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Alex Houen

@alexhouen.bsky.social
307 followers 251 following 79 posts

§ Academic www.english.cam.ac.uk/people/Alex.H… § Co-editor of Blackbox Manifold www.manifold.group.shef.ac.uk § Poet blackspringpressgroup.com/products/…

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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Terrific!
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Glad to see that Caleb Klaces has won the Hawthornden Prize. Here are a couple of his poems that we published in Blackbox Manifold: blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/issues/issue...
blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
Blackbox Manifold - Caleb Klaces
Prisoner's Dilemma The United States, a lesser nation, is worth ten. There’s a somewhat technical move unfolding where the Norwegian Sea meets the Barents Sea. The purple dust on the Colombian road ne...
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I’m looking fwd to doing a poetry reading at the Italian Cultural Institute in London on Weds 30th Sept. I’ll be reading from my chapbook MALAPARTINGS which engages and parts with poems by the Italian writer Curzio Malaparte. Event details and bookings here 👇 iiclondra.esteri.it/en/gli_event...
iiclondra.esteri.it
Malaparte, Englishmen and others
Malaparte, Englishmen and Others International Seminar 30 September 2026, 6 pm Casa Italia, Italian Cultural Institute, London 4–5 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6JP Complex, charismatic and provocative,...
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Some ‘documentalists’ argue that an animal such as an antelope is not a document, but an antelope catalogued in a zoo is a document. But surely a catalogued antelope is more like a melon — a cantaloupe?
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Ian Hunt @ianhunt.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
I am glad to find out about these European examples. A recent one I like is See You Through: A Novel by Geoff Gilbert & Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social 2025 which really should be written about. www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page...
brokensleepbooks.com
Geoff Gilbert and Alex Houen - See You Through: A Novel | Broken Sleep Books
Geoff Gilbert and Alex Houen’s See You Through: A Novel is a formally restless, genre-collapsing hybrid that inhabits the threshold between poetry and fiction. Structured around a shifting dialogue of...
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Los Angeles Review of Books @lareviewofbooks.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
"It's an emptied-out image: the maudlin hag. I found permission in poems by Baudelaire." Lisa Robertson talks about aging, wandering, bodies, and her new novel, "Riverwork": lareviewofbooks.org/article/lisa-ro…
The cover of Riverwork
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
The terrific Romanian artist Teodora Axente has drawn controversy in Siena and Italy more generally over how the Virgin Mary should be depicted infovaticana.com/en/2026/08/1...
infovaticana.com
Controversy in Siena over an androgynous depiction of the Virgin in the Palio of the Assumption – INFOVATICANA
The image of the Virgin chosen for the Drappellone of the Palio of the Assumption in Siena has sparked controversy due to its androgynous features and its departure from traditional Marian iconography...
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I’ve been befriended by a young crow that our kids have named Crowky. Here it is having a go at my (tepid) green tea a few days ago
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Woah! look at the aftermath effect of the #eclipse on my house! 😮🥸
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
“You’ll be able to interact with your [‘personal’ ’superintelligent’] AI agent through any device, including your glasses to keep you present in the moment with the people you care about.” That’s not ‘presence’, it’s mediation. Mediated ‘care’ 🤢 www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
Zuckerberg pushes ‘superintelligent’ AI for all as Meta drops open-source model
Meta CEO presents utopian vision of AI in 6,000-word essay amid Silicon Valley debate over government regulation
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I’m in #Trieste for the first time — wonderful city with great food and beaches! And tonight, a gig at a 1930s bathing complex that’s part of an ANNUAL Bruce Springsteen Festival. No wonder James Joyce lived here so long 🤩
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Ian Seed @ianseedauthor.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Delighted to find myself in this treasure trove. Thank you!
