Tom Zoellner
@tomzoellner.bsky.social
Professor at @ChapmanU, editor-at-large @LAReviewofBooks, PhD in history, author of “The National Road” http://tinyurl.com/y6lrtzal
Antagonists like to slam @radiofreetom.bsky.social for decrying the fascist characteristics of Trump while refusing to call it such. But they should point out a worse hypocrisy: labeling 1970s music "a horrid stew of disco and wimp-rock hits" in The Atlantic while rocking out to #AT40 in private.
January 31, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Antagonists like to slam @radiofreetom.bsky.social for decrying the fascist characteristics of Trump while refusing to call it such. But they should point out a worse hypocrisy: labeling 1970s music "a horrid stew of disco and wimp-rock hits" in The Atlantic while rocking out to #AT40 in private.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
The cruelty is big business
January 30, 2026 at 12:23 AM
The cruelty is big business
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
What the Trump Admin is telling you.
-Don't record ICE
-Don't carry a gun around ICE
-Don't ask ICE for a warrant.
So that takes out the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments.
-Don't record ICE
-Don't carry a gun around ICE
-Don't ask ICE for a warrant.
So that takes out the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments.
January 25, 2026 at 2:32 AM
What the Trump Admin is telling you.
-Don't record ICE
-Don't carry a gun around ICE
-Don't ask ICE for a warrant.
So that takes out the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments.
-Don't record ICE
-Don't carry a gun around ICE
-Don't ask ICE for a warrant.
So that takes out the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
“Freedom is not free. We have to work at it. Nurture it. Protect it. Even sacrifice for it.”
January 25, 2026 at 2:56 AM
“Freedom is not free. We have to work at it. Nurture it. Protect it. Even sacrifice for it.”
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
ChapmanU Professor Tom Zoellner (English) published his new book, The Road Was Full of Thorns: Running Toward Freedom in the American Civil War.
thenewpress.org/books/the-roa...
@tomzoellner.bsky.social
thenewpress.org/books/the-roa...
@tomzoellner.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 6:01 PM
ChapmanU Professor Tom Zoellner (English) published his new book, The Road Was Full of Thorns: Running Toward Freedom in the American Civil War.
thenewpress.org/books/the-roa...
@tomzoellner.bsky.social
thenewpress.org/books/the-roa...
@tomzoellner.bsky.social
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Alan Watts discussing why poets are so often at their best when speaking of change.
January 18, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Alan Watts discussing why poets are so often at their best when speaking of change.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
#OTD in 2019, we lost beloved #poet Mary Oliver.
Her work celebrated the natural world with simple, profound language & a sense of wonder. Perhaps America's best-selling poet, she won the #Pulitzer Prize (1984 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦) & National Book Award (1992 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘮𝘴). #booksky #poetry
Her work celebrated the natural world with simple, profound language & a sense of wonder. Perhaps America's best-selling poet, she won the #Pulitzer Prize (1984 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦) & National Book Award (1992 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘮𝘴). #booksky #poetry
January 17, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
🔥NYT: “Trump is the Jan. 6th president… It was a turning point toward an even more lawless version of Trump… people who violently attacked Congress & beat officers escaped w/o lasting consequence… Tragically, 🇺🇸 is still living in that political era…” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/o...
January 2, 2026 at 8:38 PM
🔥NYT: “Trump is the Jan. 6th president… It was a turning point toward an even more lawless version of Trump… people who violently attacked Congress & beat officers escaped w/o lasting consequence… Tragically, 🇺🇸 is still living in that political era…” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/o...
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Here, far more than majority of working journalists, are some of the villains people could focus on when they just say “the media.” Fact that so few know about outfits like this is a measure of their awful success.
December 29, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Here, far more than majority of working journalists, are some of the villains people could focus on when they just say “the media.” Fact that so few know about outfits like this is a measure of their awful success.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
CBS paid the president of the United States millions in bribe money and now they censor news reports so it does not annoy him. I don’t know how much plainer we can put this.
December 22, 2025 at 12:14 PM
CBS paid the president of the United States millions in bribe money and now they censor news reports so it does not annoy him. I don’t know how much plainer we can put this.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Always fun to collaborate on a story. Check out @wyattmyskow.bsky.social, @blancabegert.bsky.social, and my coverage of the state of Colorado River negotiations.
The Colorado River Basin is quite literally 50 feet from collapse. But a deal to save it isn’t any closer to happening.
Our take on the deadlocked negotiations over the future of the river the West depends on:
insideclimatenews.org/news/1912202...
Our take on the deadlocked negotiations over the future of the river the West depends on:
insideclimatenews.org/news/1912202...
