Nicholas Guyatt

10 Dec 2025

I know I have been promising this forever but the Oxford Illustrated History of the United States will finally be out in June of next year, just in time to help unite the nation around the 250th

newstatesman.comJason Arday is Cambridge's problemMy university must explain how Arday was appointed, and reject the racist narrative that this is the tip of the iceberg

11 Aug

I've written about the Arday affair, racism and the unending attack on UK universities for @newstatesman1913.bsky.social www.newstatesman.com/politics/edu...

8 Aug

Went on Times Radio to decry the media coverage of the Arday affair, so inevitably the youtube version has about nine hundred hostile comments. But I thought this one - a response to my nine-year-old kid's clay model of Mount Rushmore, which was behind me during the interview - took the biscuit

8 Aug

you be the judge

24 May

Can't quite believe this has finally arrived - thanks again to all the brilliant contributors, and the editorial and production folks who made it happen. Will paste the 30% off code below in case you'd like a copy

global.oup.comglobal.oup.com

24 May

Follow the link and use the discount code AAFLYG6 (catchy, eh?) and you should get 30% off - though I'm not sure how long this is valid, so don't delay if you're in the market for a lavishly illustrated history of the US global.oup.com/academic/pro...

20 May

A sentiment I can get behind

apple.newsOpinion: If you want to understand the United States, go to Cambridge — The TelegraphA new centre at the university will support the study of the foundational principles of America and how they apply to today’s world

20 May

Once again I am asking you all to read the Telegraph apple.news/AW2A3gSb9Rdi...

15 May

Filled with the spirit of America 250 I wrote about two new general histories of the United States, though I think I can only recommend one of them alas

philanthropy.cam.ac.ukThe United States of America at 250Reflections on the past, present, and future of independence. 29 May 2026, 12.30pm to 5.30pm, Ray Dolby Centre, Cambridge

15 May

If you're anywhere near Cambridge on May 29th, come see Jamelle Bouie, Martha Jones, Heather Thompson & other starry speakers reflect on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Tickets are *free* but nearly gone so hit the link below asap www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/story/the-un...

philanthropy.cam.ac.ukThe United States of America at 250Reflections on the past, present, and future of independence. 29 May 2026, 12.30pm to 5.30pm, Ray Dolby Centre, Cambridge

15 May

oops should have said that we are also giving you free cake and wine though obv that's not the only reason to come, oh no www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/story/the-un...

14 May

It's so cold in the UK this week that it feels like February, and our supposedly left-wing government is disintegrating in slow motion, so I humbly offer this photo of my cat in a plant pot as a tiny distraction from the gloom

11 May

Historians who've published in the past 2-3 years - did you get a wave of requests for 'modest contributions' from book clubs, influencers, & 'strategists' desperate to platform your "groundbreaking" book? Has never happened to me before and I fear this is yet another malign effect of Chat-GPT

11 May

Obv happy to do anything to help genuine book clubs and keen to extend apologies to all hard-working influencers/strategists who *abhor* the use of generative LLMs, these are tough times for human beings!

paw.princeton.eduThe AttentionautsD. Graham Burnett ’93, Alyssa Loh ’12, and Peter Schmidt ’20 are leading a movement to resist ‘attention fracking’

6 May

I'm not saying this is a parody, but if it *were* a parody it would be very funny paw.princeton.edu/article/atte...

6 May

Sending congrats to my brilliant colleagues on the new Oxford Illustrated History of the United States for their *starred review* in Library Journal, cannot wait for the book to hit the shelves next month

4 May

Cambridge friends who insist on working on bank holidays: Christa Dierksheide and I will be talking *today* at 4pm in the Sibilla Room at Jesus College about our new book Jefferson's Wolf! We've roped in the lovely Patrick Griffin to ask the questions and Heffers to sell some books. Come if you can!

4 May

And that's not all! We'll be appearing tomorrow in Oxford at the Rothermere American Institute at 5pm to talk about Jefferson's Wolf with the equally lovely Lige Gould. There *may* be books for sale at this event, too, though there's still a proper air of jeopardy about this

nyti.msTrump ally says he asked U.S. president and FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at World CupU.S. special envoy Paolo Zampolli said four-time winners Italy "have the pedigree" to justify replacing Iran at the tournament.

23 Apr

Has there ever been a more corrupt and reviled sporting event than the 2026 World Cup? I had not imagined I’d be nostalgic for Qatar and Russia and yet…

The New York Times@nytimes.com

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: An envoy to President Trump claims he has asked the U.S. president and FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, to replace Iran with Italy at this summer’s World Cup. nyti.ms/4u4A9bE

22 Apr

Why didn’t we think of this earlier?!!

nytimes.comOpinion | How Israel Lost Its Way and How Trump Can Save Lebanon

22 Apr

I feel as if Tom Friedman has been at this for forty years and it’s time for someone else to have a go www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/o...

nytimes.comAmerica Is Anxious About Its 250th Birthday. So Are Historians.

21 Apr

And of course I am the voice of doom in this NYT piece about academic historians and the 250th www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/a...

