iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I watched the whole thing and cried twice. A reminder that politics doesn't have to be the worst people in the world enriching themselves. Instead it can be driven by care and commitment. I hope he and his mostly female cabinet can do what they set out to do. www.youtube.com/live/jyjTT_5...

youtube.com

Watch in full: Andy Burnham's keynote speech to Labour conference

YouTube video by ITV News

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Well, we’re in Paris (zone 4). Chances of getting to hotel and then back into city before Shakespeare & Co closes are getting slimmer. Will we make it?

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Today in bookselling I will attempt to visit Shakespeare & Co in Paris before it closes tomorrow evening. I leave shortly.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Today in #bookselling I sent a lot of emails and none of them were answered.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I had the absolute privilege to attend a Golden State Valkyries game tonight. It was epic.

The Golden State Valkyries huddle court side for a team talk during the game against the Dallas Wings.

The full view of the court, screens and fans at a Golden State Valkyries game. A sea of lavender and a very nice fringed jumpsuit.

Valkyries win and the court is flooded with teams, press, dancers and hangers on. A sign says “Valks Win”.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

For reasons I can’t explain I get shit like this in the mail all the time. This is how those maga books end up on bestseller lists. PACs buy them by the pallet-load and they don’t care if they resell them or give them away. That’s why the publishers keep churning them out. Grift books.

Junk mail from a junk PAC about a junk Vice President and his junk book. The text says “I’ve set aside a copy just for you. Let me know if you want yours ASAP” which neatly sums up the desperate striving grift of the whole stupid endeavor.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I put off listening to this, I was worried I wouldn’t like it now I’m not a teenager. Turns out that this may be a foundational text for me. No, you’re crying.

The CD case for The First of a Million Kisses by Fairground Attraction.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

My CD haul today has a 38 year span from 1986 to 2024. Lots of good finds.

A large pile of CDs from oldest at the top: Pet Shop Boys - Please
INXS - Kick
Fairground Attraction - First of a Million Kisses
Belly - Star
Blur - Park Life
Supergrass
Suede - Head Music
Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
This is the Kit - Off Off On
The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Today in CD nostalgia listening it’s James day. And I have a controversial take. Gold Mother is better than Laid. I know Brian Eno produced Laid, but Sit Down is on Gold Mother. You can’t argue with an anthem.

Three James albums on CD in a CD carrying case. Gold Mother, Laid and a Best of James (which is basically just Gold Mother IMO).

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I am currently crate digging for CDs that I once owned on vinyl, tape or have previously ditched out of embarrassment. I found this at Rasputins in Berkeley for $1.99. And I am Obsessed with it. Someone locked some energetic jazz musicians in a room and let them go NUTS.

The front cover of the CD version of Pelican West by Haircut One Hundred shows the band wearing white and lying in a pile of autumnal leaves. Glad I’m not doing their laundry.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Treaty of Versailles (part deux). So stupid.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

The last three gigs I’ve been to have included recorder solos. Belle and Sebastian were great tonight and last night. Such nostalgia and great to see the 20-something hipsters still love the band I loved when I was their age.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

I once saw a man walking down Charring Cross Road in London. He was older, but had real swag and the kind of charisma that was turning heads. I noticed it was Anthony Head just as he walked past me. I was way too London to bother him. But I appreciated seeing a legend go by.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

I am addicted to Duolingo. I realize I am 6 years behind everyone else.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I caught a band bracelet at The Beth’s gig tonight in Berkeley. They were amazing, tune after brilliant tune. #thebeths

Beaded bracelet with pencil and apple charms and beads that spell NO JOY.

kiwi indie rock band The Beth’s live on stage at the UC Taube Family Theater.

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 22/05/2026

As a science fiction writer I really fucking resent tech bros for ruining the phrase "artificial intelligence." 80 years of it being all about cool androids and interesting computers destroyed by five years of "Spicy autocorrect making everything shittier for money." NEVER FORGIVE.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Look, all I'm saying is that if you're middle aged, you should re-listen to Life by The Cardigans. It won't solve anything, but it will remind you about being in your 20s. And that jangly, lounge, jazz, indie pop was briefly a thing for a few glorious moments. (I'll see you at the B&S tour).

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

All I'm saying is there's a very real chance that I'm the Bangaranga.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Today in bookselling I had a conversation with another grown-up about our favorite dinosaurs. We both agreed ankylosaurus is the best.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

I bought a CD player so I could play this 1980s masterpiece.

