books

173d

America says goodbye to the mass-market paperback

america-says-goodbye-paperback

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173d

<p>I recently read "Lunar New Year Love Story" by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham. I'd picked it up as a good February read and then was quite surprised by all its twists and turns. What surprised me most, though, was how <a href="/tags/catholicism/" rel="tag">#Catholicism</a> was depicted. I don't think I've ever seen such a realistic, well-rounded portrayal in fiction. I know people like all of these. I feel like the creators knew their material intimately. Very impressed.</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/catholic/" rel="tag">#Catholic</a> <a href="/tags/lunarnewyear/" rel="tag">#LunarNewYear</a> <a href="/tags/graphicnovel/" rel="tag">#GraphicNovel</a> <a href="/tags/tet/" rel="tag">#tet</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

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153d

<p>New Project Explores the Craft of Writing in the Medieval Nordic World</p><p>A major Nordic research effort is taking a fresh look at the earliest written culture in medieval Finland—by studying not only what documents say, but what they are made of.</p><p><a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2026/03/new-project-explores-the-craft-of-writing-in-the-medieval-nordic-world/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.medievalists.net/2026/03/new-project-explores-the-craft-of-writing-in-the-medieval-nordic-world/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.medievalists.net/2026/03/n</span><span class="invisible">ew-project-explores-the-craft-of-writing-in-the-medieval-nordic-world/</span></a></p><p>Paleography at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=paleography" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=paleography"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje</span><span class="invisible">cts/search/?query=paleography</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/paleography/" rel="tag">#paleography</a> <a href="/tags/old_manuscripts/" rel="tag">#old_manuscripts</a></p>

Greek minuscule, 15th-century manuscript of Aristotle

Anonymous - Reproduction in: Franz Steffens, Proben aus grieschischen Handschriften und Urkunden, (Trier: Schaar und Dathe, 1912).

The page exemplifies Byzantine minuscule — the cursive, compact Greek script that developed from the 9th century onward and became the dominant manuscript hand of the medieval Greek-speaking world.

The most visually striking element is the large ornamental "A" (Alpha) in the upper left — an elaborate headpiece initial decorated with interlacing scrollwork, floral motifs, and foliate patterns in a style characteristic of late Byzantine manuscript illumination.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeography#/media/File:Greek_manuscript_minuscule_Aristotle.png

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1y

<p>📖 <img src="https://eggplant.place/media/emoji/qoto.org/youtube.png" class="emoji" alt=":youtube:" title=":youtube:"> **The ONE Thing All Great Authors Share (It's Not What You Think**</p><p><a href="/tags/video/" rel="tag">#Video</a> length: thirty-eight minutes and thirty-six seconds. </p><p>🔗 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDYqyhILfsE" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDYqyhILfsE"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDYqyh</span><span class="invisible">ILfsE</span></a>. </p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> @bookstodon</p>

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145d

<p>Books on My Spring 2026 To-Read List: <a href="https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-spring-2026-to-read-list/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-on-my-spring-2026-to-read-list/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesda</span><span class="invisible">y-books-on-my-spring-2026-to-read-list/</span></a> </p><p><a href="/tags/toptentuesday/" rel="tag">#TopTenTuesday</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/nonfiction/" rel="tag">#Nonfiction</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#Fiction</a> </p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

Book cover for Phases: a Memoir by Brandy Norwood. Image on cover is a close-up photo of her face as she wears a blue silk garment and gazes thoughtfully off into the distance.

Book cover for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Image on cover shows a train travelling along a train track next to a field of wheat. The image is warped, though, and has an unnatural bend to it.

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1y

<p>My latest read: "A Bleak Remedy" by DS LaLonde - See my Goodreads review for details but if you're looking for a meaty horror novel with a fresh take on vampires, this one's sure to satisfy!</p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7815169569" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.goodreads.com/review/show/7815169569"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.goodreads.com/review/show/</span><span class="invisible">7815169569</span></a></p><p>@bookstodon @specfic @scifi @horrorbooks </p><p><a href="/tags/specfic/" rel="tag">#specfic</a> <a href="/tags/scifi/" rel="tag">#scifi</a> <a href="/tags/horror/" rel="tag">#horror</a> <a href="/tags/vampire/" rel="tag">#vampire</a> <a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#book</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#bookreview</a> <a href="/tags/booksreviews/" rel="tag">#booksreviews</a> <a href="/tags/bookrec/" rel="tag">#bookrec</a> <a href="/tags/bookrecs/" rel="tag">#bookrecs</a> <a href="/tags/booksofmastodon/" rel="tag">#booksofmastodon</a> <a href="/tags/readersofmastodon/" rel="tag">#readersofmastodon</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/readingcommunity/" rel="tag">#readingcommunity</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/booktodon/" rel="tag">#booktodon</a> <a href="/tags/vampires/" rel="tag">#vampires</a></p>

