Jonn Elledge
@jonnelledge.bsky.social
#1 Sunday Times bestselling author, because apparently that matters. New Statesman, New World, Oh God What Now, The Newsletter of (Not Quite) Everything, Paper Cuts (RIP). Londoner. *Not* an American.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
Fun piece this. (I agree with Jonn on his eventual answer, as a bonus.)
"When I was a very small child, I had a sense, whereof I know not, that William the Conqueror was the first king of England and that history began in 1066. When I was a slightly less small child, I was delighted to learn that this wasn’t so..."
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Who was the first king of England?
A surprisingly complicated question.
jonn.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Fun piece this. (I agree with Jonn on his eventual answer, as a bonus.)
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
We go live to the Protect our girls crew, unsure what they are doing
January 10, 2026 at 1:59 PM
We go live to the Protect our girls crew, unsure what they are doing
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
"When I was a very small child, I had a sense, whereof I know not, that William the Conqueror was the first king of England and that history began in 1066. When I was a slightly less small child, I was delighted to learn that this wasn’t so..."
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Who was the first king of England?
A surprisingly complicated question.
jonn.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 12:48 PM
"When I was a very small child, I had a sense, whereof I know not, that William the Conqueror was the first king of England and that history began in 1066. When I was a slightly less small child, I was delighted to learn that this wasn’t so..."
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
It's literally Clause 39 of the Magna Carta, guys, "all free men shall have access to X, the everything app, to make as many CSAM images as possible"
January 10, 2026 at 2:50 PM
It's literally Clause 39 of the Magna Carta, guys, "all free men shall have access to X, the everything app, to make as many CSAM images as possible"
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
Whenever people (correctly) argue that Gamergate was a pivotal event in the development of the modern right, I always get the sense that a lot of people who object are doing so out of a sense of embarrassment that something so stupid could be so significant
January 10, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Whenever people (correctly) argue that Gamergate was a pivotal event in the development of the modern right, I always get the sense that a lot of people who object are doing so out of a sense of embarrassment that something so stupid could be so significant
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
An honourable mention goes to Aethelflaed Lady of the Mercians for the groundwork she did between Alfred and Aethelstan to establish England as a country
January 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
An honourable mention goes to Aethelflaed Lady of the Mercians for the groundwork she did between Alfred and Aethelstan to establish England as a country
So @lanceparkin.bsky.social has this theory that the Master in Doctor Who understands he's a fictional character and his motivation for his insane plots is "entertain the audience".
Catching up on Traitors (don't worry, no spoilers) and I think Fiona is operating in the same way.
Catching up on Traitors (don't worry, no spoilers) and I think Fiona is operating in the same way.
January 10, 2026 at 2:06 PM
So @lanceparkin.bsky.social has this theory that the Master in Doctor Who understands he's a fictional character and his motivation for his insane plots is "entertain the audience".
Catching up on Traitors (don't worry, no spoilers) and I think Fiona is operating in the same way.
Catching up on Traitors (don't worry, no spoilers) and I think Fiona is operating in the same way.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
In the same way as James Stuart gets "James I and VI", how about calling Edward Plantagenet "Edward I or IV", which inevitably leads up to "Edward VIII or XI"?
January 10, 2026 at 1:16 PM
In the same way as James Stuart gets "James I and VI", how about calling Edward Plantagenet "Edward I or IV", which inevitably leads up to "Edward VIII or XI"?
"When I was a very small child, I had a sense, whereof I know not, that William the Conqueror was the first king of England and that history began in 1066. When I was a slightly less small child, I was delighted to learn that this wasn’t so..."
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Who was the first king of England?
A surprisingly complicated question.
jonn.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 12:48 PM
"When I was a very small child, I had a sense, whereof I know not, that William the Conqueror was the first king of England and that history began in 1066. When I was a slightly less small child, I was delighted to learn that this wasn’t so..."
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Regarding a surprisingly complicated question
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
Graham Linehan made a willing place in his heart for evil, and once you open that door wide all the horrors come in.
January 9, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Graham Linehan made a willing place in his heart for evil, and once you open that door wide all the horrors come in.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
Much that is astonishing about this story, buti look, if I had the money, I'd send my hypothetical kids to an elite private school. The schools listed are great. The pupils there who need *further* encouragement from a Cambridge college apply...that's who you want to target to *increase* quality?
Cambridge college to target elite private schools for student recruitment
Exclusive: Trinity Hall’s new policy described as a ‘slap in the face’ for state-educated students
www.theguardian.com
January 10, 2026 at 10:15 AM
Much that is astonishing about this story, buti look, if I had the money, I'd send my hypothetical kids to an elite private school. The schools listed are great. The pupils there who need *further* encouragement from a Cambridge college apply...that's who you want to target to *increase* quality?
oh right this explains it
Given we are having a bit of a surge (or are likely to) and starter packs are a great innovation but hard to find...
I've created a new one I'll direct people to. Largely people who are sound, smart ajd active - who enrich my experiance here and make me think (and prove me wrong)
I've created a new one I'll direct people to. Largely people who are sound, smart ajd active - who enrich my experiance here and make me think (and prove me wrong)
January 10, 2026 at 10:23 AM
oh right this explains it
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
Astonishing both-sidesing in The Times
January 10, 2026 at 8:40 AM
Astonishing both-sidesing in The Times
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
"Jenny" short for "Generative AI", presumably.