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Corbett Buchly @buchly.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Check out Isssue 36 of Blackbox Manifold. I have 3 poems in it: “planted,” “the relationship diminishing,” and “golden fruit.” I especially enjoyed poems by Dr. Alicia Byrne Keane & Ashik Kahina. @alexhouen.bsky.social #poetry #poetrycommunity #BlackboxManifold blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
Blackbox Manifold
Issue 36: Summer 2026
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
⚡️BLACKBOX MANIFOLD 36 is now live!⚡️ One of our best Issues yet. Poems by @ianseedauthor.bsky.social, Hannah Linden, Forrest Gander, @keane_byrne, @suchmayer.bsky.social, & others Adam Piette reviews Denise Riley, Peter Riley, Bernadette Mayer, Sara Nicholson sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
sites.google.com
Blackbox Manifold
Issue 36: Summer 2026
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Sacred Parasite @sacredparasite.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Starting this September, these 10 Sacred Parasite books will be on sale at Bookartbookshop, SP's 2nd London location, so today I'm sending a big Dankeschön west to owner Tanya Peixoto, to her and to all the other bookstore owners seeing Sacred Parasite through door after door.
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Ella Baron’s cartoons for The Guardian — so good 👌 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Ella Baron on Keir Starmer and new funding for drones – cartoon
The prime minister has revealed his long-awaited defence investment plan
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Dr Matt Mahmoudi @docmattmoudi.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
So we’ve been cooking up some thoughts on Gen AI at @amnesty.org and I’m ecstatic to finally see it out in the world! Our 🗝️ conclusion: standalone gen AI systems, built on unlawful web scraping, constitute mass invasions of privacy by design & should be prohibited www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...
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Ian Hunt @ianhunt.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Xing the line, Sunday June 14, includes Stephen Watts and Ghazal Mosadeq. 'Join hosts Iris Colomb and Jeff Hilson for a bumper evening of basement words and sounds from Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, 32-36 Kingsland Rd E2 8DA. £5 waged, £3 unwaged. Doors at 6pm for a 7pm start.'
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Jeremy Noel-Tod @jntod.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
I wrote about what it's like to read the poetry of J.H. Prynne
someflowerssoon.substack.com
In Darkness by Day
Reading J.H. Prynne (1936-2026)
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Uni of Sheffield Special Collections, Heritage and Archives SCHA @uoscollections.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Our Small Press Poetry Collection contains publications from over 100 non-mainstream international presses, focussing on the avant-garde. We recently added Louis Zukovsky's posthumously published final work '80 Flowers' (1978) to this collection. SPP tinyurl.com/mrx5rx87 🖼️SPP 1983, Broadside 50
Image of the book ‘80 Flowers’ written by Louis Zukofsky stood upright on a shelf next to other poetry books. The small book is bound in cream fabric and kept inside a hard case with its spine uncovered. Image of the poem ‘Finally A Valentine’ written by Louis Zukofsky printed onto white paper and stood upright in front of some book shelves.
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Broken Sleep Books @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
We've won Small Press of the Year for Wales! It's great to be recognised for our work degentrifying the arts, platforming low socio-economic writers, & without grants or institutional support! To celebrate, everything is 10% off on our website with code 'WINNERS2026' www.brokensleepbooks.com/books
The British Book Awards
Small press of the year
Regional & Country Winner
Wales
Broken Sleep Books
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
‘As one Iranian Telegram channel put it: “Once again the US attacked while Iran was pursuing diplomacy. Once again diplomacy does not work with the terrorist state of the US.”’ www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
theguardian.com
Yet another mid-talks attack jeopardises chances of Iran taking Trump seriously
Second Israeli-US attack during nuclear negotiations may finally jettison any chance of agreement
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Billy Bragg @billybragg.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Just going to leave this here
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
This is excellent, details are spot on 👌
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
At the opening of her recent London show, Romanian artist Teodora Axente wore a dress she had stitched herself for the occasion: a sheer chiffon number, with three sleeves. The extra limb wasn’t mere whimsy, but a reference to Saint John of Damascus, who, accused of treachery, had his right hand cut
ft.com
Teodora Axente’s Transylvanian fantasies
The Romanian artist blends Orthodox tradition with witty surrealism. It’s her vocation...
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tbewes.bsky.social @tbewes.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
I am very glad to have been the occasion of this new series for C21 Literature. Huge thanks to Alex Houen, Leonid Bilmes, Laura A. Zander, and Adam Kelly for their engagements with Free Indirect, and to Denise Wong and Oli Haslam for the invitation to respond.
