#Toby Wilkinson

[akiraofthefour]

Even if the boy pharaoh did not expect to be remembered forever, he hoped at least to be left in peace for all eternity.

Toby Wilkinson, Tutankhamun's Trumpet

[whovian223]

Notable Books Read in 2024

Notable Books Read in 2024 @maryrussell.bsky.social

Once again it’s been a great year for reading books, which is my other major passion besides gaming. Last year I did a “5 Great Books Read in 2023” post, but this year I’m going to turn it on its head a slight bit. I read a lot of really interesting books this year! So I’m going to do more than five and divide them into History and Fiction (I didn’t really read much notable non-fiction that…

[richaldis]

Brilliant history on the Greek colonisation of Egypt and the rise and fall of the Ptolemaic dynasty

[alessandroiiidimacedonia]

Out in Fall 24 - Spring 25: "The Last Dynasty: Ancient Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra" by Toby Wilkinson 

Happy Sunday, I’m Elena and thanks to be here on Alessandro III di Macedonia: Alexander the Great & Hellenism! Today I’m telling you about an interesting book coming out in the next few months in two editions with different publishers for the American and Anglo-Saxon public and therefore with different release dates that I’ll explain better, but first I want to announce that I’m interrupting…

[nevinslibrary]

Totally Random Non-Fiction Tuesday

Ooh, there were 16 pages of color pictures! Woo…. oh, and the book was great too.

It’s not about this or that particular find in Egypt or in Archeology, but, instead, it’s about the British, French, Germans, and Americans, and those four countries’ archeologists (and “archeologists”) in a race to find the treasures of Egypt (and, oof, a lot of the time, also, bring them back to those countries).

It was interesting to read about the variety of motives for those who went to Egypt to find these things, not to mention all the ways that their exploration changed Egypt also.

You may like this book If you Liked: The Riddle of the Rosetta by Jed Buchwald, The Earl and the Pharaoh by Fiona Carnarvon, or The Millionaire and the Mummies by John M. Adams

A World Beneath the Sands: The Golden Age of Egyptology by Toby Wilkinson

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Feelings about Bringing Back Moffat For RTD2 + Other Writers I Think Should Get the Chance

Whelp, just found out that Steven Moffat is going to be writing an episode of Fifteen and I'm just like...eh? about the whole prospect. Like, not as terrified as I once might have been but like...hoping he grew as a writer. Because even though I vastly prefer his one-offs to his overarching season ideas...let's not pretend that you couldn't see the warning signs looking back. The focus on either women as mothers (Doctor Dances) women companions as operating in service/deference to the Doctor (Empty Child/Blink) or women as the Time Traveller's Wife (Girl in the Fireplace, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead). Empty Child/Doctor Dances, Blink, and Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead are all fantastic episodes and I think Blink is the strongest one-off (though let's all remember that the ending was suggested by Gatiss, not Moffat) though I will adore Empty Child/Doctor Dances until I die (though let's not forget that Jack Harkness was an RTD invention).

I really hope he learned his lessons through writing latestage Clara and Bill as companions, but I'm honestly just as scared of his racial undertones as am of RTD's. Let's not forget that both of the black companions under Moffat (Bill&Danny) were both dehumanized/turned into Cybermen in order to service Clara and the Doctor/Missy's arcs (though Bill's ending is far better handled in terms of giving Bill her own ending than Danny's, imo), just as RTD really callously handled Martha's treatment, especially in historical episodes. That is not to say that I don't have some hope due to how Bill's race was handled in Thin Ice, but let's just say I'm cautious about getting super excited like some people are.

All of which is to say...I want Toby Whithouse to write a one-off in the RTD2 Era. Or many. I want his examination of the fucked-up and complicated psychological aspects of the Doctor/Companion relationship and even the Doctor themself (I mean he is the one who wrote School Reunion, God Complex, A Town Called Mercy, Under the Lake/Before the Flood, and Vampires of Venice).

ALSO more women and writers of color. I want to see what kind of new voices in sci-fi can be brought to the table and explore more aspects of their experiences, especially as it pertains to historical/future episodes. I'm done with pretending that Demons of the Punjab wasn't one of the best episodes of Doctor Who, and that was specifically because an Indian writer (Vinay Patel) was brought in to write it. (Also, can we see Vinay back as well? He also wrote Fugitive of the Judoon which was another banger. He's also really good at exploring character feelings/implications of time travel/memory.) I also think that Joy Wilkinson, who wrote the Witchfinders, could be a fun choice as well. I really liked the Witchfinders and I'm curious to see how she might tackle a subject matter like that again.

[mannequinswithkillappeal]

okay but can we get jamie matthieson back in here now? mummy, flatline, oxygen? BANGERS

[egypt-museum]

"Marking the one hundredth anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s magnificent tomb, its incredible treasures are revealed as never before.

In 1922, after fifteen years of searching, archaeologists finally discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun. There, buried alongside the king’s mummy, they found more than 5,000 unique objects, from the mundane to the extravagant, from the precious to the everyday. Tutankhamun’s spectacular gold mask is justifiably famous, but the rest of the treasures remain largely unknown, their stories untold.

In this rich and beautifully illustrated work of history, renowned Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson allows one hundred artifacts from the boy king’s tomb to speak again―not only for themselves, but as witnesses of the civilization that created them. A gold-decorated chariot reveals the impressive scale of Egyptian technology. Loaves of bread, baskets of fruit, and jars of wine hint at the fertility of the Nile Valley and the abundant feasts enjoyed by its people. Ebony and ivory from Nubia and a jewel of Libyan desert glass show the range of Egypt’s trading and diplomatic networks. Shaving equipment and board games provide a window into the everyday lives of the people. And perhaps most poignant of all the objects in the tomb is one that conjures up a lost world of human experience: Tutankhamun’s silver trumpet.

