Alastair Horne
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pressfuturist.bsky.social
Alastair Horne
@pressfuturist.bsky.social
Lecturer in Publishing at the University of Stirling. Researcher of smartphone storytelling. Author of seven books for Amber on Paris, London, Scotland, cemeteries (twice), chess, & dragons. Erstwhile doer of other things. Baritone. Often mediocre. He/Him
Pinned
Evening all! I’m a lecturer in publishing studies at the University of Stirling, as well as the author of a few books for Amber Books. I sort of built what passes for my career by being on Twitter, so I’m sorry to see it go, but needs must.
That's definitely David Lynch.
The Tontine Heads behind the Provand's Lordship in Glasgow. Dating from the 19th Century, these heads originally adorned keystones of arches in the Tontine Hotel at Glasgow Cross.

#glasgow #sculpture #tontineheads #provandslordship
November 25, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Saudi Arabia-owned FIFA fiddles its own rules so R*naldo isn't banned from the World Cup.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
Cristiano Ronaldo able to play at World Cup despite red card against Republic of Ireland
Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to play for Portugal in their opening World Cup game despite his red card against the Republic of Ireland.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
I'm so excited to see we've raised over 5k so far on the #Creatives4Sudan auction. Can you help us get to £10k? I'm offering a personalised original Loki drawing, and I really will go all out to make it as funny as possible. app.galabid.com/creatives4su... #KidLitUK #KeepEyesOnSudan
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
A lovely and gentle story about kindness and community with gorgeous illustrations by Xin Yue Zhu.

Mama’s Special Wonton Soup by Wai Mei Wong

Spyglass Books pop-up children’s bookshop is on 8th-11th Dec at Curioso, 27 Albert Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HN
November 25, 2025 at 11:59 AM
"I was dreamin' of the past - 1939 Germany -
And my heart was beating fast
I began to lose control
I began to lose control

I didn't mean to hurt you
I'm sorry that I made you cry
Oh now, I didn't want to hurt you
I'm just an entirely, genuinely non-racist guy."

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Nigel Farage responds to racism claims saying he never ‘tried to hurt anybody’
Reform leader denies racist or antisemitic behaviour ‘with intent’ at school, but says he can’t remember everything from 49 years ago
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:16 PM
And that's my media studies teaching over for 2025. Who knows whether I'll be asked to run seminars again next semester? A couple of students asked about job security in academia (as a side topic to the main topic of job security in the media), so that was an interesting (generalised) conversation.
November 25, 2025 at 11:08 AM
The Guardian has silently corrected its TV review that assumed that Kenneth Clark the historian must also be Ken Clark the Tory MP.
November 25, 2025 at 8:34 AM
"Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life"
Final alarm goes off at 7 and, while my bike is away having its chain repaired, I get the 07:37 bus from the stop six minutes away from my door and am ideally at my desk by 7:55.

I can't say I'm genuinely awake, but I'm here.
November 25, 2025 at 8:15 AM
On campus for my last 9 o'clock lecture of 2025 (and my last lectures - at least of 2025 - as a media studies lecturer).
November 25, 2025 at 8:02 AM
One day I will learn that the optimum time for me to shower is straight after I come home, because I sure as hell don’t want to do it just before bed.
November 24, 2025 at 10:46 PM
“And besides, the wench is dead.”
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?

It was years ago.

Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?

Not in a hurtful way.

Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?

Not with intent.

Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?

Not genuine abuse.

😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
November 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
This is the Ian Marter documentary on the new Who collection and it is absolutely brilliant – an astonishing film.
@chrischapman81.bsky.social I’m about halfway through watching Worlds Within and it’s just so good – so interesting and respectful and beautiful – that I wanted to thank you for making it.
November 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
@chrischapman81.bsky.social I’m about halfway through watching Worlds Within and it’s just so good – so interesting and respectful and beautiful – that I wanted to thank you for making it.
November 24, 2025 at 9:50 PM
This afternoon, we released grades for an assignment an entire week early. :-O
November 24, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Finally, broadcast media are actually asking the English Fascist Party leader if he's been racist, and he's floundering badly. Which suggests to me that there's some evidence out there that he suspects exists.
“I would never ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way”

Nigel Farage responds to allegations of racist behaviour from when he was a teenager at school

@itvnewspolitics.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
Embarrassing typo on the cover of the ebook edition of this title from Harper Perennial.
November 24, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
Amazingly, the US paperback of Roth's *American Pastoral* does the same thing.
November 24, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
Join @samuelmoore.org this Weds. (5pm) to hear his discuss discuss key ideas from his fantastic new book ⏰

And download the book for FREE (if you haven't already!) via @uofmpress.bsky.social ebook collection website

🔗 www.fulcrum.org/concern/mono...
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Embarrassing typo on the cover of the ebook edition of this title from Harper Perennial.
November 24, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
Take an absolutely critical bit of societal fabric which is also one of the country's few global successes. Cut off a big chunk of revenue, then underfund it. Give it additional chores and then pinch half a billion quid from it. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?
November 24, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
✨ Emerging animators! ✨
AGA & @canongate.co.uk are commissioning 4 short animations for early 2026. Fee £500. Apply by 6 Dec 2025: CV, brief approach + 2–3 samples to [email protected]. Results by 15 Dec.
November 24, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
Spyglass Books pop-up children’s bookshop is on 8th-11th Dec at Curioso, 27 Albert Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HN
November 24, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
If I were Darren Lehman, Australian coach during the sandpaper cheating era of Australian cricket, I’d not work myself up into a lather of righteous indignation about people pointing out that the team I was in charge of systematically cheated.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
The Ashes: England fans should be better than
England fans
www.bbc.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
I just don’t understand why Labour is actively hostile towards universities. With the Tories, it was obvious: better educated people are less likely to vote Tory. But with Labour, it’s an act of self-harm as well as gross stupidity.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Reposted by Alastair Horne
Children's/YA writers in need of feedback, you can bid for a (min) 2k editorial report on the first 15k of a novel. Written by me, an award-winning author with 15 years experience and a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing. I am kind but thorough. #UKKidLit #kidlit
app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
November 23, 2025 at 6:56 PM