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177d

<p>"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced."</p><p>James Baldwin, ‘As Much Truth<br>as One Can Bear’, 1962"</p><p>Source:<br>Planet on Fire.<br>A Manifesto for the Age of Environmental Breakdown</p><p><a href="/tags/quotes/" rel="tag">#quotes</a> <br><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <br><a href="/tags/nonficiton/" rel="tag">#nonficiton</a> <br><a href="/tags/climatechange/" rel="tag">#ClimateChange</a></p>

A radical manifesto for how to deal with environmental breakdownIn the age of environmental breakdown, breakdown, the political status quo has no answer to the devastating and inequitably distributed consequences of the climate emergency. We urgently need an alternative to bring about the rapid transformation of our social and economic systems. As we rebuild our lives in the wake of Covid-19 and face the challenges of ecological disaster, how can the left win a world fit for life? Planet on Fire is an urgent manifesto for a fundamental reimagining of the global economy. It offers a clear and practical road map for a future that is democratic and sustainable by design. Laurie Laybourn-Langton and Mathew Lawrence argue that it is not enough merely to spend our way out of the crisis; we must also rapidly reshape the economy to create a new way of life that can foster a healthy and flourishing environment for all. Planet on Fire offers a detailed and achievable manifesto for a new politics capable of tackling environmental breakdown.

Edited 177d ago

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176d

<p>How Medieval Women Expressed Their ‘Forbidden’ Emotions</p><p>Upper-class women used letters and embroidery to reflect on their inner lives</p><p>by Pragya Agarwal (from the archives)</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-medieval-women-expressed-their-forbidden-emotions-180983953/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-medieval-women-expressed-their-forbidden-emotions-180983953/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smithsonianmag.com/history</span><span class="invisible">/how-medieval-women-expressed-their-forbidden-emotions-180983953/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550</span></a></p><p>Medieval women at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=medieval+women" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=medieval+women"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=medieval+women</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/womeninart/" rel="tag">#womeninart</a></p>

Marie de France, from an illuminated manuscript now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France: BnF, Arsenal Library, Ms. 3142 fol. 256.

A woman is depicted standing and leaning slightly forward over an open book resting on an elegant white lectern with a decorative pedestal base. She wears a flowing pale cream or white robe that pools softly at her feet, with blue sleeves visible beneath, and a white veil or wimple covering her hair. Her face small, calm features with a downward gaze directed at the page. One hand reaches toward the open book as if reading or writing. The lectern stands on a terracotta-red bench or platform. Behind her, a trefoil arch frames the scene.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_de_France#/media/File:Marie_de_France_1.tif

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138d

<p>Ebook and paperback: <a href="https://books2read.com/TymeDarkMoon" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>books2read.com/TymeDarkMoon</a></p><p>On a world long thought to have no moon, its sudden appearance inspires wonder and terror. Hasty research links the full moon and catastrophe, revealing the existence of the so-called ‘Harbingers of Doom’, creatures from the moon that harvest souls. Can everyone survive or will they become part of the dark harvest?</p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span><br><a href="/tags/author/" rel="tag">#author</a> <a href="/tags/indieauthor/" rel="tag">#indieauthor</a> <a href="/tags/writing/" rel="tag">#writing</a> <a href="/tags/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/scifi/" rel="tag">#scifi</a> <a href="/tags/sciencefiction/" rel="tag">#sciencefiction</a> <a href="/tags/sff/" rel="tag">#sff</a> <a href="/tags/sciencefantasy/" rel="tag">#sciencefantasy</a> <a href="/tags/scifi/" rel="tag">#scifi</a> <a href="/tags/actionadventure/" rel="tag">#actionadventure</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#fiction</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

(Left) The cover of dark moon, by Owen Tyme, illustrated by Ryan Johnson.

