this isn’t the first time I’ve tried to get into a Pratchett book. despite EVERYTHING indicating that I would adore his style and the Discworlds in general, I have never managed to get past the first 1/3 of any of his novels. oh wait, that’s a lie – I loved Maurice and his Rodents. but that’s the only one so far. sigh. maybe I’m just starting with the wrong books?
In Iceland, books are exchanged on Christmas Eve, and you spend the rest of the night reading. People generally take their books to bed along with some chocolate. How cozy and wonderful does that sound?
(More fun facts: Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country, and new books are typically published only during the Christmas season—the frenzy is called Jólabókaflóð, or the Christmas Book Flood.)
Not only do I feel an intense connection with my earlier, often more vulnerable and intensely curious self, I also feel that I’ve been given access to a pure form of the complications involved with being young, now filtered through the compassion, perceptions (and barnacles) of my older self.
Look Homeward, Reader – Meg Wolitzer
a very good summary of why I still love YA books. they connect me to a time when I didn’t understand but wanted to, and I understand better now, so there’s a significant emotional connection to a simpler time.
I did it. I bought Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West for my Kindle
The New Yorker Stories You Should Read Before the Paywall Goes Up
The New Yorker Stories You Should Read Before the Paywall Goes Up
Yesterday, The New Yorker made all of its magazine pieces since 2007 freely available online for three months. After that time, everything will go behind a metered paywall, along the lines of what the New York Times has in place. So what should you read during this three-month free-for-all? We canvassed Slate staff for their favorite New Yorker articles, essays, profiles, and fiction from 2007 to the present. Our annotated list of 30 stories, divided semi-arbitrarily into seven categories, is below. Perhaps once you’ve gotten through these, you’ll decide to shell out for a subscription and enjoy unlimited access even after this grace period is over.Well, ask for long form articles and ye shall receive!
time for a new book. everybody vote
you can pick one you’ve recommended to me before or that I already have on my Goodreads too
okay readerfriends, please to recommend me your top three books by POC in any of my genres. I just saw someone’s FB favorite authors with portraits and they were all old white men and I cringed.
my genres are:
- humorous and/or epic scifi – examples, The Icarus Hunt, Hyperion, The Android’s Dream, The Alien Chronicles
- urban fantasy, but very specifically: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (and sequels), or Good Omens
- YA fantasy, but pretty specifically: Graceling series
- science and technology non-fiction
- erotica – literary, lgbt-friendly, preferring hopeful endings to “everything goes to shit”
- myths, folktales, and fairy tales
- alternative/magical history, a la Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
that would be very appreciated – I’m attempting to broaden my library of perspectives! thanks!!
My suggestions for you
- Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor. YA fantasy; works with myths; fantastic world building.
- Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. Adult fantasy, lots of myths/folktales, similar to Neil Gaiman (American Gods especially). Please read this and love it so I can share it with someone.
- Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier. Author isn’t POC, but the MC is biracial and I think you would enjoy this.
- Adaptation by Malinda Lo. I haven’t personally read this one, but it’s YA, sci-fi, LGBT, written by a POC
- Legend by Marie Lu. Another I haven’t read, but want to. YA Sci-fi dystopia (also, Anna gave it 4 stars)
- Rags and Bones, edited by Melissa Marr. Not 100% POC (but some authors in it are), I just remembered that you would probably like this and I never told you about it. Retellings of fairy tales.
Also, check out Diversity in YA!
these all look fantastic – thank you!!! (quite excited for GGRW.)