We're back! @brettrushforth.bsky.social and Chris Hodson joined me to talk about two decades of collaborating on BEYOND THE OCEAN, using visual and material culture to tell a different story, and more. Plus a cameo by Eminem! Listen here: player.captivate.fm/episode/f2ca... 🗃️

Episode 107: Chris Hodson and Brett Rushforth Upend History in 1.2 Voices

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Bluesky, give me your favorite nonfiction books about a group of nerds who are all obsessed with the same thing. (Okay, they don't have to be nerds, but you know what I mean.)

Headed to northern California next week, and there's something about going back that always makes me start writing essays in my head. Joan Didion syndrome?

Historians, I'm begging you, get updated headshots when you publish a book.

so I started thinking about my fall courses today (sorry!) and I have a question for #skystorians : What’s your favorite academic article (chapter, edited volume essay, etc) about non-European science in the early modern period? My 200-level “Scientific Revolution” survey could use a refresh.

New little side project: Westward, an endless scroll of 1,000+ public-domain photographs of the American West from the Library of Congress, the Portal to Texas History, and SMU’s DeGolyer Library.

You would not believe how much of the process of writing this dissertation involves staring at maps of Texas, trying to picture the trajectory of tornadoes that happened 30 years ago or more.

I'm deep in dissertation brain this month, so I thought I'd tell you a little about one of my sources: a 1995 glossary of terms for storm chasing. buttondown.com/draftingthep...

A Glimpse Into Dissertation Drafting

A little peek at one of the sources I'm working with this month

buttondown.com

Oh my god, this chapter draft is almost 20,000 words. No wonder it feels like it's taking an eternity. 😭 So much editing to come!

Kate Carpenter@katecarp.bsky.social · 2w ago

I'm deeply envious of the writers I interview who write so precisely that they have to cut very little. I'm deep in writing a bunch of muck that I know I'll have to cut, but I also won't know what to cut until I've written it all out. It's a very inefficient system, but the only one my brain knows.

Who are the #runners out there? The pb of The Front #Runner arrives in Nov, and I want to talk about it. If by some stroke of luck this finds u, hmu for a review copy and we’ll chat about Steve Prefontaine and #running. I run, too. Here’s a pic of me finishing the 2026 Eugene Marathon as proof:

I'm deeply envious of the writers I interview who write so precisely that they have to cut very little. I'm deep in writing a bunch of muck that I know I'll have to cut, but I also won't know what to cut until I've written it all out. It's a very inefficient system, but the only one my brain knows.

On Dec 31, my kid went to the ER (he's fine). Yesterday, we got the bill: $975. We have "good" insurance. My partner works for the hospital. I feel deeply fortunate that the total was not more and we can afford it. But I can't stop thinking about the families for whom one incident would be ruinous.

Research request: is there someone who has theorized about online communication and the idea of "flame wars"? Doesn't need to be recent! I'm writing about how adding online communication changed the time of conversation in a community, and I feel like some theoretical buttressing would be helpful!

I realize I moan about this at least once a week, but there are just too many good books! And more coming all the time! Literally piling up around me! Oh, for more reading time.

Can I retrofit a 1990s Toyota Tacoma as an EV? Is this dream possible?

Lindsey Graham was ashamed of what he should have been proud of and proud of what he should have been ashamed of.

These Claude commercials make me so grumpy.

I don't have any strong feelings about this game, but I am rooting for my friend who is in the stands selling beer.

Edinburgh was not in the budget for me this year, but you can take my voice with you if you're headed to #hss2026!

Drafting the Past@draftingthepast.bsky.social · 4w ago

If you're facing down long travel to #HSS26, might I suggest some Drafting the Past episodes with historians of science? Like my latest with @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social: draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...

Ok historians, which of you is pitching a piece on the Little House on the Prairie reboot? Don't make me start assigning essays like @lollardfish.bsky.social!

I take water safely extremely seriously and I know how important public health messaging is, but the constant social media posts I'm getting about how your child can drown in seconds are really not great for my anxiety.

548 words today, and Scrivener has started freezing up when I ask it to count the whole draft so far. We're getting there, folks!

Kate Carpenter@katecarp.bsky.social · 4w ago

1000 words today, less crying.

I have long known that my dissertation ends (chronologically) earlier than the eventual book (fingers crossed) will end. But I still can't figure out how to stop the dang thing. Can I just *cut to black* and add "to be continued..."??

1000 words today, less crying.

The amount of time I spend feeling confused in a given soccer game is really something. This is a chaotic sport.

So far I've re-read what I've written on this last, huge morass of a chapter, written 205 words, and started crying. So....success?

Kate Carpenter@katecarp.bsky.social · 4w ago

Sitting in a new coffee shop, (too wet) cap at hand, trying to motivate myself to finally, finally get this dissertation done. Gimme a pep talk.

Sitting in a new coffee shop, (too wet) cap at hand, trying to motivate myself to finally, finally get this dissertation done. Gimme a pep talk.

For more #envhist inspiration, don’t miss @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social talking about how she writes history with @katecarp.bsky.social on @draftingthepast.bsky.social This new book sounds wonderful! 📗🗃️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

Dolly Jørgensen Always Has Another Project Up Her Sleeve

Podcast Episode · Drafting the Past · June 30 · 52m

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What team should I root for now? Pitch me on your favorite, soccer fans. I like Norway's rowing thing; Harry Kane looks like a young version of my husband; Argentina and England are the last two KC-based teams left standing. This is all I really know about men's soccer at this point.

I laughed at the announcer saying "don't let this be the last time you watch soccer for the next four years." Of course not! We have women's soccer! It's much better, dude, you should check it out.