books

288d

<p>The Americas’ oldest book is an intricate work of Maya astronomy</p><p>Created in the 11th or 12th century, the Códice Maya de México (the Maya Codex of Mexico) is the oldest of these works and the only one to predate the arrival of the conquistadors in the 16th century.</p><p><a href="https://aeon.co/videos/the-americas-oldest-book-is-an-intricate-work-of-maya-astronomy" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="aeon.co/videos/the-americas-oldest-book-is-an-intricate-work-of-maya-astronomy"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">aeon.co/videos/the-americas-ol</span><span class="invisible">dest-book-is-an-intricate-work-of-maya-astronomy</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/astronomy/" rel="tag">#astronomy</a></p>

Page 9 of the Grolier Codex, a supposedly pre-Columbian Maya screenfold book, the authenticity of which is disputed.

A standing deity figure dominates the page, facing left, highly stylized with elaborate headdress and glyphic adornment.

To the left margin is a column of Maya day-signs or numerals — a vertical series of repeating glyph blocks, likely used for calendrical or Venus-cycle notation.

The deity holds or is interacting with what appears to be a stone projectile or weapon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Codex_of_Mexico#/media/File:Grolier_Codex,_page_9.jpg

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288d

<p>Scary Books I’ve Recommended and Why: <a href="https://lydiaschoch.com/wednesday-weekly-blogging-challenge-scary-books-ive-recommended-and-why/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lydiaschoch.com/wednesday-weekly-blogging-challenge-scary-books-ive-recommended-and-why/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lydiaschoch.com/wednesday-week</span><span class="invisible">ly-blogging-challenge-scary-books-ive-recommended-and-why/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/wednesdayweeklybloggingchallenge/" rel="tag">#WednesdayWeeklyBloggingChallenge</a> <a href="/tags/halloween/" rel="tag">#Halloween</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>

Black and white sketch of a ghost who is floating through the air with their arms outstretched. They look like a cartoon ghost covered in a white sheet with two eye holes cut into the sheet. Very cute.

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287d

<p>Meet the Real Dr. Frankenstein</p><p>The Italian scientist who sparked an electric revolution that led to the beloved horror story—and the battery</p><p>By Molly Glick</p><p><a href="https://nautil.us/meet-the-real-dr-frankenstein-1245010/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="nautil.us/meet-the-real-dr-frankenstein-1245010/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">nautil.us/meet-the-real-dr-fra</span><span class="invisible">nkenstein-1245010/</span></a></p><p>Galvani and Frankenstein at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/27281" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/27281"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje</span><span class="invisible">ct/27281</span></a><br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/84" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/84</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/science/" rel="tag">#science</a></p>

Luigi Galvani - De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius, Tav. 1

Luigi Galvani experiment on frogs legs.

In this 18th-century scientific engraving, Galvani demonstrates how electricity can cause muscular movement in a dissected frog’s legs. The scene typically shows frog limbs connected by metal wires to an electrical source or to a metal arc, producing visible contractions when the circuit is completed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Galvani#/media/File:Luigi_Galvani_Experiment.jpeg

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285d

<p>It's the Fedi Book Fair this weekend. Follow the hashtag for book posts from lots of fediverse indie authors (or filter it to avoid the posts).</p><p>My books are mostly low-key fantasy with queer romance. Find out more at <a href="https://wendypalmer.au" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>wendypalmer.au</a></p><p>You’ll find them at all your favourite ebook retailers and online bookstores. And also at libraries, Hoopla, or your Kobo or Everand subscriptions.</p><p>This weekend, the ebooks are 25% off direct from me (via Payhip):<br><a href="https://payhip.com/WendyPalmer" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>payhip.com/WendyPalmer</a></p><p>And at Smashwords:<br><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wendylpalmer" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smashwords.com/profile/view/wendylpalmer"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smashwords.com/profile/vie</span><span class="invisible">w/wendylpalmer</span></a></p><p>***</p><p>As as a special bonus just for the <a href="/tags/fedibookfair/" rel="tag">#FediBookFair</a>, I've made my new release, officially released 16 November, available direct:<br><a href="https://payhip.com/b/A3P2i" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>payhip.com/b/A3P2i</a></p><p>It comes with a free 2026 calendar featuring relevant public-domain nineteenth-century artworks :)</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/gayromance/" rel="tag">#gayromance</a> <a href="/tags/indieauthor/" rel="tag">#indieAuthor</a> <a href="/tags/historicals/" rel="tag">#historicals</a> <a href="/tags/readingcommunity/" rel="tag">#ReadingCommunity</a> <a href="/tags/writingcommunity/" rel="tag">#WritingCommunity</a> <a href="/tags/selfpromo/" rel="tag">#SelfPromo</a><br><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>

