When Krista Burton, creator of the blog Effing Dykes, saw that lesbian bars were on the decline, she got mad. “I spent my entire queer youth in queer and lesbian spaces, and to not have access to that would have changed my life entirely,” she says. Her book, "Moby Dyke," sees her visit the 21 remaining lesbian bars in America. Thrillist spoke to her about her trip and got tips for anyone attempting to replicate it.
📚 Finished reading Crooked Kingdom, which is the second book in the Six of Crows duology.
This book settled it! This one of my favorite fantasy series, perhaps ever. What an epic, action-packed conclusion to the journey of these flawed, yet lovable, rogues! If you're into fantasy and somehow haven't read this series yet, put it to the top of your reading list!
I'm such a late bloomer that I pre-ordered Dorree Shafrir's book on late bloomers, 'Thanks for Waiting,' and nearly two years after publication I still haven't even started it.
I usually only read one book at a time, but I had a whackload of holds come in at once so I'm now jumping between a rather bizarre combination of 4 books right now:
-This is How you Lose the Time War (El-Motar/Gladstone)
-Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
-The Ministry for the Future (Kim Stanley Robinson)
-Hope Matters (Elin Kelsey)
I had the first 2 "Murderbot Diaries" books (Martha Wells) also cycled in there but I devoured each of those (next ones are now in my library queue, really good!)
She bequeathed her collection of Egyptian antiquities and her library to University College London. Her dedication to this science earned her the nickname of "the Godmother of Egyptology". She also supported Somerville College Library having left many books, papers and watercolours.
Authors: This is what will happen in the future to the books you so meticulously crafted...
Real people did this.
Imagine what AI publishers will do. #books#authors#publishing
A friend suggested I should give the 40K Warhammer novels a shot.
And I did.
And there’s five pages of dramatis personae to start with and it drops you into interaction among a lot of those characters and I’m preeeeeety sure it’s more for someone with some — ANY — familiarity with the game and the universe. Because whoa, momma, my head was spinning.
I shelved that for now and instead started The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. So far it’s way more my speed.
Been meaning to start a reading thread, to log & celebrate the books I read. I can't forget to maintain it until I start, so...
Listened to Redemption's Blade by @aptshadow - another interesting rework of classic fantasy tropes from the mind that brought you the underappreciated Spiderlight. This story comes alive thanks to its interesting ensemble, my favourite being the shifty artefact hunters Cat & Fisher. Read if you want classic fantasy adventure with a thoughtful twist.
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett - Perfectly timed book club choice for holiday. Pratchett's writing is brilliant, & I always find something new in re-reads. This time, it was realising how unpleasant some of Granny's behaviour toward Magrat is, beautifully written but too far into not nice as a person. Still a great role model in other ways, & brilliantly crafted. Read if you want joy & humour in your life.
Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil - A stark analysis of the damage being done to society by trying to run things through algorithms & data, without thinking through the consequences. One of many books I've read recently drawing attention to the dangers of a techbro-dominated culture. Read if you're interested in tech or social inequality, or want more background to the AI kerfuffle.
Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson - Modern fantasy about witches in Hebden Bridge struggling with the aftermath of trauma & some epic government over-reach. I got 30% through thinking this was a light fantasy with characters painted too broadly for my tastes, then the point of the story kicked in & I was absolutely hooked. Read if you like fantasy to tackle big modern issues, or want the novelty of a Yorkshire setting.
Rest Is Resistance by Tricia Hersey - Non-fiction whose title pretty much makes its point. I love what it's getting across, about slowing down, not letting yourself buy into the capitalist grind. There were some points about race & capitalism I really needed explaining to me, but the book felt repetitive & vague. Read if you've got more patience for self-help than I do, but absolutely soak up the message of that title.
All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes - Historical horror set on an Antarctic expedition right after WW1, drawing deeply upon the traumas of that war & upon its central character's trans identity. I'd heard good things, but this book still blew me away. It's absolutely gripping, the characters fascinating, the atmosphere intense. Read if you have any taste at all for horror, or want to read more trans protagonists.
Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber - Dissects the malaise of modern work, cleverly deconstructs the systems surrounding us, explains why many find their jobs so miserable, & draws the unsurprising conclusion that capitalism is wasting a lot of our time. Graeber is convincing, but I was ready to be convinced. Read if you want some useful tools for discussing the modern economy, or you want to understand why you're stuck in a sucky job.
Pseudotooth by Verity Holloway - Fantasy that starts out as creeping unease in a modern setting, then shifts into something like a portal fantasy, while twisting those two strands together. It's an unusual story structure, with a well-written protagonist & an ending that caught me off guard in a good way, & if the whole didn't quite match its parts for me, they're fascinating parts. Read if you like interesting experiments with genre.
In the Kitchen: Essays on Food and Life, from Daunt Books (no editor credited, which seems weird) - A range of food writers explore what cuisine, kitchens, even specific appliances mean to them. Some of the essays are gentle autobiography & reflections on the joy of cooking & eating. Others are spikier, tackling issues of identity, race, gender, & class through the medium of food. Read if you want to think more deeply about what & how you eat.
I accidentally posted something under my 2022 #book thread but it's time to live in the future! So this is officially the beginning of my 2023 book thread!
Whether you should read this book depends on your immediate reaction to the phrase "dark academia queer southern gothic horror". Personally, I felt it started out slow, but built to a very satisfying climax.