Inner sleeve of the CD for the soundtrack of Absolute Beginners, featuring Bowie, Sade, Weller, Ray Davis and many others. Held in the foreground, with a CD player on a sideboard behind it.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

I want a record player, but I left my records back in the UK 20 years ago. So I'm buying a CD player, much less cool but I do have four big travel cases of CDs. I unearthed those earlier and found some ancient gig tickets. 15 pounds to see Franz Ferdinand. 30 to see Kylie. #old #rockhistory

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Philadelphia Book Haul. From the Rosenbach Library, Head House Books, Brickbat Books and Partners & Son.

Five books I bought in Philadelphia today. Dreaming in Color by Natalie Andrewson. Action Baby Comics Animal Alphabet a zine by Uncle Andy. Event Factory by Renee Gladman. Never caught by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and a chapbook version of the 1733 Poor Richard’s Almanac.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

I have a zine making problem. Come over to Mr. Mopps’ for Independent Bookstore Day tomorrow and get one of these delightful zine essays for free. Or if I know where you live I can send you one if you like. #zine #indiebookstoreday #independentbookstoreday #ibd26

An Orange zine with large black letters on the cover that says “What I Learned from an Eight Stop Bookstore Crawl on Independent Bookstore Day”.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Bookselling is low wage, high stress, often unpaid work. Booksellers work in social care and at the whim of corporations. It can be worth it, but when it isn't, stepping away is a brave thing to do. Janet Geddis, I see you and I support your decision. www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?i...

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

American venues continue to be over the top. Great view from the nosebleed seats.

Sign outside the Castro theater that says 4/18 CMAT Sold Out

The stage set for the CMAT a show. A big circular medallion in the background says Euro Country and shows CMAT’s head in a retro cartoon style.

Inside the newly refurbished Castro theater. List of gold, velvet and a giant chandelier

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

I am both immensely proud of myself and ashamed that I didn’t ask one of dozens of professionals I know to edit it. It’s a chapbook, editing is too good for it.

6 fairy tale chapbooks called Turkeys and Tyrants

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Maureen Johnson @maureenjohnsonbooks.com · 12/04/2026

Now send JD Vance to run the publicity team for the new Harry Potter series.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

After many years of hanging around with poets and artists and writers, I have just written and produced my first chapbook. Tomorrow it will be reviewed by an expert at which point I will probably regret this choice but right now, I've got that "I made that" feeling.

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Max Berger @maxberger.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

What if the United States had a Congress?

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Spent the day at a conference for booksellers. Did I miss anything?

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Working on an Edelweiss and spreadsheet list of these books, so booksellers can build displays. Will share here shortly.

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That Librarian: Amanda Jones @librarianjones.com · 31/03/2026

This is a verified GoFundMe for librarian Luanne James from the Rutherford County Library Alliance. gofund.me/f7704eb98 Read what happened to this hero: www.newschannel5.com/news/rutherf...

newschannel5.com

Rutherford County Library Board fires director after she refuses to relocate 132 children's books

Dr. Lu-anne James called the board's order to move books with LGBTQ+ themes to the adult section an unlawful act of viewpoint discrimination.

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Maggie Tokuda-Hall @maggietokudahall.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Everyone pony the fuck fpr the librarian who just got sacked for refusing to remove LGBTQ books from the kids' section of the library.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Today in bookselling “my friend is having a baby and he’s a pretty full on Marxist, do you have any books I could give the baby?”. Yes, comrade, yes I do.

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MrPaulRobinson @mrpaulrobinson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Europeans when asked to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

If you're living somewhere outside the USA, one thing you can do is pressure your leaders to boycott World Cup and Olympic events here.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Is it my imagination, or did the US just annex the Sudetenland?

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

I had to do a poker face this morning for just this reason.

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Frettie Fingers @frettiefingers.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

#nokings Portland frog brigade

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

You know where you can find some actually radical ideas? In an indie bookstore. Specifically in the young teen section. Those kids are reading about some wild ideas like equality, justice and consequences.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

I mean my reach here is tiny. But this is one extremely smart and talented children's book expert.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Today I am on the back of the struggle bus wedged under the seat.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Great disturbance in the bookselling force tonight as B&N buys Books Inc, the oldest indie bookstore in the west.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

This morning in #bookselling an elderly customer was complaining that “the animals in this book don’t even live in this country”. So I guess even animals can be the target of isolationist nonsense.

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Clare Doornbos @claredoornbos.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Is it just me or does the news seem like something from a South Park episode right now?

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