Catherine Fletcher

@catherinefletcher

Writing history, usually in Manchester, when possible in Italy. 'Renaissance skulduggery' - The Guardian. THE FIREARM REVOLUTION out now. Previous books include THE BEAUTY AND THE TERROR; ROADS TO ROME.

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Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· 24d

English regional identities were basically defined by 60s TV franchising

Map from this Wikipedia article showing how regional TV franchises worked in the UK in 1962 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITV_(TV_network)#/media/File:ITV_regional_map_1962.svg Key point is that Manchester is in the Granada area, defined here as ‘North’.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· 28d

I can tell you what happened to five of their hangars - they're now Riga market

Three old concrete airship hangars by the waterside

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· 28d

Where is the Manchester connection that was advertised in the 90s then?

Old map showing proposed connections to Eurotunnel from Edinburgh, Glasgow and multiple other cities in UK.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· 28d

Notwithstanding train issues, this has been a lovely three weeks of avoiding the heatwaves. The gaps in the map are the ferry trips Stockholm to Helsinki to Tallinn.

Map showing train route from Manchester via Brussels, Hamburg and Stockholm then from Tallinn to Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw and back via Berlin, Köln and Brussels

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· 28d

Made it to Köln, ninety minutes late, enjoying a compensatory ice cream

Woman with dark hair somewhat windswept, holding ice cream cone

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 10

The buses in Vilnius have Ukraine solidarity messages alternating with their destinations

Front of a red bus. The text above the windscreen reads 11 Vilnius ❤️ Ukraine

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 10

Made it!

Round castle tower with Lithuanian flag flying from the top.

Crane beside red brick ruins with lots of building equipment alongside

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 10

Ooh, it gets better - there's a funicular

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 10

Closer up:

Two diggers, one low down and one on the side of a hill with a castle on top. To the left side is a crane.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 10

Do you have a small child to entertain this summer? Bring them to Vilnius, where they're fixing the castle with a massive crane and a digger

Image of works including crane and digger at medieval castle on a hill

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 7

History books by women are also available

Screenshot of Facebook post from Magdalen College reading:

Whether you’re coming up to Oxford, going to another uni, or just thinking about applying to study history, these books should help!

If you are studying at Magdalen from October, please note that this is not the official reading list, just some suggested summer reading, although there may be some overlap.

Here’s the list:
1) the Past and the Present by Lawrence stone - a thematic collection of essays that explore how history as a discipline has evolved, coving traditional methodologies and new social science approaches

2) history and social theory by Peter Burke - an interdisciplinary text looking at the relationships between history and the social sciences - looking at what social theory can offer historians

3) A History of Histories by J W Burrow - a whirlwind tour through 2500 years of historiography looking at how epics, chronicles, monographs, and professional histories have shaped cultural memory and identity

4) The Pursuit of History by John Tosh - is one of the most widely used introductions to historiography, it’s an accessible yet comprehensive guide to the fundamental questions, methods, and evolving practices of historical scholarship.

5) Studying History by Jonathan Black and Donald MacRaild - a well respected guide to studying history at university.

As well as reading these, which should help you study history, you should read as much as you can about anything that excites you. Ask yourself “what’s my Roman Empire”… is it the Roman Empire? Is it the relationship between fashion and politics? Is it the enclosure act, or the Russian royal family? Whatever it is, read as much as you can about it.

Happy reading!

#magdalencollege #oxford #bookstagram #historystudent

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jul 2

early modern proof of aliens right here 👽

Stone carving of a face with weird antennae on its head. Museum label reads Fool's head, ca 1500 (plus the Estonian)

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jun 30

Found poem

Trending searches

heatwave weather forecast
asylum seekers
today wordle hints
whatsapp usernames
banned from sainsburys

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Jun 20

Back from the shops to find the Greens hitting the ground running for the Mayoral by-election

Leaflet saying "Vote Green. Let's stop Reform again" with a picture of Hannah Spencer MP and a graph showing the Gorton by-election party shares of Green 41% Reform 29% and Labour 25%

