Wants to read The Seventh Function of Language
book
Wants to read Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World
Rated The Shutouts 8/10
<div>I got this book from Netgalley, not realizing it is set in the same world as an already existing book that I have not read (<em>Yours For The Taking</em>). Luckily, I don't think it is vital to have already read it to enjoy <em>The Shutouts</em>.<br><br>All of the characters here are interesting, even when they are making decisions that literally had me saying YIKES aloud. Set in the near-ish future, when all our climate change problems have somewhat passed the point of no return, each of these people are just trying to survive the best way that they can. The environmental concerns are very realistic, and I hope it makes readers give our potential impending disasters some thought. Even if we can mitigate damage, even if our future doesn't shake out exactly like this, it's going to be difficult nonetheless.</div><div><br></div>
Rated God Hates Astronauts, Vol. 1: The Head That Wouldn't Die! 4/10
This was not really for me, and is probably more for a person who gets more of the in-jokes of the comics, but there were still some funny parts. The sound effects were hilarious, and the art was certainly interesting... albeit definitely gross at times! (that's kind of the point though... Again, wasn't for me, but I see what they were doing.) Also, a fighting bear army? That's also funny. It's every plot that's gone off the rails, questionable decisions galore, and a feeling of "WTF did I just read?" at the end. You may like it better than I did.
Edited 28d ago
Rated The Suburban Swindle 6/10
It’s a slim volume, eight stories alone, but all are drenched in the smallest details — the way a bitter drink slides down throats, the texture of scars from old wounds, and the way the one’s environment turns otherworldly while under the influence.<br><br>I didn’t love every story — some seemed too lost in the details at the expense of plot — but I did appreciate the realness of each character. None are all that likeable, but I’ve certainly met people like them. They’re the screwed up men and women you see out in dive bars, scruffy and intense with one another, knowing the bartender by name. They smoke cheap cigarettes outside and talk blithely about their buddy’s most recent criminal troubles.<br><br><i>(Full review can be found at <a href="http://glorifiedloveletters.blogspot.com/2010/09/suburban-swindle-by-jackie-corley.html">Glorified Love Letters</a>.)</i>
Rated Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency 7/10
Added Dungeon Crawler Carl to Want to Read
Rated The Incendiaries 8/10
I liked this book a lot. I stayed up too late reading this both odd and true-feeling tale of the lengths to which people will go to feel whole again.
Rated There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America 9/10
<div>While this doesn't necessarily have the narrative art that reportage from, say, Patrick Radden Keefe might have (though, who can be him?), this is still an illuminating story of several families trying to navigate homelessness in Atlanta, despite not being counted as "officially" unhoused by many counts because of living doubled-up with family, in hotels, and other extended stay facilities that are not shelters. <br><br>Brian Goldstone does a good job of showing how you can do everything right and still get screwed over by our housing system. You can make one little mistake, and it will reverberate through your whole life in a way that is hardly proportional to the mistake. You can be doing your best, and still have the exhaustion, frustration, and anger affect other parts of your life. <br><br>People who have never experienced homelessness like to blame other people's choices or health for their situation, as though coming up with a "reason" will protect them. Goldstone demonstrates what many other studies have concluded — it is the state of being unhoused that often contributes to health problems (physical and mental) and drives people to make desperate choices in a system full of bad-to-worse prospects. He doesn't pass judgement on any of the families featured here, and it's important to remember while reading that, even if one individual makes a choice we might disagree with, that doesn't mean the individual (and their children) deserve sleeping on the street.<br><br>The truth is, we are all closer to this situation than we'd like to believe.<br><br>I have never been unhoused, but I still feel like I dodged a bullet by securing an apartment that is only allowed to raise its rent up to a certain percentage every year. My rent is still almost $400 more expensive per month than it was when we moved in a little over five years ago. And it's wild to feel LUCKY that it's only been that much. My very first apartment is now a "luxury condo" (that still doesn't provide you with your own parking space.) Somehow, in a state that with a $10/hr minimum wage, we have studio apartments renting for over $1000/month. Where exactly are people supposed to get this money, if landlords think they can charge whatever they want, and most bosses don't feel inclined to pay people what they are worth? And some assholes want to come along and tell renters, "Well, maybe you should make better choices." WHAT CHOICE, MFER?!<br><br>Anyway, much of the information in this book was not unknown to me, but I still learned several new bits of information. Such as: The apartments that can only raise it so much? The apartments that get government grants for "affordable" housing? Yeah, there are loopholes for switching to "market rate," especially when apartments are sold. My apartment was recently sold to an out of state company. Guess we'll see what happens when we renew our lease. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>
Added Because Internet Understanding the New Rules of Language to Currently Reading
Edited 34d ago
Wants to read Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
Finished reading Løping! : raskere og skadefri
Edited 30d ago
Rated The Iliad 10/10
remarkable - and it’s trite to say that the mark of great literature is that it always tells you something about the time you’re living in no matter when it’s from, but…reading about a culture where masculinity is the central value and it’s defined by whiny, belligerent men, fixated on pride, recognition, deference and control of women’s bodies, who don’t give a moment’s thought to whether these things are worth imposing suffering on others to secure? It hits, folks
Finished reading The Wicked and the Warped
Edited 16d ago
Rated Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory 4/10
Edited 1d ago
Rated Earthlings 7/10
<div>Interesting, but wtfffffffff</div>