Karl Bell

I've been informed that I should be appearing in Sky History's first episode of Britain's X-Files this evening at 9 pm. I'll be talking about sea serpents, and specifically about a famous sighting by HMS Daedalus in 1848.

For the book's availability across other audio platforms, please see rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

Many thanks for reviewing The Perilous Deep - much appreciated.

The Perilous Deep is available as an audiobook from today!

If you prefer your books via your ears than your eyes, head over to www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Peril...

Had a really enjoyable conversation about the supernatural history of the Atlantic with Stephen Coates on the Bureau of Lost Culture podcast - bureauoflostculture.podbean.com/e/a-supernat...

The podcast is available on all the usual platforms - linktr.ee/BureauOfLost...

Many thanks for the kind words, Mike.

Image of Maritime Matters newsletter

The first Maritime Matters of 2026 is out! Featuring @karlbell.bsky.social's Tidal Terrors talk, Portsmouth's bid to be UK City of Culture, Coastal Studies & Society and more. Email pcmc@port.ac.uk to sign up centreforportcitiesandmaritimecultures.cmail20.com/t/y-e-qulluh... @uophistory.bsky.social

Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic Podcast Episode · History Extra podcast · 12/12/2025 · 30m

If you prefer to access your podcasts from streaming platforms, the interview is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify:

Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/g...

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6dgE...

Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic Karl Bell dives into the eerie and enchanting folklore of the Atlantic Ocean, revealing how supernatural stories helped sailors navigate a perilous world

‪My @historyextra.bsky.social podcast interview, 'Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic', is live @ www.historyextra.com/membership/s... Many thanks for the opportunity to talk about #maritime #folklore and my new book, The Perilous Deep @reaktionbooks.bsky.social
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Next week: join us for our first online talk of 2026: Simon Young, 'The Mystery of Changelings: Origins, Geography and Nature'. Tuesday 13 January, 19:00-20:30 GMT on Zoom. Tickets £6.00 (£4 for members with promo code) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-myster...

Vandermeer's Ambergris trilogy and PKD too. Was left a little underwhelmed by Mieville & Keanu's Book of Elsewhere. Hope to have a crack at Delany's Dhalgren this year. On that note, all the best for 2026!

Have explored and enjoyed the philosophers and cyberpunks, but tend to dwell in the subversive quadrant. Read some Heinlein and Clarke but never really drawn to the technocrats.

Coastal Gothic, 1719–2020 Cambridge Core - English Literature: General Interest - Coastal Gothic, 1719–2020

It's very exciting to say that Coastal Gothic, 1719–2020 has just been published in @universitypress.cambridge.org's Elements in the Gothic series – and it's currently open access and *free* to download until the end of December!

doi.org/10.1017/9781...

Hoy en nuestro pódcast de @ivoox.bsky.social invocamos la obra de Karl Bell dedicada a uno de los mas célebres fantasmas de Londres, "Pánico Victoriano, La Leyenda de Spring Heeled Jack". Publicada por Reediciones Anómalas con el arte exclusivo del maestro @javiertprado.bsky.social

Join us for @karlbell.bsky.social's free public talk, entitled Tidal Terrors: Folklore and Supernatural Storytelling at Sea, on 3rd February 2026 at Portsmouth University.

Great to be working on the new @uophistory.bsky.social 2nd year module 'Age of Crisis'!

Had a good team meeting yesterday, with the excellent @robtjames.bsky.social @karlbell.bsky.social & @drmseiter.bsky.social. It's a pleasure to co-teach with them - we've got lots to share with our students!

Many thanks, Jack - that's very much appreciated!

6 Books to Read on: Myths, Legends and the Supernatural From the legend of Robin Hood to Scotland's ghostly reputation, take a look at these 6 books that explore the supernatural side of history.

Nice to see my Supernatural Cities book included in @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social's blog on 6 books to read on myth, legend and the supernatural - boydellandbrewer.com/blog/medieva... It was a pleasure to edit this rich compendium of essays about urban #folklore and #hauntings in the modern world.

Many thanks for reading The Perilous Deep - glad you enjoyed it.

Finished reading The Perilous Deep by @karlbell.bsky.social

I enjoyed it. Highly recommend it if you wanna learn some ocean related lore and superstitions. And also get some movie recommendations.

Tidal Terrors: Folklore and Supernatural Storytelling at Sea Public lecture: The real life lessons from supernatural stories of the sea.

Join me for 'Tidal Terrors: Folklore and Supernatural Storytelling at Sea', a public talk @ Portsmouth University on 3rd February (5.30-7 pm). It is free, but you need to book a place @ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tidal-terr...
@uopmaritime.bsky.social @uophistory.bsky.social @reaktionbooks.bsky.social

Manchester University Press - Ghosts and the Gothic Ghosts and the Gothic - Browse and buy the eBook edition of Ghosts and the Gothic by Ruth Heholt

Ghosts and the Gothic (MUP) is out now - manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181916/ Very pleased to have my chapter on nautical hauntings included as part of this exciting edited collection. Many thanks to @ruthheholt.bsky.social and @joparsons.bsky.social

Many thanks @farren.bsky.social - hope you enjoy it! The Wandering Wizards Market sounds intriguing. Hope it goes well.

University of Portsmouth joins forces with Royal Museums Greenwich A new collaboration has been formed between Portsmouth’s Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures and Royal Museums Greenwich with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Delighted to be involved in developing future collaborations between Royal Museums Greenwich, and @uopmaritime.bsky.social - www.port.ac.uk/news-events-... Really enjoyed the research workshop at the National Maritime Museum last week. #maritimehistory #research #heritage

The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic | Washington Independent Review of Books The Independent is an important voice in the community of readers and writers dedicated to book reviews and writing about the world of books.

An extensive account of an otherworldly ocean. www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/t... @reaktionbooks.bsky.social @karlbell.bsky.social #booksky

Entering perhaps the best season in which to read Karl Bell's superbly entertaining 'The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic' (which I had the pleasure of editing for
@reaktionbooks.bsky.social.)
Karl previously won the Katharine Briggs Award.

When Summer Meant Sea Serpents

Great to see 'When Summer Meant Sea Serpents' published in September's issue of @historytoday.com - www.historytoday.com/archive/hist... For more on the history of sea serpents see my new book, The Perilous Deep reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/the-per... @reaktionbooks.bsky.social

Charting The Perilous Deep Below, our own Karl Bell, Associate Professor in Cultural and Social History, writes about his exciting new book on the supernatural legends associated with the seafarers of the Atlantic Ocean.  Ka…

My recent @uophistory.bsky.social blog offers some reflections on the aims and challenges of writing The Perilous Deep - history.port.ac.uk?p=3500 @reaktionbooks.bsky.social #maritimehistory #folklore

That story underwent a radical rewrite and became a dark steampunk horror tale set around Victorian London. Should probably try sending it out into the world at some point.

Episode 137 - Karl Bell - The Perilous Deep Podcast Episode · Some Other Sphere · 30/07/2025 · 1h 3m

Podcast Wednesday! Episode 137 - Karl Bell - The Perilous Deep @karlbell.bsky.social @reaktionbooks.bsky.social #Podcast #History #Writing #Books #Paranormal #Ghosts #Monsters
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/e...