Cover of Grace & Favour. Blue and brass-yellow colours predominant. The title is in fancy font at the top, and there's what looks like a photo portrait in an ornate frame, of two men, one in a top hat, one holding a pocket watch, and a large white dog. In the background of the photo (actually a daguerreotype, but anachronistically in colour), there is the faint impression of a woman, transparent...you could say, almost ghostly...

Mood board for Grace & Favour. Has a painting by Turner (a watercolour of Hampton Court Palace from across the river), a daguerreotype in a case, a ghost postcard, a Scots phrasebook, and a big picture of Max, a Maremma livestock guard dog, big, white and fluffy.

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287d

<p>“That’s Why We Become Witches”: Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Lolly Willowes (1926)</p><p>"A novel about a woman who throws off the yoke of patriarchy to become a witch."</p><p><a href="https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/lolly-willowes/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="publicdomainreview.org/collection/lolly-willowes/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">publicdomainreview.org/collect</span><span class="invisible">ion/lolly-willowes/</span></a></p><p>The book at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/72223" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/72223</a></p><p><a href="/tags/witches/" rel="tag">#witches</a> <a href="/tags/supernatural/" rel="tag">#supernatural</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Halloween: illustration shows a witch riding on a broom with a black cat.

Edited 287d ago

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287d

<p>The Evil Library. 🦉 📚 💀 ✨ 👻 </p><p><a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#art</a> <a href="/tags/conceptart/" rel="tag">#conceptart</a> <a href="/tags/commission/" rel="tag">#commission</a> <a href="/tags/videogame/" rel="tag">#videogame</a> <a href="/tags/mastoart/" rel="tag">#mastoart</a> <a href="/tags/fediart/" rel="tag">#fediart</a> <a href="/tags/spooky/" rel="tag">#spooky</a> <a href="/tags/evil/" rel="tag">#evil</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

Created in March 2017 for an unannounced game.
https://www.deviantart.com/sylviaritter/art/Evil-Library-Concept-Art-672550674

The spooky piano room with lots of books full of magic spells. A fireplace with a cozy armchair with pictures of ghostly landscapes on the wall. Candles and colorful lamps create a mysterious atmosphere.

Created in March 2017 for an unannounced game.
https://www.deviantart.com/sylviaritter/art/Evil-Library-Concept-Art-672550674

Magic potions in various glass carafes and staffs were put in bookshelves. A treasure map and amulets show big plans. A desk with candles, quill, ink and a notebook show that someone is working hard on new enigmatic inventions.

Created in March 2017 for an unannounced game.
https://www.deviantart.com/sylviaritter/art/Evil-Library-Concept-Art-672550674

We can see thunder outside the window. This is where magic, technology and chemistry are combined into a machine. Cables and parts are leading in various directions.

If you look at the last picture of this post with the library overview, you can also see an area where experiments are conducted, e.g. a spider will be transformed into a new creature.

Created in March 2017 for an unannounced game.
https://www.deviantart.com/sylviaritter/art/Evil-Library-Concept-Art-672550674

The full library can be seen here. Next to the previous mentioned piano, poisons and machine room, we can see the main library with thousands of books protected by a wise owl "Boo hoo boo hoo!" and intricate skull decor.

