David Ketelby

As a believing Christian who follows the Church of England's morning liturgy and as someone who's recently been reading about the manosphere, it feels disconcerting to be giving thanks for the life and ministry of Chad [seventh century Bishop of Lichfield].

Vincent Di Fate illustration for cover of Eastercon 22 program (1971)

Norman Spinrad joke (told by Randall Garrett on 1971 Eastercon panel)

RG: If Ace published the Old Testament and the New Testament as an Ace Double, one side would be titled "Master of Chaos" and the other side would be "The Thing With Three Souls."

Don Wollheim: That isn't a bad idea.

Let's spare a thought for those who faithful Christians who are commemorating Cyril and Methodius (ninth century missionaries to the Slavs) today - as well as those honouring that St Valentine guy, martyred during the late Roman Empire (who tends to get more airplay & more merch). #ManySaints

YouTube video by Jürgen D. Marlene Dietrich - Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTgP...

YouTube video by Talking Heads - Topic I Zimbra

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA08...

YouTube video by Dean Birkett Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - 01. Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tko...

YouTube video by Sigur Rós Svefn-g-englar [Official Video]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L64...

Post a banger that isn't in English.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vACZ...

Roz recommends Concise reviews of books and films, especially science fiction, politics, poetry, urban fantasy, popular science.

Roz Kaveney 'recommended reads' in fantasy & SF (from her author talk in Peckham on Friday evening).

ketelby.blogspot.com/2026/02/roz-...

Listening to a lot of LinkedIn Park recently - they're kind of nu metal but also very career-focused.

The USA in 2026: Tacitus at home, Thucydides round the globe.

Music Leeds Us: Celebrating 60 Years 10 October 2025 - 28 June 2026 | Leeds City Museum | Marking 60 years of Leeds Conservatoire, this special exhibition celebrates the people, places and magic moments that have shaped the city’s musica...

Recommended (if you've not already heard of, or visited it):

museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/music-leeds-...

Trying to think of what my favourite name is for a historical figure. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite takes a lot of beating, but then recently I came across Christina the Astonishing. Any other suggestions?

Anarcharsis Cloots

"A Prussian nobleman who was a significant figure in the French Revolution... world federalist and internationalist anarchist... nicknamed 'orator of mankind', 'citizen of humanity' and 'a personal enemy of God'."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anachar...

Tonight Minnesotans stood together to honor the life of Renee Nicole Good.

What was your favorite book of the year?

Also, having children forces a re-orientation of priorities (if you're doing it 'right') - you become, as someone once said, 'not the picture, but the frame.' This may sometimes help to inoculate one's personality structure against other existential shocks..?

Fireworks. Mostly purple and orange

Happy New Year!
We hope you have a brilliant 2026 and we cannot wait to see you in April!

Happy New Year, everyone 🎉

Review | 3 utterly brilliant science fiction novels New books by William Alexander, Claire North and qntm examine new technologies and unexplored worlds with verve.

Here's my last SFF book review column of 2025. This time around, I focus on three science fiction books that blew me away:

Sunward by @willalex.bsky.social
Slow Gods by Claire North
There is No Antimemetics Division by qntm

DARN GOOD READS FOR UR EYEBALLS
www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/1...

I've begun and am enjoying (belatedly, I know) the @coodestreet.bsky.social's Advent Calendar: 10-15 minute interviews ( books enjoyed, work in progress, favourite seasonal reads) with leading names in genre fiction, e.g. Arkady Martine, James S.A. Corey, Nnedi Okrafor, Paul McAuley, E.J. Swift.

How very different from the home life of Holy Trinity Brompton.

Quote from Anthony Powell’s The Acceptance World about the week between Christmas and New Year

‘It was that prolonged, flat, cheerless week that follows Christmas …’
One of the great passages on the interval between Christmas and New Year from Anthony Powell … #ADTTMOT

Happy Boxing Day to all, except anyone going on a hunt. You can fox off.

Season's Greetings Concise reviews of books and films, especially science fiction, politics, poetry, urban fantasy, popular science.

Alan Ayckbourn's Christmas plays, anyone..?

ketelby.blogspot.com/2025/12/ayck...

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, kind thoughts to any who find this season difficult or upsetting.

Professor Says Elf On The Shelf Is Preparing Your Child To Live In A Dystopian Police State Professor Says Elf On The Shelf Is Preparing Your Child To Live In A Dystopian Police State

Professor Says Elf On The Shelf Is Preparing Your Child To Live In A Dystopian Police State (Carolyn Gregoire, Huffington Post).

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/elf-on...

(PDF) 'Elf on the Shelf' and the normalization of surveillance PDF | On Jan 1, 2015, Laura Elizabeth Pinto and others published 'Elf on the Shelf' and the normalization of surveillance | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Normalizing Panoptic Surveillance Among Children:
‘The Elf on the Shelf' (Laura Pinto and Selena Nemorin)

www.researchgate.net/publication/...