books

1y

<p>Dracula author's lost story unearthed after 134 years.</p><p>An amateur historian has discovered a long-lost short story by Bram Stoker, published just seven years before his legendary gothic novel Dracula.</p><p>By Maia Davies <span class="h-card"><a href="https://press.coop/@BBCNews" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>BBCNews</span></a></span> </p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9119l64qo" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9119l64qo"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4</span><span class="invisible">g9119l64qo</span></a></p><p>"Gibbet Hill" published in Supplement to the Daily Express in 17th December 1890 is available here:<br><a href="https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000924296" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000924296"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls00</span><span class="invisible">0924296</span></a></p><p>Books by Bram Stoker at PG:<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/190" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/190"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/19</span><span class="invisible">0</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Gibbet Hill by Bram Stoker (early short story) published in
Supplement to the Daily Express.
17th December 1890

Source: https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000924296

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173d

<p>"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin."<br>Opening lines.</p><p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1925.</p><p>Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared by name in a children's story in the London Evening News for Christmas Eve.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-the-Pooh" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-the-Pooh"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-t</span><span class="invisible">he-Pooh</span></a></p><p>Winnie-the-Pooh at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67098" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67098</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Illustration to page 3 of Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) by artist E. H. Shepard.

The scene shows Winnie-the-Pooh sitting on a log at the base of a large tree. He’s leaning back slightly, head tilted upward, with a thoughtful, mildly puzzled expression.

To Pooh’s left is a wooden signpost attached to the tree, with a bell on a cord hanging from it. The sign bears the name “MR SANDERS”, hinting at Pooh’s misunderstanding that this must be the name of whoever lives there. Below it, another small sign is partially visible. At the base of the tree are a few round objects, reinforcing the cozy, woodland setting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-the-Pooh#/media/File:Pooh_Shepard1928.jpg

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176d

<p>Too many novels is definitely how I want to go, but I'm probably more likely to suffer from a stong bout of drawing-room anguish 😜😂 </p><p><a href="/tags/notallbooksarecreatedequal/" rel="tag">#NotAllBooksAreCreatedEqual</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> <a href="https://lemmy.world/u/books" rel="nofollow">@books</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@humor" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>humor</span></a></span> @humor@lemmy.world @aiop <br> <br><a href="/tags/litterature/" rel="tag">#Litterature</a><br><a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#Book</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookmemes/" rel="tag">#BookMemes</a> <a href="/tags/memes/" rel="tag">#Memes</a> <a href="/tags/humor/" rel="tag">#Humor</a> <a href="/tags/humour/" rel="tag">#Humour</a><br><a href="/tags/novel/" rel="tag">#Novel</a> <a href="/tags/novels/" rel="tag">#Novels</a> <a href="/tags/bookshelf/" rel="tag">#Bookshelf</a> <a href="/tags/mastobooks/" rel="tag">#Mastobooks</a> <a href="/tags/booksofmastodon/" rel="tag">#BooksofMastodon</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/bookworm/" rel="tag">#Bookworm</a> <a href="/tags/bookwyrm/" rel="tag">#Bookwyrm</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/booklove/" rel="tag">#BookLove</a> <a href="/tags/fantasybooks/" rel="tag">#FantasyBooks</a></p>

Historic painting of a woman lying in bed.
Caption: Things Women In Literature Have Died From

The list:
Cold hands
Pony exhaustion
Beautiful face
Strolling congestion
Missing slippers
Sherry served too cold
Wrist fevers
Ship infidelity
Night brain
Going outside at night In Italy
Shawl Insufficiency
Clergyman's dropsy
Too many pillows
Flirting headaches
Garden troubles
River unhappiness
Someone said "No" very loudly
General bummers
Letter-reading fits
Mmmf
Drawing-room anguish
Beautiful chestnut hair
Not enough pillows
Spinal degeneration as a result of pride
Haven't seen the sea In a long time
Parents too happy
Too many novels
The Unpleasantness

Edited 176d ago

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174d

<p>The Big Sleep. By Raymond Chandler.</p><p>You are a bitter LA private detective, some 100 years ago, trying to solve a case you don’t care much about, since everyone- everyone - is crooked, even the police and all the dames throwing themselves at you, and you just gotta wonder what the point of trying to be a decent human being is.</p><p>3 of 5 library cats 🐈 🐈 🐈.<br>CW: hate speech, homophobia, misogyny </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> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/crime/" rel="tag">#crime</a> <a href="/tags/losangeles/" rel="tag">#losangeles</a> <a href="/tags/detective/" rel="tag">#detective</a></p>

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174d

<p>📚 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by: Philip K. Dick</p><p>By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can't afford one, companies built incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, bir...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/do-android</span><span class="invisible">s-dream-of-electric-sheep</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/sciencefiction/" rel="tag">#sciencefiction</a> <a href="/tags/apocalypticpostapocalyptic/" rel="tag">#apocalypticpostapocalyptic</a></p>

By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can't afford one, companies built incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They’ve even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and 'retire' them. But when cornered, androids fight back—with lethal force.

