Sara Barker
@sarakbarker.bsky.social
Historian of early modern print, news, translation, pamphlets. Scotland/Yorkshire hybrid. Likes old printed things, France, rugby, embroidery. Always stops to talk to cats and dogs. Series editor MUP Studies in Early Modern European History. She/her.
I have just found out that Mallomars, which i mainly know about from "When Harry Met Sally", which informed me that they are the greatest cookie in the world, are only available in bits of the US for part of the year.
I will never take my ready access to a Tunnocks Teacake for granted ever again.
I will never take my ready access to a Tunnocks Teacake for granted ever again.
November 14, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I have just found out that Mallomars, which i mainly know about from "When Harry Met Sally", which informed me that they are the greatest cookie in the world, are only available in bits of the US for part of the year.
I will never take my ready access to a Tunnocks Teacake for granted ever again.
I will never take my ready access to a Tunnocks Teacake for granted ever again.
Reposted by Sara Barker
I’m pretty pleased by this riff on a @iamdylanlewis.bsky.social / @umdbooklab.bsky.social print I worked up for my “Writing with Robots” class’ visit to @skeuomorphpress.org today
November 13, 2025 at 6:01 PM
I’m pretty pleased by this riff on a @iamdylanlewis.bsky.social / @umdbooklab.bsky.social print I worked up for my “Writing with Robots” class’ visit to @skeuomorphpress.org today
Went over to York today and gave a paper in the building where *gives up trying to count* years ago, I paid my MA tuition fees.
I was invited to give the paper, I wasn't just pitching up and trying my luck. Although one of my pamphlets did involve the name Barker being translated to Barquer...
I was invited to give the paper, I wasn't just pitching up and trying my luck. Although one of my pamphlets did involve the name Barker being translated to Barquer...
November 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Went over to York today and gave a paper in the building where *gives up trying to count* years ago, I paid my MA tuition fees.
I was invited to give the paper, I wasn't just pitching up and trying my luck. Although one of my pamphlets did involve the name Barker being translated to Barquer...
I was invited to give the paper, I wasn't just pitching up and trying my luck. Although one of my pamphlets did involve the name Barker being translated to Barquer...
If the sun would like to turn up in Yorkshire at any time today, that would be fine
November 11, 2025 at 11:39 AM
If the sun would like to turn up in Yorkshire at any time today, that would be fine
Good to spend an afternoon talking with other @manchesterup.bsky.social series editors & authors to people moving from thesis to book - lots of really good questions & excellent advice from authors. Good also to be reminded when you're battling your own writing that it is something that can be fun!
October 24, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Good to spend an afternoon talking with other @manchesterup.bsky.social series editors & authors to people moving from thesis to book - lots of really good questions & excellent advice from authors. Good also to be reminded when you're battling your own writing that it is something that can be fun!
Once again, I am grumpy that in order to check my Outlook Calendar on my phone, I have to go through my email to get to it. Yet another tactic on the part of Big Email.
October 14, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Once again, I am grumpy that in order to check my Outlook Calendar on my phone, I have to go through my email to get to it. Yet another tactic on the part of Big Email.
Yeah, maybe watching the Storyville documentary "The Librarians" was not the thing to watch for a relaxing Saturday night.
It is the thing to watch to see how frightening some people find books, and to understand the vital role librarians, especially school librarians, play in a society.
It is the thing to watch to see how frightening some people find books, and to understand the vital role librarians, especially school librarians, play in a society.
October 11, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Yeah, maybe watching the Storyville documentary "The Librarians" was not the thing to watch for a relaxing Saturday night.
It is the thing to watch to see how frightening some people find books, and to understand the vital role librarians, especially school librarians, play in a society.
It is the thing to watch to see how frightening some people find books, and to understand the vital role librarians, especially school librarians, play in a society.
Reposted by Sara Barker
I wrote up the whole book club placement specialist weirdness on the blog - do feel free to pass on to other academics so more folks are aware that this is a thing. #academia #AcademicSky
…I’m sorry, you want me for your book club?
I had a weird e-mail waiting in my inbox when I came back from my summer holiday. It came from someone who identified their role as a Book Club Placement Specialist, asking whether I’d be int…
lizgloyn.wordpress.com
September 29, 2025 at 12:09 PM
I wrote up the whole book club placement specialist weirdness on the blog - do feel free to pass on to other academics so more folks are aware that this is a thing. #academia #AcademicSky
I'm sorry, what in the name of all that's holy was the Green Group on NYT connections today? Is this one of those days when Non-Americans need not bother?
September 23, 2025 at 3:55 PM
I'm sorry, what in the name of all that's holy was the Green Group on NYT connections today? Is this one of those days when Non-Americans need not bother?
I appear to have come down with Freshers' Flu before I've met a single Fresher, and I'd like to know to whom I should address my complaint.
September 21, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I appear to have come down with Freshers' Flu before I've met a single Fresher, and I'd like to know to whom I should address my complaint.
Spending the whole day in the Prado and wondering if anyone's written a buddy movie about Jan Brueghel the Elder and Rubens
September 10, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Spending the whole day in the Prado and wondering if anyone's written a buddy movie about Jan Brueghel the Elder and Rubens
Reposted by Sara Barker
One month left to submit an abstract for our conference 'Bound for Devotion: The Prayer Book as Object and Practice, 1300–1800', 1-3 July 2026 in Leiden:
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
#medieval #earlymodern #bookhistory
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
#medieval #earlymodern #bookhistory
Bound for Devotion: The Prayer Book as Object and Practice, 1300–1800
Prayer was central to religious life in the late medieval and early modern period. Despite growing scholarly interest in religious texts, devotional practices, and spirituality, prayer and prayer book...
www.universiteitleiden.nl
September 1, 2025 at 8:17 AM
One month left to submit an abstract for our conference 'Bound for Devotion: The Prayer Book as Object and Practice, 1300–1800', 1-3 July 2026 in Leiden:
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
#medieval #earlymodern #bookhistory
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
#medieval #earlymodern #bookhistory
Today I yelped so loudly at the photocopier that our office manager thought someone was having a medical incident. She then congratulated me when I finally got it to do what I needed it to and accidentally cheered.
