Tom McAllister
@tmcallister.bsky.social
Author of novels HOW TO BE SAFE and THE YOUNG WIDOWER'S HANDBOOK, and essay collection IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE.
Co-host of Book Fight! podcast (RIP). @Barrelhouse.bsky.social NF Editor. Rutgers-Camden MFA faculty. South Jersey.
Tom.mcallister.ws
Co-host of Book Fight! podcast (RIP). @Barrelhouse.bsky.social NF Editor. Rutgers-Camden MFA faculty. South Jersey.
Tom.mcallister.ws
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Tom McAllister
@tmcallister.bsky.social
· May 14
My book, IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE, in which I wrote a short essay for each year of my life, is officially out today (paperback & ebook). I think it's the best writing I've ever done, the most I've ever sounded like myself on the page.
Full details, reviews, etc: rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
Full details, reviews, etc: rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
the Nuzzi book obviously has no merit as a written text and has no real newsworthy merit (we already know the big story), but it's guaranteed to get breathless coverage for weeks by media people who like gossip. I wonder if there's a better way to produce books
November 17, 2025 at 3:19 PM
the Nuzzi book obviously has no merit as a written text and has no real newsworthy merit (we already know the big story), but it's guaranteed to get breathless coverage for weeks by media people who like gossip. I wonder if there's a better way to produce books
love that the Falcons website really goes out of its way to emphasize that Lil' Fred, their small mascot, is NOT the son of Freddie Falcon, they just look identical, act the same, and have all the same interests
November 16, 2025 at 9:38 PM
love that the Falcons website really goes out of its way to emphasize that Lil' Fred, their small mascot, is NOT the son of Freddie Falcon, they just look identical, act the same, and have all the same interests
imagine a Rondo, but janky
November 16, 2025 at 3:25 PM
imagine a Rondo, but janky
There has to be a director's cut in which the Wet Bandits kill and eat that kid
November 15, 2025 at 3:31 AM
There has to be a director's cut in which the Wet Bandits kill and eat that kid
Reposted by Tom McAllister
I'm reading submissions of short solstice writing for the next few days, so hold up your candles and walk into the woods.
We've just opened submissions on a brief call for short solstice writing. Let's see what happens!
Necessary Fiction - Winter Solstice: Points of Light
When the winter solstice approaches and days contract, I often return to seasonal rereads — Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Nina MacLaughlin's Winter Solstice, essays by Kathleen Jamie, or the fictio...
necessaryfiction.submittable.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I'm reading submissions of short solstice writing for the next few days, so hold up your candles and walk into the woods.
Very upset to see the Hamburglar turning up in these Epstein emails. Grimace I expected. But not this
November 13, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Very upset to see the Hamburglar turning up in these Epstein emails. Grimace I expected. But not this
accidentally clicked reply all on my response to Jeffrey Epstein and now I'm getting yelled at by half the tenured faculty at Harvard
November 12, 2025 at 10:22 PM
accidentally clicked reply all on my response to Jeffrey Epstein and now I'm getting yelled at by half the tenured faculty at Harvard
Something especially illuminating and gross about reading the terribly written emails of mega powerful people. The typos and bad prose, the weird syntax, the nonsense eruptions of half-thoughts. It's like seeing someone's dirty bathroom.
November 12, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Something especially illuminating and gross about reading the terribly written emails of mega powerful people. The typos and bad prose, the weird syntax, the nonsense eruptions of half-thoughts. It's like seeing someone's dirty bathroom.
