Lance Richardson
@lancerichardson.bsky.social
Writer. Australian/American. TRUE NATURE, my biography of Peter Matthiessen, out now. Faculty in the Bennington MFA in Writing program. He/him. www.lancenrichardson.com
Pinned
Christian Lorentzen · I’m always in the club: Peter Matthiessen in Paris
Over the years Matthiessen, Harold ‘Doc’ Humes and George Plimpton would vie for credit as to who ‘invented’ the...
www.lrb.co.uk
Really great piece on Matthiessen (and my book) by @xlo.bsky.social for @lrb.co.uk. An honor to be read by the best.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
If you're in D.C. a week from tomorrow, there's an event at Politics & Prose honoring the history of Book World. I think the tone will likely be less funerary than you might imagine. I know my comments will be. politics-prose.com/tribute-book...
A Tribute to Book World
- Jonathan Yardley — author, book critic, Book World, 1983-2015
politics-prose.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:55 PM
If you're in D.C. a week from tomorrow, there's an event at Politics & Prose honoring the history of Book World. I think the tone will likely be less funerary than you might imagine. I know my comments will be. politics-prose.com/tribute-book...
Reposted by Lance Richardson
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
February 13, 2026 at 7:41 PM
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
This is good news for tigers in India, but tigers elsewhere are not doing so well, and three (Balinese, Javan, and Caspian) of nine tiger subspecies are extinct. 🌍
www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tiger-popula...
www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tiger-popula...
The Tiger Population Doubled in India in Just Ten Years
In 2010, the nations that make up the remaining range countries of the tiger set a target to double the number of wild tigers worldwide.
www.goodnewsnetwork.org
February 13, 2026 at 2:29 PM
This is good news for tigers in India, but tigers elsewhere are not doing so well, and three (Balinese, Javan, and Caspian) of nine tiger subspecies are extinct. 🌍
www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tiger-popula...
www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tiger-popula...
Reposted by Lance Richardson
Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin
February 12, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin
Reposted by Lance Richardson
When Anthropic stopped training on books that were literally pirated, they managed to hit on the one way of buying books that means no money goes to authors: buying used books.
🧵 1/n
🧵 1/n
February 13, 2026 at 9:52 AM
When Anthropic stopped training on books that were literally pirated, they managed to hit on the one way of buying books that means no money goes to authors: buying used books.
🧵 1/n
🧵 1/n
With newspaper books section folding overnight; and magazines in meltdown, as LARB seems to be; and publishing in dire straits, to the point where agents can barely sell anything interesting; it is hard to muster much enthusiasm to start another book.
The Magic 8 Ball says, "Outlook not so good."
The Magic 8 Ball says, "Outlook not so good."
February 12, 2026 at 1:13 AM
With newspaper books section folding overnight; and magazines in meltdown, as LARB seems to be; and publishing in dire straits, to the point where agents can barely sell anything interesting; it is hard to muster much enthusiasm to start another book.
The Magic 8 Ball says, "Outlook not so good."
The Magic 8 Ball says, "Outlook not so good."
Reposted by Lance Richardson
Breaking News: James Van Der Beek, best known as a teen heartthrob on the TV series “Dawson’s Creek,” is dead at 48. nyti.ms/4aqrpnR
February 11, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Breaking News: James Van Der Beek, best known as a teen heartthrob on the TV series “Dawson’s Creek,” is dead at 48. nyti.ms/4aqrpnR
Reposted by Lance Richardson
Bad Bunny halftime show: 128.2 milion viewers
Kid Rock halftime show: 6.1 million viewers
"Culture war" may be a misnomer, honestly.
Kid Rock halftime show: 6.1 million viewers
"Culture war" may be a misnomer, honestly.
February 11, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Bad Bunny halftime show: 128.2 milion viewers
Kid Rock halftime show: 6.1 million viewers
"Culture war" may be a misnomer, honestly.
Kid Rock halftime show: 6.1 million viewers
"Culture war" may be a misnomer, honestly.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
When a headline says it all:
Trump administration removes Rainbow Flag from Stonewall National Monument
The Trump administration removed a large Rainbow Flag from a flagpole at the Stonewall National Monument, the National Park Service confirmed to Gay City News
gaycitynews.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:24 AM
When a headline says it all:
I've started keeping a work log, a spreadsheet recording what I did each day, as a way of making myself accountable, but also of reminding myself that I do, in fact, get stuff done. I think it's easy as a writer to feel like you waste entire days on nothing; but that is untrue. Quantifying helps.
February 10, 2026 at 1:37 AM
I've started keeping a work log, a spreadsheet recording what I did each day, as a way of making myself accountable, but also of reminding myself that I do, in fact, get stuff done. I think it's easy as a writer to feel like you waste entire days on nothing; but that is untrue. Quantifying helps.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
‘Tied either to the fishing boat or the writing desk, Peter Matthiessen was insufficiently domestic, always home too late or to bed too early.’
@xlo.bsky.social on the writer, 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 co-founder and sometime CIA agent.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@xlo.bsky.social on the writer, 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 co-founder and sometime CIA agent.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Christian Lorentzen · I’m always in the club: Peter Matthiessen in Paris
Over the years Matthiessen, Harold ‘Doc’ Humes and George Plimpton would vie for credit as to who ‘invented’ the...
www.lrb.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 8:30 PM
‘Tied either to the fishing boat or the writing desk, Peter Matthiessen was insufficiently domestic, always home too late or to bed too early.’
@xlo.bsky.social on the writer, 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 co-founder and sometime CIA agent.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@xlo.bsky.social on the writer, 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 co-founder and sometime CIA agent.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Lance Richardson
🚨 MARLON JAMES RETURNS, SEPTEMBER 2026 🚨
THE DISAPPEARERS is a propulsive and deeply human story of men forced to make compromises to survive what the society they live in demands.
