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Tom Mitchell
Tom Mitchell

228 Followers

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Nov 27, 2022

The Nightmare World of a Tweet that Got 250k Likes

Going viral wasn’t as much fun as I’d hoped — I’d decided to give up drinking alcohol through November. Until I realised that the World Cup was taking place in November, that is. And, more precisely, that England were playing the USA on a Friday night in November. Some things just aren’t meant to be. And so on Friday the…

Twitter

8 min read

The Nightmare World of a Tweet that Got 250k Likes
The Nightmare World of a Tweet that Got 250k Likes
Twitter

8 min read


May 18, 2022

Umbrellas: A Secret History of Violence

Terrorism, assassination, and lightning strikes — On March 20, 1995, members of the Aum cult released sarin in five Tokyo subway trains. They transported a liquid form of the nerve gas in plastic pouches, disguising the packages by wrapping them in newspaper. Boarding underground trains, cult members placed the poison on the carriage floor and used…

Essay

13 min read

Umbrellas: A Secret History of Violence
Umbrellas: A Secret History of Violence
Essay

13 min read


May 11, 2022

The Secret History of Pine

I once knocked over a Billy bookcase in an Ikea store. An old woman screamed as it fell. I was being dragged around by a housemate, but he could well have been a girlfriend or a parent — I’ve been led through furniture stores by a succession of people close…

Nature

10 min read

The Trail of a Lonesome Pine: A coniferous history of the world’s favourite wood
The Trail of a Lonesome Pine: A coniferous history of the world’s favourite wood
Nature

10 min read


May 4, 2022

Splish Splash: A History of Rain Boots

A toddler walks a dog along a country track. He heads toward the camera. There is a line of trees behind the boy, and grass turns to scrubland on either side. The child wears a striped jacket and green rain boots. The light is autumnal. The dog, large, has a…

Humor

10 min read

Splish Splash: A History of Rain Boots
Splish Splash: A History of Rain Boots
Humor

10 min read


Apr 28, 2022

The Hottest Thing You’ll Read All Day: A History of Chilli Peppers

It’s easy. You need a can of tomatoes, some onion and garlic, beans (I like black), a bell pepper (hated by Mexicans), and a chilli pepper of your choice. You’ll need minced beef, too. For seasoning, I go for chilli powder, obviously, some paprika, and cumin. I don’t know if…

Food

9 min read

The Hottest Thing You’ll Read All Day: A History of Chilli Peppers
The Hottest Thing You’ll Read All Day: A History of Chilli Peppers
Food

9 min read


Apr 21, 2022

Blowhard: A History of Hand Dryers

Children are afraid of hand dryers. YouTube is full of videos of kids crying in restrooms, the hand dryers roaring and callous parents laughing. My son is no exception. I used to avoid coffee shops I knew didn’t possess paper towels, no matter how sweet their pastries. Being a parent…

Humor

11 min read

Blowhard: A History of Hand Dryers
Blowhard: A History of Hand Dryers
Humor

11 min read


Mar 4, 2021

What it’s Really Like to Work for a Tech Giant

Morning — You’re in San Francisco or wherever. Is Silicon Valley in San Francisco? Either way, you probably live there… with the other tech people. And having rolled out of your single bed, you’re probably on a bus. A corporate bus. You register your place on the bus using your phone. You…

Tech

5 min read

What it’s Really Like to Work for a Tech Giant
What it’s Really Like to Work for a Tech Giant
Tech

5 min read


Nov 11, 2020

Real Men Don’t Cry

Fatherhood, Masculinity, and Tears — I didn’t cry when my son was born. He did, but I didn’t. It was a shrill sound, more a broken toy than a human. Me, I was too stunned to cry. Later, as his mother recovered in the ward, I looked down at this tiny, helpless form. I didn’t…

Parenting

6 min read

Real Men Don’t Cry
Real Men Don’t Cry
Parenting

6 min read


Published in Human Parts

·Aug 7, 2020

Never Listen to Adults

When 14-year-old Jacob wins a flight to Hollywood, every grown-up (including Nicolas Cage) gets in his way — Fourteen-year-old Jacob has won the prize of a lifetime: an all-expenses paid trip from his home in England to Hollywood, to appear as an extra in the latest Marvel movie. All that stands between him and his prize is a connecting flight in Chicago, something his father made very clear…

Fiction

9 min read

Never Listen to Adults
Never Listen to Adults
Fiction

9 min read


Mar 30, 2020

Three Days on a Train from LA to Chicago

Forced conversation, windows, and lots of meat. — Day One It was the World Series. Los Angeles’ Union Station heaved with blue-shirted supporters. Nobody knew where to head, unless they headed for the bar. I thought to head there too, until seeing the queue for service. Instead, I went to the information desk, where two uniformed police officers leant. Hollywood…

Travel

14 min read

Three Days on a Train from LA to Chicago
Three Days on a Train from LA to Chicago
Travel

14 min read

Tom Mitchell

Tom Mitchell

228 Followers

Dad, Writer, Teacher

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