A grim thought, but I'm not persuaded. I'd like to think that, as a writing style, it's just too generic to cater for the self-expression of messy, obstinate, individualistic human minds.

Victorian Gothic: History, Literature and Culture (Distance Learning) Explore the strange and spooky history, literature and culture of the Victorian Gothic period. Study online via distance learning.

We are open for applications to the MA Victorian Gothic: History, Literature and Culture for Sept 2026. Tutors include @c19thceleb.bsky.social @christopherpittard.bsky.social @bradbeaven.bsky.social @karlbell.bsky.social

For info on our distance learning course see 👇 www.port.ac.uk/study/course...

Cover of 'Stories of the Stones: Imagining Prehistory in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany' by Paul Robichaud, depicting a historic engraving of Stonehenge.

New publication date: 'Stories of the Stones: Imagining Prehistory in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany' will be published by Reaktion Books in the UK on 13 April.

Pre-order through your favourite bookseller! #BookSky

Cover of ‘The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic,’ showing a sea serpent (Leviathan) writhing in the waves.

If you’re interested in folklore of the high seas, I highly recommend ‘The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic’ by @karlbell.bsky.social Fantastic book!

@pjrobichaud.bsky.social Many thanks for the kind words!

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership studentship: Uncharted Voices Learn more about and apply for this fully funded collaborative doctoral studentship starting in October 2026

If interested in applying for our collaborative PhD, 'Uncharted Voices: Subaltern Cultures and Identities in Global Seafaring, 1880–1950', we will be holding a live webinar on Tuesday 24th March (1-2 pm). For further details about the project and webinar, see www.rmg.co.uk/ahrc-collabo...

A great @royalhistsoc.org lecture by @sashahandley.bsky.social coming up on 1st May - 'The Haunting at the Rectory: Ghost Stories and Women’s Lives in Early Modern England'. See below for online attendance and booking.

Early findings from The National Folklore Survey for England Funded by the AHRC, the National Folklore Survey for England seeks to understand the folkloric beliefs, practices and narratives alive today

Next week: join us for our next online talk: Dr David Clarke and Dr Diane A. Rodgers, 'Early findings from The National Folklore Survey for England'. Tuesday 24 March, 19:00-20:30 GMT on Zoom. Tickets £6.00 (£4 for members with promo code) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/early-find...

Come and do a funded PhD with the co-directors of @uopmaritime.bsky.social and the excellent archivists at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Start date in October 2026. For more details, see 👇

I've been informed that I should be appearing in Sky History's first episode of Britain's X-Files this evening at 9 pm. I'll be talking about sea serpents, and specifically about a famous sighting by HMS Daedalus in 1848.

For the book's availability across other audio platforms, please see rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

Many thanks for reviewing The Perilous Deep - much appreciated.

The Perilous Deep is available as an audiobook from today!

If you prefer your books via your ears than your eyes, head over to www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Peril...

Had a really enjoyable conversation about the supernatural history of the Atlantic with Stephen Coates on the Bureau of Lost Culture podcast - bureauoflostculture.podbean.com/e/a-supernat...

The podcast is available on all the usual platforms - linktr.ee/BureauOfLost...

Many thanks for the kind words, Mike.

Image of Maritime Matters newsletter

The first Maritime Matters of 2026 is out! Featuring @karlbell.bsky.social's Tidal Terrors talk, Portsmouth's bid to be UK City of Culture, Coastal Studies & Society and more. Email pcmc@port.ac.uk to sign up centreforportcitiesandmaritimecultures.cmail20.com/t/y-e-qulluh... @uophistory.bsky.social

Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic Podcast Episode · History Extra podcast · 12/12/2025 · 30m

If you prefer to access your podcasts from streaming platforms, the interview is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify:

Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/g...

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6dgE...

Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic Karl Bell dives into the eerie and enchanting folklore of the Atlantic Ocean, revealing how supernatural stories helped sailors navigate a perilous world

‪My @historyextra.bsky.social podcast interview, 'Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic', is live @ www.historyextra.com/membership/s... Many thanks for the opportunity to talk about #maritime #folklore and my new book, The Perilous Deep @reaktionbooks.bsky.social
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Next week: join us for our first online talk of 2026: Simon Young, 'The Mystery of Changelings: Origins, Geography and Nature'. Tuesday 13 January, 19:00-20:30 GMT on Zoom. Tickets £6.00 (£4 for members with promo code) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-myster...

Vandermeer's Ambergris trilogy and PKD too. Was left a little underwhelmed by Mieville & Keanu's Book of Elsewhere. Hope to have a crack at Delany's Dhalgren this year. On that note, all the best for 2026!

Have explored and enjoyed the philosophers and cyberpunks, but tend to dwell in the subversive quadrant. Read some Heinlein and Clarke but never really drawn to the technocrats.

Coastal Gothic, 1719–2020 Cambridge Core - English Literature: General Interest - Coastal Gothic, 1719–2020

It's very exciting to say that Coastal Gothic, 1719–2020 has just been published in @universitypress.cambridge.org's Elements in the Gothic series – and it's currently open access and *free* to download until the end of December!

doi.org/10.1017/9781...

Hoy en nuestro pódcast de @ivoox.bsky.social invocamos la obra de Karl Bell dedicada a uno de los mas célebres fantasmas de Londres, "Pánico Victoriano, La Leyenda de Spring Heeled Jack". Publicada por Reediciones Anómalas con el arte exclusivo del maestro @javiertprado.bsky.social

Join us for @karlbell.bsky.social's free public talk, entitled Tidal Terrors: Folklore and Supernatural Storytelling at Sea, on 3rd February 2026 at Portsmouth University.

Great to be working on the new @uophistory.bsky.social 2nd year module 'Age of Crisis'!

Had a good team meeting yesterday, with the excellent @robtjames.bsky.social @karlbell.bsky.social & @drmseiter.bsky.social. It's a pleasure to co-teach with them - we've got lots to share with our students!

Many thanks, Jack - that's very much appreciated!

6 Books to Read on: Myths, Legends and the Supernatural From the legend of Robin Hood to Scotland's ghostly reputation, take a look at these 6 books that explore the supernatural side of history.

Nice to see my Supernatural Cities book included in @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social's blog on 6 books to read on myth, legend and the supernatural - boydellandbrewer.com/blog/medieva... It was a pleasure to edit this rich compendium of essays about urban #folklore and #hauntings in the modern world.

Many thanks for reading The Perilous Deep - glad you enjoyed it.

Finished reading The Perilous Deep by @karlbell.bsky.social

I enjoyed it. Highly recommend it if you wanna learn some ocean related lore and superstitions. And also get some movie recommendations.

Tidal Terrors: Folklore and Supernatural Storytelling at Sea Public lecture: The real life lessons from supernatural stories of the sea.

Join me for 'Tidal Terrors: Folklore and Supernatural Storytelling at Sea', a public talk @ Portsmouth University on 3rd February (5.30-7 pm). It is free, but you need to book a place @ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tidal-terr...
@uopmaritime.bsky.social @uophistory.bsky.social @reaktionbooks.bsky.social