Another part of the artwork shows the mirror room. Even the mirrors seem alive and love to spook around. Watch out! :) Taxidermied animals with glowing eyes can be found on the right side (lion, eagle, bear, rhino, hippo, warthog, bull, tiger). In a glass vitrine, precious animal skulls and bones are preserved.

In the upper right corner is a haunted dusty attic with spider webs, rusty tools and weapons ,a loom, old cloth, a still functioning gramophone, a forgotten coffin. Windows show the outside area with dead looking trees and a rather dark atmosphere.

..and then there is the ghostly maintenance staff room. Full of cleaning products, brooms, shovels, a warning sign for clean wet floors illuminated by a colder halogen light.

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285d

Here are the 25 best pieces of Horror Fiction of the 21st century so far...

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220d

<p>Wordsworth Revolutionized Poetry But His Life Was Equally Interesting</p><p>"Who was William Wordsworth, and what made his poetry so revolutionary? Read about the life and works of this major Romantic poet."</p><p><a href="https://www.thecollector.com/william-wordsworth/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.thecollector.com/william-wordsworth/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.thecollector.com/william-w</span><span class="invisible">ordsworth/</span></a></p><p>Books by Wordsworth at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2879" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2879"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/2879</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Portrait of William Wordsworth, by William Shuter, 1798.

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287d

<p>A Review of I Found the Boogeyman Under My Brother’s Crib: <a href="https://lydiaschoch.com/a-review-of-i-found-the-boogeyman-under-my-brothers-crib/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lydiaschoch.com/a-review-of-i-found-the-boogeyman-under-my-brothers-crib/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lydiaschoch.com/a-review-of-i-</span><span class="invisible">found-the-boogeyman-under-my-brothers-crib/</span></a> </p><p><a href="/tags/halloween/" rel="tag">#Halloween</a> <a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#BookReview</a> <a href="/tags/horror/" rel="tag">#Horror</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</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 I Found the Boogeyman under My Brother’s Crib by Ben Farthing. Image on cover shows two glowing red eyes underneath a crib at night. It has a sinister vibe to it.

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287d

<p>I have three spooky audiobooks for you for a spicy Halloween trick-or-treat! 🎃</p><p>The Cauldron is about a witch who runs a rare book store (and eats people to achieve immortal youth). It's fun, light, campy, and sexy.<br><a href="https://geni.us/TheCauldron" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>geni.us/TheCauldron</a></p><p>My Wife, The Witch is about a witch who turns the tables on her too-large husband by shrinking him and dominating him in the night of his wildest dreams and nightmares.<br><a href="https://geni.us/MWTW" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>geni.us/MWTW</a></p><p>The Mirror is about a couple who inherit an enchanted antique that transforms their lives and lets them seek revenge on their bullies (in a spicy way).<br><a href="https://geni.us/TMir" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>geni.us/TMir</a></p><p>All three books are available as audiobooks (narrated by yours truly) on Amazon, Audible and Apple Books, and also available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks.</p><p>Go on, get yourself a Halloween treat! 💋</p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@audiofiction" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>audiofiction</span></a></span> <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><p><a href="/tags/halloween/" rel="tag">#Halloween</a> <a href="/tags/happyhalloween/" rel="tag">#HappyHalloween</a> <a href="/tags/nsfw/" rel="tag">#NSFW</a> <a href="/tags/audiobook/" rel="tag">#Audiobook</a> <a href="/tags/audiobooks/" rel="tag">#Audiobooks</a> <a href="/tags/audiofiction/" rel="tag">#Audiofiction</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/erotica/" rel="tag">#Erotica</a> <a href="/tags/macrophilia/" rel="tag">#Macrophilia</a> <a href="/tags/witches/" rel="tag">#Witches</a> <a href="/tags/magic/" rel="tag">#Magic</a> <a href="/tags/sizefantasy/" rel="tag">#SizeFantasy</a> <a href="/tags/giantwoman/" rel="tag">#GiantWoman</a> <a href="/tags/giantess/" rel="tag">#Giantess</a> <a href="/tags/tinyman/" rel="tag">#TinyMan</a> <a href="/tags/groupsex/" rel="tag">#GroupSex</a></p>

Riding High (1958) by Gil Elvgren. It shows a pin-up style illustration of a "witch" flying across a paper moon on a wooden broom held up by wires. She wears an orange traffic cone on her head, a black lace-up merry widow, sheer black thigh high stockings held up by a garter belt, and a see-through negligee blown open by the wind. She straddles the broomstick with her body twisted toward the viewer, one hand raised in a salute. It's saucy, campy, cheeky cheesecake fun.