Through these treasures, Wilkinson bring us face-to-face with the culture of the pharaohs, its extraordinary development, its remarkable flourishing, and its lasting impact. Filled with surprising insights and vivid details, Tutankhamun’s Trumpet offers an indelible portrait of the history, people, and legacy of ancient Egypt."

— Tutankhamun's Trumpet: Ancient Egypt in 100 Objects from the Boy-King's Tomb, by Toby Wilkinson

[a-gnosis]

5: How to treat a wife

If you marry a woman who is plump and jolly and well known by her townsfolk, if she is faithful and time is kind to her, do not be driven apart, but let her eat, for her jollity brings contentment.

From The Teaching of Ptahhotep, c. 1850 BCE, translated by Toby Wilkinson.

In other translations "frivolous", "wanton" or "of good quality" have been used instead of "plump". Apparently the Egyptian term is unknown, so several translations have been suggested by various scholars.

[thereal-moonknight]

Ciao! I just came across your profile and noticed that people send you requests, so I’m curious.

My question is: what is the best book on Ancient Egypt that you own? My birthday is coming up, and I was considering getting "A Thousand Miles Up the Nile." Is it worth it? I hope I didn't bother you—I’m just a bit bored.

All the best!

you didn't bother me at all, thanks for the ask!

I haven't read "A Thousand Miles Up the Nile" but I've heard that it's a very good read. it's one that really sets the reader back in time which I adore in writing

one of my favorite books is "The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt" by Toby Wilkinson. the writing is so fluid that it becomes captivating, always one I never want to put down! I find it to be a great book when getting into Ancient Egypt as Wilkinson describes the historical overview of the civilization.

[sognantes]

esse é TOBIAS WILKINSON perambulando pelos corredores de thornhill? antigamente ele era conhecido como O VIZINHO, mas hoje em dia é um pugilista. eu me lembro de sua disposição afável e leal mas também de seu temperamento imprudente e ingênuo. eu espero que TOBY ache seu caminho para fora desses portões.

about. character's study. tasks.

nome completo: tobias wilkinson apelidos: toby, tobes, big t (no mundo das lutas) sexualidade: bissexual estado civil: solteiro data de nascimento: 09 de janeiro.

O Vizinho. Tobias só percebeu anos depois o quão estranho era ser referenciado assim. Não tinha nome, não tinha personalidade, não era um deles. Era só o vizinho, um fator que parecia não fazer tanta diferença no resultado final. Thornhill continuaria sendo uma mansão sem ele, os evacuados continuariam ali e a guerra não cessaria.

Hoje, já adulto, tem sentimentos conflitantes em relação à antiga mansão. Memórias afetivas pelos amigos que fez ali, ressentimento por ter se afastado tanto de casa e talvez inveja pelas possibilidades que os outros tiveram e ele não.

Na infância, Thornhill era a sua válvula de escape. Sempre retrucava quando alguém da vila contava histórias ruins sobre a mansão. Como poderiam insinuar que aquele local era amaldiçoado, quando era ali que ele encontrava acolhimento?

Tobias era um menino comum do vilarejo. Seu pai trabalhava na indústria de carvão, sua mãe era costureira, e ele tinha outros dois irmãos, mas nunca muito próximos. A casa era pequena demais para os cinco e ficava ainda menor com as discussões do casal.

Embora não tenha coragem de admitir, Tobias sentia medo da mãe, que era sempre inconstante. Alguns dias, ela parecia imersa em uma tristeza profunda e não olhava para o garoto. Em outros, até conseguia trocar palavras, mas logo tinha acessos de raiva que deixavam o pequeno Toby confuso. Ele não entendia o que estava fazendo de errado para provocar aquelas reações da mãe.

O pai, pragmático e sempre cansado do trabalho, resolvia as situações com tapas — não importava quem estivesse na frente — e o pouco dinheiro que ganhava era diluído em bebidas.

Toby, sonhador e magricelo, usava qualquer desculpa para passar mais tempo fora de casa. Era miúdo demais para entender o que acontecia ali dentro, só sabia que as discussões em voz alta o faziam querer chorar. E como meninos não choram, segundo seu pai, arranjar ocupações era a melhor saída.

Brincava com alguns meninos da vila, andava a cavalo, subia em árvores e sonhava acordado. Não lembra exatamente quando sua amizade com A Esquecida começou, parecia que sempre havia sido assim, mas um dia ele deixou de admirá-la apenas pelas janelas e foi convidado a adentrar a mansão.

Após o fim da guerra, depois que todos partiram, Tobias sentiu um imenso vazio, misturado com raiva e medo. Sentiu a perda do irmão mais velho, alistado para servir na guerra, e, alguns anos depois, sentiu a perda da mãe.

Apesar da insistência da Miss Jones em educá-lo junto com as demais crianças, não fez tanto proveito do latim e da literatura, e acabou trabalhando na indústria, como o pai. O pugilismo entrou na sua vida através do senhor Walker, um veterano de guerra que encontrou Tobias socando um saco de farinha com exímia técnica — era sua forma de descontrar a frustração, evitando extravasar com as pessoas.

Devidamente treinado, logo se tornou um lutador requisitado nos círculos de Londres, embora tenha se mudado definitivamente para a capital apenas depois do falecimento da mãe, em 1948.