September 1, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Today I yelped so loudly at the photocopier that our office manager thought someone was having a medical incident. She then congratulated me when I finally got it to do what I needed it to and accidentally cheered.
Started my working week off with a coffee in Esther Simpson because Leeds Campus is currently half building site, and this ended up being the simplest café to get to after I'd done various essential tasks. Now I get to try and get back to my office without too many diversions 🤞
September 1, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Started my working week off with a coffee in Esther Simpson because Leeds Campus is currently half building site, and this ended up being the simplest café to get to after I'd done various essential tasks. Now I get to try and get back to my office without too many diversions 🤞
I was putting up w the utter codswallop that is King & Conqueror because I'm generally well disposed to a lot of the people in it (and I'm not a medievalist) but the Battle of Stamford Bridge apparently taking place by the sea (or at best a giant lake) so Tostig gets a seaside pyre? Nah.
August 26, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I was putting up w the utter codswallop that is King & Conqueror because I'm generally well disposed to a lot of the people in it (and I'm not a medievalist) but the Battle of Stamford Bridge apparently taking place by the sea (or at best a giant lake) so Tostig gets a seaside pyre? Nah.
They've mentioned the Field of the Cloth of Gold within the first few minutes of "Hostage" on Netflix, so I'm counting watching this as work
August 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
They've mentioned the Field of the Cloth of Gold within the first few minutes of "Hostage" on Netflix, so I'm counting watching this as work
Aw, Google, mate, you could at least put "Sixteenth-century French serial killer" so this bloke doesn't get lots of odd looks when people search for "Gilles Garnier"
August 20, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Aw, Google, mate, you could at least put "Sixteenth-century French serial killer" so this bloke doesn't get lots of odd looks when people search for "Gilles Garnier"
This is why I still make databases where I have to input info into each field - there's probably a way of extracting information more quickly but I need to go through it line by line to process it in my head
Since I was focused here on transcription, I didn't mention perhaps the most important thing: it's by reading hundreds of these documents myself that I start to formulate my arguments, get an idea of the institutional set-up, the context, and so on.
A thread on transcription and AI. One reason I don't use AI to transcribe (besides the fact that AI is hugely detrimental to the environment & is coming for our jobs) is that it can't tell the difference between original documents & new notes added by staff members to whom documents were sent. 🗃️ 1/?
August 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
This is why I still make databases where I have to input info into each field - there's probably a way of extracting information more quickly but I need to go through it line by line to process it in my head
Reposted by Sara Barker
Just over two weeks before our CfP closes! Remember to submit your abstracts before Friday 5th September ⚔️
We are thrilled to announce that the Conflict, War and Violence in the Early Modern World Conference, with a keynote address by Professor Mark Stoyle, will be held on 30-31 October at the University of Exeter.
Please help us spread the world, and consider submitting a proposal!🗡️
Please help us spread the world, and consider submitting a proposal!🗡️
August 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Just over two weeks before our CfP closes! Remember to submit your abstracts before Friday 5th September ⚔️
Genuinely a bit peeved that there doesn't seem to be a fund I can apply to that will just fund the coffees I need to buy in order to work in the places where I feel most comfortable writing. Atm, I don't need fancy grants, I need around £7 a day worth of caffeine.
August 19, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Genuinely a bit peeved that there doesn't seem to be a fund I can apply to that will just fund the coffees I need to buy in order to work in the places where I feel most comfortable writing. Atm, I don't need fancy grants, I need around £7 a day worth of caffeine.
Long hard stare across the Atlantic
This isn’t an impoverished regional school – this is the University of Chicago. Devastating.
August 14, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Long hard stare across the Atlantic
We are watching "Fountain of Youth" and you're so lucky I'm not live commenting on this. Tbf, quite a lot of my comments involve swear words.
August 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
We are watching "Fountain of Youth" and you're so lucky I'm not live commenting on this. Tbf, quite a lot of my comments involve swear words.
Reposted by Sara Barker
"Slaves in Paris: A Digital Mapping Project" - a partnership between Miranda Spieler and Colonial Networks slavesinparis.org. Created with the support of our Kress Foundation Digital Art History Grant. Officially launched today in Paris at #GCFHSResist
July 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
"Slaves in Paris: A Digital Mapping Project" - a partnership between Miranda Spieler and Colonial Networks slavesinparis.org. Created with the support of our Kress Foundation Digital Art History Grant. Officially launched today in Paris at #GCFHSResist
Obvs, interested in the actual content here but definitely going to steal "the real game is in the footnotes" as a motto
July 30, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Obvs, interested in the actual content here but definitely going to steal "the real game is in the footnotes" as a motto
Went to one of the lovely indie coffee shops near me, got asked if I was reading Caroline Levine's "Forms" (I was) and ended up having a lovely chat with a woman on the next table about our research, and then someone else joined in when they heard me mention pals working on medical humanities.
July 29, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Went to one of the lovely indie coffee shops near me, got asked if I was reading Caroline Levine's "Forms" (I was) and ended up having a lovely chat with a woman on the next table about our research, and then someone else joined in when they heard me mention pals working on medical humanities.