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285d

<p>The Distributed Proofreaders' blog this month is about another Edgar Allan Poe book at PG: "The Poems of Edgar Allan Poe."</p><p><a href="https://blog.pgdp.net/2025/11/01/nevermore/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="blog.pgdp.net/2025/11/01/nevermore/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">blog.pgdp.net/2025/11/01/never</span><span class="invisible">more/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Portrait of Edgar Allan Poe from 1849.

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2y

<p>Ancient Library in Tibet Creating Digital Archive of Its 84,000 Scriptures.</p><p>Tibet's Sakya Monastery is home to many wonders. Founded in 1073, its collection includes some of the oldest Tibetan artwork, as well as 84,000 ancient manuscripts and books.</p><p>By Regina Sienra via @mymodernmet </p><p>Photo taken at Sakya Monastery Library.<br>(Richard Mortel via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)</p><p><a href="https://mymodernmet.com/sakya-monastery-library/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mymodernmet.com/sakya-monastery-library/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mymodernmet.com/sakya-monaster</span><span class="invisible">y-library/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/library/" rel="tag">#library</a> <a href="/tags/manuscripts/" rel="tag">#manuscripts</a></p>

Photo taken at Sakya Monastery Library.
(Photo: Richard Mortel via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)

The bookcase shown in the picture is made of solid, hand-painted wood and consists of at least four shelves full of books stacked on top of each other and probably old manuscripts, but it is not possible to visually identify each item individually. Other unidentifiable objects also appear at the top of some of these shelves.

Edited 2y ago

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168d

LARB Staff’s Book Favorites | Los Angeles Review of Books

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286d

<p>Bite or Flight: Ranking Classic Vampire Strengths and Weaknesses</p><p>Different vampires have different rules — how do your favorites measure up?</p><p>By Rachel Ayers</p><p><a href="https://reactormag.com/bite-or-flight-ranking-classic-vampire-strengths-and-weaknesses/?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-99fqCNMVtcqKqAkA1ONHzCKSXZ5VFE-zyuzhkXiiLOrSszvIwpWINCTJ8BBH22k4EUayigArmR-mY2uet0UDTIvpoLYw&_hsmi=387512835&utm_content=387512835&utm_source=hs_email" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="reactormag.com/bite-or-flight-ranking-classic-vampire-strengths-and-weaknesses/?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-99fqCNMVtcqKqAkA1ONHzCKSXZ5VFE-zyuzhkXiiLOrSszvIwpWINCTJ8BBH22k4EUayigArmR-mY2uet0UDTIvpoLYw&_hsmi=387512835&utm_content=387512835&utm_source=hs_email"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">reactormag.com/bite-or-flight-</span><span class="invisible">ranking-classic-vampire-strengths-and-weaknesses/?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-99fqCNMVtcqKqAkA1ONHzCKSXZ5VFE-zyuzhkXiiLOrSszvIwpWINCTJ8BBH22k4EUayigArmR-mY2uet0UDTIvpoLYw&_hsmi=387512835&utm_content=387512835&utm_source=hs_email</span></a></p><p>The Vampyre by Polidori at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6087" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6087</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

The Vampyre by John William Polidori - Il vampiro sorte dal nulla.

The engraving depicts a dramatic nocturnal scene set in a graveyard:

On the left, a vampire figure rises from a tomb, holding a torch. His expression is intense and predatory, suggesting he has emerged from the grave to prey upon the living.

To the right, a bearded man in flowing robes gestures toward him, possibly representing a holy or moral authority attempting to repel or banish the creature.