A masterpiece ahead of its time, a prescient rendering of a dark future, and the inspiration for the blockbuster film Blade Runner

Praise for Philip K. Dick

The most consistently brilliant science fiction writer in the world. John Brunner

A kind of pulp-fiction Kafka, a prophet. The New York Times

Philip K. Dick sees all the sparkling—and terrifying—possibilities that other authors shy away from. Rolling Stone

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1y

<p>"Sleep does make us all equal, it seems to me, like his big brother--Death."<br>Plays and Stories</p><p>Austrian author and dramatist Arthur Schnitzler died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1931.</p><p>He is considered one of the most significant representatives of Viennese Modernism. Schnitzler’s works, which include psychological dramas and narratives, making him a sharp and stylistically conscious chronicler of Viennese society around 1900.</p><p>Books by Arthur Schnitzler at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3010" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3010"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/3010</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Arthur Schnitzler (1862–1931) in 1926, Austrian author and dramatist.

In this portrait, Schnitzler appears as a mature man in his mid-sixties. His face is strong and defined, showing the signs of age through wrinkles and a slightly weathered complexion, yet his expression remains sharp and contemplative, reflecting his lifelong engagement with complex human emotions and social issues. His eyes, a prominent feature, are penetrating and thoughtful, suggesting the deep introspection and psychological depth that permeate his writings. There is a subtle intensity in his gaze, as though he is pondering profound ideas or reflecting on the human condition.

Schnitzler’s hair, now graying, is neatly combed, while his full mustache and short beard add to his distinguished appearance. His facial hair is well-groomed, giving him a sophisticated and somewhat aristocratic look, in keeping with his prominent position within Viennese society.

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80d

Spotify and Labels Seek $322 Million Default Judgment Against Anna’s Archive

Edited 80d ago

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173d

<p>See Dick and Jane free</p><p>Given how much "Dick and Jane" have been used sardonically, one might think Zerna Sharp's schoolbook characters were already public domain.<br> <br>By John Mark Ockerbloom </p><p><a href="https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/23/see-dick-and-jane-free/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/23/see-dick-and-jane-free/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">everybodyslibraries.com/2025/1</span><span class="invisible">2/23/see-dick-and-jane-free/</span></a></p><p>More information about Dick and Jane:<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_and_Jane" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_and_Jane"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_and</span><span class="invisible">_Jane</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/publicdomaindaycountdown/" rel="tag">#publicDomainDayCountdown</a></p>

Cover of the book Fun With Dick and Jane by Zerna Sharp.

The cover shows two young children, a boy and a girl, running hand in hand toward the viewer. They’re smiling and appear energetic and cheerful.

The girl wears a short-sleeved pink dress with a patterned texture and matching shoes. Her hair is short and light-colored, styled neatly.

The boy wears a light blue short-sleeved shirt, tan shorts, white socks, and dark shoes. His hair is neatly combed, and he looks confident and happy as he runs.

They are framed inside a white oval set against a light blue background,

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

Edited 173d ago

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174d

<p>📚 Sunset at Zero Point by: Simon Stålenhag</p><p>Beginning in 2024, yet set largely during the early 2000s, Sunset at Zero Point unfolds on a secluded Swedish island, home to a secret weapon lab that has been off-limits for years, evoking the bestselling works of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and Emily St. John Ma...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/sunset-at-zero-point" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/sunset-at-zero-point"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/sunset-at-</span><span class="invisible">zero-point</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/sciencefiction/" rel="tag">#sciencefiction</a> <a href="/tags/cyberpunkfiction/" rel="tag">#cyberpunkfiction</a> <a href="/tags/worldliterature/" rel="tag">#worldliterature</a> <a href="/tags/sweden/" rel="tag">#sweden</a></p>

Beginning in 2024, yet set largely during the early 2000s, Sunset at Zero Point unfolds on a secluded Swedish island, home to a secret weapon lab that has been off-limits for years, evoking the bestselling works of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven.

Stålenhag’s masterful storytelling and hyper-realistic art transports you to an alternate history revealing his most intimate work to date, delving into themes of masculinity, friendship, and sexuality through the lens of a queer science fiction tale. The story spans decades following two young men, stuck in the past and each other’s orbit, as fleeting moments become defining memories as they set out to explore the forbidden zone together.

From the renowned creator of The Electric State and Tales from the Loop, Stålenhag returns with his long-awaited new work of retro-futuristic dystopia within the mysterious zone of an abandoned Swedish military facility.

