Mathew Lyons
@mathewlyons.bsky.social
Writer, historian. FRHistS. Recent work: History Today, The Spectator, Slightly Foxed, New Humanist, Engelsberg Ideas.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
Pope Leo X capitalized on Raphael's skills by commissioning a breathtaking array of works that would dramatically illustrate the new Golden Age he was convinced that his papacy was ushering in.
🍿 Watch ▶️ ideasroadshow.substack.com/p/raphael-a-...
🗃️ #arthistory #skystorians #academia #Italy #art
🍿 Watch ▶️ ideasroadshow.substack.com/p/raphael-a-...
🗃️ #arthistory #skystorians #academia #Italy #art
November 21, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Pope Leo X capitalized on Raphael's skills by commissioning a breathtaking array of works that would dramatically illustrate the new Golden Age he was convinced that his papacy was ushering in.
🍿 Watch ▶️ ideasroadshow.substack.com/p/raphael-a-...
🗃️ #arthistory #skystorians #academia #Italy #art
🍿 Watch ▶️ ideasroadshow.substack.com/p/raphael-a-...
🗃️ #arthistory #skystorians #academia #Italy #art
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
I've been writing about books, authors and the Cambridge Ladies' Dining Society for two years now on Substack. If you fancy joining the (virtual) tour, there's a special offer this week.
My second Substack anniversary...
...and other reasons to celebrate
akennedysmith.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I've been writing about books, authors and the Cambridge Ladies' Dining Society for two years now on Substack. If you fancy joining the (virtual) tour, there's a special offer this week.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
Can I also just point out there are two small indie publishers shortlisted amongst the big names with their big authors, us and @eyebooks.bsky.social
Damian Barr’s The Two Roberts (Canongate), Ian McEwan’s What We Can Know (Jonathan Cape) and Lyse Doucet’s The Finest Hotel in Kabul (Hutchinson Heinemann) have been shortlisted for the 2025 Nero Book Awards 👇 #BookSky
Damian Barr, Ian McEwan and Lyse Doucet shortlisted for 2025 Nero Book Awards
ebx.sh
November 20, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Can I also just point out there are two small indie publishers shortlisted amongst the big names with their big authors, us and @eyebooks.bsky.social
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
This is a lovely piece!
John Masefield’s The Midnight Folk is probably my favourite children’s book. I tried to explain why.
The Midnight Folk: memory, magic, and consolation
The private griefs and terrors behind John Masefield's classic children's book
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:50 AM
This is a lovely piece!
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
“The effect is mesmerising: it captures better than anything I know the strange hypnogogic state between sleeping and waking when the world itself feels woozily pliant to the near-conscious mind.” This a fantastic piece.
John Masefield’s The Midnight Folk is probably my favourite children’s book. I tried to explain why.
The Midnight Folk: memory, magic, and consolation
The private griefs and terrors behind John Masefield's classic children's book
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:11 AM
“The effect is mesmerising: it captures better than anything I know the strange hypnogogic state between sleeping and waking when the world itself feels woozily pliant to the near-conscious mind.” This a fantastic piece.
John Masefield’s The Midnight Folk is probably my favourite children’s book. I tried to explain why.
The Midnight Folk: memory, magic, and consolation
The private griefs and terrors behind John Masefield's classic children's book
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:23 AM
John Masefield’s The Midnight Folk is probably my favourite children’s book. I tried to explain why.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
www.spiracleaudiobooks.com/articles/sam...
Nice interview with my esteemed publisher @galleybeggars.bsky.social
Nice interview with my esteemed publisher @galleybeggars.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
www.spiracleaudiobooks.com/articles/sam...
Nice interview with my esteemed publisher @galleybeggars.bsky.social
Nice interview with my esteemed publisher @galleybeggars.bsky.social
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
Never in my life have I had a dream as good as the one @blogmywiki.bsky.social dreamt last night.
November 19, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Never in my life have I had a dream as good as the one @blogmywiki.bsky.social dreamt last night.
We've seen this film many times, but last time we watched it we wondered if this scene had influenced Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.
1. ‘I Know Where I’m Going!’ (P&P, 1945)
“Have you got any beams in your room?”
“Yes, why?”
“Count them before you go to sleep and your wish’ll come true.”
“As easy as that?”
“Only the first night under the roof.”
“Have you got any beams in your room?”
“Yes, why?”
“Count them before you go to sleep and your wish’ll come true.”
“As easy as that?”
“Only the first night under the roof.”
November 18, 2025 at 10:54 PM
We've seen this film many times, but last time we watched it we wondered if this scene had influenced Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
I have been WAITING for a journalist to write this story.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I have been WAITING for a journalist to write this story.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
“Around six months after the cyber incident I talked to the then chair of the science select committee, who was not aware of this incident” w o w
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:13 PM
“Around six months after the cyber incident I talked to the then chair of the science select committee, who was not aware of this incident” w o w
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
I hope that the 115th anniversary of Black Friday is a suitable day to say how much I am enjoying reading my third book by @lissakevans.bsky.social.
November 18, 2025 at 9:09 AM
I hope that the 115th anniversary of Black Friday is a suitable day to say how much I am enjoying reading my third book by @lissakevans.bsky.social.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
It was such a pleasure to have Alison as a guest! I hope you all enjoy her answers as much I did.
It was a delight to answer the skilfully-chosen literary questions of @mathewlyons.bsky.social! Would you like to discover (or rediscover) 'National Velvet'? Deplore my taste for ridiculous 1940s detective drama (with a cool unlikely heroine called Steve)? Find new poetry recommendations? Read on...
