Paul Clammer
@paulclammer.bsky.social
Writer | BLACK CROWN: Biography of Henry Christophe, King of Haiti | Antarctic Editor | Recovering Lonely Planet guidebook author | Bristol
https://paulclammer.com/
https://paulclammer.com/
Pinned
Paul Clammer
@paulclammer.bsky.social
· Nov 17
Hello everyone!
I'm a UK-based writer: my last book was BLACK CROWN, a bio of Haiti’s revolutionary king and am now working on the lives of polar power couple Ernest & Emily Shackleton.
Before that too many Lonely Planet guidebooks to remember (but hence our Moroccan rescue street cat).
3.5 "Just a little bit more research..."
November 9, 2025 at 11:53 AM
3.5 "Just a little bit more research..."
I'm VERY excited to be joining the @terrorcamp.bsky.social crew next month for this online event!
📣 FRIDAY KEYNOTE ANNOUNCED: Careers in Polar Humanities!
Interested in becoming a professional polar obsessive? Join us as we hear from five incredible experts working across the field of polar humanities.
❄️ Register now: www.eventbrite.com/e/terror-cam...
Interested in becoming a professional polar obsessive? Join us as we hear from five incredible experts working across the field of polar humanities.
❄️ Register now: www.eventbrite.com/e/terror-cam...
November 1, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I'm VERY excited to be joining the @terrorcamp.bsky.social crew next month for this online event!
Hello Dublin, it's nice to see you again.
October 24, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Hello Dublin, it's nice to see you again.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
"Yes, this gang stole from the most famous museum in the world but it’s in the name of training their AI software so it can do good doodle of jewels and maximise shareholder value so we are powerless to stand in the way"
waterfordwhispersnews.com/2025/10/20/l... #Louvre
waterfordwhispersnews.com/2025/10/20/l... #Louvre
Louvre Thieves Given Immunity After Confirming Jewels Stolen For Purpose Of Training AI Software
FRENCH POLICE have immediately ended all efforts to recover priceless Napoleon-era jewellery from the Louvre taken in a daring heist after it emerged the jewels were merely stolen for the purposes of ...
waterfordwhispersnews.com
October 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
"Yes, this gang stole from the most famous museum in the world but it’s in the name of training their AI software so it can do good doodle of jewels and maximise shareholder value so we are powerless to stand in the way"
waterfordwhispersnews.com/2025/10/20/l... #Louvre
waterfordwhispersnews.com/2025/10/20/l... #Louvre
Reposted by Paul Clammer
If this is how one of the world's most famous people is treated, we can only begin to imagine* what captive Palestinians have experienced.
* We don't actually need to imagine. There are countless, corroborated accounts from Palestinians and Israelis.
www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/25...
* We don't actually need to imagine. There are countless, corroborated accounts from Palestinians and Israelis.
www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/25...
Greta Thunberg: “They kicked me every time the flag touched my face”
– Greta Thunberg on her days in Israeli captivity Beating, kicking, and threats of being gassed in cages. Greta Thunberg and several others from the flotilla ar
www.aftonbladet.se
October 16, 2025 at 10:56 AM
If this is how one of the world's most famous people is treated, we can only begin to imagine* what captive Palestinians have experienced.
* We don't actually need to imagine. There are countless, corroborated accounts from Palestinians and Israelis.
www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/25...
* We don't actually need to imagine. There are countless, corroborated accounts from Palestinians and Israelis.
www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/25...
One of the reasons to venerate secondhand bookshops: books with their own life stories! Dedications from long-forgotten aunts, strange marginalia, frantic underlinings and old shopping lists masquerading as bookmarks. What could be more wonderful?
One of the posts that got me flamed back in the old place was when I said I didn’t fetishise books as objects and wasn’t bothered if their owners wanted to rip them in half to make their baggage lighter or chuck them in the recycling once they’ve read them or whatever. Some people went ballistic
The veneration of Books As Objects misses the point entirely. If you're reading a book, turn the corners down, break the spine, spill soup on it. It's your book, go nuts. A pristine, unread book is a tragedy in a way that a beloved, much-read book that looks like the dog's been at it could never be.
