“(Louise) had a fabulous personality, and yet not one to help herself in any way, not one to self pity, not wanting anyone to pity her, she just was strong, a very strong woman, but whose strength annihilated her...I always felt she was a lost soul.” — David Diamond, friend #otd

Rhonda Fleming by Ernest Bachrach, 1945. #botd

Universal Frankenstein Monsters- Karloff, Chaney Jr, Lugosi and Strange

Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zaleska in 1936's Dracula's Daughter

Happy heavenly Birthday to John Lee Hooker. “Without the music of John Lee Hooker, Jim Morrison wouldn’t have known of crawling kingsnakes, and George Thorogood wouldn’t have ordered up ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.’ Van Morrison would not have influenced generations of

Blood of the Bear – the final Fire Born is out now - angusdonaldbooks.com/uncategorized/…

Ornate Saxon copper brooch intricately decorated with gold and garnets, AD 650-670. A cherished possession found in a woman’s grave during excavations in Floral Street, Covent Garden, an area once in the heart of ‘Lundenwic’, the early Saxon town of London. Museum of London 📷

This week’s blog features #Durham & specifically 1 day in its history in 1069 when it became the scene of one of the worst massacres in English history - though few people will know much about it. #history #medieval paulbernardiauthor.com/2025/07/19/dur…

We all know what happened to Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. He was shot in the eye. But, says Paul Bernardi, that may not be what happened. Is this one in the eye for our accepted image of Harold's death? See why at historiamag.com/harold-death-t… Paul Bernardi Sharpe Books

Happy Birthday to The Hook! John Lee Hooker was, and still is, a towering figure in the world of Blues. His career spanned over five decades, influencing generations with his deep grooves and unmistakable voice. From his Mississippi roots to stages around the globe, Hooker

The most human and female of #AdventAngels in an elegant Annunciation scene of 1626, part of a rosary sequence painted on the attic roof boards of Provost Skene's House, Aberdeen. It's considered the most important surviving cycle of Early Modern religious paintings in Scotland.

'Tis the year's midnight, and it is the day's, Lucy's, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks. Today is St Lucy's Day, which was once the date of the winter solstice - the saint of light in the darkest days of winter. This luminous medieval St Lucy is from Minster Lovell.

All of a Rose, a lovely Rose' in 'Old English Carols' by Jessie L. Weston (1911), adapted and modernised from the 16th Century common-place manuscript book of Richard Hill.

RIP Professor John Carey (5 April 1934 – 11 December 2025). Among many other things, the author of the best book on Dickens' characters.

A Nocturnall Upon S. Lucies Day. ‘Tis the yeares midnight, and it is the dayes, Lucies, who scarce seaven hours herself unmaskes, The Sunne is spent, and now his flasks Send forth light squibs, no constant rayes ; The worlds whole sap is sunke: The generall balme th’ hydroptique

The Impudent Edda is an excellent read. A fascinating and hilarious myth retelling from Norse scholar and acute observer of people Rowdy Geirsson. Rowdy Geirsson

England will be 1100 years old next summer. Still time to commission a massive bronze of Athelstan. We can put it on the fourth plinth of Trafalgar Square, thus sparing ourselves many more decades of rotating modernist nonsense.

The Wicked Lady is on Talking Pictures today at 2.40pm @talkingpicstv ( which gives me an excuse to gratuitously post pics of some of my Margaret Lockwood collection!)