A River That Millions Rely on for Water Is on the Brink. A Deal to Save It Isn't. - Inside Climate News
LAS VEGAS—The Colorado River Basin is, quite literally, 50 feet away from collapse, and an agreement to save it is nowhere in sight. Water titans clashed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas this week, whe...
insideclimatenews.org
December 20, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Always fun to collaborate on a story. Check out @wyattmyskow.bsky.social, @blancabegert.bsky.social, and my coverage of the state of Colorado River negotiations.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Never accept a lecture on decency, civility, or respect from a Trump supporter.
Never tolerate it.
Never tolerate it.
December 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Never accept a lecture on decency, civility, or respect from a Trump supporter.
Never tolerate it.
Never tolerate it.
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
i'm actually struck by how pete hegseth isn't just a cowardly man but a capital-c Coward. a guy who gets off on abusing and hurting people he thinks are weaker than him and then tries to run and hide when there might be consequences
December 2, 2025 at 1:45 PM
i'm actually struck by how pete hegseth isn't just a cowardly man but a capital-c Coward. a guy who gets off on abusing and hurting people he thinks are weaker than him and then tries to run and hide when there might be consequences
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Socialism is what they called public power.
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.
Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.
—Harry Truman, 1952
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.
Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.
—Harry Truman, 1952
November 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Socialism is what they called public power.
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.
Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.
—Harry Truman, 1952
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.
Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.
—Harry Truman, 1952
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
Trump: The gretest con man in American history.
October 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Trump: The gretest con man in American history.
Please do not give any money or support to @afspnational.bsky.social, an ineffective and corrupt organization. They are in bed with the gun lobby, as this story documents.
www.thetrace.org/2025/10/gun-...
www.thetrace.org/2025/10/gun-...
A Program Backed by the Gun Industry Failed to Reduce Suicide — and Was Secretly Shut Down Early
The country’s best-known suicide prevention group teamed up with the gun industry. The effort was good for public relations and raising money, but it never met its goal, and internal records show why.
www.thetrace.org
October 8, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Please do not give any money or support to @afspnational.bsky.social, an ineffective and corrupt organization. They are in bed with the gun lobby, as this story documents.
www.thetrace.org/2025/10/gun-...
www.thetrace.org/2025/10/gun-...
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
@slaveryarchive.bsky.social A review of a new book about the contraband camps in the WSJ. www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
‘The Road Was Full of Thorns’ Review: Crossing Battle Lines to Freedom
In encampments such as Fort Monroe, Union forces in the Civil War were joined by thousands of African-Americans seeking liberty and protection.
www.wsj.com
October 5, 2025 at 3:55 AM
@slaveryarchive.bsky.social A review of a new book about the contraband camps in the WSJ. www.wsj.com/arts-culture...
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
"Radical retelling of the drama of emancipation."
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @tomzoellner.bsky.social & @thenewpress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @tomzoellner.bsky.social & @thenewpress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
October 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
"Radical retelling of the drama of emancipation."
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @tomzoellner.bsky.social & @thenewpress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @tomzoellner.bsky.social & @thenewpress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
If I have any credibility with you from 20 years of reporting on rightwing & fascist movements, please listen when I beg you not to celebrate Charlie Kirk getting shot. Leave aside morality: this isn’t a match in dry grass, it’s a torch. We do not want what this could ignite & we would not win.
September 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM
If I have any credibility with you from 20 years of reporting on rightwing & fascist movements, please listen when I beg you not to celebrate Charlie Kirk getting shot. Leave aside morality: this isn’t a match in dry grass, it’s a torch. We do not want what this could ignite & we would not win.
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August 24, 2025 at 2:06 AM
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@hollyfrey.bsky.social The anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation is coming up on Sept. 22. Can I pitch a SYM episode based on this new book that reframes the story? thenewpress.org/books/the-ro...
The Road Was Full of Thorns - The New Press
A radical retelling of the drama of emancipation, from New York Times bestselling author and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award“Zoellner is a beautiful writer, a superb reporter, and a d...
thenewpress.org
August 13, 2025 at 6:29 PM
@hollyfrey.bsky.social The anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation is coming up on Sept. 22. Can I pitch a SYM episode based on this new book that reframes the story? thenewpress.org/books/the-ro...
Happy August 1st Day! www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020...
Perspective | A long-forgotten holiday animates Black Lives Matter
The movement for racial equality echoes the vision of the “August First Day” holiday.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 1, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Happy August 1st Day! www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020...
Reposted by Tom Zoellner
EX GREEN BERET: “In my entire career, I never witnessed the brutality and use of indiscriminate & unnecessary force against an unarmed, starving civilian population until I was in Gaza at the hands of IDF & US contractors… without question, war crimes.”
July 26, 2025 at 4:10 AM
EX GREEN BERET: “In my entire career, I never witnessed the brutality and use of indiscriminate & unnecessary force against an unarmed, starving civilian population until I was in Gaza at the hands of IDF & US contractors… without question, war crimes.”