Helen Barrett
@helenbarrett.bsky.social
Features journalist - NYTimes, Financial Times, Telegraph. On a book break, writing about the Beatles.
https://www.helenbarrettjournalist.com/
https://open.substack.com/pub/helenbarrett
https://www.helenbarrettjournalist.com/
https://open.substack.com/pub/helenbarrett
Pinned
Helen Barrett
@helenbarrett.bsky.social
· Sep 27
Memoirs from the dance floor — the nocturnal universes of New York, London and Berlin
Three very different accounts by Mark Ronson, Jodie Harsh and Liam Cagney create a history of club culture since the 1990s
www.ft.com
I wrote about a rush of new nightlife memoirs and the death of nightclubs for this week's @ftweekend.com books essay.
www.ft.com/content/a4ed...
www.ft.com/content/a4ed...
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Every so often it’s useful to answer some of the questions I get asked on here.
1. Yes they are.
2. Not the whole message, obviously.
3. In the garage, mainly.
4. No, it wouldn’t be practical. Sorry.
5. Purely random.
Cheers, T.
1. Yes they are.
2. Not the whole message, obviously.
3. In the garage, mainly.
4. No, it wouldn’t be practical. Sorry.
5. Purely random.
Cheers, T.
November 16, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Every so often it’s useful to answer some of the questions I get asked on here.
1. Yes they are.
2. Not the whole message, obviously.
3. In the garage, mainly.
4. No, it wouldn’t be practical. Sorry.
5. Purely random.
Cheers, T.
1. Yes they are.
2. Not the whole message, obviously.
3. In the garage, mainly.
4. No, it wouldn’t be practical. Sorry.
5. Purely random.
Cheers, T.
Rachel Cooke's Observer pieces are full of effortless gags, especially when she's writing about Sheffield in the 80s. The line about footballers' wives is pure northern deadpan.
November 16, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Rachel Cooke's Observer pieces are full of effortless gags, especially when she's writing about Sheffield in the 80s. The line about footballers' wives is pure northern deadpan.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
I’ve only just stumbled across the fantastic fact that Margaret Thatcher’s 1970s voice coach, who taught her to lower her voice and speak more resonantly, was none other than Catherine Fleming, who voiced the evil Animus in bonkers 1965 Doctor Who serial The Web Planet. The Zarbi’s not for turning!
November 15, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I’ve only just stumbled across the fantastic fact that Margaret Thatcher’s 1970s voice coach, who taught her to lower her voice and speak more resonantly, was none other than Catherine Fleming, who voiced the evil Animus in bonkers 1965 Doctor Who serial The Web Planet. The Zarbi’s not for turning!
Reposted by Helen Barrett
I know we live in deeply strange times, but 'the Daily Mail searching for members of the Incredible String Band' is almost too man_blinking.gif
November 15, 2025 at 12:36 PM
I know we live in deeply strange times, but 'the Daily Mail searching for members of the Incredible String Band' is almost too man_blinking.gif
Went to see "Postures: Jean Rhys in the Modern World" at the Michael Werner Gallery, curated by Hilton Als. Here's Rhys's house dress from 1914.
I now want a house dress.
I now want a house dress.
November 15, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Went to see "Postures: Jean Rhys in the Modern World" at the Michael Werner Gallery, curated by Hilton Als. Here's Rhys's house dress from 1914.
I now want a house dress.
I now want a house dress.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
He should go for $5.46bn, which would be a convenient £174.50 per licence payer
Trump says he will likely sue the BBC for up to $5 billion over edited speech reut.rs/442rY4Y
Trump says he will likely sue the BBC for up to $5 billion over edited speech
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he would likely sue the BBC next week for as much as $5 billion after the British broadcaster admitted it wrongly edited a video of a speech he gave but insisted there was no legal basis for his claim.
reut.rs
November 15, 2025 at 11:03 AM
He should go for $5.46bn, which would be a convenient £174.50 per licence payer
Reposted by Helen Barrett
make the babbling gossip of the air
Cry out “Olivia!”
Cry out “Olivia!”
November 14, 2025 at 6:07 PM
make the babbling gossip of the air
Cry out “Olivia!”
Cry out “Olivia!”
I'd forgotten quite how lovely this is. That breezy, weightless quality.
“Take It Away” by Paul McCartney #nowplaying #radio2
November 15, 2025 at 8:14 AM
I'd forgotten quite how lovely this is. That breezy, weightless quality.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
My texts all day
Wait so the person who wrote that Nuzzi profile is Carl Bernstein and Nora Ephron’s son?????????
💀 ☠️ 💀 ☠️
💀 ☠️ 💀 ☠️
November 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
My texts all day
Reposted by Helen Barrett
A Lady From Hell Adventure
pulpcovers.com/a-lady-from-...
Covers, Dangerous Women, Detective Fiction, Magazine, Mystery
pulpcovers.com/a-lady-from-...