É um atleta que já alcançou o seu pico físico e técnico. Sabe que, em breve, atingirá seu limite e está inaugurando a sua própria academia de luta. Além da perspectiva financeira, almeja ser reconhecido como um bom líder e treinador. Não quer mais ser apenas um fator que não faz diferença no resultado final. Tobias deseja, finalmente, ter o seu tão desejado papel de destaque.

escrito por rachel, ela/dela, 24.

[alessandroiiidimacedonia]

[friendly-books]

Moon over SoHo

I was warned that this book would be the horniest one. I’m going to try and ignore it for my own sake. (I didn’t succeed as well as I would have liked) I shall again heroically refrain from talking about music and theater. 

“It’s your boyfriend” pg. 9 Ha

“You should have said we were going out robbing.” I said “I’d have brought a balaclava.” pg. 12 Ha

“So I told her about the guy that had had his dick bitten off by a woman with teeth in her vagina, which seemed to amuse Leslie.” pg. 12 Same Leslie same

“It was a basic model with an American accent that made Leslie sound like an autistic surfer dude,” pg. 14 What's an “American accent” like the Midwest accent or more New York or California? and what does an “autistic surfer” sound like?

“The case was held together with elastic bands. Leslie shuddered when she saw it and made a  snorting sound that I suspected was laughter.” pg. 16 Ha

“She copied the gesture and got nothing.” pg. 17 Will Leslie learn magic?

“Jazz has certainly done its best for my father.” pg. 23 Oh more lore about Peter’s dad

“What was your relationship with Mr. Wilkinson?” I asked

“He was my lover” pg. 25 Uhh interesting word choice there are

“I told her to call me Peter, which you are just not supposed to do at this stage of an inquiry.” pg. 26 Peter I don’t think this is professional

“Normally the mere presence of a policeman is enough to make the most law-abiding citizen feel vaguely guilty and therefore reluctant to let you clomp your size eleven around their home” pg. 29 I wonder why Peter maybe look into that. ACAB and all

“Do you happen to know a man called Cyrus Wilkinson?

“He’s my fiancé” pg. 34 Ohh the drama he was cheating :0

“no kebab in the Jag, that’s the rule” pg. 36 Why is that a rule? Did Peter try to eat a kebab in the Jag and Nightingale say no? And I like that Nightingale let’s Peter drive his car

“a certain Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale.” pg. 38 Nightingale!

“a relationship with the gender and sexual orientation of your choice.” pg. 41 Nice being inclusive Peter

“And learning magic, of course-which is what makes the whole thing worthwhile.” pg. 42 Yep

“I wish you and Molly would stop watching me like that,” pg. 42 They’re concerned for you Nightingale

“I’ve been shot before, so I know what I’m talking about.” pg. 43 That’s not reassuring

“I’d checked in Blackstone’s Police Manual before coming down for breakfast that morning.” pg. 44 There’s a manual?

“Yes” said Nightingale. “When you practice, things have an alarming tendency to catch fire.” pg. 45 Ha

“Are there other practitioners out there?” I asked.

Nightingale shifted in his wheelchair. “There are some survivors from the prewar mob,” he said. “But apart from them, you and I are the last of the classically trained wizards. Or at least you will be if you ever concentrate long enough to be trained.”

“Could it have been one of these survivors?”

“Not if jazz was part of the signare” pg. 45 So you’re telling me that there haven’t been any other practitioners since WW2 and that most of them died in WW2 I don’t buy it. The world’s huge surly there are others. Maybe they’re in hiding?

“Our mob,” said Nightingale. “You swore an oath, that makes you one of us.” pg. 45 Yep

Oh are we going to see the Rivers in this book?

“but because I was on duty I kept it at half.” pg. 48 I don’t think you should drink on the job Peter

“I had jokingly developed my own scale for vestiga based on the amount of noise Toby made when he interacted with any residual magic. I called it yap,” pg. 49 Ha

“I realized that my own childhood was about to interfere with my investigation.” pg. 50 Oh interesting

I love all the information we’re getting about jazz and Peter’s dad.

“I suspect that the local roughnecks were much more scared of my mum than they were of me. The worst I could do was arrest them.” pg. 53 Yep

“I realized with a start that was the sound of them kissing. I almost spilled the tea.” pg. 55 Ha

“Step into my office,” he said, “The jazz doctor is in.” pg. 56 Ha

“Come on, Dad, someone must have done a more swinging version-if only for the white folks” pg. 58 Ha

“He looked disappointed at my reaction-he keeps hoping I’ll grow into it one day.” pg. 60 If only

“She had her hair quartered and twisted into the big plaits that made my dad grin.” pg. 60 Aw

“an aunt, cousin, a girl from down the road-sitting in the living room and chemically burning her hair straight.” pg. 61 Aw :(

“Now personally I’m like my dad-I fancy it au natural or in braids” pg. 61 Yay :)

“First rule about black women’s hair is you don’t talk about black women’s hair. And the second rule is you don’t ever touch a black women’s hair without getting written permission first.” pg. 61 Yep

“The magical “protections”-Nightingale was not happy when I called them “force fields” pg. 66 Ha

“And yet three jazz musicians a year-I don’t believe it was a coincidence.” pg. 70 Yep nothing is a coincidence

“Westminster School for the terminally privileged” pg. 73 Ha

“Hence the women” pg. 75 How many people did Cyrus cheat on his fiancé with?

“politically correct grin” pg. 76 What’s a politically correct grin?

