Mathew Lyons
@mathewlyons
Writer, historian. FRHistS. Recent work: History Today, The Spectator, Slightly Foxed, New Humanist, Engelsberg Ideas.
More from @danigaravelli.bsky.social's wonderful edition of the Writer’s Bookshelf - here on Kathleen Jamie and the power of noticing.
Lots to enjoy in @danigaravelli.bsky.social's edition of the Writer's Bookshelf, but I particularly loved this.
We visited one of the most remarkable churches I've ever seen in England. I wrote about it here mathewlyons.substack.com/p/history-in...
We went to visit the grave of Tirzah Garwood yesterday, which also commemorates her first husband Eric Ravilious. The text at the bottom is from Luke’s Gospel: “Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see.” We also visited the house in Great Bardfield where they lived with Edward Bawden.
I think this might be one of my favourite answers to any question yet.
@joebankswriter.bsky.social FYI, you get a name check in the notes to the paperback of Geoff Dyer's memoir Homework
I loved what Lucy says here - how deep reading give the mind life-long resources and a sustaining sense of continuity, recurrence and renewal.
You might like to know that the exhibition also includes this painting, which we talked about at length on Twitter in 2021 when it was for sale at the gallery as an unidentified Elizabethan. It's now identified as Robert Dudley, which IIRC was your conclusion too!
I wrote about the Catholic-Sufi mausoleum in Mortlake that houses the bodies of Sir Richard Burton and his wife – newly reopened to the public after seventy years. Link in next post.
I think Melissa Harrison writes so beautifully here about Philip Larkin and the complicated thoughts and feelings he evokes, and perhaps embodies. (I second her recommendation of Elizabeth Jennings, fwiw!) Link in next post.
Really sorry to be missing the London launch of @andrewjamesneilson.bsky.social's exquisitely moving debut collection Little Griefs this evening.
It was an enormous pleasure to interview @peteralanross.bsky.social about his work. His latest book, Upon a White Horse, is out in paperback today. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/memory-pla...
I will never look at James Joyce in the same way again. From @andrewjamesneilson.bsky.social's delightful edition of the Writer's Bookshelf. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
Thoroughly enjoying Katherine Harvey’s wonderful new book exploring medieval attitudes to illness, health and well-being. It’s full of insights and surprises. I hope it will make many people look at the period differently - and with much less condescension!
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf this morning: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the wonderful @keironpim.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
And finally, ten of my favourite paintings, etc up for auction in London this week. Featuring Redon, Richter, Magritte, Nolde, Man Ray, Sargent and more! mathewlyons.substack.com/p/going-goin...
Then an essay remembering my week performing in a production of Christopher Marlowe's Massacre at Paris many years back. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-massac...
Some weekend reading from me. First up, a brilliant edition of the Writer's Bookshelf with @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
Thrilled to get a copy of this exquisite book in the post at lunchtime. Now I just need to find someone who wants me to write about it…
Not that I'm at a lose end or anything, but here is the newspaper in question via the British Newspaper Archive