Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
ah I see Farage has invoked the old swan chestnut
Writer. One half of a dynamic duo. H is for Hawk, Vesper Flights. PROPHET with Sin Blache. Rep by the Clegg Agency. Non-binary. They/she
11,338 followers 750 following 695 posts
view profile on Bluesky Max Dubler 🏳️🌈 (@maxdubler.com) reposted
I am calling for a moratorium on new tote bags. We all have more than enough tote bags already. Stop giving me tote bags at conferences. I do not want or need any more tote bags.
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Did I mean one dimensional, @sinblache.bsky.social? I mean, deWitt has his heritage apple thing, maybe that gets him to 2D
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
In PROPHET, @sinblache.bsky.social and I took great delight in making our villains as two-dimensional and frankly awful as they are irl
Tom Pepinsky (@tompepinsky.com) reposted
“The computer acts like a computer” is such a profound and such a mundane result, all at once. It’s far more shocking that reasonable-sounding people have argued that massive datasets contain within them a secret truth that only will be revealed by… multinomial logits
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
The best shirt
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Thanks to bff Xtin for alerting me to this joyous photoset
Scoiattolo (@offline.mountainherder.xyz) reposted
We eating dessert out of the demon core. (Don’t sleep on Bakea in Mungia, once they get a Michelin star you’ll never be able to get in)
Ben Ansell (@benansell.bsky.social) reposted
An actual quote from the Secretary of State for Business and Trade Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’ Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'
m john harrison (@mjohnharrison.bsky.social) reposted
I heard "unfortunately you can't not do this thing in fiction" & have been determinedly not doing it since
Ian Walker (@fenlandgent.bsky.social) reposted
But most of all, I loved how Redford held a phone. How he righted wrongs with a phone. How he made holding a phone so fucking sexy, so morally righteous.
Sathnam Sanghera (@sathnam.bsky.social) reposted
I don't think Peter Mandelson is PM's biggest problem. The biggest problem is not standing up to the literal violent racism on our streets, supercharged by the richest man in the world, and threatening the very fabric of our society. If he and so many commentators can't see this, we're truly lost.
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Hahaha
L (@banalplay.bsky.social) reposted
This is simply untenable. There is no way forward with media and political classes captured by the right. Every time someone commits a crime you have to pray it's not an undesirable or it's purge time, then when it turns out to be themselves again they just shrug and wait for the next one.
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
My brother is the great @jamesmacdonald.bsky.social Genius cartographer and absolute joy of a person
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
My brother just filmed this over surbiton oh my GOD
Pookleblinky (@pookleblinky.bsky.social) reposted
Every centrist hagiographer: he said some very important stuff Everyone: oh, like what? Every centrist hagiographer: very important things Everyone: Can you repeat some of those things he said? Every centrist hagiographer, looking at their legal department frantically shaking their heads: no
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
This is an extremely plausible dream for me to be in. 10/10
Toby Miller (@tobytram.bsky.social) reposted
The second pair of pinholes from the Radio Telescope. Understanding that exposure was steady at about 25 seconds allowed me to start fiddling about with bit of glass in front of the pinhole. More in ALT I’d like to take photos that look like what the object does, or what the object sounds like.
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Snorky *shudder*
Professor Peter Matthews (@urbaneprofessor.bsky.social) reposted
This frontispiece in my book just made me laugh a lot. Is this Buddhist reincarnation, or some other form of afterlife?
brandon (@dimcheff.wtf) reposted
rantch
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Oh Oliver. I'm so sorry. John and I unaccountably fell out of touch in recent years, for which the blame must be on me (I am the world's worst correspondent) He was the very best of men; I was so lucky to have known him, and I will always remember him with the greatest warmth and affection.
Echoes in the Sky (@exoticaviation.bsky.social) reposted
apparently, yesterday was National Hummingbird Day, and it reminded me of something I saved off the other place a few years ago - someone (I’ve lost who, sorry) made this KC-135 Hummingbird feeder! It got me thinking about a fighter-sized bird.. 1/3
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
As @sinblache.bsky.social has pointed out, how am I expected to understand how old people are in a world where no-one smokes and drinks
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Forget "policemen look young" I've now reached the age where I'll chat to some fresh-faced person at a film festival, assume they have some junior role, then find out they're a studio head.