In the foreground, a redheaded witch and a dark haired wizard fight back to back, holding some rather large pistols. The witch is in a black dress and the wizard is in a black robe with golden decorations. Both looked a bit purple, due to the lighting. The witch's hair blows on the wind and she wears a necklace of bone beads.

Behind them, there's dust, mist and fog lit by twilight as a moon rises, framing their heads. Objects that look like shooting stars fall from the moon and there's a few visible impacts.

(Right) A white moon, on a background of the stars of space, with the following quote over the top of it:

“Idiot! You’ve likely killed us both, leaving us stuck out in the open like this.”

“We’ve got incoming. I know you’re angry and I suppose you’ve got every right to be, but we need to defend ourselves.”

“ ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’, for now, and then we decide what to do about the conflict between us.”

(Bottom) https://books2read.com/TymeDarkMoon

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181d

<p>My latest read was The Vegetarian by Han Kang. It is surreal. It is confronting. It is harrowing. </p><p>It is always tricky to engage with a novel that itself so clearly engages with a different society and its problems (in this case, misogyny in South Korea), but I felt the writing was very well maintained in translation. The novel certainly packed a punch in English. </p><p><a href="/tags/feminism/" rel="tag">#feminism</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> </p><p>Full <a href="/tags/review/" rel="tag">#review</a> on the <a href="/tags/blog/" rel="tag">#blog</a> here: <a href="https://write.as/the-casual-critic/the-vegetarian-becoming-ungovernable" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="write.as/the-casual-critic/the-vegetarian-becoming-ungovernable"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">write.as/the-casual-critic/the</span><span class="invisible">-vegetarian-becoming-ungovernable</span></a></p>

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153d

<p>Ebook and print: <a href="https://books2read.com/SheHuntsDemons" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>books2read.com/SheHuntsDemons</a></p><p>She’s small and cute, but this half-demon New Yorker lives to exterminate demons, because they murdered her parents. The demonic curse preventing her from saying anything but “it’s a secret” only fuels her desire for revenge.</p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span><br><a href="/tags/indieauthor/" rel="tag">#indieauthor</a> <a href="/tags/writing/" rel="tag">#writing</a> <a href="/tags/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/actionadventure/" rel="tag">#actionadventure</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#fiction</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

(Left) The cover of She Hunts Demons, by Owen Tyme, illustrated by Ryan Johnson.

Sitting on the roof of a building in New York City is a teenage girl wearing an old, black dress, fingerless, elbow-length black gloves and a battered, black top hat, with a blue rose attached to the band. The tearing of her clothes hints that she's recently been in a fight. Her hair is short, but messy. Her eyes are blue.

In her hands is a wakizashi, a short sword of Japanese design. The tsuba, or hilt guard, is in the shape of an opening, blue rose. The blade shines blue.

The image is black and white, aside from the details in blue, hinting at film-noir influences in the art.

(Right) An image of a dog with glowing, red eyes, with the following text laid over it:

“Will we ever be safe again?”

“Your people call you traitor, as do mine. Hunted by Heaven and Hell alike, there’s nowhere we could turn for peace.”

“Will our daughter ever know peace?”

“I pray she will.”

(Bottom) https://books2read.com/SheHuntsDemons

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174d

<p>"When Zarathustra was thirty years old, he left his home and the lake of his home, and went into the mountains. There he enjoyed his spirit and solitude, and for ten years did not weary of it."<br>Opening lines</p><p>How Nietzsche’s Zarathustra Redefined Morality & Revolutionized Philosophy</p><p>by Viktoriya Sus</p><p><a href="https://www.thecollector.com/nietzsche-thus-spoke-zarathustra-work-philosophy/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.thecollector.com/nietzsche-thus-spoke-zarathustra-work-philosophy/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.thecollector.com/nietzsche</span><span class="invisible">-thus-spoke-zarathustra-work-philosophy/</span></a></p><p>Zarathustra at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Zarathustra" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Zarathustra"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=Zarathustra</span></a>+</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a></p>

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich, 1818.