Set against the backdrop of Stålenhag’s native Sweden and based on the alternate version of Mälaröarna outside of Stockholm, Sunset at Zero Point juxtaposes giant futuristic machines with the inner turmoil of its characters facing a social dystopia, crafting a narrative that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.

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157d

2026 Backlog of Stuff

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2y

<p>Do you enjoy reading? Join the DP Smooth-Reading Team & be a part of making free e-books available to everyone. Simply visit our SR Pool, select a book that interests you while making notes of possible errors in the story or its format. When you finish reading the book, just upload your list of potential errors to the project manager. If you start reading a book & find it you don't like it, just choose a new book & start a new one. via <span class="h-card"><a href="https://universeodon.com/@DProofreaders" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>DProofreaders</span></a></span> </p><p>Join us at<br><a href="https://www.pgdp.net/c/tools/post_proofers/smooth_reading.php" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.pgdp.net/c/tools/post_proofers/smooth_reading.php"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.pgdp.net/c/tools/post_proo</span><span class="invisible">fers/smooth_reading.php</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

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157d

<p>📚 Black in Blues by: Imani Perry</p><p>Throughout history, the concept of Blackness has been remarkably intertwined with another color: blue. In daily life, it is evoked in countless ways. Blue skies and blue water offer hope for that which lies beyond the current conditions. But blue is also the color of deep melancholy and hea...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/black-in-blues" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/black-in-blues"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/black-in-b</span><span class="invisible">lues</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/history/" rel="tag">#history</a> <a href="/tags/american/" rel="tag">#american</a> <a href="/tags/subjectsthemes/" rel="tag">#subjectsthemes</a> <a href="/tags/generalmusic/" rel="tag">#generalmusic</a> <a href="/tags/genresstyles/" rel="tag">#genresstyles</a></p>

Throughout history, the concept of Blackness has been remarkably intertwined with another color: blue. In daily life, it is evoked in countless ways. Blue skies and blue water offer hope for that which lies beyond the current conditions. But blue is also the color of deep melancholy and heartache, echoing Louis Armstrong’s question, “What did I do to be so Black and blue?” In this book, celebrated author Imani Perry uses the world’s favorite color as a springboard for a riveting emotional, cultural, and spiritual journey—an examination of race and Blackness that transcends politics or ideology.

Perry traces both blue and Blackness from their earliest roots to their many embodiments of contemporary culture, drawing deeply from her own life as well as art and history: The dyed indigo cloths of West Africa that were traded for human life in the 16th century. The mixture of awe and aversion in the old-fashioned characterization of dark-skinned people as “Blue Black.” The fundamentally American art form of blues music, sitting at the crossroads of pain and pleasure. The blue flowers Perry plants to honor a loved one gone too soon.

Poignant, spellbinding, and utterly original, Black in Blues is a brilliant new work that could only have come from the mind of one of our greatest writers and thinkers. Attuned to the harrowing and the sublime aspects of the human experience, it is every bit as vivid, rich, and striking as blue itself.

A “vast, multifaceted and

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176d

<p>Yesterday, I teased good news. So today, here it is.</p><p>From now until the end of the year (midnight EST on 12/31), I have <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/series/the-arcane-revolution-trilogy-1" rel="nofollow">marked down my books by 26% on Rakuten Kobo</a>. Now you too can read the first two books of the Arcane Revolution trilogy, completely free of DRM, on the e-reader of your choosing.</p><p>The books are pulpy thriller-esque urban fantasy adventures pitting a veteran homicide investigator against a shadowy government spook for no lesser stakes than the ongoing freedom of humanity. In a nation still scarred by magical terrorism a decade previous, Agency Division is losing its ability to keep magic secret and controlled.</p><p>This is merely the first component of today's good news. If this sale goes well for me, it will help with the second piece. More to follow later in the day.</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/selfpromo/" rel="tag">#selfpromo</a> <a href="/tags/indyauthor/" rel="tag">#indyauthor</a> <a href="/tags/pleaseboost/" rel="tag">#pleaseboost</a></p>

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174d

<p>Book Review: The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman<br>Second person present tense is the sexiest way to tell a story.<br>A long and meaty review at the blog from <span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@chloroform_tea" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>chloroform_tea</span></a></span> today:<br><a href="http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book-review-wolf-and-his-king-by-finn.html" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book-review-wolf-and-his-king-by-finn.html"><span class="invisible">http://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/</span><span class="invisible">book-review-wolf-and-his-king-by-finn.html</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/review/" rel="tag">#review</a> <a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#bookreview</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> @bookstodon</p>

