Brian Halley
@brianbhalley.bsky.social
Executive Editor at University of Massachusetts Press, based at UMass Boston. Views here don’t reflect them. Feminist, progressive, 🏳️🌈, into books, dogs, ocean, print culture, lit studies, environmental studies/climate justice, and more.
The poor room looks like it has some sort of golden scabies. Gross to contemplate that this once dignified building is a ruin at one end and this Liberace nightmare rummage sale at the other.
Dom Ervolina@dominicervolina.com · 7d agoDeputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino posted this video of the Oval Office and it somehow looks even more embarrassing than I realized
Congrats to my friends at @beaconpress.bsky.social for the 📢 in @shelf-awareness.com of a new #fiction imprint, Fort Point, named after the #Boston neighborhood in which the Press now resides. Nice to see some city/ #publishing representation! #books
Urgent notice about new #bookbanning legislation in the US Senate, thank you for advocacy @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social and @aupresses.bsky.social Write to your senators! (Trust @warren.senate.gov & @edmarkey.bsky.social are fighting it) #books
American Library Association@amlibraryassoc.bsky.social · 3w agoNEW: A federal book banning bill has been introduced in the Senate. It's time to make our voices heard. Tell your Senators to REJECT pro-censorship legislation like S. 4925 that would limit the freedom to read! We need every advocate to speak out against censorship: action.ala.org/campaign/S4925
"I chose [collective South End Press], instead of seeking a larger corporate press that would have given advances & paid royalties consistently, b/c the women & men at SEP were committed to feminist movement, to ending domination in all its forms-racism, classism, imperialism, etc." -bell hooks
Someone get me in a room with MacKenzie Scott’s folks and I’ll deliver my impassioned / well-constructed argument that it’s a moral imperative that she give $20 million to a new distributor specifically for nonprofit and small presses in order to offset her ex’s dismantling of the book industry.
A must watch for these times, things that shouldn’t have to be said, said very well.
Sonja Drimmer@sonjadrimmer.bsky.social · 2w ago“If we’re not careful we will end up with what the great writer Toni Morrison called ‘statist history.’ And it will creat what she called ‘sanctioned ignorance.’” A righteous defense of the craft and the profession of history. Watch it. youtube.com/watch?v=mbz2...
We need to keep this story out there so we can restore funding asap. The US has blood on our hands for the actions of our State Dept. How many billionaires do we have in the US? How many visit the White House, how many live there? Shame.
US actions harm global efforts to prevent and treat HIV in dozens of countries, new report says
A new report says the Trump administration’s disruptions to a global AIDS relief program have forced organizations to close clinics, lay off staff and cut services, seriously impeding efforts to preve...
apnews.com
Did this @nytimes.com piece on #OLAUG by Cara Buckley pique your interest? (The pics alone are so fun!) Well I have some good news.
Taking Out the Trash: These Old Ladies Are Cleaning Up Cape Cod
The Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage estimate they’ve removed 6,000 pounds of refuse from ponds on Cape Cod. “There’s no better feeling,” one said.
nytimes.com
Antifascism looks like Pedro Pascal. It looks like Alex Pretti and AOC. It looks like 600 priests, imams, and rabbis in the cold streets of winter Minneapolis. Antifascism is gorgeous.
PEIPolitical 🇨🇦@peipolitical.bsky.social · 3w agoMiller: "It's not a coincidence that when you look at these violent Antifa demonstrations not one of the people that is demonstrating looks like a normal person. Not one looks normal. They're all deformed in some way in their appearance, in their dress, in their mannerism." #cdnpoli
When the billionaire class overwhelms you, may I suggest joining a union and going to a meeting and hearing your colleagues, many of whom you don't know personally, speaking about the very issues exhausting you on the daily. Thank you, PSU at UMass Boston. #unionstrong @massteacher.bsky.social
About PSU
umasspsu.org
@joshthelibromancer.bsky.social, bookseller and founder of the Porter Square Review of Books, on the changing relationship between booksellers and book criticism.
As Book Criticism Disappears, the Booksellers Are Stepping In
From my desk at the bookstore where I work, I can see most of fiction and all of our new releases, the poetry section by the front door, the edge of world history. I watch people bend down to exami…
buff.ly
Looking at proofs for new collection of writings by Robert Francis, longtime #Amherst resident, really shows how much he predicted a natural way of living: anti-consumerist, quiet, peaceful, anti-competitive, anti-capitalist, gentle. I hope this gets nice attention. #books @umasspress.bsky.social
Robert Francis
Rediscovering the quietly radical writing of a poet who chose simplicity, solitude, and contemplation over modern hasteAmerican author Robert Francis, whom R...
umasspress.com
Pardon my excitement about this pre-pub review from #KirkusReviews of our newest Bright Leaf title at @umasspress.bsky.social, Susan Baur's Swimming with Turtles, which I love as its editor, but also b/c #turtles, and #CapeCod, and Baur's writing. And it's a gorgeous cover FWIW. Out in September!
