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What's a popular/well-regarded book you DNFed? For me it was Brave New World and The Handmaid's Tale.

#not dnf but I wish I dnfed the priory of the orange tree #that book was like 700 pages. I could have saved so much time if I wasn’t so interested in finishing a book with a nice cover

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This will be my post for getting my TBR back down.

January reads: 675 -> 676 (read one book on the TBR, added two more)

#talk

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this is so very late, but my reading list for January:

The Little Book of String Theory by Steven S. Gubser. 4 stars, definitely would read again. I’m not sure how accessible it is to someone who have very little experience with physics but I think it’s a good introduction! Definitely take your time, though, it can sometimes be a bit dense (in that it’s a lot of new information that’s not intuitive).

The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren. Currently stands 4 stars. I read a bit past the first three volumes (three are currently published, everything else I’ve just read online). Tell me why I thought this was already finished. It is a really interesting story so far about our main character and the being that inhabits his friend Hikaru. I also find the take on this “being” to be more unique than other stories I’ve read, since “Hikaru” doesn’t even fully know what he is. It’s great, will try to keep up with the volume releases.

The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli. 3.5 stars. I’ve read another one of his books in the past and enjoyed it. This book was kind of hit/miss with me. I enjoyed the meditations on death/grief and the meaning of time as something more philosophical, but outside of those sections, I found myself bored with the content. I think that’s more of a me problem though.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. 2.5 stars but I might downgrade to 2 stars. I really thought I’d enjoy this because I love thickass books and high fantasy but I just didn’t care + had quite a lot issues with the way the book, world and plot was constructed. So if someone did genuinely enjoy this. Why.

So that was three books (one fantasy, two nonfiction), and three volumes of manga.

#reading list #bookblr

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maybe this is my sign to stop reading sff by white authors

#they’re all just. lacking something. #I feel a bit bad for generalizing but ig what I want to say is that like #anyone can be capable of providing and thorough look at something. so I don’t believe white authors are inherently incapable of telling a #story that tackles subjects of imperialism or race well #I believe that’s very possible #these authors are just not quite getting there #tbf two of these authors I read older books from them #so maybe I should give them another shot #but jeez the emotional disconnect I have. the hyperactive brain. #should also clarify these are all stories that are certainly trying to tackle imperialism/etc #which once again. I can appreciate. and certainly it can be done well #these books are probably great primer fiction on it as well #but like. I’ve been spoiled by theory. it’s hashtag not enough #also one of my most influential fantasies was lotr which like. does not handle either topic well but the world was so incredibly immersive #…that might actually be the issue. the worlds don’t feel immersive enough to me without using parts of the real world as substitutes #and once that happens the foundation becomes shoddy #hold on this is. this is actually probably it.

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And, importantly, share some recs!

#poetry: kaveh akbar and hanif abdurraqib are my favorites rn #polls

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i specify that poems that cross your dashboard without you seeking them out don't count because i'm interested in seeing who ACTIVELY seeks to read poetry, not who incidentally reads it. i get the feeling that it's mostly poets (and students?) who read poetry. any clarification in the tags would be appreciated.

#polls #honestly I read poetry when I remember that there’s poetry I want to read so it’s a bit on and off for me #the last piece of poetry I read was technically Beowulf but if you don’t count that it’s been about a year

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random rec list :)

These are various things that I have enjoyed a lot over the years. Check under the cut for more thorough notes/warnings, because some of these are really built for specific audiences. Linked to book titles is the storygraph page, where you can also find TWs. Link to poetry are the poems themselves.

books

House of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski

Piranesi, Susanna Clarke

The Trial, Franz Kafka. (I don't have access to my copy anymore, so I don't know the translator of my edition, unfortunately)

The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky. I have read both the Pevear & Volokhonsky translation and the David McDuff translation. Don't have a preference between the two, I think.

An Iliad, Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare.

Beloved, Toni Morrison

poetry

If You Call a Wolf a Wolf, Kaveh Akbar

Hanif Abdurraqib's writing, particularly They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us and A Little Devil in America.

