Okay I can't believe I'm gender-segregating this question (I'm sorry, Alice Paul and Susan B. Anthony 😭) but a genuine inquiry for MEN only: what was the last book you read that was written by a woman? Can you share the title and approximately when you read it?

I’m giving a postponed online talk (Zoom) on Feisal of Arabia and his #WW1 leadership tomorrow. If you’re going to be at a loose end at 4pm UK time for a couple of hours you can still book a place here: greatwargroup.com/product/feisal/ The Great War Group

Seriously, Rebecca Rideal is one of the most sound, modest, hardworking and impactful historians and we are lucky to have her. I shall call her HistFest Big Boss from now on. And yes, I’m on my way to my session!

To be honest, I just had a little moment of total despair at the state of the world. I know it’s wildly ahistorical to say we’re living through worse times than our predecessors ever did, but bloody hell - I feel like the past decade has been played on Hard Mode

This is a tweet that doesn’t take into consideration how overwhelming it can be for many (not all) older people to navigate tech. Not to mention the fact that most new tech is also not designed for ageing or disabled bodies: accessibility is routinely an afterthought.

A medieval wall painting of death personified as a skeleton with arrow and sickle. In the Church of All Saints, Salperton. We nearly missed this one due to going down the wrong road, and I’m so glad we found it in the end!

Absolutely love the work Joshua James Knowles has done over the years to bring HistFest talks to life. This from the final, and very moving, session of today with Dr Lindsey Fitzharris & Jen Warren #HistFest2024

Really interesting talk at HistFest this afternoon- Dr Lindsey Fitzharris this book is amazing for myself and my GCSE students. You’ve really helped bring to life the stories of these often forgotten soldiers!

#TheFacemaker HistFest British Library. Fascinating discussion between author Dr Lindsey Fitzharris and doctor Jen Warren, covering Harold Gillies, his work, and the hospital; but also addressing the lived experience of disfigured WW1 soldiers (stigma, prejudice, isolation).

A HUGE thank you to today’s wonderful speakers charlie higson Dr Nicola Clark Alex Courtney Ophelia Field Kavitha Rao Angela Saini Dr Lara Thorpe, William Dalrymple Nandini Das Dr Lindsey Fitzharris & Jen Warren #HistFest2024

Throwback to OG #histfest when Dr Lindsey Fitzharris signed my #ButcheringArt with my 'Dr' title while I was submitting proudly saying 'I shall be the first to call you Dr' to today #histfest 2024 signing #TheFacemaker & congratulating me! HistFest #twitterstorians #history

Sketch note of this evening’s fascinating talk about WW1 and the genesis of reconstructive plastic surgery with Dr Lindsey Fitzharris Jen Warren HistFest British Library #histfest #sketchnote #facemaker #visibility #sidcuphistory

I had a wonderful time HistFest chatting with Jen Warren about Harold Gillies and the disfigured soldiers of WW1. Thanks to Rebecca Rideal for organising such a thought-provoking festival, and to Joshua James Knowles for his incredible artwork!

We're onto our final event of today!
Rebecca Rideal welcomes Jen Warren and Dr Lindsey Fitzharris who are exploring the astonishing story of the pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies #HistFest2024 #TheFacemaker

It's been an excellent first day of HistFest and cannot think of a better way to end then with Dr Lindsey Fitzharris and Jen Warren on the fantastic Facemaker - go buy the book if you haven't already! 👇🏻

uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-fa…

Off to the British Library to see Dr Lindsey Fitzharris and I am taking #snegurochka by Judith Heneghan with me for the journey…it’s brilliant company! 📚❤️

It’s in physical copy!

The typeset MS of my debut novel is here! It's made such a difference to see my words printed like this... after years of hard slog, my book finally feels like an actual, finished novel! Going through these pages is one of my last editing tasks ahead of publication next Feb.

Yes folks -I'm back at the fabulous HistFest, where you can hear from brilliant historians at British Library or from the comfort of your own sofa, someone else's or even outside, if the weather holds! History for all!

Model by Louis Auzoux showing the foetus in utero in the breech position. It is made of papier-mâché and you can see this one in the Rijksmuseum Boerhaave