“You know how it is with women” said James. “They  don’t like you to be doing anything they can’t relate back to themselves.” pg. 76 Boo so rude :(

“They nodded nervously. “Hi,” one of them said. “We’re from Kansas.” pg. 76 Hey fellow mid western! And to answer Max’s question MNU or MidAmerica Nazarene is a private university in Kansas

“On Old Compton Street fit young men in tight white t shirt and spray on jeans” pg. 80 Bi Peter 5

“couple of tasty young men” pg. 81 Bi Peter 6

“Leslie always complained that I was too easily distracted to be a copper” pg. 87 Well you are distracted

“I didn’t have time for banter” pg. 91 But the banter

“Nightingale has this spell which can pop a lock right out of its socket but apparently I’m at least a year away from learning it” pg. 91 But it sounds useful

“Something had exercised the man’s penis” pg. 104 Like the guy from before

“St. John Giles was a putative Saturday night date rapist” pg. 105 They gave him a name?! I’m so glad he had his dick cut off

“I realized that I was making a snapping movements with my hand and stopped it.” pg. 109 Ha

“When the sadly penis-less St. John Giles” pg. 111 I’m choosing to believe Peter is sarcastic here

“When I asked him what had kept him attention he said rugby and spells.” pg. 112 That’s fair I too would have paid more attention to the magic

“Are you a guy?” I asked. Just to show that the sensitivity training at Hendon hasn’t been wasted.

“Only biologically” pg. 117 Peter :/

“I turned to find Simone Fitzwilliam” pg. 120 Ah her, stay away from Peter

“Scrumptious was not word that I’d ever heard used by a real person before.” pg. 121 Same Peter same

“Simone grabbed my hand and practically me inside” pg. 121 Hiss

“I wondered if I was being seduced or driven into a diabetic coma.” pg. 122 Coma probably

“I watched here walk away on her high heels, jaunty hips swaying back and forth.

Leslie was so going to kill me.” pg. 124 Not if I or frankly Simone get you first maybe she’s the dick eater (come up with a better name)

“I love using the word interview because members of the public see it as the first step up the legal staircase that goes from “helping the police with there inquiries” to spending time at Her Majesty’s pleasure locked in a small cell with a large sweaty man who insists on calling you Susan.” pg. 126 Maybe think about why that is Peter

“Rock against racism anti-Nazi league Don’t blame me I didn’t vote Tory” pg. 129 I like this

“I think,” said Nightingale, “that we may be dealing with a black magician here.” pg. 136 I was right about there being more practitioners around

“Are you sure it’s not stuck in the muffin?”

“No,” I said “it’s being held in place by the egg  alone” pg. 138 Impressive

“There’s more to life than just London,” said Nightingale

“People keep saying that,” I said. “But I’ve never actually seen any proof.” pg. 142 Ha

“The Nazis rounded up any practitioners they could find in the occupied countries and killed any who refused to cooperate.” pg. 143 :(

“They were hardly what you call subtle.” pg. 144 Yep that sounds like the u.s.

“When every boy expected his own adventure  and girls had not yet been invented.” pg. 145 Ha

“You can’t call them black magicians,” I said.

“You realize that we’re using the term black magician in its metaphorical sense here,” said Nightingale.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “Words change what they mean, don’t they? Some people would call me a black magician.”

“You’re not a magician,” he said. “You’re barely even an apprentice.”

“You’re changing the subject,” I said.

“What should we call them?” he asked patiently

“Ethnicity challenged magical practitioners,” I said

“Just to satisfy my curiosity, you understand,” said Nightingale “given that the only people likely to hear us say black magician are you, me, and Dr. Waild, why is changing them so important?”

“Because I don’t think the old world’s coming back anytime soon,” I said. “In fact, I think the new world might be arriving.” pg. 146 I love this quote. And I love that it’s important to Peter to change the name.

“Outside the big cities my very appearance can sometimes be enough to render certain people speechless.” pg. 147 Ouch

“expecting Nightingale to introduce someone “different” as a new apprentice. I could see him trying to parse out but he’s colored in a way that wouldn’t cause offense and failing.” pg. 147 The way this made my skin crawl :( and I shuddered. So much racism. I can’t stand it.

“although Thomas had to come as his own son so alloy suspension.” pg. 151 Right a son who looks exactly like the dad

“I thought a sit-down was a good idea because Nightingale was favoring his left side again and looking a bit peaky.” pg. 151 Oh no

“I take it you understand how unprecedented it was for Thomas to take on an apprentice?” pg. 154 So Peter is Nightingale’s first apprentice?

“Thomas aging backwards was a bit of a clue.” pg. 154 What

“Nightingale grinned. “This is where you watch and learn.” pg. 158 Ha

“I turned to see tears glinting on his cheeks, so I looked away.” pg. 164 Sobbing poor Nightingale

“Some days it seems so long ago and some days…” pg. 164 Therapy please

“The doctors were already worried that I was too morbid.” pg. 165 If doctors in 1940’s thought you were morbid you’ve got a problem

“I also had this ridiculous notion that it might help.”

“Did it?”

