Natasha Simonova
@philistella.bsky.social
Research Fellow @ies-sas.bsky.social, Bougie London Literary Woman, cat concierge. Book on 18th-century women's letters forthcoming from Chatto & Windus. natashasimonova.com
Pinned
Excited for this energy! About me: one foot still in academia (17th/18th c., women's writing, manuscripts, fiction), working on a trade book about 18th-century women's letters, always up for freelance writing/reviewing gigs or new friends and events around London. Servant to small elderly cat.
@rachelbynoth.bsky.social, you might enjoy this epitaph on George Canning:
He possessed great powers of mind,
And has left few like him behind:
His genius above all others did reach
In making Poetry and Speech,
But (though they gave him lots of physic)
He died at Devonshire House, at Chiswick.
He possessed great powers of mind,
And has left few like him behind:
His genius above all others did reach
In making Poetry and Speech,
But (though they gave him lots of physic)
He died at Devonshire House, at Chiswick.
November 26, 2025 at 2:41 PM
@rachelbynoth.bsky.social, you might enjoy this epitaph on George Canning:
He possessed great powers of mind,
And has left few like him behind:
His genius above all others did reach
In making Poetry and Speech,
But (though they gave him lots of physic)
He died at Devonshire House, at Chiswick.
He possessed great powers of mind,
And has left few like him behind:
His genius above all others did reach
In making Poetry and Speech,
But (though they gave him lots of physic)
He died at Devonshire House, at Chiswick.
An extremely Bluesky mood from the India Gazette, January 1828.
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
An extremely Bluesky mood from the India Gazette, January 1828.
What are we DOING here.
November 25, 2025 at 5:10 PM
What are we DOING here.
Apparently popular among the British soldiers stationed in India in the early 19th century was a drink called 'kill devil', consisting of an entire chicken ('feathers and all') boiled in arrack, seasoned with chillies and green ginger, and drunk scalding hot.
November 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Apparently popular among the British soldiers stationed in India in the early 19th century was a drink called 'kill devil', consisting of an entire chicken ('feathers and all') boiled in arrack, seasoned with chillies and green ginger, and drunk scalding hot.
Mrs Dalloway said she would project-manage the renovation herself.
November 25, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Mrs Dalloway said she would project-manage the renovation herself.
Went to a craft fair (all the Game of Wool knitters were there! starstruck!) and then walked the long way home, sometimes this town really isn't so bad.
November 23, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Went to a craft fair (all the Game of Wool knitters were there! starstruck!) and then walked the long way home, sometimes this town really isn't so bad.
Reposted by Natasha Simonova
UK immigration consultation. Designed terribly and probably intentionally to make it difficult to disagree, but worth doing if you do.
Here's the link if you would like to have a go:
Earned settlement
The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.
www.gov.uk
November 22, 2025 at 11:35 AM
UK immigration consultation. Designed terribly and probably intentionally to make it difficult to disagree, but worth doing if you do.
Also the way they refer to the UK as 'the Kingdom'. 'The Kingdom will remain intact'! It's a good thing Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell are so attractive...
Catching up on series 2 of 'The Diplomat'. The vision of contemporary global politics it presents is obviously out of date and ridiculous, but perhaps my favourite part is how everyone, including the British characters, refers to the Scottish 'secession' (not 'independence') movement.
November 21, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Also the way they refer to the UK as 'the Kingdom'. 'The Kingdom will remain intact'! It's a good thing Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell are so attractive...
Catching up on series 2 of 'The Diplomat'. The vision of contemporary global politics it presents is obviously out of date and ridiculous, but perhaps my favourite part is how everyone, including the British characters, refers to the Scottish 'secession' (not 'independence') movement.
November 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Catching up on series 2 of 'The Diplomat'. The vision of contemporary global politics it presents is obviously out of date and ridiculous, but perhaps my favourite part is how everyone, including the British characters, refers to the Scottish 'secession' (not 'independence') movement.
It's gone through. Jesus Christ that did NOT look like it would happen an hour ago. I'm so so broken.
So stressed today that I've now gone out the other side into a state of paradoxical zen, albeit one where I can't eat or drink anything because I might very possibly be sick.
November 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM
It's gone through. Jesus Christ that did NOT look like it would happen an hour ago. I'm so so broken.
