Tristan F.
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tristanaef.bsky.social
Tristan F.
@tristanaef.bsky.social
450 followers 250 following 620 posts
Writer, history enthusiast. Queer 19th-century naval history, lit, and art. Probably thinking about medieval Arthurian lit or trees at any given moment.🌿he/they🌲My highlights: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:6dyms7eafdp4wvoybtxx5nbo/feed/aaacmdeeay5mc
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Sir Gawain And The Green Knight by Daniel M. Lavery
2015
Best for: humor

Makes me laugh every time. Perfect ending. Reprinted in his 2020 memoir/essay collection Something That May Shock and Discredit You, it is still free to read in all its glory on The Toast: the-toast.net/2015/06/03/s...
Screenshot from a webpage of Daniel M. Lavern’s story. The top is a reproduction of an illustrations in the original Green Knight manuscript. The text below reads: GREEN KNIGHT: hi hi come over it’ll be fun we can whack off each other’s heads with swords GAWAIN: what Text reads: GREEN KNIGHT: :)
December 22, 2024 at 12:54 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Holly by @fictograd.bsky.social
2019 novel
Best for: modern retelling/continuation

A murder mystery novel with supernatural set in the Pacific Northwest, I loved curling up with this with a warm cup of tea. Dives into the grittier side of the poem and “what ifs” about the Green Knight himself.
The cover of Holly by William Aime. Subtitle reads: “Never bring a gun to an axe fight.” The text is laid over a photo of a mossy tree. A large bloody axe is in the tree trunk. Crime scene tape runs along the bottom.
December 22, 2024 at 12:48 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Gawain and the Green Knight by @emcheeseman.bsky.social
2017 graphic novel
Best for: accuracy

A lovely retelling with the gentle tone of a storybook. The art is beautiful! Captures all the important plot points. A great introduction to the story.
A photo of the hard cover of Gawain and the Green Knight by Emily Cheeseman. Leafy designs and heraldic flags are printed in green metallic ink on dark blue fabric. The G in Gawain is decorated like an illuminated manuscript, and the rest of the title is done in old-fashioned calligraphy. A panel from Emily Cheeseman’s graphic novel. The Green Knight, a man with green skin and a green beard, stands over a kneeling Gawain. Text bubble reads: “The Green Knight heaved the axe into the air, readied for the blow, and brought it down—“
December 22, 2024 at 12:43 AM
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The Green Knight
2021 film starring Dev Patel
Best for: vibes

Visually gorgeous, perfectly captures the atmosphere of the original poem—and the tension between Gawain and his hosts. Impeccable casting of Patel as Gawain. The plot is Lowry’s reinterpretation of the story.
Dev Patel as Gawain in The Green Knight (2021). A closeup as he faces the camera with his sword drawn and held in front of him. He wears a light gray tunic. Rough rock walls are behind him, and a glimmer of light is visible over his right shoulder The Green Knight from The Green Knight (2021). He stands in the archway of what might be an abandoned church. It is overgrown with trees and greenery. His figure seems to grow out of them.
December 22, 2024 at 12:38 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
In honor of the Winter Solstice and the most Christmas story ever, I present: my top adaptations of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 🧵
#SGGK
Dev Patel as Gawain in The Green Knight (2021). A closeup as he faces the camera with his sword drawn and held in front of him. A panel from Emily Cheeseman’s graphic novel. The Green Knight, a man with green skin and a green beard, stands over a kneeling Gawain. Text bubble reads: “The Green Knight heaved the axe into the air, readied for the blow, and brought it down—“ The cover of Holly by William Aime. Subtitle reads: “Never bring a gun to an axe fight.” The text is laid over a photo of a mossy tree. A large bloody axe is in the tree trunk. Crime scene tape runs along the bottom. Screenshot from a webpage of Daniel M. Lavern’s story. The top is a reproduction of an illustrations in the original Green Knight manuscript. The text below reads: GREEN KNIGHT: hi hi come over it’ll be fun we can whack off each other’s heads with swords GAWAIN: what
December 22, 2024 at 12:38 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Doing my reading to prepare for #TerrorCamp!
The cover of Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton. The background is a photo of a ship locked in ice.
November 30, 2024 at 12:00 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
All thanks to this baking tin
A metal baking tin with three flowers embossed in the metal
November 13, 2024 at 3:01 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Made banana bread and brought it into work today
A loaf of banana bread on a white plate. The loaf has been baked in a pan with a flower decoration carved out of the bottom so it is embossed with three flowers
November 13, 2024 at 1:45 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Wore my All Well t-shirt to pick up the Graham Gore book, as you do
Me, a white guy with short dark blond hair, holding The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. I’m wearing a faded blue button up over a black shirt with “All Well” printed at the top in white with an illustration of a skeleton wearing a British navy officer’s hat and a welsh wig The book is open to a map of important locations for the Franklin Expedition. I’m pointing at the location where their ships were when they deserted them, not long after Graham Gore wrote the “All well” printed on my t-shirt
June 20, 2024 at 12:07 AM
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I met a handsome man
Photo looking downwards of a dark tabby rubbing against my leg Tabby is now curled around my leg looking around
May 19, 2024 at 9:19 PM
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Back with my cat and all is well
A dilute tortoiseshell cat viewed from behind, implying she is lying on my lap
May 15, 2024 at 10:27 PM
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I’ve reached the stage of my trip where I have to be prepared to jettison things at any moment. Will the Percy Pigs all make it home or will some of them be casualties
A collection of Crunchie bars and Percy Pigs
May 13, 2024 at 9:56 PM
tristanaef.bsky.social
I had a great time exploring queer London!

