iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

How might i find beta readers for my memoir —a personal journey through upheavals of Europe especially,from legacyof WW2 to ColdWar and its aftermath.Looking to get a frank view from those who enjoy memoir,travel writing,history.Thanks. #Memoir #WritersOfBluesky #TravelWriting #ColdWar #WW2History

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Honecker Ddr

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Looking for advice on how to find real people —beta readers? —who can cast an independent eye over my newly completed 85 K memoir, with its focus on travel writing and late 20th century (Cold War) history. Thanks #amwriting #writerslife #memoirs #writingcommunity #writer #travelwriter

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Snopi Lendo

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

LIVERPOOL has been a centre for the study of ancient Egypt for over a century. Students from Egypt and world wide came here to study Egyptology and Liverpool archaeologists continue to make new discoveries. #archeology #history #egyptology #outdoors #photography #explore #liverpool See descriptions.

Liverpool World Museum. 2055-1773 BC. Excavated at Beni Hasan by University of Liverpool, 1902-04.

The wooden granary model was buried in the tomb of a man, to provide him with a supply of food in the afterlife. There is a seated scribe recording the amounts of grain taken in and out.

Liverpool World Museum. 2055-1773 BC. Excavated at Beni Hasan by University of Liverpool 1902-04.

Boats were so important that people liked to be buried with small wooden models like this, so that they could travel safely to the land of the dead.

Liverpool World Museum. 2055-1773 BC. Excavated at Beni Hasan 1902-04 by University of Liverpool.

Khnum-nakht included this model of a kitchen in his tomb, so that the small servant figure would bake, brew beer and prepare meat for him in the afterlife.

Liverpool World Museum. 30 BC-AD 100. Excavated at Thebes.

Traces of gold suggest that the hand was entirely covered in gold leaf. X-rays show that the hand was likely that of a young adult female. The expensive gold and rings indicates the family's wealth.

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Reposted by Damian R.

John Sipher @johnsipher.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

On 21 March 1933 Adolf Hitler was officially sworn in as chancellor of Germany. The same day he pardoned 8,000 Nazis, who had committed violent acts, starting with the failed Hitler coup on 8 November 1923. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/u...

nytimes.com

Only a Handful of Republicans in Congress Object to Trump’s Jan. 6 Pardons

Even Republicans who once said violent rioters should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law declined to criticize the presidential clemency for violent offenders, saying it was time to move o...

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

A looming appeasement trade off between super power presidents. "We won't worry too much about your special operations, if you don't worry about ours."

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Just like the carving up of Poland in 1939 by the 20th Century's 2 great dictators, is this what Trump meant by reaching a solution within 24 hrs? "Well Vladimir, you can have Ukraine and we'll just take Greenland." #poland #ukraine #hitler #stalin #greenland #WWII www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Russia keeping close eye on Trump's claim to Greenland

The Kremlin reacts to the US president-elect's remarks saying the Arctic is in Russia's sphere of interest.

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

From The East India to East Africa Company; From Robert Clive to Edward Colston. On theroad, chance encounters with legacies of empire. EXTRACT and link to fulltale theancienthighway.com/robert-clive... #colonialism #theslavetrade #eastindiacompany #slavetrade #robertcolston #britishraj #Shrewsbury

State of Robert Clive - Shrewsbury Market Square.

Robert Clive's House- College Hill, Shrewsbury.

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Suzanne Raine @suzanneraine.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Moments of political change often build very slowly then happen quickly. Last year I wrote for @engelsbergideas.bsky.social that seizing or holding power depends on information, argument, momentum, individual choices and timing:

engelsbergideas.com

Days that shake the world

John Reed’s eyewitness account of the Russian Revolution of November 1917 illustrates the enduring themes of political change – and reminds us how contingent it can be.

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Currently reading Beverly Gage's biog. of Hoover. Lessons from History! Surely a role model for the President Elect and his chosen cabinet,not least in how they monitor and deal with their perceived 'enemies from within.' #FBI #Hoover #donaldtrump #coldwar #mcarthyism #americanhistory #history

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Great days out. Liverpool World Museum. The year the Terracotta Army rode into town (2018). A couple of my pics. #liverpoolmuseums #liverpoolworldmuseum #visitliverpool #terracottaarmy #archaeology #citybreaks #photography #outdoors #museums #art #fineart

Terracotta Army - Liverpool World Museum, 2018

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

Great days out. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Lowry didn't just paint his native Manchester. As well as a Salford, there are 3 Liverpool scenes below, with descriptions attached. #lowry #art #liverpoolmuseums #walkerartgallery #visitliverpool #outdoors #citybreaks #thebeatles

The Royal Iris, Liverpool, 1963. There was a fish n' chip shop on board and a stage.
The Beatles and Gerry & The Pacemakers played on board.