So stressed today that I've now gone out the other side into a state of paradoxical zen, albeit one where I can't eat or drink anything because I might very possibly be sick.
November 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
So stressed today that I've now gone out the other side into a state of paradoxical zen, albeit one where I can't eat or drink anything because I might very possibly be sick.
"There's clearly something political about it but nobody knows what it is". Truly we are living in the stupidest year!!!
It’s the exclusive everyone wanted, the story that will win next year’s Pulitzer…
I can reveal London’s giant AI generated Christmas artwork, the subject of much online mockery, is being torn down - and I honestly *genuinely* think you’ll never guess why. www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
I can reveal London’s giant AI generated Christmas artwork, the subject of much online mockery, is being torn down - and I honestly *genuinely* think you’ll never guess why. www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
London's giant AI artwork to be torn down
The bizarre story of why a much-talked-about creation is being torn down. Plus: Docklands Light Railway extension, giant laser stalks the night sky, and more tales of Android phone theft rejection.
www.londoncentric.media
November 20, 2025 at 10:18 AM
"There's clearly something political about it but nobody knows what it is". Truly we are living in the stupidest year!!!
I am the most fine anyone has EVER been, btw.
November 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
I am the most fine anyone has EVER been, btw.
Reposted by Natasha Simonova
when will the lesson finally get learned? #cloudflare
November 18, 2025 at 2:01 PM
when will the lesson finally get learned? #cloudflare
Keep thinking about what if the Terrible Journalist Cheating Bamboo Metaphor had been Japanese knotweed.
November 18, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Keep thinking about what if the Terrible Journalist Cheating Bamboo Metaphor had been Japanese knotweed.
Got to show a 2-year-old some photos of cats I know on my phone today, and truly this is the first time someone has displayed the proper level of raptness.
November 15, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Got to show a 2-year-old some photos of cats I know on my phone today, and truly this is the first time someone has displayed the proper level of raptness.
Extremely London vibe: int. Victoria line train, 10:30pm. Two girls in miniskirts and giant heels and a man in a jumper reading a newspaper, who have just met, discussing the upcoming Budget.
November 15, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Extremely London vibe: int. Victoria line train, 10:30pm. Two girls in miniskirts and giant heels and a man in a jumper reading a newspaper, who have just met, discussing the upcoming Budget.
You think that's impressive, I can buy a book and not read it.
I walked home, calling a little in Paul’s Churchyard, and, I thank God, can read and never buy a book, though I have a great mind to it.
November 12, 2025 at 11:52 PM
You think that's impressive, I can buy a book and not read it.
Reposted by Natasha Simonova
Giving a lecture on the drafts of The Waste Land tomorrow and all the strange and haunting lines that Eliot and Pound decided to cut
November 12, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Giving a lecture on the drafts of The Waste Land tomorrow and all the strange and haunting lines that Eliot and Pound decided to cut
Already absolutely obsessed with 'Game of Wool' (Tom Daley hosts an attempt to do Bake Off with knitting). This week was 'Icons Week'! Like on Strictly!! But making EVEN LESS SENSE.
November 12, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Already absolutely obsessed with 'Game of Wool' (Tom Daley hosts an attempt to do Bake Off with knitting). This week was 'Icons Week'! Like on Strictly!! But making EVEN LESS SENSE.
My employer is now asking all 'dual citizens' to confirm what two citizenships they hold and which one was their 'first passport' or 'obtained through birth.' Sorry I would break your form through my rootless cosmopolitanism!
November 12, 2025 at 12:22 PM
My employer is now asking all 'dual citizens' to confirm what two citizenships they hold and which one was their 'first passport' or 'obtained through birth.' Sorry I would break your form through my rootless cosmopolitanism!
Key responsibilities:
- fire no guns
- shed no tears
- fire no guns
- shed no tears
November 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Key responsibilities:
- fire no guns
- shed no tears
- fire no guns
- shed no tears
When will my flat purchase come home from the wars :((
November 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
When will my flat purchase come home from the wars :((
Attempting to read a """fun""" book which is simply Too Real about academia/the writing business/men as a concept, after every page I have to stop and scream into a bag.
November 11, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Attempting to read a """fun""" book which is simply Too Real about academia/the writing business/men as a concept, after every page I have to stop and scream into a bag.