iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

England's young people performing esp well, putting UK in the top ten for maths, reading and science. One driver of bucking trend is better integration: closing white/minority attainment gap for children of migrants, where west European countries lag www.theguardian.com/education/20...

theguardian.com

England’s teenagers outperform peers in most countries in maths, reading and science

OECD test sees results dip in almost all member nations and warns of ‘digital distractions’ eroding academic skills

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Ian Walker @fenlandgent.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Great article: it compares the Barbican Conservatory to Grace Jones and ‘... these days, the tone of some of the spaces has gone from “luxe glamour” to “cranky starship” giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... (I think this link can only be read by the first 3 to click on it)

giftarticle.ft.com

What happens when the future gets old?

A modernist icon, London’s Barbican Conservatory is in need of renovation

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Ironically, for someone whose Substack is for people with very little time, I’ve had very little time to write this summer! Anyway, here is what I’ve been reading! Hope you will read them too! lucindapreston.substack.com/p/you-cant-j...

lucindapreston.substack.com

You can't judge a book by its cover - but you can try.

A Different Light by Elizabeth Taylor and 'The Garden' by H.D.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

The wasps are beginning to swarm… familiar!

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I guess there’s always the next World Cup…😞

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Dr Ian McCormick @wokestudies.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

"Painted in 1851, Ophelia's fame is a story of fashion and feminism. And, as James discovers, the unlikely combination of Shakespeare, Ken Russell, Elizabeth Siddal, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Taylor Swift and the most famous bath-tub in the history of art." #Millais Enjoy! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

bbc.co.uk

Artworks - Art That Conquered the World - Ophelia - BBC Sounds

James Fox asks how John Everett Millais's Ophelia became so famous.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

A difficult read though it builds on a lot we already know about the decline of reading. As @carlhendrick.substack.com notes elsewhere, it’s not just children who are reading less. Though adults sometimes do have less time for reading, hence my passion for short stories and poems alongside novels.

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Tim O’Brien @timobrien.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

A sweeping new study has found that daily reading for pleasure in the United States has declined by more than 40% over the last 20 years — raising urgent questions about the cultural, educational and health consequences of a nation reading less. news.ufl.edu/2025/08/read...

news.ufl.edu

Reading for pleasure in free fall: New study finds 40% drop over two decades

Daily reading for pleasure in the U.S. dropped by more than 40% over the last 20 years

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

@c20society.bsky.social A non-lit post tonight. I asked for conditions at Planning Com tonight so that the exterior of this building could be retained. I wasn’t objecting to change of use. Sadly, no conditions laid down for retention. Little protection for mid-century mod buildings. Heartbreaking.

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Rae Radford @raeradford.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Who fancies a game? #BookSky

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

This is a lot of fun. Do have a go!

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Rachel Deering @racheldeering.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Book Cover of the Day:

Dark blue cover, gold lettering and decoration of river, lily pads, reeds, birds in flight, all surrounding an oval border for title and author name.

THE BIRD
JULES MICHELET

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

It’s no longer June but another shout out for this. #booksky #books #literature

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Rachel Deering @racheldeering.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Book Cover of the Day: #BookWormSat

The Hobbit, J R R Tolkien, Green cover with gold borders and lettering, white border design of elements of novel, little hobbit with can bending over to pick up a ring.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

I’m currently reading my son The Hobbit - our copy has a reproduction of this first edition illustration on its front cover. I love it www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

First edition of The Hobbit donated to Birmingham Oxfam sells for £38k

Oxfam staff say the first edition came in alongside a collection of "otherwise unremarkable" books.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

I absolutely love this picture. The contrast between the flowers and the dark sky is stunning.

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Anna Kornbluh @annakornbluh.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

"Hiring of college grads is down across the board. But certain majors are able to access opportunities in a wider array of industries, new LinkedIn data shows." ENGLISH ENGLISH ENGLISH 69% VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS 68% www.forbes.com/sites/courtn...

The Most Versatile Majors Chart, TOPPED BY ENGLISH and VISUAL&PERFORMING ARTS

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Rachel Deering @racheldeering.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Book Cover of the Day:

BRENDA'S SUMMER AT ROCKLEY
-BY HELEN LEAH REED
Blue cover with gold lettering and decorated with beach scene with sealing boats and clouds in the distance and a woman eating white and blue stripes dress with hat sat on the shore.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

English graduates everywhere are excited that the potential future prime minister is an English Literature graduate…

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

My second Substack post is live. Short on time? Look at these suggestions for short reafs for busy people. The poem is one of my all time favourites! substack.com/@lucindapres...

substack.com

Flaming June

'Adlestrop' by Edward Thomas; The Croquet Player by HG Wells.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Incredible sad. University changed my life in so many ways.