The hiker stands as a back figure in the center of the composition. He looks down on an almost impenetrable sea of fog in the midst of a rocky landscape - a metaphor for life as an ominous journey into the unknown.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanderer_above_the_Sea_of_Fog#/media/File:Caspar_David_Friedrich_-_Wanderer_above_the_Sea_of_Fog.jpeg

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1y

<p>William Merritt Chase, the Accidental Ally</p><p>Painter William Merritt Chase opened an art school for a new generation of women, teaching them how to draw as well as how to advocate for themselves.</p><p>By: Anne Halsey </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/william-merritt-chase-the-accidental-ally/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-08072025" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/william-merritt-chase-the-accidental-ally/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-08072025"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/william-merrit</span><span class="invisible">t-chase-the-accidental-ally/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-08072025</span></a></p><p>About William Merritt Chase at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=William+Merritt+Chase" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=William+Merritt+Chase"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=William+Merritt+Chase</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#Art</a> <a href="/tags/painting/" rel="tag">#painting</a> <a href="/tags/womeninart/" rel="tag">#womeninart</a></p>

American artist and teacher William Merritt Chase (standing, center) and students visiting the Stedelijk Museum van Schilderijen en Oudheden (the location of the Frans Hals Museum from 1913 onward) in Haarlem, Netherlands during a trip to Europe.

Eugene Paul Ullman stands in the back row, third from right. Another student identified in the photograph is Richard Tweedy, seated on floor, fourth from left. Print is mounted on heavy card.

https://digital.archives.newschool.edu/index.php/Detail/objects/KA0042_000006

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1y

<p>An Introduction to Aleister Crowley, History’s Most Infamous Occultist</p><p><a href="https://www.openculture.com/2025/07/an-introduction-to-aleister-crowley-historys-most-infamous-occultist.html" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.openculture.com/2025/07/an-introduction-to-aleister-crowley-historys-most-infamous-occultist.html"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.openculture.com/2025/07/an</span><span class="invisible">-introduction-to-aleister-crowley-historys-most-infamous-occultist.html</span></a></p><p>Books by Aleister Crowley at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Aleister+Crowley" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Aleister+Crowley"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=Aleister+Crowley</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/occult/" rel="tag">#occult</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

Aleister Crowley as Magus, Liber ABA.

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1y

Should I read the Tempest?

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1y

Recommendation The Alienist

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174d

<p>This Week in Literary History: The Gutenberg Bible is Published.</p><p>“Previously, manuscripts had to be printed and copied laboriously, by hand, making them rare objects for the wealthy and important.”</p><p><a href="https://lithub.com/this-week-in-literary-history-the-gutenberg-bible-is-published/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lithub.com/this-week-in-literary-history-the-gutenberg-bible-is-published/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lithub.com/this-week-in-litera</span><span class="invisible">ry-history-the-gutenberg-bible-is-published/</span></a></p><p>"Gutenberg, and the Art of Printing" at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51358" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51358</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/printing/" rel="tag">#printing</a></p>

Gutenberg Bible. The book is open.

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175d

<p>Elizabeth Cady Stanton Is Known as the Woman Behind the Suffrage Movement. A New Book Reveals the Story Behind Her Tenacity</p><p>Her role as a historic hero or villain depends on the movement in question, but looking at her as a mother and daughter adds depth to her legend</p><p>by Lucia Graves</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/elizabeth-cady-stanton-known-woman-behind-suffrage-movement-new-book-reveals-tenacity-180988092/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smithsonianmag.com/history/elizabeth-cady-stanton-known-woman-behind-suffrage-movement-new-book-reveals-tenacity-180988092/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smithsonianmag.com/history</span><span class="invisible">/elizabeth-cady-stanton-known-woman-behind-suffrage-movement-new-book-reveals-tenacity-180988092/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550</span></a></p><p>Elizabeth Stanton at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3186" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3186"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/3186</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/feminism/" rel="tag">#feminism</a></p>

Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)

A sepia-toned portrait photograph of Elizabeth Stanton seated and turned slightly to one side. She has a full head of white curly hair, cropped close to the head, with a small dark cap or ornament perched at the top. A long dark lace veil falls from the cap over her shoulder and drapes across her lap. She wears a dark dress with a lighter collar or chemise visible at the neckline, and a long string of dark beads around her neck. Her hands rest quietly in her lap, one slightly over the other. Her expression is composed and direct, with a calm, self-possessed dignity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Cady_Stanton#/media/File:Elizabeth_Stanton.jpg

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1y

<p>Kate Beaton is a comic artist who had a semi-regular web series called Hark! A Vagrant! (<a href="http://www.harkavagrant.com/" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">http://</span>www.harkavagrant.com/</a>). She's ended the series, but her archives are a wonderful backlog of her poking fun at history.</p><p>Her spins on the Brontës and Austen never fail to amuse me. </p><p><a href="/tags/amreading/" rel="tag">#AmReading</a> <a href="/tags/amwriting/" rel="tag">#AmWriting</a> @bookstodon <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <br><a href="/tags/writingcommunity/" rel="tag">#WritingCommunity</a> <a href="/tags/readingcommunity/" rel="tag">#ReadingCommunity</a> <a href="/tags/emilybronte/" rel="tag">#EmilyBronte</a> <a href="/tags/charlottebronte/" rel="tag">#CharlotteBronte</a> <a href="/tags/annebronte/" rel="tag">#AnneBronte</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> @romancelandia</p>

Black and white comic of the Brontës man watching on the moors.