SWIMMING WITH TURTLES | Kirkus Reviews
Diving into nature.
kirkusreviews.com
Seems like we should be at the very least *very concerned* with the White House firing/forcing out remaining members of the Election Assistance Committee. No WH but esp *this* WH should control our #elections. When do we panic? #voting #votingrights
Deeply upsetting to see news of this #cycling advocate in #Boston, and worker for and colleague of our own @mayorwu.boston.gov, Louisa Gag, being fatally struck by a driver. RIP. And everyone else, please mind the road and all of us cyclists!
Boston transportation planner fatally struck by car near Roxbury Crossing, family says - The Boston Globe
Louisa Gag, 36, "was a dedicated public servant to the City of Boston and passionately advocated for safer streets,” her sister said.
bostonglobe.com
The administration may have changed its P.R. strategy for Trump’s mass deportation campaign. The violence hasn’t changed at all. trib.al/puZ1vsR
ICE Is Hoping You Won’t Notice the Man Agents Killed In Texas
The administration may have changed its P.R. strategy for Trump’s mass deportation campaign. The violence hasn’t changed at all.
trib.al
Congrats to Hachette workers and their new union @hbgworkers.bsky.social and to the University of Chicago Press and their new union with @chicagonewsguild.bsky.social - welcome to unionized #publishing, friends! #unionproud
Great to see Amy Fried of the U of Maine, who co-edited a volume here at @umasspress.bsky.social, on @democracynow.org #Maine
As Calls Mount for Graham Platner to Drop Out of Senate Race, What Happens Next in Maine?
Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner has yet to drop out of the race despite losing all major endorsements after a rape allegation by an ex-girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, who says Platner assa...
democracynow.org
Gorgeous and urgent poem by @yeseniamontilla.bsky.social today - thank you thank you. This perspective. #poetry #capitalism
Contemplations While Holding Sunchokes During a Blizzard
I want to be surrounded by splendor, but beauty is capitalism. This is to say
poets.org
Thrilled by news of #bellhooks newly bestselling book #Communion. Though she went mainstream for multiple titles - this one was originally William Morrow - she remained committed to the radical #SouthEndPress for years, with many titles. #publishing #books
Important thread for review, with research on real world impacts of USAID cuts. This is serious stuff.
Lauren Dobson-Hughes@ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · last mo.Musk says not a single person has died due to him axing USAID. Sadly, part of my job involves tracking aid spending. So here’s a thread with just some of the people who lost their lives because of USAID cuts
Huge congrats to @joshthelibromancer.bsky.social and @portersqbooks.bsky.social and @niemanlab.org for this launch, and yay for keeping #Boston literary in these trying times! #publishing #books
Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston@portersqbooks.bsky.social · last mo.We chatted with NiemanLab about the Porter Square Review of Books!!
This news from @aupresses.bsky.social is *fantastic* news. Stephanie Williams is brilliant, and kind, and open-minded, and incredibly hardworking, and hilarious (iykyk). Watch this space for smart changes, I'm sure.
Association of University Presses@aupresses.bsky.social · 2mo agoOur 2026-2027 Board of Directors will be led by Stephanie Williams of Wayne State University Press, our first African American President and the second woman of color elected to this role! Read more: https://bit.ly/4fO6hMX
This new article called to mind the two books on #NewEngland #trailrunning we have done in Bright Leaf, our regional trade imprint, here at @umasspress.bsky.social
Midlife is the perfect time to start trail running – here’s how to get into it
An increasing number of people are finding trail running relatively late in life – and they’re reaping the health benefits
theguardian.com
These are the real people of Belfast. Thousands of anti-fascists rally against the far-right at Belfast City Hall today. They sent a clear message that racism is not wanted in their city. Things you love to see ✊❤
I've been thinking of shrinking wall b/w university presses & corporate trade presses lately. (UP & indies have always chatted over the low fence between us.) Today's announcement that PRH is bringing back @texasmonthly.bsky.social press is curious. This feels UP/indie press adjacent. #publishing
Here to toast the very good news that the brilliant @gita2.bsky.social will be the new Executive Director at @columbiaup.bsky.social. What joy to read! Hope to get to toast her more at @aupresses.bsky.social meeting this weekend! #aup2026
Gita Manaktala Named Executive Director of Columbia University Press | Columbia University Press
Columbia University has appointed Gita Manaktala as Executive Director of Columbia University Press.
cup.columbia.edu
Reading more about Bess Wohl's play #Liberation, which won at the #Tonys last night, first woman playwright to win in 40 years (wut?), and thinking of this @umasspress.bsky.social book on those consciousness raising feminist groups. #books #themoreyouknow
Closely and Consciously
The significant archive of writing that came out of the women’s liberation movement in the United States, from 1965 to 1980, speaks to the value activists...
umasspress.com