- Queer City walking tour: I learned so much. Goes back to the 19thC!
- Queer Britain: A lovely queer history museum with some amazing contemporary artwork
- Gays the Word: I’ve never seen so many queer books! & I loved the trans flag crossing
The front of the Admiral Duncan pub with lots of Pride flags flying A sign for Queer Britain, the National LGBTQ+ Musuem Front of Gay’s the Word bookshop A street crossing painted in the colors of the trans flag. Appropriately, there are words printed below it saying “Look both ways”
May 13, 2024 at 8:21 PM
tristanaef.bsky.social
To end: Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park. A really wonderful experience. (9/9)
An old telescope outside of the Royal Observatory. The observatory is in the background with its iconic light green metal dome View of the Old Royal Naval College, the Thames, and London beyond from the Observatory. The masts of the Cutty Sark are just visible on the far left The prime meridian, as represented by a strip of metal set in the stone ground Green trees lining a broad paved path in Greenwich park
May 13, 2024 at 8:14 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
The National Maritime Museum was just stunning. The polar exploration exhibit was so much more extensive than I expected. Alexander McDonald’s medal & medical case, Sir James Clark Ross’s sword & portait…and so many paintings of Terror and Erebus! (6/)
Entrance to the museum through the gates. Statue in the foreground, museum in the background. It’s a beautiful sunny day A large ship in a glass bottle mounted outside the museum
May 13, 2024 at 8:08 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
It was also kind of fun the British Antarctic Survey was visiting while I was there haha (5/)
A sign propped up on the ground outside and written on in chalk: “The Old Royal Naval College welcomes The British Antarctic Survey”
May 13, 2024 at 7:54 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
I went to the Old Royal Naval College to see the memorial to the Franklin Expedition in the chapel, but also saw a few unexpected memorials: Edwin Helpman, clerk on Terror (also in the chapel), and Joseph-René Bellot, a French naval officer who lost his life while looking for Franklin. (4/)
Wooden memorial on the wall of the chapel to graduates of the Royal Naval School. E.J. Helpman is at the top Close up: “To the Glory of God and in Memory of E.J.H. Helpman, Sir John Franklin’s Expedition, 1845-7” A pointed stone monument overlooking the Thames and skyscrapers beyond Closeup of the base of the memorial: “To the intrepid young Bellot of the French navy who in the Endeavour to rescue Franklin shared the fate and the glory of that illustrious navigator. From his British admirers 1853”
May 13, 2024 at 7:52 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
The Old Royal Naval College and the memorial to the Franklin Expedition (3/)
View of some buildings in the college View of the marble Franklin memorial inside the chapel Close up of the text on the memorial commemorating Franklin and the officers and crew on Erebus and Terror The portion of the memorial that contains the remains of a crew member, with text commemorating them
May 13, 2024 at 7:47 AM
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Cutty Sark! (2/)
View of the deck Some berths in a cabin Looking up at a mast The bottom of the ship, which is elevated above the ground and surrounded by a glass ceiling, making a large room. People are walking around it
May 13, 2024 at 7:40 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Royal Museums Greenwich day!

Old Royal Naval College, Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum, and the Royal Observatory. Lots and lots of Franklin Expedition! (1/)
Signs for the Old Royal Naval College and other universities The masts of the Cutty Sark ship rising above the street. In the foreground is the Old Royal Naval College and a cannon The Royal Naval College and a sign saying “Welcome to Maritime Greenwich” viewed from the deck of the Cutty Sark
May 13, 2024 at 7:37 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Shout out to the SPRI teller who complimented me on my purchase of the The Worst Journey in the World graphic novel as if I didn’t know exactly what I was buying haha
The cover of the graphic novel. It is surrounded by a collection of postcards also illustrated by Sarah Airriess, plus an illustration of Terror and Erebus from the painting on the SPRI ceiling. Also there is a small paper bag with a penguin stamp on it
May 9, 2024 at 4:55 PM
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After years of wanting to, I made my trip to England happen!

I’m so glad I made the time to visit the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge. I felt completely normal emotions seeing Sir James Ross’s original epaulettes…
View of the front of the institute. It is a stone building. In front there is a statue of a naked figure with its arms outstretched and its head titled to the sky The front of the building, with the name of the institute inscribed in stone above the door. There is also a small bust of Captain Scott above it. At the very top reads QUAESIVIT ARCANA POLI VIDET DEI Memorial to sledge dogs lost in the poles… Statue of a dog with the names listed on a plaque.
May 9, 2024 at 4:45 PM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Maximum comfort level reached
Now she is sleeping curled up against my arm
April 29, 2024 at 12:25 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Not allowed to leave even a little bit
Now she is resting her head on my arm
April 29, 2024 at 12:17 AM
tristanaef.bsky.social
Got tired packing for trip. Now having a cat-imposed rest (cat meows until I sit down on the couch so she can sit on my lap).
A cat lying down and looking very content
April 29, 2024 at 12:10 AM