We Can't Rewind, We've Gone Too Far

More about the LCC and the Arts: The LCC and the Arts II: the ‘Patronage of the Arts’ Scheme

‘Protecting what matters’: a statement from the Royal Historical Society, Institute of Historical Research, History UK and Historical Association:

If the government is serious in its stated aim of strengthening the social contract, it needs to act now to support and sustain the study and practice of history across all sectors of education, in communities and in public discourse. If we are to collectively ‘protect what matters’, we challenge educational leaders, policy makers and politicians to protect and defend history.

and

New strategic vision for archives highlights how BBC Written Archives Centre falls short:

{W]e profoundly regret the decision to stop responding to enquiries from members of the public. Also, it is entirely unsatisfactory that physical access for researchers via the Caversham reading room has been reduced from three to just two days each week.
Moreover, we disagree with WAC limiting use of its facilities to just ‘writers who have been commissioned to write a book or article; those undertaking research for a commercial project, [and] academics in higher education undertaking accredited research.’ The restrictions are detailed here, and are more tightly focussed than has been the case in the past.

This is a fascinating piece on how people engage with 'dark tourism experiences': visits shaped less by exhibits, explanation panels and audio guides, and more by interactions with other visitors

This, however, is grim reading: What I Saw Inside the Kennedy Center: 'I spent 10 months working at the institution because I thought I could help protect it. What I observed there is far worse than the public knows'.

What I read

Finished The Tunnel (Pilgrimage #4).

Finished Tehanu.

Both of these were put aside to gulp down two of the honestly least memorable of Robert B Parker's Spenser thrillers, Double Deuce (#19) (1992) and Thin Air (#22) (1995) (I even skipped the inset passages from kidnapping victim's viewpoint) which was basically the equivalent of needing a stiff drink after wrestling with the 'prove you are a real person with verified identity' app last week.

Also read classic noir by William Lindsay Gresham, Nightmare Alley (1946), as having been wanting to do so since we watched a movie version some while ago. Very bleak - and the central character is profoundly unsympathetic even by noir standards.

Also another Parker, Back Story (#30) (2003), a bit less dire - part of that subgenre that was going around at the time in mysteries/thrillers, whereby something that happened in the heated days of the 60s/70s has repercussions or case is reopened or whatever.

On the go

Back to Ursula and Tales from Earthsea.

Up next

Maybe continue with Earthsea, maybe not.