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175d

<p>Explore the Medieval Maps of the Ryukyu Kingdom Online</p><p>The University of Tokyo has made the Ryukyu Kuniezu available through a high-resolution digital viewer, allowing anyone to explore these vast charts in remarkable detail—right down to individual place names and fine cartographic features.</p><p><a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2026/02/medieval-maps-ryukyu-kingdom/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.medievalists.net/2026/02/medieval-maps-ryukyu-kingdom/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.medievalists.net/2026/02/m</span><span class="invisible">edieval-maps-ryukyu-kingdom/</span></a></p><p>Cartography at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=cartography" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=cartography"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=cartography</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/cartography/" rel="tag">#cartography</a></p>

Location map of the Ryukyu islands (Nansei islands).

The island groups are labeled from northeast to southwest: Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, Daitō (positioned to the east, isolated in open ocean), Miyako, Senkaku, and Yaeyama. Japan's southwestern coastline appears in the upper right corner, and Taiwan's distinctive elongated form occupies the lower left, with its central mountain spine rendered in yellow-brown relief. The Chinese coastline is partially visible along the far left edge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyu_Islands#/media/File:Location_of_the_Ryukyu_Islands.JPG

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173d

<p>‘The tale of Genji’<br>A beautifully wrought, truncated version of the world’s first novel.</p><p>“The Tale of Genji,” one of the foundational works of Japanese literature, was written 1,000 years ago and is more than 1,000 pages long. Penned over the course of a decade or so by Murasaki Shikibu, it is widely considered the world’s first novel. It’s also a landmark of women’s world literature.</p><p>by Neely Tucker</p><p><a href="https://lcm.loc.gov/issue/january-february-2026/the-tale-of-genji/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lcm.loc.gov/issue/january-february-2026/the-tale-of-genji/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lcm.loc.gov/issue/january-febr</span><span class="invisible">uary-2026/the-tale-of-genji/</span></a></p><p>The tale of Genji at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66057" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66057</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Fragment of an emaki from the 12th century Genji Monogatari. H 21.8 x W 23.4cm. Paper decorated with gold. The author of the painting belonged to the upper court during the Heian period; it would be Fujiwara Takashino or Takayoshi (藤原隆能,? 1126 -1174?).

The text is written in hiragana in the sōgana (草仮名) cursive style — an extremely fluid, abbreviated form that was considered the height of aristocratic elegance at the Heian court. It was known as onnade (女手, "women's hand"), the feminine script associated with court literature, as opposed to the more formal Chinese-derived kanji used in official documents by men.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Genji#/media/File:Genji_emaki_01003_002.jpg

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173d

<p>"<a href="/tags/theelementsofpower/" rel="tag">#TheElementsOfPower</a>: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth," a new book by journalist <a href="/tags/nicolasniarchos/" rel="tag">#NicolasNiarchos</a>, paints a semi-apocalyptic vision of that <a href="/tags/cobalt/" rel="tag">#cobalt</a>’s origins: corrupt bargains between politicians and foreign companies, displacement and environmental destruction, cave-ins that bury miners alive." </p><p><a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/elements-power-nicolas-niarchos-cobalt-exploitation/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lareviewofbooks.org/article/elements-power-nicolas-niarchos-cobalt-exploitation/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lareviewofbooks.org/article/el</span><span class="invisible">ements-power-nicolas-niarchos-cobalt-exploitation/</span></a> <br><a href="/tags/tech/" rel="tag">#tech</a> <a href="/tags/congo/" rel="tag">#Congo</a> <a href="/tags/drc/" rel="tag">#DRC</a> <a href="/tags/mining/" rel="tag">#mining</a> <a href="/tags/cobaltmining/" rel="tag">#cobaltMining</a> <a href="/tags/artisanalmining/" rel="tag">#artisanalMining</a> <a href="/tags/ecocide/" rel="tag">#ecocide</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

