Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 2d

He’s doing a pub crawl today, presumably? In which case, perfectly normal, nothing to see

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 2d

Very late to the party on this, but Slow Horses is tremendous

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 4d

I am begging people to read some actual science fiction rather than whatever toss this appears to be. Another novel about a character writing a book? How inventive.

The New Statesman @handle.invalid · 13d

Ian McEwan and fiction’s problem with climate change

In the acclaimed author’s new novel, What We Can Know, Britain has sunk beneath the waves – but literature remains buoyant

📕 Christopher Tayler

Ian McEwan and fiction’s problem with climate change

In the acclaimed author’s new novel, What We Can Know, Britain has sunk beneath the waves – but literature remains buoyant

www.newstatesman.com

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 11d

An excellent read, this.

And a wonderful reminder of that brilliant 2013 parody review.

Brian Klaas @brianklaas.bsky.social · 12d

I wrote about Dan Brown’s new book, the perils of intellectual snobbery, and why I’m no longer hiding my copy of “The Secret of Secrets” in a paper bag.

In Defense of Dan Brown

Brown's new book doesn't offer award-winning literary prose. But intellectual snobbery and review elitism is foolish in an era of growing cultural ignorance and counterproductive political sneering.

www.forkingpaths.co

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 11d

Much like the man himself

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 11d

Nicolas Sarkozy’s lawyers will try to ensure his time in prison is ‘as short as possible’

Former French president sentenced to five years for criminal conspiracy over campaign funds scheme with Gaddafi regime Lawyers for the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy have said they will try to ensure he serves as little time in prison as possible, after he was sentenced to five years for criminal conspiracy over a scheme to get election campaign funds from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. “We’re going to make sure that his incarceration will be as short as possible,” Sarkozy’s lawyer, Jean-Michel Darrois, told the BFMTV news channel on Friday after he became the first French president to go to jail. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 13d

These people are beyond delusional

Culture Crave 🍿 @culturecrave.co · 13d

Ticketmaster boss Michael Rapino says concert tickets are 'underpriced'

"In sports, I joke it’s like a badge of honor to spend 70 grand for a Knicks courtside seat. They beat me up if we charge $800 for Beyoncé"

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 14d

Who on Earth actually thinks this though? Of course we’re catchable, there are 33 bloody games left!

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 14d

The thing I understand least about the London-baiting from Trump is that it’s likely one of the most visited non-US places on planet by US tourists. Surely there will be loads of actual voters there who will be, like, “uh, that’s not what it looked like to me”?

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 14d

Oh, piss off Donald, you fat, stupid prick

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14d

Trump to the UN: "I have to say, I look at London where you have a terrible mayor -- terrible terrible mayor -- and it's been so changed, so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia Law ... both their immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe."

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 15d

Agreed. Politics as spectacle rather than a means to govern

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 15d

Good god, chill out. It’s a year away. Why are you talking about box office? Will you be making any money from it?

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 15d

Roll up, roll up

Prince Charles Cinema @princecharlescinema.com · 15d

Today is the last day to vote for us to be nominated for @bifa-film.bsky.social’s brand-new Cinema of the Year Award, supported by Kia!

If you love us and what we do, then cast your vote today 🗳️
www.bifa.film/coty-vote/?c...

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 15d

I was all in regardless, but this has added a large amount of anticipation on top of that

Culture Crave 🍿 @culturecrave.co · 15d

Ludwig Göransson is officially returning as composer for ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu' 🎵

Releasing in theaters May 22, 2026

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 18d

This chimes with the day job also. People generally assume that the norms will hold no matter what they personally say or do

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 20d

Concern about ‘free speech’ was always just bad and/or stupid people wanting to say horrible things and weaponising a niche debate in their favour. Well done everyone who fell for it

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 21d

Well, I guess that’s a no then

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 24d

Be good to see the government, the opposition, and parliament as a whole condemn this bullshit

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 24d

Elon Musk spoke by video to Tommy Robinson's anti-immigrant rally in the UK today.

"You're in a fundamental situation here where, whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you," said Musk. "You either fight back or you die."

Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 23d

We need to keep saying this, over and over again

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 23d

Also. And I'll keep repeating this one til the Oswald Mosleyites moan.

Modern Britain's foundation myth is that we stood alone against fascism and defeated fascism.

So every single one of those fascists on that fascist march is the very antithesis of patriotic.

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 23d

The right thing to do

Ed Davey @eddavey.libdems.org.uk · 23d

I've written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, urging them to join me in condemning Elon Musk's dangerous remarks inciting violence yesterday.

As leaders, we must stand together and make clear Musk will face serious consequences for these actions.

Letter from Ed Davey to Keir Starmer condemning Elon Musk for inciting violence and urging unity to defend democracy.

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Paul Carroll @supertrain.bsky.social · 24d

Be good to see the government, the opposition, and parliament as a whole condemn this bullshit

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 24d

Elon Musk spoke by video to Tommy Robinson's anti-immigrant rally in the UK today.

"You're in a fundamental situation here where, whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you," said Musk. "You either fight back or you die."