In the foreground, a young woman lies unconscious or asleep, her pale face and limp posture indicating vulnerability—she is likely the vampire’s intended victim.

Surrounding them are tombs and weeping willows, contributing to the eerie, gothic atmosphere.

The Italian caption below translates roughly to:
“The vampire, driven by the fever of the grave, rises above the sleeping Miss Aubrey... but he does not reach her; a celestial power drives away the shadow of this infernal being, compelling him to abandon his prey.”

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:The_Vampyre_(Polidori)#/media/File:The_Vampyre_by_John_William_Polidori_-_Il_vampiro_sorte_dal_nulla.jpg

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286d

<p>Look who has come knocking for Halloween...</p><p>Fascinating and most informative, this detailed and deeply researched biography draws on previously unavailable correspondence to present a fuller picture of the life of Edgar Allan Poe.</p><p><a href="https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2025/10/31/book-review-edgar-allan-poe-a-life/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="inquisitivebiologist.com/2025/10/31/book-review-edgar-allan-poe-a-life/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">inquisitivebiologist.com/2025/</span><span class="invisible">10/31/book-review-edgar-allan-poe-a-life/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#BookReview</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/edgarallanpoe/" rel="tag">#EdgarAllanPoe</a> <a href="/tags/eapoe/" rel="tag">#EAPoe</a> <a href="/tags/biography/" rel="tag">#Biography</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#Literature</a> <a href="/tags/goth/" rel="tag">#Goth</a> <a href="/tags/gothic/" rel="tag">#Gothic</a> <a href="/tags/horror/" rel="tag">#Horror</a> <a href="/tags/halloween/" rel="tag">#Halloween</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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286d

<p>Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” Read by Christopher Walken, Christopher Lee & Vincent Price</p><p><a href="https://www.openculture.com/2025/10/edgar-allan-poes-the-raven-read-by-christopher-walken-christopher-lee-vincent-price.html" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.openculture.com/2025/10/edgar-allan-poes-the-raven-read-by-christopher-walken-christopher-lee-vincent-price.html"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.openculture.com/2025/10/ed</span><span class="invisible">gar-allan-poes-the-raven-read-by-christopher-walken-christopher-lee-vincent-price.html</span></a></p><p>The Raven at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17192" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17192</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Engraving from The Raven at PG: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17192

Caption "Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he." Engraved by R. Staudenbaur

Shows the Raven flying in the window about the man's head.

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286d

<p>New <a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#BookReview</a> on my <a href="/tags/blog/" rel="tag">#blog</a>: "The Secret History of Bigfoot." <br><a href="https://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2025/10/book-review-secret-history-of-bigfoot.html" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2025/10/book-review-secret-history-of-bigfoot.html"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.co</span><span class="invisible">m/2025/10/book-review-secret-history-of-bigfoot.html</span></a></p><p>Author seeks to answer why Bigfoot and the lore and legends about it remain so appealing.</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/itinerantlibrarian/" rel="tag">#ItinerantLibrarian</a> <a href="/tags/review/" rel="tag">#review</a> <a href="/tags/bigfoot/" rel="tag">#Bigfoot</a> <br>💙📚</p><p>@bookstodon@a.gup.pe <br><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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220d

<p>Ebook and paperback: <a href="https://books2read.com/TheNextHorizon" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>books2read.com/TheNextHorizon</a></p><p>Amelia and The Book of Newts are in conflict. She wants to explore her feelings. It wants to explore space, taking back the gift for mathematics and piloting it gave her. She’s left unable to plot a direct course home. She’s desperate to see the man she loves, lest she lose him forever and The Book is in her way…</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 The Next Horizon, by Owen Tyme.

The black silhouette of a man and woman hugging and kissing. The woman has lifted one leg, while the man leans toward her. They stand atop the dark side of a planet or moon in space, which has a slim crescent along the right side. The background in the stars of space, but some have been highlighted with a heat shape that surrounds the kissing couple. Everything is in shades of blue.

