Matthew Leggatt

Here's this week's teaching.

You're a manager now Kate... it's an instinct!

As HoS you need to channel the Trumpian mode of discourse.

Thanks. You're right though. I asked her if she'd come along but when she told me her appearance fee I quickly withdrew the offer!

For anyone local(ish) to Winchester and interested, I'll be hosting a book launch event for Play in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction from 4.30 - 5.30pm on Wednesday 22nd October. All are welcome. It's being held in WB 5. I'll be giving a short reading from the book and a Q&A. My dog will not be there.

Episode 16 on all things playful in utopian and dystopian fiction is available to stream now via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. We had a lot of fun talking to the brilliant Stefano Gualeni. Take a listen and let us know what you think.
open.spotify.com/episode/3Pz0...

A year ago we posted the first episode of the podcast, uncertain what to do with it, if anyone would want to be interviewed by us, or if anyone would listen. This afternoon we'll be posting our 16th episode and have met some fabulous scholars along the way! The lesson is... collaboration is awesome!

New episode of @utopiaanddystopia.bsky.social landing on Wednesday and given its close connection to my own research on play in utopian and dystopian fiction and the fact it marks a year since we started the podcast it's certainly a special one for me.

I've been teaching at Winchester for nearly 13 years and I think this morning I managed to have the best class I've ever taught! Still buzzing from it. The new students really blew me away! Amazing what a good class can do for the mood.

Wastelands and Wonderlands

Copy edits for the Wastelands and Wonderlands collection complete! Onto the final phase now.
sunypress.edu/Books/W/Wast...

What I've been teaching so far this week! It's going to be an eclectic semester so thought I'd catalogue it...

My wife and I visited Portland back in 2016. Absolutely beautiful city. We're so shocked to hear that it's now "war-ravaged"

Advertisers... if you make a 2 minute ad for YouTube please realise that the only people who are still listening by the end are those who are unable to hit the skip button right now and they're just getting increasingly pissed off with your product!

Explain to me how it's fair... My 8 month old gets about 12-13 hours sleep in a 24-hour period, whereas I get about 7 hours. And I have way more responsibilities than he does!

a man in a suit is singing into a microphone with his mouth open ALT: a man in a suit is singing into a microphone with his mouth open

Had a great chat with Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com yesterday morning recording an interview for the next episode of the podcast. Going to be a fun one discussing, among other things, play and games in utopia/dystopia!

Always exciting to meet the new first years ahead of next week's teaching. The poor souls have 6 hours a week with me until Christmas. They'll be sick of me in no time!

Excited to be writing a class on Lois Lowry's The Giver... a novel I've wanted to teach for a long time but never quite found the space for it!

Episode 15: Daniel Jenkin-Smith, Bureaucracy, Utopia, Dystopia

Daniel Jenkin-Smith, one half of @smfmspodcast.bsky.social, is a guest on @utopiaanddystopia.bsky.social. Bigger than the 1968 crossover Thanksgiving episode of The Beverly Hillbillies. Can't wait to listen!

open.spotify.com/episode/3mD0... @dcjenkin-smith.bsky.social @drabigailboucher.bsky.social

Haha! This gave me a good laugh. Thanks Daniel! Hope you enjoy!

I should add, if you like what you hear from our guest in this episode you can follow him @dcjenkin-smith.bsky.social and his podcast is the brilliant @smfmspodcast.bsky.social.

Episode 15: Daniel Jenkin-Smith, Bureaucracy, Utopia, Dystopia

We all love bureaucracy, right? Here it is for your enjoyment... bureaucratic utopias and dystopias with Daniel Jenkin Smith. Please rate, subscribe, recommend, and all that other bureaucratic nonsense!
open.spotify.com/episode/3mD0...

a man in a suit and tie stands in front of a sign that says the work is mysterious ALT: a man in a suit and tie stands in front of a sign that says the work is mysterious

Episode 15 drops this afternoon, 1pm BST. It should be fun. An episode about bureaucratic utopias/dystopias featuring an interview with Daniel Jenkin Smith, author of The Rise of Office Literature and co-host of @smfmspodcast.bsky.social.

Picked this up recently as something I've been meaning to read for a while and it has blown me away! Fully recommend!

Play in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction | Home Matthew Leggatt is Senior Lecturer in English and American Literature at the University of Winchester, UK. He is the author of two monographs, one edited collection, and numerous articles and book chapters. He is also the editor of the forthcoming collection Wastelands and Wonderlands: Essays on Utopian and Dystopian Film and Literature (SUNY Press, 2026) and co-hosts the Utopian and Dystopian Fictions podcast.

Been out in the wild for a month today! Hope to be doing one or two things to promote over the next few months starting with an episode about play on the pod and a small book launch event in Winchester. Play in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction | Home www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....

The web page isn't up yet. I believe it will be soon. Will post the contents pages when I have the proofs in a couple of months though.

Thanks Sean, very happy with it! Looking forward to being able to share it with everyone.

Burcu Akkoyun, and Werner Christie Mathisen

With essays from @rb60.bsky.social, @sean-seeger.bsky.social, @stinaface.bsky.social, @nanoutopia.bsky.social, @jelenaps.bsky.social, @tomue.bsky.social, Murray Pomerance, Sean Redmond, Maria Varsam, Jacqueline Dutton, Daniel Varndell, Hisashi Ozawa, Patricia McManus, Douglas McFarland, Steve Rybin,

Cover art is in! Wastelands and Wonderlands coming in April. Massive thanks to the creative team at SUNY for another brilliant cover! This has some amazing contribs and I can't wait for you to read their work!

Ugh. This constant nonsense is so draining!