October 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
One of the reasons to venerate secondhand bookshops: books with their own life stories! Dedications from long-forgotten aunts, strange marginalia, frantic underlinings and old shopping lists masquerading as bookmarks. What could be more wonderful?
Comics! Antarctica! I loved interviewing @twirlynoodle.com for this article about her Eisner-nominated graphic novel adaptation of 'The Worst Journey in the World' about Captain Scott's final expedition.
I've been interviewed by Swoop Antarctica about my journey to Worst Journey and how I'm approaching the material! www.swoop-antarctica.com/blog/worst-j... I'd like to think Antarctic travel folks will Get It, but hopefully other folks will, too.
From Disney to Antarctica: The Best Journey in the World? - Swoop Antarctica Blog
An interview with Sarah Airriess about her graphic novel adaptation of 'The Worst Journey in the World' about Scott's last Antarctic expedition
www.swoop-antarctica.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Comics! Antarctica! I loved interviewing @twirlynoodle.com for this article about her Eisner-nominated graphic novel adaptation of 'The Worst Journey in the World' about Captain Scott's final expedition.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
It's always reassuring to discover that extremely successful writers are as desperately plodding and uncertain as you are.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
October 12, 2025 at 11:49 AM
It's always reassuring to discover that extremely successful writers are as desperately plodding and uncertain as you are.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
What a very precise way of discovering what I was doing 45 years ago this week: spending my pocket money on my first ever copy of 2000AD. The start of a weekly fix of Thrill-Power that's lasted way longer than most things in my life: a good investment for 14p. Thank you @2000ad.bsky.social!
Dated this very day in 1980, 2000AD #181 with its pulptastic cover by Carlos Ezquerra featuring Strontium Dog. It was all a mere 45 years ago.
October 11, 2025 at 1:52 PM
What a very precise way of discovering what I was doing 45 years ago this week: spending my pocket money on my first ever copy of 2000AD. The start of a weekly fix of Thrill-Power that's lasted way longer than most things in my life: a good investment for 14p. Thank you @2000ad.bsky.social!
Unsolicited Crick pic.
October 11, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Unsolicited Crick pic.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
I agree with every word Zelda Williams says. And this at the end from OpenAI makes me want to go full Ned Ludd. Creators can’t have a blanket opt-out on copyright infringement of their work and have to fill out a form appealing to OpenAI’s mercy every time? Fuck off into the sun
October 7, 2025 at 6:33 AM
I agree with every word Zelda Williams says. And this at the end from OpenAI makes me want to go full Ned Ludd. Creators can’t have a blanket opt-out on copyright infringement of their work and have to fill out a form appealing to OpenAI’s mercy every time? Fuck off into the sun
Useful thread for UK authors—like me—who had their books stolen to train AI and had hoped for even a few crumbs from the Anthropic settlement.
The official database of works eligible for the Anthropic AI settlement has been released and, as I suspected, many authors are screwed. Basically, if your books weren't officially registered with the US Copyright Office you're out of luck. 1/ secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/results
October 3, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Useful thread for UK authors—like me—who had their books stolen to train AI and had hoped for even a few crumbs from the Anthropic settlement.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
For the 75th anniversary of Peanuts here’s a link to an essay I wrote about Charles Schulz’s deep love of Krazy Kat
www.michaeltisserand.com/ottimliffs
www.michaeltisserand.com/ottimliffs
October 2, 2025 at 2:22 PM
For the 75th anniversary of Peanuts here’s a link to an essay I wrote about Charles Schulz’s deep love of Krazy Kat
www.michaeltisserand.com/ottimliffs
www.michaeltisserand.com/ottimliffs
Reposted by Paul Clammer
This is the alternative universe I'd like to move to, please.
October 1, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This is the alternative universe I'd like to move to, please.
Age yourself with a film you saw in the cinema as a kid.
September 29, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Age yourself with a film you saw in the cinema as a kid.
One of Bristol's best kept secrets: Beese's cafe, where they send a ferry across the river to pick you up for coffee and cake (or a pint). Easy to forget you're still technically in the city.