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

In the age of smart phones, travel writing and travel blogs are seen as synonymous. However, aren’t they really two separate, but valuable genres? Here is what I found from a random trawl. theancienthighway.com/good-travel-... #travelwriters #travelblog #travelblogs #outdoors #solotravel #explore

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Malaga's Islamic Alcazaba is one of the best preserved palatial fortifications in Analdalucia. The views from on top are breathtaking down onto the port of Malaga and the bullring. #photography #outdoors #andalucia #Spanishhistory #themoors #malaga #travelblog #visitspain

Malaga bullring, from the Alcazaba. Damian Rainford

Malaga port, from the Alcazaba. Damian Rainford

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Malaga. Stopped by to see Picasso museum. Instead left in awe of photographer Joel Mayerowitz. See exhibition of his 1966/67 20K mile European Road trip, which artistically he describes as a coming of age. #picasso #outdoors #malaga #photography #roadtrip www.museopicassomalaga.org/en/exposicio...

Malaga, 1967 (Copyright Joel Mayerowitz)

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Great days out in middle England-the RAF museum, Cosford,includes a #coldwar hanger on its site,and material relating to #WWII and the #nuclear age. Click to see some pics from our visit theancienthighway.com/royal-air-fo... #nuclearwar #rafmuseumlondon #imperialwarmuseum #rafcosford #coldwarmuseum

Exhibits about the Berlin Wall, including a slice of the wall

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

For a great day out head to the Imperial War Museum (North), Manchester. Here, I took this pic of Noor Khan's Webley pistol. She was Special Operations Executive's (SOE) Spy Princess, codename Madeline. Deeply spiritual.Betrayed in Paris. Murdered at Daccau. #WW2 #WWII #soe #daccau #nazis

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

When commiting your travel anecdotes to paper is really for the good of your soul. They may be extremely well crafted, but don't expect people to change their daily priorities to read them! You can take a horse to water, but ....

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Powerful item by Mikhail Zygar in the NYT. Why is Putin glad about a Trump victory? In the longer term, it isn't so much about Ukraine, as the very collapse of the USA itself,as a political entity. #coldwar #putin #ussr #sovietunion #Russia #mikhailgorbachev #history www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | What Is Trump to Putin? A Harbinger of America’s Collapse.

To the Kremlin, the president-elect is a harbinger of American collapse.

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Mary Beard - Historian? Classicist? Archaeologist? -is just too animated to be the retiring type. Don't be fooled. Pleased she recognises being blessed with an awesome walk to work-a travel story in itself. Many of us must also have similar good fortune, rural or urban, but take it as a given.

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a statue of a man holding a spear and a sword

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Great books are those that you threw out in Lockdown to create space on your overflowing shelves, but then regretted it. You then went out and hunted down the same books again .... and even re-read them, to to say how sorry you were. Here are mine. #amwriting #literature #outdoors #travelwriting

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

"Just move your damn traveltales from under the bed. I can't get my shoes under. Do something with them,"said my wife. The fraught 30yr path that took me from parchment to digital. Clickhere theancienthighway.com/creating-a-t... #travelwriting #travelwriter #amsterdam #travelblog #travelblogger

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a man wearing a shirt that says stars hockey

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Just catching up on last week's cricket. A bizarre moment in Centurion, South Africa. I've heard of 'rain stopped play' before, but 'flying ants?' - pretty big ones at that! #cricket #t20 #sport

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

My brief review of Environmentalist and world-traveller Yann-Arthus-Bertrand's book & website, highlighting his stunning aerial photography from across the globe. Hours of fun to be had! theancienthighway.com/yann-arthus-... #savetheplanet #environment #outdoors #travelphotography #wanderlust

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a colorful hot air balloon is flying in the sky

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

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a colorful hot air balloon is flying in the sky

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Great travel books aren't just about intrepid journeys. Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk's memoir paints a vivid picture of growing up in #Istanbul. See this link for more details and an extract. theancienthighway.com/orhan-pamuk-... #bookquotes #amwriting #memoirs #travelblog #booklovers #nonfiction

media.tenor.com

a bridge over a body of water in front of a mosque

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

@shipwreckspod.bsky.social Just followed you and then looked at your posts again. Got even more excited when I spotted 'Cold War' but then realised it said 'Cod War'. Doh! Still, I am sure you cover them both.

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

1/2. IMERIUM: Ryzard Kapuscinski was a Polish literary treasure. His wry anecdotes are brought to life in this publication. Part Cold War travel book,part rediscovery of the excesses of totalitarianism. #bookreviews #booklovers #bookshelf #coldwar #history #memoirs #travelwriter #travelwriting

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Damian R. @damianrainford.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

An extract from my Orkney Island travel tale, linked to full story....Getting there; the environment; neolithic history; World War II; people met; and more. theancienthighway.com/ancienthighw... #writer #amwriting #writerslife #writingcommunity #orkney #travelblog #wanderlust #memoirs #visitscotland

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