“No,” he said. “Not really” pg. 165 Poor Nightingale :(

“Tall, skinny, pale, long black hair. Smells like death,” pg. 166 Vagina dentata lady is back

“Every male in the world thinks he’s an excellent driver. Every copper who’s ever had to pick an eyeball out of a puddle knows that most of them are kidding themselves.” pg. 167 Ew

“The bitch struck me with a railing.” pg. 171 Oh no she has super strength

“Lady of death” pg. 180 Oh no

“It’s remarkably easy to die in the Thames; lots of people manage it every year. I was beginning to worry I was going to be one.” pg. 183 It is?! That’s concerning

“Mama Thames, I prayed. You owe me, get me to shore.” pg. 184 Interesting that Peter prays to Mother Thames

“Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, I thought. For they are soggy and hard to light.” pg. 185 Ha

“Nightingale had already put a fix in.” pg. 185 That was nice of him

“He still made me get up the next morning and do double practice-the bastard” pg. 186 Ha

“It read, in Nightingale’s surprisingly inelegant handwriting, Unsupervised use of the Jaguar is suspended until a time as the appropriate driving certification is presented. So Nightingale did know about the driving course  after all.” pg. 188 Ha

“He just went out one afternoon,” she said. “And came back dead.” pg. 191 Aw :(

“Dresden porcelain” pg. 193 I’ve read too much Dresden files I perked up and got excited at the word Dresden

“Because of Harold Shipman,” I said. “You remember him?” pg. 193 I knew about him. I’ve seen too much true crime

“I was ambushed by Simone Fitzwilliam” pg. 202 Stay away from Peter

“Take me home.” pg. 205 No don’t do it

“And we went down onto a mattress.” pg. 206 Nooo

“Nightingale actually twitched as if suppressing the impulse to salute.” pg. 213 Ha and cute

“Lady Ty” pg. 217 Ugh not her

“The Bollocking 2: This time it’s personal.” pg. 217 Ha

“I called Simone” pg. 221 No stop don’t do that PETER >:( if I was anymore dramatic I’d bang my head against my bed at this stupidity

“I laughed to show that I was a good sport, but cop humor being what it is I knew I’d be carrying that ambulance around for the rest of my career.” pg. 223 Yep Peter’s never living this down

“three sisters” pg. 225 Oh three magic number suspicious

“dangerous chemicals because there were acetaminophen and prescription sleeping tablets that dated back ten years.” pg. 226 Suspicious

“I wondered if I could sneak her into the Folly.” pg. 235 That’s the same thought you had about Leslie in the first book

“It was only then that it occurred to me that less than two weeks ago she’d been grieving lover of Cyrus Wilkinson,” pg. 236 Yeah Peter maybe think about that more. Why would she get into bed with you so soon after the death of her last lover?

“I’m Abigail,” she said. “I live up the road.”

“You really going to learn Latin?”

“Am now” pg. 240 I like this kid I hope she shows up and learns magic

“I’d sensed that Ken “Snakehips” Johnson and his West Indian Orchestra who had all died there in the Cafe de Paris, more than seventy years ago.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.” pg. 242 Yep

“She’d called herself Peggy. I wondered if that  was her real name.” pg. 245 Oh interesting

“I’m concerned,” he said, “that Thomas has been pushing himself too hard.”

“Is he all right?”

“He’s picked up an infection and he’s running a fever,” said Dr. Walid

“He was okay at breakfast,” I said

“Man could be dead on his feet before he’d admit it,” pg. 250 Poor Nightingale

“Do you feel guilty?”

“No,” pg. 251 Lies you feel guilty Peter

“Peggy had been around since the 1941 feeding on jazz musicians” pg. 261 Interesting

“It was Simone” pg. 262 Go away Simone

“a guilty sense that there were things needed to be getting on with-important things.” pg. 264 Yes Peter focus on that

“She always does this when I’m ill,” said Nightingale” pg. 266 Aw :)

“She’s not a prisoner,” said Nightingale. “Or a slave if that’s what you’re alluding to.” pg. 268 That’s good

“Nightingale, despite literally being a relic of a bygone age, had learned to modify his language around me because when I’d looked into the literature the most common terms started with un-unfit, unsuited, undesirable and behind them came the terms starting with sub.” pg. 269 I’m glad that Nightingale is learning

“Sorry. Ethnicity challenged practitioners,” pg. 269 I love that Nightingale actually says the ethnicity challenged practitioner instead of black magician

“Nightingale grabbed the now empty and put it back in front of himself just in time for Molly to come drifting into the dining room, pushing the sweets cart. As she cleared the plates, she gave Nightingale a distinctly suspicious look. But she couldn’t prove anything.

She scowled at us and we smiled back.” pg. 272 Ha and I love how mischievous Nightingale is

“I heard a rasping breathy sound “No,” said Leslie. “It’s Darth Vader.” pg. 273 Ha

“Not this apprentice. But master doesn’t mean the same to white boys at Oxford.” pg. 274 Yep

“I do not mourn the good old days when coopers were real coopers not least because that spares me from what would be almost continuous racist abuse.” pg. 278 Yep

“I knew. It was a spell.” pg. 292 Rouge Wizard on the loose! :0

“It’s not unknown for police officers going into a interview to pad out their files with a few realms of fake paperwork, the better to convey the notion that we, the police, know everything already so you might as well just save time and tell us what you know.” pg. 295 Maybe think about and question why that is Peter

“You’re also entitled to a lawyer or some other representative of your choice.” pg. 296 Lawyer Lawyer Lawyer always get a lawyer when talking to the cops

“This is like real voodoo magic only it was a white geezer.”

“You said it was like voodoo?” I asked. “Did the man call on loas to possess him, did he carry out a rituals and sacrifices?” pg. 300 Huh I’m working on a story involving voodoo weird coincidence

“Girls with cat ears and tails. They’re called Neko-chan” pg. 306 I wasn’t expecting to read this in the book

“That was in the 70’s” pg. 308 Everything seemed to happen in the 70’s if I understand it correctly.