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Lynn Bridgett 🇬🇧🇪🇺 @northernlass208.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

The only good thing about this awful heat wave is occasionally wonderful parch marks appear. I just love this Historic England photo of Corbridge Roman Town with the intersection of Dere Street and the Stanegate clearly visible in the field immediately West of the museum.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

“Do you always look for the longest day and then miss it?” says Daisy Buchanan in ‘The Great Gatsby’. Well today is the longest day and you haven’t missed it. Happy Midsummer. #midsummer #booklit #thegreatgatsby

static.klipy.com

The Great Gatsby

ALT: The Great Gatsby

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Dr Tim Rideout @drtimrideout.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Midsummer sun still present. The light remains, even after 9pm. Ellis Windmill, Lincoln.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

This is such a stunning painting of a lovely part of the world.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

The Common Blue, Small Copper, Large Skipper ‘Butterflies and Moths’ (1965) Artist: John Leigh-Pemberton

In the background we see hilly moorland but the four grand is dominated by colourful thistles and meadow days attracting the butterflies

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LCC municipal @lccmunicipal.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Two rather lovely postcards here of the Post Office Tower (the correct description for the age of the cards!) by night:

The Post Office Tower by night. The view is looking down south. No publisher is given. Per Wikipedia: The tower was designed by the Ministry of Public Building and Works, under chief architects Eric Bedford and G R Yeats. Typical for its time, the building is concrete clad in glass. The narrow cylindrical shape was chosen as a stable platform for microwave aerials. It shifts no more than 25 centimetres (10 in) in wind speeds of up to 150 km/h (95 mph). To prevent overheating, the glass cladding had to be tinted. The building was completed in 1964.

The Post Office Tower by night. The publisher is J Arthur Dixon. Per Wikipedia: The tower was designed by the Ministry of Public Building and Works, under chief architects Eric Bedford and G R Yeats. Typical for its time, the building is concrete clad in glass. The narrow cylindrical shape was chosen as a stable platform for microwave aerials. It shifts no more than 25 centimetres (10 in) in wind speeds of up to 150 km/h (95 mph). To prevent overheating, the glass cladding had to be tinted. The building was completed in 1964.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

I just love how these telephone boxes are being repurposed.

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

I love Art Deco so I do love the rebuild but I’ve a feeling I would have loved this building. #Shakespeare

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

They say you should never judge a book by its cover but these look truly fantastic!

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

I know these lists are subjective and designed to create ‘noise’ but who doesn’t enjoy looking for their favourite book on the list and being relieved to see it’s there?! www.theguardian.com/books/ng-int...

theguardian.com

The 100 best novels of all time

The top 100 novels of all time published in English, as voted for by authors, critics and academics worldwide. How many have you read?

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Somehow realised a month late that there’s a typo in this sentence…

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Another shout out for my first Substack post. If you have a small window in your day to read, why not try this gripping novella? substack.com/@lucindapres...

substack.com

Lucinda Preston (@lucindapreston)

My last month’s Substack…

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Lucinda Preston @lucindapreston.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

This is quite lovely. I love the contrast between the tiny, active birds and the monolithic power station.

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Sophie Coulombeau @sophiecoulombeau.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

I’m chuffed to be back on the @bbcradio3bot.bsky.social airwaves tomorrow evening, celebrating the 300th anniversary of Dr Charles Burney (the music one, not the book thief one) AND the 250th anniversary of his General History of Music - a milestone in musicology. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio 3 - The Essay, Music Rediscovered, The English music historian

Sophie Coulombeau looks at the ambitions of teacher scholar and composer Charles Burney.

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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Let's all take a moment to stop and drink a toast to the wonderfulness and luminosity of Catherine O'Hara. Here's to her.

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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

And yet these will be the key subjects as creativity, empathy and critical thinking become the most important facets of living in an automated world. We have got almost everything about post-16 education wrong. We need to go back to the beginning. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

researchprofessionalnews.com

Concern over plunging demand for arts and humanities A-levels - Research Professional News

Experts say “ridiculously narrow” UK post-16 education system is overweighting scientific courses

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JWexTheSpa @jwsidders.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Absolutely disgraceful. Shameful, actually.

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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Totally agree with this. Time and again people say things to me which is downright David Icke style stuff. Every couple of days I'm reminded that the formal news agenda of the BBC etc hides a completely different and subterranean world of pseudo-news communicated via WhatsApp and Facebook.

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Steve Browne @sbrownehr.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

The people working around you have talent !! Foster that, encourage them, and allow them to thrive in who they are and what they do - all. the. time. #HR #HRCommunity #GlobalHR #EncouragementFriday

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JWexTheSpa @jwsidders.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Really - anyone who seriously believes there will be a free and fair US Presidential election in 2028, please contact me about some magic beans I have going cheap. I'm throwing in London Bridge for free.

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Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 06/01/2025

Have written about Starmer's speech- his best moment yet as PM. He implicitly identified what sits at the heart of this story: the emergence of a common UK/US online right, headed by the radicalised Musk. It is making extremist, until recently fringe politics mainstream in British conservatism.

open.substack.com

Starmer's best moment as PM

And the Powellisation of conservative thought

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