(Right) Deep space, displaying the edge of an orange and blue gaseous cloud from a nebula, while most of the stars appear golden in color. Floating in space is a square, red leather book with the image of a newt stamped on the cover. Over the top of everything is the following text:

“You can back down and cooperate, right now, or Marta will hit you so hard, you should reach a tenth the speed of light…”

“No one will ever find you again, but even if someone does, there’s no way they’ll have the capacity to safely slow you down, before you’re gone to them!”

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

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2y

<p>In July 1816.</p><p>Lord Byron, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, Percy Bysshe Shelley & John Polidori, who have gathered at the Villa Diodati by Lake Geneva in a rainy Switzerland in this 'Year Without a Summer', tell each other tales. This spawns two classic Gothic narratives, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Polidori's The Vampyre. Byron also writes the poem Darkness. </p><p>Frankenstein<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/41445" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/41445</a></p><p>The Vampyre<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/6087" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/6087</a></p><p>Darkness<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20158" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20158</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Title page of first edition of Frankenstein, Volume I.
Author Mary Shelley; publisher Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones

Title page for The Vampyre; A Tale (London: Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, 1819) by John William Polidori, 1795-1821. EC8.P7598.819va (A), Houghton Library, Harvard University

"Darkness:, an 1816 poem by Lord Byron, first published in the 1816 The Prisoner of Chillon and Other Poems collection, page 27, published in London in 1816 by John Murray.

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246d

<p>📚 Service by: John Tottenham</p><p>What's this book about? Is there a restroom? Do you have gluten-free bagels? Do you work here? Do you have a restroom? Do I buy books or rent books or what?</p><p>Still a bookseller in his late forties, Sean knows that the worst thing about a bookshop is the customers. Then there's the gift-wrapping, the invoicing, the Yelp reviews. The overwhelming ...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/service" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>bookblabla.com/book/service</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><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/libraries/" rel="tag">#libraries</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#fiction</a> <a href="/tags/general/" rel="tag">#general</a></p>

What's this book about? Is there a restroom? Do you have gluten-free bagels? Do you work here? Do you have a restroom? Do I buy books or rent books or what?

Still a bookseller in his late forties, Sean knows that the worst thing about a bookshop is the customers. Then there's the gift-wrapping, the invoicing, the Yelp reviews. The overwhelming sense of self-loathing after another day of not writing a novel yourself.

While Sean's book remains unfinished, his city has changed around him. As have friends and acquaintances, at least the ones who keep in touch. The service industry is different, too. But what, or whom, is he serving anyway? Biting, hilarious and self-aware, John Tottenham's debut novel is a razor-sharp dissection of gentrification, friendship, jealousy and the role of literature in a digital age.

'Highly accomplished, deeply satisfying ... I marked up almost every page' TLS

'Laugh-out-loud funny' DAILY MAIL

'My favourite nihilistic romantic' RACHEL KUSHNER

'A brutally honest, insightful, intelligent and absolutely hilarious novel' MICHAEL IMPERIOLI

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2y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1923.</p><p>A riot breaks out at the re-staging of Tristan Tzara's Dadaist play The Gas Heart at the Théâtre Michel, Paris, between those aligned with André Breton and those aligned with Tzara. The conflict leads to a permanent split in the Dada movement and the founding of Surrealism as an alternative.</p><p>Francis Picabia at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/49071" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/49071"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/49071</span></a></p><p>Tristan Tzara at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/48499" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/48499"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/48499</span></a></p><p>André Breton at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=andr%C3%A9+breton&submit_search=Go%21" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=andr%C3%A9+breton&submit_search=Go%21"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=andr%C3%A9+breton&submit_search=Go%21</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Dada artists, group photograph, 1920, Paris. From left to right, Back row: Louis Aragon, Theodore Fraenkel, Paul Eluard, Clément Pansaers, Emmanuel Fay (cut off). Second row: Paul Dermée, Philippe Soupault, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes. Front row: Tristan Tzara (with monocle), Celine Arnauld, Francis Picabia, André Breton.

The Dada group poses facing the camera, in various attitudes, most of them smiling. They are dressed in dark jackets and white shirts, the men wearing ties.