“Unless the wheels have come big time you don’t stroll around to a location and kick in the door.” pg. 311 Unless you’re Harry Dresden

“Jazz vampires” said Stephanopoulis

“I wish I hadn’t started calling them that” pg. 312 I love that Peter calls them that

“One of them was a young Somali woman in a leather biker and an expensive back silk hijab. She caught me looking and smiled.

“Muslim ninja” pg. 318 I love her already

“Please for Christ’s sake kill me,” said Larry. “Please kill me.” pg. 320 Ahhh

“Shut it down, Peter” said Nightingale” pg. 326 Oh good Nightingale is here things we’re getting to spooky

“Nightingale gave me a delighted grin.”

“he said cheerfully” pg. 328 I’m a little nervous/concerned with how cheerful Nightingale seems with all of this

“Cages two and three are empty,” said Nightingale. “Thank God.” pg. 331 Amen for that

“It’s of a German type” pg. 331 There are other types of demon trap?

“lit up with a gay sparkle of small colored bulbs” pg. 332 How can a lightbulb be gay?

“The rope went slack in my hands” pg. 333 Oh no

“I’m quite all right,” said Nightingale. “Thank you for asking.” pg. 333 Is that really Nightingale? Suspicious

“No,” said Nightingale. “There's nothing in there that would profit you to see. Trust me in this, Peter, as master to appreciate, as a man who’s sworn to protect and nurture. I don’t want you going in there.” pg. 336 I like that Nightingale is protective of Peter

“When two ethnic officers meet for the first time the first question you ask can be about anything but the second question you ask is always “Why did you join?” pg. 336 That’s a important question

“Are you kidding?” said Guleed. “You get to legally rough people up.” pg. 336 Ha

“Ladies first,” I said

“Age before beauty,” she said” pg. 337 Ha

“gently pushed the door open with my left hand.” pg. 338 Should have kicked the door in

“You’re taking the piss aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I said. “Yes I am.” pg. 339 Ha

“Prudy saw me, though. “Help,” he crocked.”  pg. 344 Oh no

“Which was why I was a tad disappointed when the Pale Lady just grunted, blinked, and then tore the prongs out of her chest.” pg. 350 Oh no tasers are powerful and she just shrugged it off

“I jumped onto the Skittles I grabbed the escalator rail vault onto the steps.” pg. 354 Parkour

“Impello”

The spell picked her up and slammed her back against the railing and then, horrifying, she toppled backwards and was gone.” pg. 357 Oh no Peter’s gonna need so much therapy

“Nightingale was a bit pale and unsteady and forced him to lie down” pg. 359 Aw they care about Nightingale :)

“May the blessings of the river be upon you” pg. 359 You have no idea how right you are

“Dr. Walid popped his head in to say that he was keeping Nightingale in overnight.” pg. 360 Oh dear I don't think Nightingale or Molly will be happy about that

“Is something wrong?” I asked

She didn’t move” pg. 361 Molly is upset. Yes Peter something is wrong Nightingale is in the hospital again

“Then I saw it, a blotch like a port-wine birthmark in the corner of her mouth. I thought it was a smear of something she’d been eating at but then it ripped while I was staring at it. With a hideous crunch her jaw splintered as a crude triangle of skin peeled back from her face. I saw muscle, tendon, and bone stretch and pop, and her jaw hung slack  like that of a puppet.” pg. 366 I KNEW IT I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP WITH HER! Vindication and validation

“I’m fairy certain they were supposed to offer me psychological counseling at that point, but they didn’t.” pg. 370 Peter should get some therapy

“Dr. Waild released Nightingale from the hospital that afternoon.” pg. 371 Yay

“I’m still doing test but they all seem to be chimeras.

That was a term I’d had look up last night before” pg. 373 Has Peter never seen Fullmetal Alchemist before? (Spoken as someone who watched up till Nina and Shou Tucker and then stopped watching because I got sad)

“Or more than one partner. There could be-what do you call a group of magicians?” I asked. “A gang, a coven?”

“An argument,” said Dr. Waild. “It’s an argument of wizards.” pg. 375 Ha

“For fifty years they do nothing and then suddenly there’s you,” she said. “How did that happened?” pg. 383 Because Peter is great and is causing change and helping Nightingale

“And what was that?” asked Nightingale. He didn’t always approve of departing from the strait forms he laid down for spells.” pg. 385 Let Peter get creative with it

“Is there anything I could say that would stop you from doing all this unauthorized experimentation?”

“Honestly,” I said. “Probably not” pg. 385 Ha

“You knocked out a Tiger tank with a fireball?” pg. 387 So cool

“Get away, you bitch” pg. 393 Ohhhh

“Then she reached up and slapped me around the face.” pg. 394 Ahh :0

“That got me another slap, but this one was perfunctory and didn’t make my ears rings.” pg. 395 Ahh please stop hitting Peter

“She spat something in Krio, using words that I’d certainly never heard before.” pg. 395 I do like that she uses Krio

“She was after your father when I met him,”

“Met him where?”