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 31

Swans a-swimming #TinyJoys

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 28

shame this is a scam because ShodhAI (pronounced Shoddy) is a great title for an AI journal

Email intro reading: ShodhAI: Journal of Artificial Intelligence. Impact Factor- 8.289. Now Fully Aligned with New UGC Guidelines. Accepted by All Universities.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 23

Seven cygnets a-swimming

A swan and seven newly-hatched cygnets in a canal. The cygnets are close up to the bank while the swan stays back.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 15

By-election hilarity guaranteed with these local results (I forget who gets the credit for the map)

Map showing extremely split vote in recent GM local elections with Greens in Manc city centre, and lots of Reform in the outer towns

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 10

Here, have some newly-hatched goslings from my local group chat

A goose with four newly-hatchef goslings

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 10

Sure I’m not the only FT reader skimming through the election coverage this morning and demanding a Posh George long read

George Cottrell, nicknamed Posh George, has no official role but is often by Farage's side. He has had gambling problems: he lost $53mn playing poker in one night in Montenegro. He also served an eight-month prison sentence in the US for wire fraud. Once described by Farage as "like a son to me", Cottrell is loyal and well
connected to wealthy individuals.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 7

Instituto Cervantes here:

Screenshot of Canvas undergoing scheduled maintenance

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· May 6

I should get the BBC to report all my trips like this

Screenshot of BBC News headline reading "Catherine to return to overseas visits with Italy trip"

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Apr 22

Some lovely book post today, a delightful read that I was very happy to endorse #BookSky

Book cover with image of person walking on a path plus text reading:
NICHOLAS CRANE
Author of The Making
of the British Landscape

THE PATH
MORE
TRAVELLED

The Secret History
of Britain's Footpaths

'Absobing and exhilarating'
MICHAEL PALIN

Back of book with endorsements reading: 'In-depth research, rich detail, fresh revelations and great
storytelling...this book will litcrally expand your horizons'
MICHAEL PALIN

A glorious love letter to the British countryside, and its towns
and cities too - a panoptic, deeply researched and compelling
history of our nation'
PATRICK BARKHAM, AuthOR OF THe SWIMMER

'A delightful meander through the lanes and byways of Britain
as they've been trodden through the centuries
CATHERINE FLETCHER, AutHOR OF THE ROADS TO ROME

Evocative, beautifully written and witty . . . a passionate
statement on the human freedom to roam?
VANESSA TAYLOR, AUTHOR OF SEVeN RIVers

Wonderfully immersive and full of fascinating detail
FIONA ROBERTSON, AUTHOR OF STONE LANDS

<Glorious . . . a book to read at home and then stow in
the backpack alongside thermos, sandwiches
and Ordnance Survey map>
PETROC TRELAWNY

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Apr 16

Now this is the sort of content warning we should all aspire to

Bold text all in caps reading: ***please note this is a daytime fetish aficionado assembly and not a play party***

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Apr 16

The 0700 Manchester to London. Half-empty, perhaps because it'll cost you £193 to get on. Why on earth don't they do cheap last-minute offers?

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Apr 12

It's clearer in this version.

Better version of the double portrait discussed in the thread

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Apr 7

It's here! Officially out next week.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Apr 4

I believe this is a symposium but I'm really quite grateful that I've never seen my academic colleagues at an event with this dress code

A fresco from Pompeii showing a number of shirtless figures reclining on couches and drinking.

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Mar 29

asked it what India was like and it came up with railways on the first attempt: I think we can safely say that it recycles the biases of the literary record very nicely

Screenshot of AI reply to the question 'what is India like?' reading:

India, indeed! I confess it has been my view for some years now--how curious that such an island should be so familiar! But pray tell me: does this region possess any natural curiosities worthy of your curiosity, if I may ask? Have the British soldiers and administrators managed to bring railways there with them?

Catherine Fletcher@catherinefletcher· Mar 26

This is what the @britishacademy.bsky.social says on its website, nothing about institutional affiliation being a requirement. Perhaps they could clarify.