So thrilled to be leading a second cultural retreat with Travelgems this year! Join me and historian guide Ioanna Kalypso Glypti in Cyprus and Greece, to learn about the Greek goddesses on location. Info & booking via the link in my bio. I know this is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime luxury retreat most of us can’t go on as a guest, so here’s a free cultural event you can experience online. My event on the women of the Trojan War, with Andrew Copson at the Humanists UK Convention – also linked in my bio, under ‘The Women’s War’.
Thank you to Caroline for the gorgeous flowers, and to Janet for the beautiful orchid! I don’t think I have ever left the radio theatre looking so glamorous. My mum has told me how to keep the orchid alive (don’t overwater it, is the main thing, although knocking it over is also bad)
Thank you to Caroline for the gorgeous flowers, and to Janet for the beautiful orchid! I don’t think I have ever left the radio theatre looking so glamorous. My mum has told me how to keep the orchid alive (don’t overwater it, is the main thing, although knocking it over is also bad)
Thank you to Caroline for the gorgeous flowers, and to Janet for the beautiful orchid! I don’t think I have ever left the radio theatre looking so glamorous. My mum has told me how to keep the orchid alive (don’t overwater it, is the main thing, although knocking it over is also bad)
Thank you to Caroline for the gorgeous flowers, and to Janet for the beautiful orchid! I don’t think I have ever left the radio theatre looking so glamorous. My mum has told me how to keep the orchid alive (don’t overwater it, is the main thing, although knocking it over is also bad)
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Oh, you guys. I was so gutted to miss doing Hay, my Divine Might show and the radio recordings. But because I was couldn’t make it, I recorded the missing episodes last night at the beautiful Radio Theatre and it was MAGICAL. It all felt impossibly far away when I was on the other side of the world and then it was the most wonderful crowd (you are always wonderful), and the shows were the right length (always a stress when I do solo episodes) and I loved every single second. Two more shows to go next week and then our tenth series is complete! *gets scribbling*
Series 10 IN THE BAG! Double the episodes, double the fun. It was a dream to record the last two at the Radio Theatre with so many of you there, and such brilliant guests, Dan, Llewelyn, and Andre. THANK YOU ALL for 10 years of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics! (If you were there, let’s keep some surprises for everyone else! 🤫) Tune in to @bbcradio4 on July 8th, at 9:30am, to hear episode 1! Each episode should be available as a podcast on @bbcsounds shortly after broadcast.
Series 10 IN THE BAG! Double the episodes, double the fun. It was a dream to record the last two at the Radio Theatre with so many of you there, and such brilliant guests, Dan, Llewelyn, and Andre. THANK YOU ALL for 10 years of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics! (If you were there, let’s keep some surprises for everyone else! 🤫) Tune in to @bbcradio4 on July 8th, at 9:30am, to hear episode 1! Each episode should be available as a podcast on @bbcsounds shortly after broadcast.
Series 10 IN THE BAG! Double the episodes, double the fun. It was a dream to record the last two at the Radio Theatre with so many of you there, and such brilliant guests, Dan, Llewelyn, and Andre. THANK YOU ALL for 10 years of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics! (If you were there, let’s keep some surprises for everyone else! 🤫) Tune in to @bbcradio4 on July 8th, at 9:30am, to hear episode 1! Each episode should be available as a podcast on @bbcsounds shortly after broadcast.
Series 10 IN THE BAG! Double the episodes, double the fun. It was a dream to record the last two at the Radio Theatre with so many of you there, and such brilliant guests, Dan, Llewelyn, and Andre. THANK YOU ALL for 10 years of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics! (If you were there, let’s keep some surprises for everyone else! 🤫) Tune in to @bbcradio4 on July 8th, at 9:30am, to hear episode 1! Each episode should be available as a podcast on @bbcsounds shortly after broadcast.
Series 10 IN THE BAG! Double the episodes, double the fun. It was a dream to record the last two at the Radio Theatre with so many of you there, and such brilliant guests, Dan, Llewelyn, and Andre. THANK YOU ALL for 10 years of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics! (If you were there, let’s keep some surprises for everyone else! 🤫) Tune in to @bbcradio4 on July 8th, at 9:30am, to hear episode 1! Each episode should be available as a podcast on @bbcsounds shortly after broadcast.