m john harrison (@mjohnharrison.bsky.social) reposted
list of things that don't make anyone else think of anything else
Katie Fuller (@katiefullerart.bsky.social) reposted
I’m very pleased to announce that my new Curlew #linocut prints are now available! - limited edition of 10 prints - handmade original art - plant-based inks - no AI involved! - A4 size paper, easy to frame - ready to send to you now in plastic-free packaging. Head over to katiefullerart.etsy.com
Faine Greenwood (@faineg.bsky.social) reposted
What do the virtual pet games of my childhood have to do with the ethics of being mean to LLM chatbots? Arguably, a lot, as I explore in my latest piece on cute virtual dogs, AI-powered waifus, and campaigns against (digital) animal abuse:
The Author, Séamas O'Reilly (@seamas.bsky.social) reposted
Dismayed by the "I loathe Gl**ner but his arrest should scare us all" takes. The bar for arrest over a social media post *should be extremely high*, but a guy who's harassed trans people 19 hours a day for 8 years, telling his 600k fans to attack any trans women they see, clears that bar v easily?
Alice Bell (@abeewords.bsky.social) reposted
I'm reading Prophet by Helen Macdonald and @sinblache.bsky.social and they appear to tricked me by hiding a dysfunctional gay romance inside an episode of The X-Files, and frankly more of you should be doing the same.
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
So many!
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Me, at the time: well now this is a commendably smooth and well-organised group photo session; I suppose film people are really good at taking direction. Me, now: WTF I AM IN THIS PHOTO
Richy Craven (@richycraven.bsky.social) reposted
Angus Main (@angusmain.bsky.social) reposted
This has perked me up.
Rose Ruane (@regretteruane.bsky.social) reposted
Also this gorgeous Puffin paper bag
Rabih Alameddine (@rabihalameddine.bsky.social) reposted
A rare first edition of Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind” used to conceal a .32-caliber pistol. September 24, 1941, Phoenix.
rahaeli (@rahaeli.bsky.social) reposted
This is amazing. I love crop art
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Exactly this! Before: yeah, I quite like peaches? After: I never want to eat anything else ever also why am I weeping
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Holy shit palisade peaches 🍑 I had no idea they were so delicious I am FURIOUS
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Thank you!
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
So THRILLED am on my way to Colorado this very moment theplaylist.net/2025-telluri...
Ewamore, Quoth the Raven (@ewacat.bsky.social) reposted
i love this account, some of the things feel like whole short stories in one phrase
Anna Holmes (@annabookwriter.bsky.social) reposted
I will be doing this as soon as I have an address. Fellow expats and folks outside the US, I really encourage you to do this. This could have a real impact on whether they gather the audacity to do this again.
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
So exhausted this week I heard myself refer to drainage pipes as “water tunnels” after a desperate few seconds of trying to conjure the right words
Ewamore, Quoth the Raven (@ewacat.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
I DIDNT GO THROUGH THREE YEARS OF A PHILOSOPHY DEGREE FOR PEOPLE TO DRIBBLE OUT PISS POOR HALF-BAKED THEORIES OF MIND ABOUT A HUGE FINANCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL CON
Ewamore, Quoth the Raven (@ewacat.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
ABSOLUTE JOKE OF A TOPIC FUCKING STOP THIS RIGHT NOW
Ewamore, Quoth the Raven (@ewacat.bsky.social) reposted
NO IT FUCKING CANNOT
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
SPAMMERS PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK EVERYTHING IS HARD ENOUGH WITHOUT EMAILS LIKE THIS
Solomillo Alcachofón (@vercingetronix.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Thrilling bank holiday day out with @sinblache.bsky.social at a local Anglo Saxon village reconstruction
Sin Blaché ♣️ (@sinblache.bsky.social) reposted
PROPHET by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché (2023)
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
UGH I'm so sorry
Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com) reposted
what the fuck is this headline from the BBC, I feel like I'm losing my mind www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
alexis simpson (@amutepiggy.bsky.social) reposted
i am so sick of the dumbest people alive being in charge of everything and the second dumbest people alive writing opinion columns about how it's good
Jess O'Thomson (@jessothomson.co.uk) reposted
If you are a trans academic, or an academic who feels you cannot apply for these fellowships because they are trans-exclusionary, you should consider writing to Newnham College to let them know.
Kingfisher & Wombat (@tkingfisher.com) reposted
All this talk about how infodumping is a neurodivergent trait—listen, we grew up reading SFF in the Nineties, OF COURSE we infodump. Y’all are lucky we’re not a full on italicized prologue.
NE Ohio Regional Sewer District (@neorsd.org) reposted
not changing our name to NOW RSD.