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Longbarrow Press @longbarrowpress.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Visionary, urgent… truly extraordinary blendings of environmental & social history. - Mark Wormald A spirited, astonishing, bewildering collection. - Adam Piette One of 2024's wildest volumes of poetry. - Christian Bok 'Eely' Steve Ely £2 off until 4 February longbarrowpress.com/current-publ...
Three copies of Steve Ely's 'Eely' against an orange background.
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
C21 journal has published a ‘round table review’ of Timothy Bewes’s book FREE INDIRECT. It includes a short essay by me; other contributors include Leonid Bilmes, Laura Zander & Adam Kelly. Bewes does a response at the end 👇 c21.openlibhums.org/article/id/2... @c21literature.bsky.social
c21.openlibhums.org
<em>C21</em>’s Roundtable Review of Timothy Bewes’s <em>Free Indirect: The Novel in a Postfictional Age</em> (2022)
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Chicago Review seeks pitches of critical reviews, commentary essays, notes and reflections on contemporary British experimental poetry 👇 mailchi.mp/d31d83f35611...
mailchi.mp
CHICAGO REVIEW CALL FOR PITCHES: NEW BRITISH POETRY
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
London’s Gallery Rosenfeld has announced the launch of the Ian Rosenfeld Fund—a £7,500 annual award supporting an early- to mid-career artist. Details👇 www.prazzlearts.com/opportunitie...
prazzlearts.com
Grant: The Ian Rosenfeld Fund
Gallery Rosenfeld has announced the launch of the&nbsp;Ian Rosenfeld Fund—a&nbsp;£7,500 annual award&nbsp;supporting an&nbsp;early- to mid-career artist, continuing Ian Rosenfeld’s legacy of championi
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
✨BLACKBOX MANIFOLD 35✨ is now live, with poems by Shara McCallum, Dorothy Lehane, Rebecca Goss, Angela Gardner, Philip Terry, and others. Plus Adam Piette reviews Keaton Sutherland and Jennifer Scappettone blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
blackboxmanifold.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
Blackbox Manifold
Danielle Boodoo-Fortuné Cameron Clark James Coghill Toby d'Arpino David Eileen Naomi Foyle Angela Gardner Rebecca Goss Kevin Graham Michael Grieve Eddie Heaton
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/assista...
cam.ac.uk
Assistant Professorship in Modern and Contemporary Literature
The Faculty of English wishes to appoint to an Assistant Professorship in Modern and Contemporary Literature, with a desirable focus on eco-criticism, from 1 September 2026. We seek applicants who
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
‘From 2028, universities must pay a new flat tax or “levy” of £925 for every international student they recruit. Coming on top of tighter visa restrictions, which make recruitment harder, some universities will find it increasingly tough to balance their books’ www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on universities: Labour needs a clearer plan | Editorial
Editorial: Ministers promised a ‘change of approach’, but their new tax could tip weaker institutions over the edge
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Hard to roll this powdery snow into a ball, so my daughter made a snow blob named Jimathon ❄️
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
✨TONIGHT✨👇
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Reactor Magazine @reactorsff.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Amazon announces Ask This Book AI bot. Authors and publishers were not asked to be included and cannot opt-out.
reactormag.com
New Kindle Feature Uses AI to Answer Questions About Books—And Authors Can't Opt Out - Reactor
The new feature, called Ask this Book, is already drawing controversy and unanswered questions.
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Ian Hunt @ianhunt.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Going to this on Sunday. Still reading Alex and Geoff's poem-novel *See You Through* published by @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social & finding it pretty astonishing. Hope it finds some of the readers who have responded to e.g. writing by @waidner.bsky.social -- anyway, come if you can, London
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted its own video edit of the seizure, soundtracked with an excerpt from LL Cool J’s song Mama Said Knock You Out” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Venezuela decries ‘act of piracy’ after US forces seize oil tanker off country’s coast
Footage uploaded to X by US attorney general shows its forces landing on the tanker in major escalation of Trump’s pressure campaign
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Looking fwd to doing a poetry reading with Geoff Gilbert and Maria Sledmere for the ✨Xing the Line✨ series, next Sun 14th Dec, 6pm at Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, 32-36 Kingsland Rd, London, E2 8DA 👇 www.facebook.com/groups/14049...
facebook.com
Xing the Line | Facebook
Iris Colomb created an event for the group.