Series 10 IN THE BAG! Double the episodes, double the fun. It was a dream to record the last two at the Radio Theatre with so many of you there, and such brilliant guests, Dan, Llewelyn, and Andre. THANK YOU ALL for 10 years of Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics! (If you were there, let’s keep some surprises for everyone else! 🤫) Tune in to @bbcradio4 on July 8th, at 9:30am, to hear episode 1! Each episode should be available as a podcast on @bbcsounds shortly after broadcast.
Yesterday, I caught sight of a letter from the younger Pliny to his friend Cornutus, in which he mostly complains of eye trouble, and the treatment he is trying to improve it (darkened room, Cornutus’ suggestion). It then concludes, ‘I was delighted to receive the chicken you sent. My eyes are sharp enough, even though they’re still swollen, to see that it’s a very fat one.’ This raises all kinds of intriguing thoughts – did the chicken come with Cornutus’ last letter of eye treatment advice? Did the chicken BRING the letter, like a helpful pigeon? But most especially, it raises the Latin word pinguissimam – meaning very fat. There is apparently no certain etymology for the word ‘penguin’, (it may even come from the Welsh apparently). But one derivation is from this Latin word, meaning fat or oily. And thus raises the prospect of Pliny receiving a penguin-like chicken in the mail.
Yesterday, I caught sight of a letter from the younger Pliny to his friend Cornutus, in which he mostly complains of eye trouble, and the treatment he is trying to improve it (darkened room, Cornutus’ suggestion). It then concludes, ‘I was delighted to receive the chicken you sent. My eyes are sharp enough, even though they’re still swollen, to see that it’s a very fat one.’ This raises all kinds of intriguing thoughts – did the chicken come with Cornutus’ last letter of eye treatment advice? Did the chicken BRING the letter, like a helpful pigeon? But most especially, it raises the Latin word pinguissimam – meaning very fat. There is apparently no certain etymology for the word ‘penguin’, (it may even come from the Welsh apparently). But one derivation is from this Latin word, meaning fat or oily. And thus raises the prospect of Pliny receiving a penguin-like chicken in the mail.
Hello Wales! 🏴 You can see my goddesses show for FREE in two weeks’ time, in Chepstow! I’ll be at the Drill Hall on July 9th at 6:30pm, and you can book your place via @chepstowbooks, link in my bio 🔗
I love a zeugma – a figure of speech where a word (usually a verb) takes two different meanings with two (or more) parts of a sentence. It comes from the Greek zeugnumi – to yoke together. Dickens was good at them (She went straight home in a flood of tears and a sedan-chair), and Mark Twain used them for an ironic twist (They covered themselves with dust and glory). My newest favourite is @taylorswift, of course (You crashed my party and your rental car). Do you have a favourite zeugma? Please share it with me!
The July sessions of The Conversation focus on women, gender and equalities. JUNG CHANG has mapped the making of modern China with her books about Empress Dowager Cixi, the extraordinary trinity of Song sisters, and her own mother and grandmother, in the global best-seller Wild Swans. Three days into a new government, barrister Baroness HELENA KENNEDY surveys the state of equalities in a conversation with my brilliant colleague Caitlin McNamara. And the season finale has rockstar classicist NATALIE HAYNES redressing the imbalances on Olympus and celebrating goddesses from Aphrodite to Beyonce… As ever, the Conversation continues in the Crypt Bar after the interviews. Come. It’s fun, and everyone is welcome. Tickets from £5 – live and online
The July sessions of The Conversation focus on women, gender and equalities. JUNG CHANG has mapped the making of modern China with her books about Empress Dowager Cixi, the extraordinary trinity of Song sisters, and her own mother and grandmother, in the global best-seller Wild Swans. Three days into a new government, barrister Baroness HELENA KENNEDY surveys the state of equalities in a conversation with my brilliant colleague Caitlin McNamara. And the season finale has rockstar classicist NATALIE HAYNES redressing the imbalances on Olympus and celebrating goddesses from Aphrodite to Beyonce… As ever, the Conversation continues in the Crypt Bar after the interviews. Come. It’s fun, and everyone is welcome. Tickets from £5 – live and online