Fsyco (@fsyco.bsky.social) reposted
The reason fascists are able to exploit your "ew thats icky!" Response is because your sense of morality is tied to your sense of disgust. Things you find "gross" will also seem morally wrong, even if the logic doesn't hold up to scrutiny. But you *can* learn to recognize that response!
Karen James (@kejames.bsky.social) reposted
She doesn’t need a hero, she is the hero we need. 🤩
Rose Schmits (@roseschmits.bsky.social) reposted
Look at that solidarity gets the goods
🇵🇸Tim Henke (tɪm 'ɦɛŋ.kə) (@timhenke.bsky.social) reposted
Nice argument. Unfortunately, I already depicted you as the rider on the shocked tiny horse and me in my top hat on the gigantic horse
Sadiah Qureshi (@sadiahqureshi.bsky.social) reposted
This is a perfect indication of how shallow some understandings of colonialism, decolonialism, racism and activism are. Even when the bar is in the ground, it is possible for it to sink further.
Michael Seely (@mpseely.bsky.social) reposted
Well! Saturday Morning Press is very happy with BBC Archive on You Tube. R.3 co-creator Stephen Black interviews A for Andromeda's ideas fountain Fred Hoyle in Meet the Cosmologists. Books exploring both programmes still cheaply priced from link under. www.youtube.com/watch?v=peUy...
Niko Stratis (@nikostratis.com) reposted
Just had a literary festival try to assuage my concerns about their workshop with a “decolonially trained AI” by assuring me the AI isn’t getting paid for their session, as if my concern was grounded in the pay scale for the robots
Paul Haine (@paulhaine.bsky.social) reposted
The only difference between our reality and a Philip K Dick novel is the characters in a Philip K Dick novel don't choose to live like this
Matthew Parkinson-Bennett (@matthewpb.bsky.social) reposted
Wow Sally Rooney. Fair play. ‘I feel obliged to state once more that… I too support Palestine Action. … If the British state considers this "terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith and the BBC.’
Sacha Coward (@sachacoward.bsky.social) reposted
I am one of the 14 authors who chose to leave the Polari Prize, and I find myself frustrated and saddened at the way this entire story has been represented. 1/
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Still one of my favourite photos. took this in Uzbekistan in 2016 I think, but definitely before 7am
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
[whispers] a fable
Thiago Krause (@thiagokrause.bsky.social) reposted
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview. cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
Interminable barking roe deer
m john harrison (@mjohnharrison.bsky.social) reposted
what I call worldbuilding that beckett such a maximalist
Matthew Kirschenbaum (@mkirschenbaum.bsky.social) reposted
Instead of regurgitating the bromide that LLMs are just "autocomplete on steroids" (even by people who know better), maybe we can actually engage in some public education. The problem with genAI is better expressed through a classic computer science concept, known as SYMBOL GROUNDING. 🧵
Brendel (@brendelbored.bsky.social) reposted
One of the things that has pretty annoying is that if you have any kind of bullshit meter, if you have anything inside of yourself that doesn’t enjoy being lied to, the last couple of years of almost every area of public life have been driving you up a fucking wall
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social)
H, stop watching videos on the hand-making of lacquerware tablespoons and obsessing about the origin of MIL-SPEC-33558 and do something productive
Ryan North (@ryannorth.ca) reposted
This article was a supreme delight: grab a cup of tea, set aside 10 or 15 minutes, and enjoy this story about The Hardest Working Font in Manhattan. aresluna.org/the-hardest-... (via @ferociousj.bsky.social)
Ross Sayers (@rosssayers.bsky.social) reposted
Transphobes used to say things like 'if you have a vagina, you're a woman, end of discussion' and now they say things like 'if your gametes are diagonally haplodidic and they fall between 0.4 and 0.9 on the Strasburger Faultline, you're a woman, and I really can't be any clearer than that'
rahaeli (@rahaeli.bsky.social) reposted
oh goddaaaaaaamn
Leila Molana-Allen (@leilama.bsky.social) reposted
Our colleagues Al Jazeera reporters Anas al-Sharif & Mohammed Qraiqeh, & cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal & Moamen Aliwa have been killed in a strike on a tent for journalists near Al Shifa hospital. They worked relentlessly through bombing & hunger to document this war. Please remember them
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Absolutely! It was very eerie — I took the photo and couldn’t stop staring
Helen Macdonald (@hjm.bsky.social) reply parent
Yes, shadow on cloud beneath. Had this the other morning