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
✨Submissions are now open for The Propel Cambridge Poetry Prize 2026✨ Entry is free and poets anywhere in the world who have not yet published a full-length collection can submit. The winning poem will receive a prize of £750 and publication in Propel Magazine. english.cam.ac.uk/news/archives/…
english.cam.ac.uk
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
‘The new UN report, covering a two-year period since the beginning of the Gaza war on 7 October 2023, draws attention to the “high proportion of children who are currently detained without charge or on remand”’ www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
theguardian.com
Israel has ‘de facto state policy’ of organised torture, says UN report
Committee highlights allegations including dog attacks and sexual violence, raising concern about impunity for war crimes
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Robert Sheppard @robertsheppard.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
One week to publication of ELLE: a verse novel. Online launch and publication details here: robertsheppard.blogspot.com/2025/10/my-n...
robertsheppard.blogspot.com
My new book Elle: A Verse Novel is published by Broken Sleep Books
My new book Elle: A Verse Novel is published by Broken Sleep Books in November 2025   Details for PRE ORDER:  Robert Sheppard - Elle, a ...
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
TONIGHT! 👇
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Looking fwd to this poetry reading by ✨ROD MENGHAM and JOHN WILKINSON ✨ in Pembroke College, Cambridge, 7pm this Thurs 20th. *Free and open to all*. Full details here 👇 poetics.english.cam.ac.uk/2025/11/14/r...
poetics.english.cam.ac.uk
Rod Mengham / John Wilkinson – Judith E Wilson Centre for Poetics
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Pam Thurschwell @pamthur.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Cambridge folk, I am giving a talk on Tuesday 18th Nov, 5 pm, at the English Faculty 9 West Road called "Destructive Characters: Graham Greene to the KLF". There will be Walter Benjamin plus film clips! Come along if you are so inclined; I understand there will be wine.
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David Wheatley @nemoloris.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Stoat Poetry, a new magazine edited by Ingrid Leonard. www.stoatmagazine.co.uk/about
stoatmagazine.co.uk
Stoat Poetry - About
Stoat Poetry is a new, paper-based magazine operating out of the North of Scotland and Greece. Stoat aims to publish the best original poetry on any theme from new and established poets. We receive no...
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
The national Jane Martin Poetry Prize 2026 will be open on 3rd Nov for entries (two poems max) from UK residents aged 18 to 30. No fee for entry. First prize is £1000, second prize is £500. More details here👇 www.girton.cam.ac.uk/jane-martin-...
girton.cam.ac.uk
Jane Martin Poetry Prize
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
Looking forward to launching SEE YOU THROUGH in Cambridge with Geoff Gilbert at 7pm, Thurs 23rd October. We’ll be reading with Iain Britton, who’ll be launching his pamphlet UNCERTAIN DENSITIES. The event is free and open to all. Further details here👇 poetics.english.cam.ac.uk/2025/10/16/i...
poetics.english.cam.ac.uk
Iain Britton / Geoff Gilbert / Alex Houen – Judith E Wilson Centre for Poetics
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Very much looking forward to launching SEE YOU THROUGH at this Broken Sleep Books online launch event tomorrow 8pm UK time: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/broken-sle...
eventbrite.co.uk
Broken Sleep Books September 2025 Launch
With readings from Anna Brook, Adrienne Wilkinson, Alex Houen & Geoff Gilbert, Len Lukowski, Nisha Bhakoo, Laura Blomvall, and Eleanor Rees
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Alex Houen @alexhouen.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
‘Ground troops have demolished greenhouses; bulldozers have toppled orchards, ploughed out crops and crushed the soil; and planes have sprayed herbicides over the fields.’ www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Israel’s ecocide in Gaza sends this message: even if we stopped dropping bombs, you couldn’t live here | George Monbiot
Consider the annihilation of agricultural land alongside the genocide – and grasp the chilling totality of this attempt to eliminate all life, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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