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284d

<p>Famous Medieval Words and Their Surprising Origins</p><p>Words like castles, Vikings, and even medieval itself instantly evoke the Middle Ages. Some of these terms were used by people of the time, while others were coined centuries later to describe their world. Each carries traces of history, revealing how language has preserved — and reimagined — the medieval past.</p><p><a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2025/10/medieval-words-origins/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.medievalists.net/2025/10/medieval-words-origins/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.medievalists.net/2025/10/m</span><span class="invisible">edieval-words-origins/</span></a></p><p>Medieval words at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=medieval+words" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=medieval+words"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=medieval+words</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

The Squire in the Ellesmere manuscript of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

The image shows a finely dressed young man riding a prancing horse. The rider, The Squire, is adorned in elegant, elaborately patterned garments wears a blue hat with white decorations, a dark, elaborately embroidered tunic, and white hose. His short blond hair curls outward under his hat, reflecting the fashionable style of the late 14th century. A richly patterned cloak drapes over his shoulders, flowing behind him as the horse rears gracefully.

The horse is light brown with a well-groomed mane and tail, decorated with red and white harness straps in an ornamental pattern.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Squire_-_Ellesmere_Chaucer.jpg

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281d

<p>📚 Convenience Store Woman by: Sayaka Murata</p><p>Keiko Furukura is a 36-year-old woman who has been working part-time at a convenience store, or konbini, for the last 18 years. She has known since childhood that she is "different" and that expressing her own views and actions is inexplicable and distressing to others, and causes problems.</p><p>The h...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/convenience-store-woman" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/convenience-store-woman"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/convenienc</span><span class="invisible">e-store-woman</span></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><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/libraries/" rel="tag">#libraries</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#fiction</a> <a href="/tags/literaryfiction/" rel="tag">#literaryfiction</a> <a href="/tags/citylife/" rel="tag">#citylife</a></p>

Keiko Furukura is a 36-year-old woman who has been working part-time at a convenience store, or konbini, for the last 18 years. She has known since childhood that she is "different" and that expressing her own views and actions is inexplicable and distressing to others, and causes problems.

The highly regulated world of the konbini, where each action is prescribed by the corporate manual, allows her to maintain an identity acceptable to those around her and a sense of purpose. She models her behaviour, dress style, and even speech patterns on those of her coworkers. Keiko maintains some friendships and a relationship with her sister, but finds it increasingly difficult to explain why, after 18 years, she is still single and working as a temp in a convenience store.

That is, until Keiko meets Shiraha. A man who cannot hold a steady job and lives on the fringes of society since he doesn't conform to "normal" expectations...

A brilliant depiction of an unusual psyche and a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

Shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award
Longlisted for the Believer Book Award
Longlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation
A Los Angeles Times Bestseller

The English-language debut of an exciting young voice in international fiction, selling 660,000 copie

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2y

<p>In July 1866.</p><p> Anthony Trollope's novel Nina Balatka: The Story of a Maiden of Prague is initially published anonymously (serialisation in Blackwood's Magazine July 1866–January 1867). Trollope is interested in discovering whether his books sell on their own merits or as a consequence of the author's name and reputation.</p><p>Nina Balakta at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8897" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8897</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

First edition title page of Nina Balatka by Anthony Trollope.

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2y

<p>"Our deeds are like children that are born to us; they live and act apart from our own will."</p><p>In July 1862.</p><p>George Eliot's historical novel Romola begins serialization in Cornhill Magazine, the first time she has published a full-length book in this format. George Murray Smith of the publishers Smith, Elder & Co. has agreed a £7,000 advance for it. It was first published as a book, in three volumes, by Smith, Elder & Co. in 1863.</p><p>Romola at PG:<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/24020" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/24020</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

First edition of Romola bye George Sand.

The novel first appeared in fourteen parts published in Cornhill Magazine from July 1862 (vol. 6, no. 31) to August 1863 (vol. 8, no. 44), and was first published as a book, in three volumes, by Smith, Elder & Co. in 1863.

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