“When I met him,” she said slowly. “Before you were a baby.” pg. 394 She went after his dad?! Come on Peter keep up Simone evil witch/jazz vampire I’ve known since the beginning and you should have known something was wrong a chapter ago

“She’s on medication” pg. 393 PETER

“She’s not well,” I said

“Are you saying she’s mad?” she asked

I looked appropriately stricken.” pg. 397 PETER please be a ruse. I need this to be a ruse. You didn’t say your mother is mentally unwell (a lie) so your succumbs girlfriend won’t be mad at you PETER >:(

“How could I have ever thought it was her perfume?” pg. 399 He FINALLY gets it. It only took till chapter 12 and 86% of the way through the book

“Nobody told me,” said Simone “that a colored man could be so beautiful.” pg. 406 Colored man? Rude

“She pouted so I kissed her. It was the single most stupid I’ve ever done.” pg. 406 Peter you’ve done several stupid things most including Simone.

“That was not the most intelligent thing you’ve ever done.” said Nightingale” pg. 408 Yep

“You I want in bed in the next half hour with a hot milk and a sleeping tablet.”

“There’s-“ said Nightingale but Dr. Waild didn’t give him a chance to start, let alone finish.

“If you don’t follow my instructions, I swear on my father’s life I’ll have you both put on medical leave,” he said “Do you both Ken me on this?” We both nodded.” pg. 411 I love this Dr. Waild is the best

“Molly reverentially handed a mug of hot chocolate to Nightingale. “Thank you” he said.” pg. 411 Aw :)

“You’re making assumptions, Peter.” pg. 413 Yep

Yay Peter’s dad quit all the substances

“They were all fit-looking middle aged men” pg. 416 Bi Peter 7

“Get me to Berwick Street in under ten minutes and I’ll give you a free pass for the rest of the year,” I said.

“And the wife’s car”

“Same deal” pg. 418 Peter I don’t think that’s professional

“His eyes were quite beautiful” pg. 425 Bi Peter 8

“Lady Tyburn trying to make you her house slave.” pg. 430 The way I shivered at this line

“If you’re going to shoot,” he said “Then shoot.”

So I shot him. It was worth it just for the obvious outrage it caused him” pg. 434 Ha

“He threw a fireball at me. I threw a chimney stack at him-that’s the London way.” pg. 435 Go Peter!

“I call impello vibrato but Nightingale called will you stop messing about and pay attention” pg. 436 Ha

“Fuck” he yelled, load enough to be heard over the helicopter.” pg. 437 Ha

“Thomas “Tiger tank” Nightingale” pg. 439 He has a nickname

“Two peeled off to check on Tiger-Boy, who stayed stubbornly dead even when one of them kicked him in the ribs” pg. 440 Ha

“Are you hurt?” pg. 440 I’m glad Nightingale cares about Peter and if he’s hurt

“For a terrifying moment I thought he was going to hug me, but fortunately we both remembered we were English just in time. Still, it was a close call.” pg. 441 HUG EACH OTHER!

“Nightingale looked gaunt and colorless under the sodium lights; there were smudges under his eyes, and while he tried to hide it I saw the occasional shiver. He kept his expression bland.” pg. 444 Poor Nightingale

“Human Rights Act”

“Manslaughter by gross negligence”

“Mental Health Act or 1984” pg. 446 Peter really thought this through with Simone and her sisters

“What did all your friends die for, all those names on the wall, what did they die for if not for that?

He recoiled. “I don’t know what they died for,” he said. “I didn’t know then and I still don’t know now.” pg. 447 Aw poor Nightingale :(

“Suicides are rarely pretty,” pg. 449 They committed suicide?!?

“I do worry about the Faceless One,” pg. 453 Yep

“I don’t think they like me,” I said

“They can tell you’re from the wicked city of sin,” pg. 457 Ha

“She stretched out her hand, and above it formed a globe of light with a beautiful opalescent sheen-it was much prettier than any werelight I’d ever produced.

“Fuck me,” I said. “You can do magic.” pg. 460 Yoooooo she can do magic

Final thoughts

I enjoyed the book despite my dislike of Peter and Simone in this book. The jazz vampires were cool. The Faceless man was spooky. The chimera’s were scary. We got four Bi Peter moments no thanks to Simone. Up to 8 now. I’m going to put on my tin foil hat now because Leslie knows magic now. How? Yes Peter showed her luc but surely that’s not enough to teach her? Nightingale made clear that you needed a person to show you magic. So who taught her magic? Not Nightingale. A different practitioner? Clearly there are other practitioners out there with the Faceless man. Hmmmm suspicious. I’m glad Peter’s dad kicked all the drugs. I like Abigail and I hope she shows up more. I also liked Guleed. It’ll be interesting with Leslie being a wizard as well.

Onto Whispers Underground

[thetudorslovers]

I prayed to God for a son who would be a leader, a prince among his people, and God granted my prayer. But I never knew that it would mean losing him." - Dinah, Chapter 7

"Education was a crucial aspect of the upbringing of princes in ancient Egypt, as it was believed that a well-educated prince would make a better ruler. The education of princes was comprehensive and rigorous, with a focus on developing their intellectual and physical capacities." - Toby Wilkinson, "The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt"

In ancient Egypt, education for princes was highly valued and was considered an essential aspect of their upbringing. The education of princes was designed to prepare them for their future roles as rulers and was focused on developing their intellectual, physical, and moral capacities.

The education of princes was conducted in specialized schools, known as the "House of Life" or "Per Ankh." These schools were often located within temple complexes, and their curriculum included a wide range of subjects such as writing, reading, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, religion, history, music, and sports.

Princes were taught by highly trained scribes and priests who were experts in their respective fields. The education system was highly structured and rigorous, and the curriculum was designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The education of princes also included training in military and administrative skills. Princes were taught to ride horses, hunt, and fight with weapons. They were also taught the basics of administration, such as how to manage finances and handle diplomatic affairs.