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf this morning: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the wonderful @abrackenbury.bsky.social.
November 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM
It was such a pleasure to have Alison as a guest! I hope you all enjoy her answers as much I did.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
Not to mention signed books of Dreyer's English!
(See the Signed Copies tab.)
(See the Signed Copies tab.)
Benjamin Dreyer
Benjamin Dreyer, author of the New York Times bestseller Dreyer’s English, is the retired copy chief and managing editor of Random House.
www.benjamindreyer.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Not to mention signed books of Dreyer's English!
(See the Signed Copies tab.)
(See the Signed Copies tab.)
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
Hi! You can now watch me and archaeologist Professor Nicky Milner doing our Stone Age & Star Carr double act at York University last week
And you can get signed copies of my Stone Age book, cowritten with @brennawalks.bsky.social, from the ace @foxlanebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/OzjiSlOWWug?...
And you can get signed copies of my Stone Age book, cowritten with @brennawalks.bsky.social, from the ace @foxlanebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/OzjiSlOWWug?...
The Stone Age Runs Wild at Star Carr: An evening with Greg Jenner and Nicky Milner
YouTube video by York Ideas
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Hi! You can now watch me and archaeologist Professor Nicky Milner doing our Stone Age & Star Carr double act at York University last week
And you can get signed copies of my Stone Age book, cowritten with @brennawalks.bsky.social, from the ace @foxlanebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/OzjiSlOWWug?...
And you can get signed copies of my Stone Age book, cowritten with @brennawalks.bsky.social, from the ace @foxlanebooks.bsky.social
youtu.be/OzjiSlOWWug?...
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
For anybody who missed it last night 😉, here's your chance to hear me rambling on about Peter Hammill & VdGG, talking about my upcoming book Rock and Role, and most importantly, listen to a great selection of PH tracks. Enjoy... progzilla.com/the-progress...
The Progressive Rock Show broadcast Sunday 16th November 2025
If you would like to contact Graham please email graham@progzilla.com
progzilla.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
For anybody who missed it last night 😉, here's your chance to hear me rambling on about Peter Hammill & VdGG, talking about my upcoming book Rock and Role, and most importantly, listen to a great selection of PH tracks. Enjoy... progzilla.com/the-progress...
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf this morning: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the wonderful @abrackenbury.bsky.social.
The writer's bookshelf: Alison Brackenbury
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:15 AM
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf this morning: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the wonderful @abrackenbury.bsky.social.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
‘Be it a pale morning glow, the blush of a setting sun or the period of blue light that colours the atmosphere before dark, the light in Ancher’s paintings commands attention.’ Lucy Waterson on the luminous art of Anna Ancher
How Anna Ancher saw the light in Denmark
The first exhibition in the UK of the Danish painter’s work offers a glimpse into life in her rural community, writes Lucy Waterson
buff.ly
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 AM
‘Be it a pale morning glow, the blush of a setting sun or the period of blue light that colours the atmosphere before dark, the light in Ancher’s paintings commands attention.’ Lucy Waterson on the luminous art of Anna Ancher
A maquette for Barbara Hepworth’s Winged Figure, up for auction at Bonham’s.
November 16, 2025 at 11:00 PM
A maquette for Barbara Hepworth’s Winged Figure, up for auction at Bonham’s.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
i just read something about grief from C.S. Lewis and his book, “A Grief Observed”
basically, when someone you love dies, it isn’t just them that you miss, but the parts of yourself that person brought out of you that can never be brought out again.
i feel that with my dad.
basically, when someone you love dies, it isn’t just them that you miss, but the parts of yourself that person brought out of you that can never be brought out again.
i feel that with my dad.
November 16, 2025 at 11:51 AM
i just read something about grief from C.S. Lewis and his book, “A Grief Observed”
basically, when someone you love dies, it isn’t just them that you miss, but the parts of yourself that person brought out of you that can never be brought out again.
i feel that with my dad.
basically, when someone you love dies, it isn’t just them that you miss, but the parts of yourself that person brought out of you that can never be brought out again.
i feel that with my dad.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
Silence of the Lambs is almost the Platonic ideal of its kind, and Red Dragon was pretty good, too, but this is the first thing I've read that suggests we wouldn't all have been better off without Hannibal.
November 16, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Silence of the Lambs is almost the Platonic ideal of its kind, and Red Dragon was pretty good, too, but this is the first thing I've read that suggests we wouldn't all have been better off without Hannibal.
Some Sunday reading: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the brilliant @cathfletcher.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
The writer’s bookshelf: Catherine Fletcher
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
mathewlyons.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Some Sunday reading: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the brilliant @cathfletcher.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
Some contemplative reading from me for a Saturday morning about the ineffable mystery of silence and how Philip Gröning found a way to express it in film.
Into Great Silence
Exploring the meaning of Philip Gröning's extraordinary film, twenty years on
open.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Some contemplative reading from me for a Saturday morning about the ineffable mystery of silence and how Philip Gröning found a way to express it in film.
Reposted by Mathew Lyons
If you’re of a certain vintage, it’s happy big 50 to the eeriest, most evocative piece of music and TV intro of all time. I can hear it wafting in from my parents front room when I was meant to be asleep, the neon bottle floating in to view.
Another Green World (2004 Remaster)
YouTube video by Brian Eno - Topic
youtu.be
November 14, 2025 at 9:35 PM
If you’re of a certain vintage, it’s happy big 50 to the eeriest, most evocative piece of music and TV intro of all time. I can hear it wafting in from my parents front room when I was meant to be asleep, the neon bottle floating in to view.