy going up to the old place.
Meet your heroes. One of the most inspiring events I have ever been fortunate to attend.
November 24, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Meet your heroes. One of the most inspiring events I have ever been fortunate to attend.
Off to the city to meet Mary Robinson, Ireland's former president, which I think is one of those privileged moments that comes along in life.
November 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Off to the city to meet Mary Robinson, Ireland's former president, which I think is one of those privileged moments that comes along in life.
Giving my first talk of the winter season this afternoon: the local history of pantomime. Two hundred years of popular theatre, which will be quite the rush in forty minutes!
November 19, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Giving my first talk of the winter season this afternoon: the local history of pantomime. Two hundred years of popular theatre, which will be quite the rush in forty minutes!
Absolute genius announcement on the railway. Things are stuck because of a “broken down tree blocking the railway”, yes I did a double take too. A BROKEN DOWN TREE!
October 28, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Absolute genius announcement on the railway. Things are stuck because of a “broken down tree blocking the railway”, yes I did a double take too. A BROKEN DOWN TREE!
Off to Cardiff this evening to join a panel on the Queer Irish Diaspora and links with Welsh LGBTQ+ history. It should be both edifying and entertaining, and a lovely opportunity to see the Out in the World exhibition once again. And y'know it means such a lot to be asked. Really does.
October 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Off to Cardiff this evening to join a panel on the Queer Irish Diaspora and links with Welsh LGBTQ+ history. It should be both edifying and entertaining, and a lovely opportunity to see the Out in the World exhibition once again. And y'know it means such a lot to be asked. Really does.
Having a Bookish afternoon — brilliant words from the doc, @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Having a Bookish afternoon — brilliant words from the doc, @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social
“...and made him admit that the Lee was a much finer river than the Liffey.”
October 17, 2025 at 8:47 PM
“...and made him admit that the Lee was a much finer river than the Liffey.”
Handy piece this from a friend in the north. Caerphilly's sociology, especially in its current form, lends itself to a plague on all your houses squeeze. But let's be honest, turnout will be atrocious and oh so many stay-at-homes, who will be the absent majority, will be embarrassed Labour voters.
Great to see Robin Mann and my new article published via the Conservation about next week's Caerphilly byelection and the impact of political history and changing sociological trends @bangorhistory.bsky.social @prifysgolbangor.bsky.social #BangorPolitics
theconversation.com/what-the-cae...
theconversation.com/what-the-cae...
What the Caerphilly byelection could reveal about Reform, Labour and Wales’ political future
The Senedd byelection tests shifting loyalties in postindustrial Wales, and the strength of Labour, Plaid Cymru and Reform.
theconversation.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Handy piece this from a friend in the north. Caerphilly's sociology, especially in its current form, lends itself to a plague on all your houses squeeze. But let's be honest, turnout will be atrocious and oh so many stay-at-homes, who will be the absent majority, will be embarrassed Labour voters.
Autumn has truly arrived.
October 13, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Autumn has truly arrived.
Reading/partly re-reading a swathe of post-war Latin American literature at the moment: Amado, Asturias, Carpentier, Roa Bastos, Vargos Llosa, Garcia Marquez, Sabato, Fuentes. So many great ideas among them, especially vis-a-vis history and memory. None an easy read but all utterly rewarding.
October 11, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Reading/partly re-reading a swathe of post-war Latin American literature at the moment: Amado, Asturias, Carpentier, Roa Bastos, Vargos Llosa, Garcia Marquez, Sabato, Fuentes. So many great ideas among them, especially vis-a-vis history and memory. None an easy read but all utterly rewarding.