"The education of princes in ancient Egypt was designed to prepare them for the complex role of ruler, which required not only knowledge of administrative and military matters, but also a deep understanding of religion and morality." - John Romer, "Ancient Lives: The Story of the Pharaohs' Tombmakers"

[snackerdoodle]

books I read in 2023

I had a huge reading year this year because of my gruelingly long commute. The list below the cut is mostly for my own edification, but I’m a nosy person who supports other nosy people, so if you want to know what I’ve been up to, have at it. Almost everything I read this year was from the library.

1/12 A Charmed Life, Diana Wynne Jones

1/18 The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, Sonora Reyes

1/24 The Life-Changing Magic of 

Tidying Up, Marie Kondo

1/25 Hotel Magnifique, Emily J. Taylor

1/30 Spark Joy, Marie Kondo 

2/2 The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune

2/8 The Golden Enclaves, Naomi Novik

2/8 Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, Ashley Herring Blake

2/15 The Nile, Toby Wilkinson

2/23 The Painted Queen, Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess

2/28 Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

3/5 Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters

3/12 Lord of the Silent, Elizabeth Peters

3/16 Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home, Marie Kondo 

3/20 Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life, Ruth Franklin

3/20 The Art of Simple Living, Shunmyo Masuno

3/26 The Bird’s Nest, Shirley Jackson

4/11 Life Among the Savages, Shirley Jackson

4/12 A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn

4/18 The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories, Charlotte Perkins Gilman

4/21 Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto, Tricia  Hersey

5/1 Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Malinda Lo

5/3 Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail, Ashley Herring Blake

5/10 Fight Like Hell: The Untold Story of American Labor, Kim Kelly

5/11 Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings, Joy Harjo 

5/12 Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, Reni Eddo-Lodge

5/15 The Lottery and Other Stories, Shirley Jackson

5/18 The Lives of Christopher Chant, Diana Wynne Jones

5/29 A Little Devil in America, Hanif Abdurraqib

6/3 A Marvellous Light, Freya Marske

6/6 Ducks, Kate Beaton 

6/8 Wild and Wicked Things, Francesca May (awful. Every character was an idiot. Why did I finish this)

6/10 Breathing Lessons: A Doctor’s Guide to Lung Health, Meilan K. Han, MD

6/19 The Three Body Problem, Cixin Liu

6/19 A Fortune for Your Disaster, Hanif Abdurraqib (I liked this even more than the last one I read. Maybe because it was an audiobook read by the author.)

6/22 Disjointed, Diana Jovin (ed) (skipped parts that were totally unrelated to me and some things that were also too technical)

6/22 The Lavender Scare, David K. Johnson

6/26 Enquête au collège, Jean-Phillipe Arrou-Vignod 

6/28 The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner

7/3 Last Call, Elon Green

7/12 Cache Cache Petit Fantôme

7/13 Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-

Exupéry

7/13 La fille qui navigua autour de féérie dans un bateau construit de ses propres mains, Catherynne M Valente

7/14 Lost in the Moment and Found, Seanan McGuire

7/14 Ich mag dich gesund sagte der Bär, Janosch

7/25 The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch

7/31 The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, Shannon Chakraborty

8/10 A Restless Truth, Freya Marske 

8/16 Camp Damascus, Chuck Tingle

9/6 The Body in the Garden, Katherine Schellman

9/11 Silence in the Library, Katherine Schellman

9/13 When Things Get Dark, various 

9/19 Death at the Manor, Katherine Schellman

9/25 Sorcery and Cecelia, Patricia C Wrede and Caroline Stevermer

10/3 The Grand Tour, Patricia C Wrede and Caroline Stevermer 

10/6 Murder at Midnight, Katharine Schellman

10/12 The Mislaid Magician, Patricia C Wrede and Caroline Stevermer

10/18 Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies, Elizabeth Winkler

10/18 Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen, JK Rowling

10/25 Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA search for Mind Control, Stephen Kinzer

11/1 Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date, Ashley Herring Blake

11/3 Nothing But Blackened Teeth, Cassandra Shaw

11/9 Unfuck Your Habitat, Rachel Hoffman

11/11 Safe and Sound, Mercury Stardust 

11/12 Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD (revised and updated), Susan C. Pinskey

11/18 Red Seas under Red Skies, Scott Lynch

11/20 In With the Old: Classic Decor A to Z,  Jennifer Boles 

11/23 Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating, Lauren Liess

11/24 Vermeer: The Complete Paintings, Norbert Schneider 

11/29 The Conscious Closet, Elizabeth L. Cline

12/4 Leech, Hiron Ennes

12/6 The Star that Always Stays, Anna Rose Johnson 

P12/14 The Republic of Thieves, Scott Lynch

12/15 An American Sunrise, Joy Harjo

12/20 The Wife Upstairs, Rachel Hawkins

12/22 How to Keep House While Drowning, KC Davis

12/30 The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, Margareta Magnusson 

Gave up on: The Woman Who Would Be King, Kara Cooney (too speculative/fictionalized)

A Scatter of Light, Malinda Lo (nothing really wrong, it just wasn’t holding my attention at all)

14 histoires pour avoir peur mais pas trop quand même (turned into full cast audio and the music between stories was really annoying)

Manhunt, Gretchen Felker-Martin (not in the right headspace maybe, maybe just not for me)

American Cozy, Stephanie Pedersen (got annoyed at how much of the information hinged on living in a huge suburban home with 18 closets and a husband and multiple children you can make do your chores for you)

The Curated Closet, Anuschka Rees (not bad just not what I was looking for)

[puppy-steve]