January 9, 2026 at 8:37 PM
"Jenny" short for "Generative AI", presumably.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
I used to think spam that preyed on lonely horny people was the cruellest kind, until I saw the spam emails that promise writers money and praise.
January 9, 2026 at 7:42 PM
I used to think spam that preyed on lonely horny people was the cruellest kind, until I saw the spam emails that promise writers money and praise.
So just for the record - I am not working with any book marketers, so if you happen to get a weirdly robotic email from me claiming that I do, that i love your book, and that I'd like to introduce you to a marketer that might help you boost it, that email did not in fact come from me.
January 9, 2026 at 7:38 PM
So just for the record - I am not working with any book marketers, so if you happen to get a weirdly robotic email from me claiming that I do, that i love your book, and that I'd like to introduce you to a marketer that might help you boost it, that email did not in fact come from me.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
I really hate the gleeful "of course there has to be a downside" stuff around this. Like, it is a thing closely linked to body image and all that brings with it and that is not uncomplicated but the naked "well they'll get their comeuppance for 'cheating'" element - just deal with your issues lads.
January 9, 2026 at 1:52 PM
I really hate the gleeful "of course there has to be a downside" stuff around this. Like, it is a thing closely linked to body image and all that brings with it and that is not uncomplicated but the naked "well they'll get their comeuppance for 'cheating'" element - just deal with your issues lads.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
I’ve found that a lot of the adverse consequences people raise are basically the adverse consequences of losing weight, particularly losing weight relatively quickly. All those things that were glossed over because the most important thing one supposedly could do for one’s health was…lose weight
January 9, 2026 at 1:44 PM
I’ve found that a lot of the adverse consequences people raise are basically the adverse consequences of losing weight, particularly losing weight relatively quickly. All those things that were glossed over because the most important thing one supposedly could do for one’s health was…lose weight
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
I have seen some suggestions that long-term use of these medications may have a significant negative impact on bone density, which for women in particular with higher risks of osteoporosis in later life could be a big deal. I'm sure this is solvable though!
January 9, 2026 at 1:39 PM
I have seen some suggestions that long-term use of these medications may have a significant negative impact on bone density, which for women in particular with higher risks of osteoporosis in later life could be a big deal. I'm sure this is solvable though!
The responses to this news are predictably a bunch of people crowing that this is actually good because it means the fatties will continue, as is right and proper, to suffer. But is there any evidence that "okay, just stay on the maintenance dose" is actually problem?
People who stop taking weight-loss jabs regain weight in under two years, study reveals
People who stop taking weight-loss jabs regain weight in under two years, study reveals
Analysis finds those who stopped using medication saw weight return four times faster compared with other weight loss plans
People who stop taking weight loss jabs regain all the weight originally lost in under two years, significantly faster than those on any other weight loss plan, according to a landmark study.
Weight loss medications, known as GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed as treatment for diabetes and work by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide (GLP) 1 hormone which helps people feel full. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:36 PM
The responses to this news are predictably a bunch of people crowing that this is actually good because it means the fatties will continue, as is right and proper, to suffer. But is there any evidence that "okay, just stay on the maintenance dose" is actually problem?
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
"We can excuse free child pornography, but we draw the line at charging for it" is both the most this government way to handle this, and absolutely barking.
Scathing words from No 10 on X making the Grok image tool available only to paying users: “That simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service. It's not a solution. In fact, it's insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence."
January 9, 2026 at 1:25 PM
"We can excuse free child pornography, but we draw the line at charging for it" is both the most this government way to handle this, and absolutely barking.
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
🚨OUT NOW🚨 What does Trump’s attack on Venezuela mean for the world – and what happens if he’s serious about Greenland? Join @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com, @seththevoz.bsky.social, @jonnelledge.bsky.social, and @rafaelbehr.bsky.social for that and loads more 👉 linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
January 9, 2026 at 11:06 AM
🚨OUT NOW🚨 What does Trump’s attack on Venezuela mean for the world – and what happens if he’s serious about Greenland? Join @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com, @seththevoz.bsky.social, @jonnelledge.bsky.social, and @rafaelbehr.bsky.social for that and loads more 👉 linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
Reposted by Jonn Elledge
January 9, 2026 at 10:48 AM
A rather less consequential thing irritating me today is yet another wave of ads on podcasts in which the hosts of a *different* podcast tell you who's sponsoring them. I don't care who's sponsoring some people I've never heard of! How is that an endorsement! Podcasters are not fungible!
January 9, 2026 at 10:37 AM
A rather less consequential thing irritating me today is yet another wave of ads on podcasts in which the hosts of a *different* podcast tell you who's sponsoring them. I don't care who's sponsoring some people I've never heard of! How is that an endorsement! Podcasters are not fungible!
"Why, people ask me more often than I’m entirely comfortable with, 47 borders? The reason I don’t like this question is simple: I don’t have a good answer."
Wrote about another border.
Wrote about another border.
Shifting alliances and once neutral territories
This week: is this really the year the western alliance finally breathes its last? Also: a brief history of the lost microstate of Neutral Moresnet.
jonn.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:43 AM
"Why, people ask me more often than I’m entirely comfortable with, 47 borders? The reason I don’t like this question is simple: I don’t have a good answer."
Wrote about another border.
Wrote about another border.