Covers, Dangerous Women, Detective Fiction, Magazine, Mystery
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 PM
A Lady From Hell Adventure
pulpcovers.com/a-lady-from-...
Covers, Dangerous Women, Detective Fiction, Magazine, Mystery
pulpcovers.com/a-lady-from-...
Covers, Dangerous Women, Detective Fiction, Magazine, Mystery
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Chaos in the Vatican in 1159
November 14, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Chaos in the Vatican in 1159
AND FLARES.
Ah the 1970s.
Stagflation, three day weeks, collapsing infrastructure. Civil War in Northern Ireland. In yer face racism and bigotry everywhere. Bin strikes. Strikes in general. Blackouts. Industrial decline. Wage inequality. Dog crap everywhere. And households spent 25% of their income on food.
Stagflation, three day weeks, collapsing infrastructure. Civil War in Northern Ireland. In yer face racism and bigotry everywhere. Bin strikes. Strikes in general. Blackouts. Industrial decline. Wage inequality. Dog crap everywhere. And households spent 25% of their income on food.
November 14, 2025 at 9:29 AM
AND FLARES.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
When you're a Liverpool theatre and you need an absolute cert to subsidise your more experimental programme.
Hilary Mantel story imagining Margaret Thatcher’s assassination to be staged in Liverpool
Short story set in 1983, and published a year after the former prime minister’s death, considers ‘what happens when people feel they don’t have a voice’ says director John Young
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:06 AM
When you're a Liverpool theatre and you need an absolute cert to subsidise your more experimental programme.
For work, I must read a heavily publicised, lavishly praised book. It is, of course, unreadable.
November 13, 2025 at 5:32 PM
For work, I must read a heavily publicised, lavishly praised book. It is, of course, unreadable.
I love this story.
"The recommended accompaniment - the 250ml crushed tomato bread topper, a puree made up of tomatoes, olive oil and salt - costs an additional £2.65."
www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/2069b21...
"The recommended accompaniment - the 250ml crushed tomato bread topper, a puree made up of tomatoes, olive oil and salt - costs an additional £2.65."
www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/2069b21...
M&S under fire for selling two slices of plain bread for £4.50
Retailer urged to justify the price given the ‘enormous’ economies of scale at play
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 11:45 AM
I love this story.
"The recommended accompaniment - the 250ml crushed tomato bread topper, a puree made up of tomatoes, olive oil and salt - costs an additional £2.65."
www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/2069b21...
"The recommended accompaniment - the 250ml crushed tomato bread topper, a puree made up of tomatoes, olive oil and salt - costs an additional £2.65."
www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/2069b21...
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Channel 5 relaunches Play for Today tonight – & I'm really intrigued to see what the do with it. Incidentally I watched one that my dad directed for the 1st time this week (Baby Talk, 1981) – with a young Pauline Quirke no less! – & boy, they really went for it. I hope this new incarnation does, too
November 13, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Channel 5 relaunches Play for Today tonight – & I'm really intrigued to see what the do with it. Incidentally I watched one that my dad directed for the 1st time this week (Baby Talk, 1981) – with a young Pauline Quirke no less! – & boy, they really went for it. I hope this new incarnation does, too
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Oh wow! A London Underground station being officially Listed is always great news - this one especially so. Southwark station, 1999 by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard, has just been Listed at Grade 2. Now for the other JLE stations. @c20society.bsky.social
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-...
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-...
November 11, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Oh wow! A London Underground station being officially Listed is always great news - this one especially so. Southwark station, 1999 by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard, has just been Listed at Grade 2. Now for the other JLE stations. @c20society.bsky.social
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-...
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-...
Me, when I'm definitely fine and I've absolutely got this.
Russia unveiled its new humanoid robot, AIdol, in Moscow and it immediately collapsed👏🏼
November 13, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Me, when I'm definitely fine and I've absolutely got this.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Somehow these are real buildings
November 12, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Somehow these are real buildings
Accidental dialogue.
November 12, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Accidental dialogue.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Robert Ballagh — Woman and a Bridget Riley, 1974.
(The Faust Tapes)
(The Faust Tapes)
November 12, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Robert Ballagh — Woman and a Bridget Riley, 1974.
(The Faust Tapes)
(The Faust Tapes)
Erica Jong's Fear of Flying. OF COURSE.
performative reading, lack of reading skills, nobody's reading anymore -- NO!
tell me about a book that changed you
for me? the *extremely* ahistorical novel, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY which I read at 13 and was like, "Oh, art can be *everything* to a maker, for good and bad"
tell me about a book that changed you
for me? the *extremely* ahistorical novel, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY which I read at 13 and was like, "Oh, art can be *everything* to a maker, for good and bad"
November 12, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Erica Jong's Fear of Flying. OF COURSE.
Reposted by Helen Barrett
Looking at this graph and wonder if something else might be going on beyond 'poor quality leader'
November 11, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Looking at this graph and wonder if something else might be going on beyond 'poor quality leader'