"Miss You. Would like to take a walk with you." Gabrielle Calvocoressi

"I Didn't Apologize to the Well," Mahmoud Darwish, tr. Fady Joudah

"Angels," Russell Edson

"On the Death of Friends in Childhood," Donald Justice

"Chou Nu Er: Composed on Wall at Mount Bo on Way," 辛弃疾 Xin Qiji, tr. unknown.

Poem 66 in Hidden Music, Rumi, tr. Maryam Mafi and Azima Melita Kolin.

manga/comics/etc.

The following works by Nihei Tsutomu: BLAME!, NOiSE, Abara, Biomega, tr. include: Melissa Tanaka, Stephen Paul, Sheldon Drzka, John Werry.

Mushishi, Urushibara Yuki, tr. William Flanagan

Witch Hat Atelier, Shirahama Kamome, tr. Stephen Kohler

Uzumaki, Ito Junji, tr. Yuji Oniki

Mob Psycho 100, ONE, tr. Kumar Sivasubramanian (might not be the only translator, but I'm not looking through all the volumes)

shows/movies + one podcast:

Revolutionary Girl Utena, dir. Ikuhara Kunihiko

Angel's Egg, dir. Oshii Mamoru (in collaboration with Amano Yoshitaka)

Cowboy Bebop, dir. Watanabe Shinichiro

A Writer's Odyssey, dir. Lu Yang

Wolf 359, produced by Kinda Evil Genius Productions, LLC

notes on book selections: For HoL, TBK, and Beloved, I'd recommend checking out the trigger warnings. None of these books are especially light, and definitely with HoL, Piranesi and a bit with The Trial as well, you don't know a lot going on. So you have to be okay with putting in the effort to understand these stories and going along with the ride. The Trial was technically unfinished, so after a point, it's the chapters we have from Kafka and in kind of out of order.

notes on poetry: I know some people may not like Hanif Abdurraqib's style, but I personally adore it. I have not read all of his works either, but he is a very solid poet and writer for me.

notes on manga and such: The thing you have to understand about Nihei's works (those that are listed) is that there aren't clear answers for a lot. Especially BLAME!, where there's very minimal dialogue. You won't understand everything on the first on the first read for BLAME! and that's good! NOiSE also doesn't answer a lot and Abara, for some, may seem like it ends on a cliffhanger. Biomega is the iffiest one here because the ending is really rushed. There was clearly meant to be more, but there just wasn't the space to take care of it before it had to end. In all his works listed, there is a lot of violence. WHA is in progress and I haven't caught up in ages, but it's a really solid story so far. Uzumaki is horror, so check out the warnings for that before going into it, if needed. MP100 is also pretty solid. Not without some faults, of course, but I greatly enjoy it and also have a fond spot for the REIGEN spinoff in my heart.

notes on shows and the rest: Ok. So. RGU. really look at the tws for this. The more comprehensive post I can't find, but this is a good summary. Definitely would not recommend it to everyone and there are aspects I am not a fan of (to say the least) but it is a very impactful story and means a lot. Angel's Egg is also not for everyone, but more so because it's a very silent movie and you will not get answers. It's a movie where you craft your own meaning and enjoy the experience. It can also feel very slow. Cowboy Bebop my beloved. That is all I will say. It can also feel slow to some people, but the ending. omg. A Writer's Odyssey may not be the most put together narrative-wise BUT I watched it when sick and fatigued out of my mind, so it takes a place here for being a movie I still remember pretty well. A father will do anything to find his daughter again, even if it means killing this random guy who only seems to be a novelist... except, isn't it strange how his story seems to impact reality as well? Wolf 359 is a podcast but MY GOD is it good. Listen to it. please.

#recs: #poetry #books

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Poem by Rumi, translated by Maryam Mafi and Azima Melita Kolin. alt ID included.

#recs: #poetry #dumping this here so i can link people to it later #if need be.

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use, and i cannot stress this enough, thriftbooks

#deleting my old tags cause turns out abebooks is owned by amazon :sob: #books

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This site is FANTASTIC if you’re looking for new books to add to your TBR.