practicing self-care by not reading or listening to a single word about the health of Joel Embiid's knee for the rest of my life
November 12, 2025 at 1:13 AM
practicing self-care by not reading or listening to a single word about the health of Joel Embiid's knee for the rest of my life
Thinking about becoming a fancy olive oil guy
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Thinking about becoming a fancy olive oil guy
it's a cold comfort knowing that when he dies he will do so as one of the most deeply hated individuals of the entire century, but it's still a comfort
November 9, 2025 at 11:15 PM
it's a cold comfort knowing that when he dies he will do so as one of the most deeply hated individuals of the entire century, but it's still a comfort
these ridiculous slogans on NFL helmets ("It takes all of us") were always hollow, but they're so far removed from their origin that I wonder how many people even know they're ostensibly about Black Lives Matter or racism
November 9, 2025 at 9:16 PM
these ridiculous slogans on NFL helmets ("It takes all of us") were always hollow, but they're so far removed from their origin that I wonder how many people even know they're ostensibly about Black Lives Matter or racism
I know they're totally different games but I firmly believe that given the opportunity I could be the Brad Rutter of Family Feud
November 9, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I know they're totally different games but I firmly believe that given the opportunity I could be the Brad Rutter of Family Feud
Reposted by Tom McAllister
From the vehicle to the license plate to the location, you couldn't conjure up a finer “guy parked in crosswalk” than what we have here.
November 8, 2025 at 10:54 PM
From the vehicle to the license plate to the location, you couldn't conjure up a finer “guy parked in crosswalk” than what we have here.
Wearing my Sixers shirt and got stopped for 3 separate conversations about how fun they are. We are so back
November 8, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Wearing my Sixers shirt and got stopped for 3 separate conversations about how fun they are. We are so back
was going to order a salad for lunch from my local deli but then I saw this option and I guess I've got nothing else going on for the next half hour anyway
November 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
was going to order a salad for lunch from my local deli but then I saw this option and I guess I've got nothing else going on for the next half hour anyway
Bernt Bornich
NEO, a new humanoid robot that can do housekeeping, has the internet buzzing. The hosts of "Hard Fork" met with Bernt Bornich, the chief executive of the company 1X, which created the robot, and got to put NEO to the test. nyti.ms/47MhkAo
November 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Bernt Bornich
imagine someone telling their spouse that they are mad at grok. bleaker lives have never been posited
November 8, 2025 at 5:05 AM
imagine someone telling their spouse that they are mad at grok. bleaker lives have never been posited
Reposted by Tom McAllister
It's important to acknowledge that even though he would not be the first American on Taskmaster, Paul would be the first Philadelphian and in many ways that is an even higher honor/of greater import.
This was FUN. Thanks to Ed and everyone at TM for the tour of the house & grounds
youtu.be/8qya3eTjNMQ
youtu.be/8qya3eTjNMQ
PODCAST: PAUL F. TOMPKINS on Season 20, Episode 9 | Taskmaster
YouTube video by Taskmaster
youtu.be
November 8, 2025 at 3:25 AM
It's important to acknowledge that even though he would not be the first American on Taskmaster, Paul would be the first Philadelphian and in many ways that is an even higher honor/of greater import.
really shocking that one of the NBA's big innovations over the past few years has been to make the courts so ugly--on select nights only-- that it becomes a hostile act toward the viewers
November 8, 2025 at 1:44 AM
really shocking that one of the NBA's big innovations over the past few years has been to make the courts so ugly--on select nights only-- that it becomes a hostile act toward the viewers
Another big loss for the President, who has been forced to allow his constituents to eat food
November 7, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Another big loss for the President, who has been forced to allow his constituents to eat food
i'm sorry to say that I think asking Sydney Sweeney whether she supports white nationalism based on a lot of people overreacting to a weak pun on the word "jeans" is actually very weird, I also hate that I have an opinion on this
November 7, 2025 at 12:05 AM
i'm sorry to say that I think asking Sydney Sweeney whether she supports white nationalism based on a lot of people overreacting to a weak pun on the word "jeans" is actually very weird, I also hate that I have an opinion on this
things are getting desperate, folks
I don't know if this is a good or bad indicator, in terms of America's status in the world, or our shared economic future, but I've been thinking about writing some short stories again
November 6, 2025 at 6:25 PM
things are getting desperate, folks
sometimes the math goes over my head but I still feel like I understand the game better
November 6, 2025 at 1:59 AM
sometimes the math goes over my head but I still feel like I understand the game better
everyone's mad about this but I'm grateful to have it distinguished from An oval office
November 5, 2025 at 5:50 PM
everyone's mad about this but I'm grateful to have it distinguished from An oval office