September 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM
One of Bristol's best kept secrets: Beese's cafe, where they send a ferry across the river to pick you up for coffee and cake (or a pint). Easy to forget you're still technically in the city.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
I expect the ID card thing will be dropped within about a week with Labour claiming "It was only ever a suggestion!" but until then, why not register your disapproval (if you disapprove).
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards
We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
petition.parliament.uk
September 26, 2025 at 4:43 PM
I expect the ID card thing will be dropped within about a week with Labour claiming "It was only ever a suggestion!" but until then, why not register your disapproval (if you disapprove).
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
As someone whose partner has ILR, I can't begin to tell you how frightening this racist bullshit is. Fuck Nigel Farage, his media outriders, and politicians of other parties cosying up to 'legitimate concerns'.
Nigel Farage: "We will abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR) status", and "We will rescind ILR statuses that have already been granted".
The first sentence is worryingly ignorant. The second sentence is frighteningly fascist.
The first sentence is worryingly ignorant. The second sentence is frighteningly fascist.
September 22, 2025 at 9:04 AM
As someone whose partner has ILR, I can't begin to tell you how frightening this racist bullshit is. Fuck Nigel Farage, his media outriders, and politicians of other parties cosying up to 'legitimate concerns'.
I'm loving this glorious 1959 poster by artist Jean Fortin, advertising Air France flights to Morocco.
September 18, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I'm loving this glorious 1959 poster by artist Jean Fortin, advertising Air France flights to Morocco.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
Respond to the UK government's consultation on late payments & poor practices for freelancers. The National Union of Journalists has template responses to help. This is an important opportunity for every freelance journalist #StopTheFreelanceRipOff nuj.org.uk/resource/stop-the-freelance-rip-off.html
Stop the Freelance Rip Off
All freelances in the UK should respond to government's consultation on late payments and poor payment practices. It's time for urgent change.
nuj.org.uk
September 12, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Respond to the UK government's consultation on late payments & poor practices for freelancers. The National Union of Journalists has template responses to help. This is an important opportunity for every freelance journalist #StopTheFreelanceRipOff nuj.org.uk/resource/stop-the-freelance-rip-off.html
Reposted by Paul Clammer
For no particular reason, here's a stained glass window of Bob Marley as St George, about to slay the racist dragon of Babylon. Taken at his house at Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica.
September 14, 2025 at 12:14 PM
For no particular reason, here's a stained glass window of Bob Marley as St George, about to slay the racist dragon of Babylon. Taken at his house at Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica.
For no particular reason, here's a stained glass window of Bob Marley as St George, about to slay the racist dragon of Babylon. Taken at his house at Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica.
September 14, 2025 at 12:14 PM
For no particular reason, here's a stained glass window of Bob Marley as St George, about to slay the racist dragon of Babylon. Taken at his house at Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica.
Reposted by Paul Clammer
Looking forward to talking #Heiresses at #Bristol @bookhaus.bsky.social with @paulclammer.bsky.social next week - Wednesday 17th September, 6pm. See you there? www.bookhausbristol.com/events/#e134...
September 12, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Looking forward to talking #Heiresses at #Bristol @bookhaus.bsky.social with @paulclammer.bsky.social next week - Wednesday 17th September, 6pm. See you there? www.bookhausbristol.com/events/#e134...
Reposted by Paul Clammer
Can anyone on here recommend an audio transcription platform (I don’t mind it not being free but don’t have a budget for a person to do it right now, because the audio is 1h long and that would be £££) that transcribes in Haitian Kreyòl?
September 12, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Can anyone on here recommend an audio transcription platform (I don’t mind it not being free but don’t have a budget for a person to do it right now, because the audio is 1h long and that would be £££) that transcribes in Haitian Kreyòl?
So, I got the government's emergency warning – now I have to start building a shelter in my front room and wrap the bodies in black bin liners for collection, yes?
September 7, 2025 at 2:13 PM
So, I got the government's emergency warning – now I have to start building a shelter in my front room and wrap the bodies in black bin liners for collection, yes?