Learn more about the Booker Prize–winner's riveting novel now: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742603...
THE DISAPPEARERS is a propulsive and deeply human story of men forced to make compromises to survive what the society they live in demands.
Learn more about the Booker Prize–winner's riveting novel now: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742603...
February 6, 2026 at 5:06 PM
🚨 MARLON JAMES RETURNS, SEPTEMBER 2026 🚨
THE DISAPPEARERS is a propulsive and deeply human story of men forced to make compromises to survive what the society they live in demands.
Learn more about the Booker Prize–winner's riveting novel now: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742603...
THE DISAPPEARERS is a propulsive and deeply human story of men forced to make compromises to survive what the society they live in demands.
Learn more about the Booker Prize–winner's riveting novel now: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742603...
Reposted by Lance Richardson
It's taken me all day to figure out what to say about today's WaPo layoffs, an unnecessary upending of the careers of hundreds of journalists, the paper itself, and the way millions of readers understand our current world
aftermath.site/washington-p...
aftermath.site/washington-p...
February 4, 2026 at 8:43 PM
It's taken me all day to figure out what to say about today's WaPo layoffs, an unnecessary upending of the careers of hundreds of journalists, the paper itself, and the way millions of readers understand our current world
aftermath.site/washington-p...
aftermath.site/washington-p...
Reposted by Lance Richardson
The Post's announcement named Book World as a discrete entity being eliminated, which led to a lot of kind words, all of which are greatly appreciated. But other critics weren't in a section entirely eliminated (though what will remain of it, I have no idea), so I've seen much less about them. 1/2
February 6, 2026 at 7:16 PM
The Post's announcement named Book World as a discrete entity being eliminated, which led to a lot of kind words, all of which are greatly appreciated. But other critics weren't in a section entirely eliminated (though what will remain of it, I have no idea), so I've seen much less about them. 1/2
Reposted by Lance Richardson
the Spectator accidentally recycled a subhed from a previous day’s article about Tehran
February 6, 2026 at 6:07 PM
the Spectator accidentally recycled a subhed from a previous day’s article about Tehran
Reposted by Lance Richardson
if you took my advice last year and bought used leather pants, wore those leather pants, and then resold them on eBay, you would have made more money than if you invested in bitcoin
February 6, 2026 at 1:58 AM
if you took my advice last year and bought used leather pants, wore those leather pants, and then resold them on eBay, you would have made more money than if you invested in bitcoin
Had a chat with @gabriellakd.bsky.social about biography for her most excellent podcast.
Lance Richardson - True Nature | Biographers in Conversation
Lance Richardson, the Australian journalist and author of two acclaimed biographies, chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about his choices while researching and crafting True Nature: The Lives of Pet...
www.biographersinconversation.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Had a chat with @gabriellakd.bsky.social about biography for her most excellent podcast.
This quote is, in my experience, accurate.
In Opinion
Why did Susie Wiles open up across 11 interviews for a profile in Vanity Fair? Chris Whipple, the profile’s author, has a theory: “People want to tell their stories. Every good biographer knows that most people, if you treat them with fairness and respect, will open up to you.”
Why did Susie Wiles open up across 11 interviews for a profile in Vanity Fair? Chris Whipple, the profile’s author, has a theory: “People want to tell their stories. Every good biographer knows that most people, if you treat them with fairness and respect, will open up to you.”
Opinion | The Inside Story of My 11 Interviews With Susie Wiles
What did her unguarded remarks reveal about the Trump White House?
nyti.ms
February 4, 2026 at 11:14 PM
This quote is, in my experience, accurate.
Brilliant advice that applies to nonfiction, too, I think.
Thinking about literary “hype,” I shared some practical tips for writers publishing a first book. But the most important advice is this. garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/some-thoug...
February 4, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Brilliant advice that applies to nonfiction, too, I think.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
I'll say more before too long, but for now: Thanks to anyone who has ever read and supported the Post's books coverage.
February 4, 2026 at 3:24 PM
I'll say more before too long, but for now: Thanks to anyone who has ever read and supported the Post's books coverage.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
Absolutely not trying to make the terrible news of the closure of Washington Post's Books coverage about me or anything, but I cannot stress how bad this is for books. The biggest divide between Big 5 and independent/nonprofit press books is not quality--it's the marketing spend.
February 4, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Absolutely not trying to make the terrible news of the closure of Washington Post's Books coverage about me or anything, but I cannot stress how bad this is for books. The biggest divide between Big 5 and independent/nonprofit press books is not quality--it's the marketing spend.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
As somebody who loves books, who thinks they are miraculous treasures worth devoting one's life to, it is very depressing to have been born into the Era of the Ascendant Tech Sociopaths.
February 4, 2026 at 2:20 PM
As somebody who loves books, who thinks they are miraculous treasures worth devoting one's life to, it is very depressing to have been born into the Era of the Ascendant Tech Sociopaths.
Reposted by Lance Richardson
The Post killing its Books section (one of the best around) is so fucking bleak
February 4, 2026 at 2:12 PM
The Post killing its Books section (one of the best around) is so fucking bleak
This is so unspeakably depressing. The books section was, imo, the most consistently thoughtful of any major newspaper in America. Books were considered for merit and seriousness, not for what would be popular and splashy with readers (like a certain other section run out of New York).
The layoffs at the Washington Post have begun, with newsroom leaders telling employees its sports and books sections will be 'eliminated in current forms' and its international coverage will be downsized
February 4, 2026 at 2:04 PM
This is so unspeakably depressing. The books section was, imo, the most consistently thoughtful of any major newspaper in America. Books were considered for merit and seriousness, not for what would be popular and splashy with readers (like a certain other section run out of New York).