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David Long

@writerdavidlong.bsky.social

Blue Peter Book of the Year author. Writes for children and adults, 60+ books translated into 30+ languages. Agents: Penny Holroyde and Andrew Lownie. davidlong.info

2,781 Followers  |  6,252 Following  |  371 Posts  |  Joined: 13.01.2025  |  2.0122

Latest posts by writerdavidlong.bsky.social on Bluesky

Ants are attacking our figs.

03.08.2025 17:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A City Crowned with Green First transmitted in 1964, architectural critic Reyner Banham's film brings out the unique character of London and explains how London has grown in size over the past 500 years.

Just completing another book on London (my 15th) and I do like this quotation from a wonderfully nostalgic half-hour: "One of the real troubles with London is that it's like a party where people won't spread out properly." www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

01.08.2025 09:28 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Mind you, even those to my mind anyway fell far short of his The Nazis: A Warning From History (1997).

01.08.2025 08:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

โ€˜Dramatic reconstructionsโ€™ are the worst.

01.08.2025 05:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Today is the only day in history to have witnessed the deaths of two different Roman emperors. After 99 days on the throne Balbinus and Pupienus were tortured and hacked to death in 238 AD.

29.07.2025 14:50 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It's always good when this happens, and no less so on those days that are going so well that the words are just flowing across the screen.

29.07.2025 11:26 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It's humans, because we have so little to worry about.

29.07.2025 09:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Good luck. Convalescing shouldnโ€™t take too long and I wrote What It Was Like to be an Ancient Egyptian a few weeks after both mine were done.

28.07.2025 15:31 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This is important work.

26.07.2025 15:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Author Kate DiCamillo:

โ€œI don't know what I'm doing. And I think that that's a helpful message for everybody to get because you never quite figure it out.โ€

26.07.2025 15:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

There last month. Lovely ambience.

26.07.2025 13:53 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

You must. He was one of those authors who replied with witty postcards to readersโ€™ letters - and did so until the very end.

26.07.2025 13:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

All these things are opiates for the masses, and of course pure commerce.

26.07.2025 12:16 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thank you, Karl.

26.07.2025 11:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Delighted to hear that.

24.07.2025 10:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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So pleased to receive advance copies of two new books. Both available for pre-order now and published on August 14.

24.07.2025 07:01 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 7    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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#BookSky

22.07.2025 07:50 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3226    ๐Ÿ” 321    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 98    ๐Ÿ“Œ 21
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A big #OTD today. At sea: in 1797 Admiral Nelson lost his arm at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. On land: in 1894 Albert Lemaรฎtre won the first ever motor race (Paris to Rouen). In the air: in 1933 Wiley Post completed the first solo flight around the world, in 7 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes.

22.07.2025 06:59 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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#OTD in 1969 Apollo astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon, followed less than 20 minutes later by 'Buzz' Aldrin.

21.07.2025 10:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image 20.07.2025 14:18 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

There are many books which appear to be jokey gifts for people who donโ€™t read books.

20.07.2025 14:16 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I like the idea of a year that prioritises reading. Letโ€™s make 2026 the year we reopen closed libraries, open new ones and reverse the loss of school librarians.

08.07.2025 10:49 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 26    ๐Ÿ” 11    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Try Kyril Bonfiglioli

09.07.2025 05:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Happy 432nd Birthday, Artemisia Gentileschi.

08.07.2025 09:33 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I swear by my kneeler-rocker and have done for several decades of sedentary, authorly work.

13.06.2025 08:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Loved this.

12.06.2025 10:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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#OTD in 1844 the last pair of great auks was killed off the coast of Iceland. Here's one which was prepared earlier, and can be seen at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum although the egg's a replica.

03.06.2025 06:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

British children "are near the top of the global leagues when it comes to the mechanical skill of reading but near the bottom when it comes to reading โ€˜for pleasureโ€™. Weโ€™ve taught them all the steps and the names of all the tunes. But theyโ€™re not dancing.โ€

- Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

02.06.2025 08:31 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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It's a mistake to forget non-fiction during #NationalCrimeReadingMonth

21.05.2025 07:51 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Later father and son were both decorated for their service as army medics during the Great War.

13.05.2025 07:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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