#recs: #books #tr

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In translation, Hamlet has the potential to become a more politically-charged play, said Joubin. “In English language traditions, people tend to think it’s about procrastination,” she said. “In China, the play has been used as a platform to talk about sensitive topics of succession, of revolution, particularly [after the] Tiananmen Square massacre.”

She points to a 1989 translation and production of Hamlet by renowned Chinese theatre director Lin Zhaohua. In his production, three actors played the titular character. “Essentially, [it was] to say that ‘we are all Hamlet ’…  Every man is interchangeable,” she said. “It’s a very bleak view of history. No matter which side you are coming from, you [end up] as a victim of larger forces of history…”

“…Macbeth is a play that lends itself perhaps even more than Hamlet to be performed to the outrage of dictators,” said Manguel. “[During] the Perón dictatorship in Argentina, it was censored. Macbeth was performed in Tunisia very recently.”

#recs: #articles #tr

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the solution to the Mathematician's Lament is to teach calculus in early grade school if not kindergarten & i am being 100% unironic

#recs: #articles #tr

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thought some of you might be interested in this: here is an archive of sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and cult media magazines/publications/zines with over 500 different publications. the files are all CBR (archived comic book) format but there are a ton of free CBR readers available online such as CDisplay Ex (windows) and YACReader (mac) i hope you guys enjoy!!!

#recs: #book #tr

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The European Roma institute for arts and culture just released a 253 pages book on the romani resistance during World War II, written by a collective of European historians

It is available for free here

#recs: #books #tr

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#recs: #articles #tr

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"Prior to the 1500s there were no female artists."

Hahahahahahhaha.

Yeah, no, you want to go? LET’S GO.

Bourgot Le Noir • Nun Claricia • Diemoth (also called Diemud/Diemudis) • Agnes II Abbess of Quedlinburg • Anastasia • Claricia • Herrad of Landsberg • Ende • Guda • Abbess Hitda of Meschede • Hildegard of Bingen • Helena of Egypt, daughter of Timon of Egypt • Aristarete • Timarete • Alcisthene • Eirene • Anaxandra • Lala de Cizique • Iaia of Cyzicus • Frögärd Ulvsdotter i Ösby • Maria Ormani • Catherine of Bologna • the daughter of Butades (Kora/Callirhoe) • Lala • Sabrina von Steinbach • Kallo • Cirene, daughter of Kratinos • Calypso • Olympias • Amalasuntha • Laodicia • Herlindis of Maaseik • Relindis of Maaseik • Gisela of Kerzenbroeck • Zaynab al-Maqdisiyya • Fatimah Bint al'Aqra’ • unidentified prehistoric female artists, “Spotted Horses” mural • Onorata Rodiani • Mechthild of Hackeborn 

Also consider that there are a huge number of names missing - women did not always sign or receive credit for their work; earlier art may be pre- written language, may have been lost or destroyed, or may no longer be attributed by name.  Drawings of artists in ancient Greece in vase-making workshops, for instance, show both men and women painting designs.

The nature of white male academia and museum culture has also affected what we preserve and label, and even what we consider ‘valuable’ art, prioritizing the public (large murals and paintings) that Western women were socially not accepted to create over the private such as embroideries that were devalued and demoted to being ‘craft’ because of their associations with women.  Apologies for the primarily white and Western focus in this list, as biases in art historical documentation make it very difficult to properly identify by name pre-1500s female artists of color.

Here, have some essays:

Where Are Women in the History of Art?

Where Are All the Famous Women Artists?

Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?

The Feminist Critique of Art History

Invisible Women: Forgotten Artists of Florence

Examining the Exclusion of Women From Art Historical Documentation

Brushed Off: Women Artists and Their Fight for Recognition

Old Masters: Overlooked Woman Artists

Old Boys Club: What’s a Female Artist to Do?

The Medieval Feminist Art History Project

The Lack of Progress For Women in the Art World

A Woman’s Touch: Prehistoric Cave Paintings Were Made by Women as Well as Men, Scientists, Discover

#recs: #articles

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Anne Carson, H of H Playbook

#recs: #poetry