Assaults and Batteries

Nicolas Niarchos digs up the hidden costs behind your rechargeables.

image: coverg of Niarchos's new book, "The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth"

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1y

<p>Both the first and second book of the Desolation saga will be available on my new Kickstarter, at a discount. Jump on in to the series critics are calling: "exciting and multifaceted", "Fun, thrilling and sharp" & "imaginative and fast-paced".<br><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dharrigon/desolation-keep-your-imaginary-friends-close" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.kickstarter.com/projects/dharrigon/desolation-keep-your-imaginary-friends-close"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.kickstarter.com/projects/d</span><span class="invisible">harrigon/desolation-keep-your-imaginary-friends-close</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/booksky/" rel="tag">#booksky</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/amreading/" rel="tag">#AmReading</a></p>

The covers of the Desolation series are stark black with slightly different shades of high contrast orange for the single, stylised image, and writing.

Edited 1y ago

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1y

<p>My favorite reads of 2025 (so far.)</p><p>Follow the authors:<br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@aptshadow" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>aptshadow</span></a></span> <br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.online/@garethlpowell" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>garethlpowell</span></a></span> <br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.world/@DSLaLonde" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>DSLaLonde</span></a></span> <br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mstdn.ca/@stevestred" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>stevestred</span></a></span> </p><p>See my reviews:<br><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/71384024-michael-shotter" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.goodreads.com/review/list/71384024-michael-shotter"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.goodreads.com/review/list/</span><span class="invisible">71384024-michael-shotter</span></a></p><p>@bookstodon @specfic @scifi @horrorbooks </p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/bookrec/" rel="tag">#bookrec</a> <a href="/tags/bookrecs/" rel="tag">#bookrecs</a> <a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#bookreview</a> <a href="/tags/bookreviews/" rel="tag">#bookreviews</a> <a href="/tags/whattoread/" rel="tag">#whattoread</a> <a href="/tags/booksofmastodon/" rel="tag">#booksofmastodon</a> <a href="/tags/readersofmastodon/" rel="tag">#readersofmastodon</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/booktodon/" rel="tag">#booktodon</a> <a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#book</a> <a href="/tags/specfic/" rel="tag">#specfic</a> <a href="/tags/scifi/" rel="tag">#scifi</a> <a href="/tags/horror/" rel="tag">#horror</a> <a href="/tags/speculativefiction/" rel="tag">#speculativefiction</a></p>

Michael Shotter's favorite reads of 2025 (so far.) See Goodreads link in post for details.

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1y

<p>How Charlotte Brontë’s Shyness Helped Make Her a Storyteller</p><p>Graham Watson Explores the Influence of Friendship and Community on the Author of "Jane Eyre"</p><p><a href="https://lithub.com/how-charlotte-brontes-shyness-helped-make-her-a-storyteller?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=01K2CED7J9W60YZV9A42BS1BPC&_kx=3MZUehzXM-41qlWAMPUiuNZadX2p0SByuNf_t0eMLB0.U5D8ER" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lithub.com/how-charlotte-brontes-shyness-helped-make-her-a-storyteller?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=01K2CED7J9W60YZV9A42BS1BPC&_kx=3MZUehzXM-41qlWAMPUiuNZadX2p0SByuNf_t0eMLB0.U5D8ER"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lithub.com/how-charlotte-bront</span><span class="invisible">es-shyness-helped-make-her-a-storyteller?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=01K2CED7J9W60YZV9A42BS1BPC&_kx=3MZUehzXM-41qlWAMPUiuNZadX2p0SByuNf_t0eMLB0.U5D8ER</span></a></p><p>Charlotte Brontë at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/408" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/408"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/408</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

An idealised posthumous portrait of Charlotte Brontë by Duyckinick, 1873, based on a drawing by George Richmond.

The image is a bust-length portrait, showing Charlotte Brontë turned slightly to one side, her gaze directed thoughtfully into the distance. Her features are softened and regularised — large, luminous eyes, a delicate nose, and a small, composed mouth.

Her hair is parted in the centre, drawn back smoothly and arranged in modest waves or coils. She is dressed in a dark gown with a white collar or fichu, rendered with simple elegance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Bront%C3%AB#/media/File:Charlotte_Bront%C3%AB.jpg

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