17 Apr

If you're in Philadelphia for the OAH conference, come see the contributors to the new Oxford Illustrated History of the United States talking about the book tomorrow morning in the *coveted* 8.45am slot in the storied Salon K of the Marriott!

ft.trib.alReturn of Mandelson scandal leaves Labour MPs in despairVetting failure highlights dysfunction in Keir Starmer’s government

17 Apr

NB that you can get 40% off the new Oxford Illustrated History if you come to tomorrow morning's session or, more efficiently, you just visit the OUP stall in this year's book fair, where the lights are weirdly low and the vibe is crepuscular

Nicholas Guyatt reposted

Financial Times

@financialtimes.com

17 Apr

Return of Mandelson scandal leaves Labour MPs in despair ft.trib.al/fuCwmHN

daviddoddington.bsky.social

10 Apr

Maybe the most British news headline I've ever seen

Nicholas Guyatt reposted

@daviddoddington.bsky.social

10 Apr

@branchuk.bsky.social announces a search for new co-editors of its journal, American 19th C History @anchistjournal.bsky.social. Apps to include c.v. and a 1-2 page cover letter, sent to ANCH co-editor, and incoming BrANCH Chair, David Doddington (doddingtond@cardiff.ac.uk) by 01.05.26. Pls share!

bbc.co.ukWhite House staff warned not to place bets on prediction marketsThe platforms have grown in popularity, with some users making bets on global events.

10 Apr

The fact that staff have to be *told* not to do this is really incredible www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

9 Apr

Have spent too long away from Bluesky but am hoping to catch up with many of you guys in Philadelphia for the OAH next week, assuming (a) I can get into the US and (b) there is any jet fuel left here in the UK

10 Feb

Friends, can I ask you to spread the word that we have a THREE-YEAR postdoc in American history at Cambridge up for grabs - ANY field, but applications are due March 1 so don't delay - apply, apply, apply! networks.h-net.org/jobs/69790/u...

10 Feb

Just to clarify this postdoc was advertised last year and limited to 20th century historians, but we actually just gave a permanent job to the incumbent (congratulations, Caroline!) and this time there's *no period or field restriction* - vast early Americanists (and everyone else) welcome!

theguardian.comThe left warned that Starmerism would end like this. Now all of Britain faces the fallout | Owen JonesPeter Mandelson helped Morgan McSweeney privilege Labour’s reactionary forces to sustain the PM, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones

9 Feb

For Americans struggling to understand how Keir Starmer is on the brink of resigning, this piece by @owenjones.bsky.social offers a concise and bleak summary of how we got here www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

nytimes.comStarmer Faces Storm of Criticism Over Ties Between Ex-Ambassador and Epstein

The Times belatedly covers the huge Mandelson-Starmer scandal in the UK, but omits the crucial fact that 18 months before Starmer made Mandelson US ambassador the FT reported that he'd stayed in Epstein's NYC mansion *while Epstein was in prison for child sex abuse* www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/w...

@saulstaniforth.bsky.social

it's honestly sickening to see Starmer and his supporters performing their concern for the victims when they ALL knew Mandelson's friendship with Epstein had endured past Epstein's conviction; whatever lies Mandelson may have told them, that simple fact was established by the FT in June 2023

Nicholas Guyatt reposted

Saul Staniforth

Frost making the point that the entire cabinet backed Mandelsons appointment as ambassador Starmer is going to be the fall guy for this (& lots more), but everyone at the top of Labour is implicated, including people who might have resigned in the meantime!

Probably no bandwidth in the US media right now for international news, even before we factor in the mass firing of journalists, but the latest Epstein document dump really might bring down the UK prime minister before the week is out

Ever since the Financial Times reported in 2023 that Peter Mandelson had stayed in Epstein's mansion while Epstein was serving time for child sex crimes, many of us over here have watched with horror as Starmer first made Mandelson his election guru and then his US ambassador x.com/NicholasGuya...

Always seemed likely that eventually the media and/or the public would wake up to the sheer madness/recklessness of this; the latest Epstein document release has finally brought the house crashing down on Starmer, who has shown wretched judgement (or a lack of it) throughout bsky.app/profile/nich...

Nicholas Guyatt@nicholasguyatt.bsky.social

This whole saga is INSANE and more revealing of Starmer’s values than any other episode; if you can hold your nose, I’ve written a lot about it on Twitter. But in essence Starmer knew back in January that Mandelson was a close friend of the world’s most famous pedophile, and he appointed him anyway

4 Feb

"Keir Starmer's government will last for six more weeks!"

bbc.co.ukDark mood among Labour MPs as Keir Starmer tries to contain Mandelson scandalThe chaos of the parliamentary debate about the former Labour minister is just one sign of how quickly the mood in the party has soured this week.

4 Feb

Given Epstein's sordid relationship with Trump, it seems incredible to think that this scandal may bring down the UK government before the US government www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

18 Jan

Even in the 'unipolar' years of the 1990s, US presidents were exasperated by their inability to control the United Nations; the idea of replacing the unruly Security Council with a pliant 'Board of Peace' is really a sign of US decline in the world, not of Trump's strength

thedigradio.comMAGA Empire w/ Aslı Bâli and Greg GrandinFeaturing Aslı Bâli and Greg Grandin on the MAGA model of US imperialism.

17 Jan

A really excellent analysis of imperialism, gangsterism and regionalism under Trump 47 - and some sobering thoughts about the connections between violence abroad and the white nationalist agenda at home thedigradio.com/podcast/maga...

theguardian.comCambridge college to target elite private schools for student recruitmentExclusive: Trinity Hall’s new policy described as a ‘slap in the face’ for state-educated students

8 Jan

So much for the Trinity Hall reboot! www.theguardian.com/education/20...

7 Jan

Madness for the UK government to get involved in the increasingly unhinged and dangerous foreign policy of the Trump administration, but Keir Starmer seems determined to outdo Tony Blair in becoming lickspittle-in-chief to a rogue U.S. president

nybooks.comThe Most Rancorous Line | Nicholas GuyattHow did the Mason–Dixon Line—meant to resolve a longstanding colonial border dispute—come to represent the US’s foundational divide between slavery and freedom?

6 Jan

You probably don't have a lot of bandwidth for recreational reading about a divided America, but just on the off chance I have a piece on the Mason-Dixon Line in the latest edition of the New York Review of Books www.nybooks.com/articles/202...