diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_content.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_content.html
index d2663653..49e1ecfa 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_content.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_content.html
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     {% if status.status_type == 'Review' %}
     <div>
         <h3 class="title is-5 has-subtitle">
-            {% if status.name %}{{ status.name }}<br>{% endif %}
+            {% if status.name %}<span dir="auto">{{ status.name }}</span><br>{% endif %}
         </h3>
         <p class="subtitle">{% include 'snippets/stars.html' with rating=status.rating %}</p>
     </div>
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
         {% if status.quote %}
         <div class="quote block">
-            <blockquote>{{ status.quote | safe }}</blockquote>
+            <blockquote dir="auto">{{ status.quote | safe }}</blockquote>
 
             <p> &mdash; {% include 'snippets/book_titleby.html' with book=status.book %}</p>
         </div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html
index e8a1fa75..c2fab3ff 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html
@@ -6,18 +6,18 @@
 {% if trimmed != full %}
 <div>
     <input type="radio" name="show-hide-{{ uuid }}" id="show-{{ uuid }}" class="toggle-control" checked>
-    <blockquote class="content toggle-content hidden">{{ trimmed | to_markdown | safe }}
+    <blockquote class="content toggle-content hidden"><span dir="auto">{{ trimmed | to_markdown | safe }}</span>
         <label class="button is-small" for="hide-{{ uuid }}"><div role="button" tabindex="0">show more</div></label>
     </blockquote>
 </div>
 <div>
     <input type="radio" name="show-hide-{{ uuid }}" id="hide-{{ uuid }}" class="toggle-control">
-    <blockquote class="content toggle-content hidden">{{ full | to_markdown | safe }}
+    <blockquote class="content toggle-content hidden"><span dir="auto">{{ full | to_markdown | safe }}</span>
         <label class="button is-small" for="show-{{ uuid }}"><div role="button" tabindex="0">show less</div></label>
     </blockquote>
 </div>
 {% else %}
-<blockquote class="content">{{ full | to_markdown | safe }}</blockquote>
+<blockquote class="content"><span dir="auto">{{ full | to_markdown | safe }}</span></blockquote>
 {% endif %}
 {% endwith %}