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157d

<p>wants to read <a href="https://eggplant.place/search?r=1&q=https://eggplant.place/book/3C2U42vtDgFTrhE0cbaA2M" rel="nofollow">Graça Infinita</a> <br>Conversando com amigo sobre este livro e, ao ler a sinopse novamente, se mostra bem atual:</p><p>"Os Estados Unidos e o Canadá já não existem: eles foram substituídos pela poderosa Onan, a Organização de Nações Norte-Americanas. Uma enorme porção do continente se tornou um depósito de lixo tóxico. Separatistas quebequenses praticam atos terroristas e a contagem dos anos foi vendida às grandes corporações. Graça infinita foi o último grande romance do século XX e teve um impacto duradouro e ainda difícil de ser aferido. Ora cômico, ora doloroso, ele encapsulou uma geração ligada à ironia e ao entretenimento, mas desconectada da imaginação, da solidariedade e da empatia. No romance, seguimos os passos dos irmãos Incandenza - membros da família mais disfuncional da literatura contemporânea -, conforme tentam dar conta do legado do patriarca James Incandenza, um cientista de óptica que se tornou cineasta e cometeu suicídio depois de produzir um misterioso filme que, pela alta voltagem de entretenimento, levava seus espectadores à morte. Enquanto organizações governamentais e terroristas querem usar o filme como arma de guerra, os Incandenza vão se embrenhar numa cômica e filosófica busca pelo sentido da vida. Graça infinita dobra todas as regras da ficção sem jamais sacrificar seu próprio valor de entretenimento. É uma exuberante e original investigação do que nos torna humanos - e um desses raros livros que renovam a ideia do que um romance pode ser."</p><p>---</p><p>Há anos, quero ler este, mas é uma obra de fôlego (1.144 páginas) e bem caro. E não sei se é viável na edição em e-book, pois já ouvi reclamações sobre erros nas Notas (existem notas gigantescas e até notas dentro de notas...).</p><p>Antes, devo ler um texto indicado aqui no Fediverso e disponível gratuitamente na Revista Piauí (a não ser que tenham metido um paywall), "Pense na Lagosta":</p><p><a href="https://piaui.folha.uol.com.br/materia/pense-na-lagosta/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="piaui.folha.uol.com.br/materia/pense-na-lagosta/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">piaui.folha.uol.com.br/materia</span><span class="invisible">/pense-na-lagosta/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/davidfosterwallace/" rel="tag">#DavidFosterWallace</a> <a href="/tags/infinitejest/" rel="tag">#InfiniteJest</a> <a href="/tags/gracainfinita/" rel="tag">#GracaInfinita</a> <a href="/tags/pensenalagosta/" rel="tag">#PenseNaLagosta</a> <a href="/tags/considerthelobster/" rel="tag">#ConsiderTheLobster</a> <a href="/tags/livros/" rel="tag">#Livros</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/ensaios/" rel="tag">#Ensaios</a> <a href="/tags/essays/" rel="tag">#Essays</a></p><p><a href="/tags/neodb/" rel="tag">#NeoDB</a></p>

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157d

<p>a few years ago i mentioned that i wrote a book about the exciting, awkward and embarrassing experiences of growing up with computers and video games in the 80s and 90s.</p><p>i wanted to remember what it felt like being the only dorky computer kid at school. or what it was like to hear my first modem handshake sound. or starting the first flamewar on the school's national FirstClass BBS in the macintosh lab over the lunch-hour</p><p>it was originally something i wrote only for my family and friends who were there at the time. </p><p>and then i met all of you folks when i started my first masto instance 4 years ago. i had no idea there were so many hardcore retrocomputing and gaming nerds out there; unix and mac and ms-dos folks alike.</p><p>so i mentioned it casually. i was surprised by the interest in the book. </p><p>so i spent the better part of the past 3 years rewriting the book for *you* fellow mastodon dorkus malorkuses. the book is a celebration of all of the best (and worst) parts of a kid growing up in the digital age. </p><p>we're all busy old tired stressed folks now. so every memory and cringetacular story is short enough to read on a 5 minute bus/metro/toilet ride. they're weaved together into an arc that starts at my family's first Tandy TRS-80 and ends at my school's Mac LC II and building my first Pentium 133.</p><p>it's finally published, and i'm super proud of what it became thanks to everyone here nerding out for years.</p><p>enjoy the book. i wrote it just for you. ❤️ </p><p>paperback edition: <a href="https://mybook.to/EDuUf" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>mybook.to/EDuUf</a></p><p>DRM-free ebook (EPUB format) and chapter samples here:<br><a href="https://tomotama.itch.io/mages-modems" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>tomotama.itch.io/mages-modems</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/indiepublisher/" rel="tag">#indiePublisher</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/author/" rel="tag">#author</a> <a href="/tags/macintosh/" rel="tag">#macintosh</a> <a href="/tags/vintageapple/" rel="tag">#vintageApple</a> <a href="/tags/vintagecomputing/" rel="tag">#vintageComputing</a> <a href="/tags/msdos/" rel="tag">#msdos</a> <a href="/tags/dosgaming/" rel="tag">#dosGaming</a> <a href="/tags/yeg/" rel="tag">#yeg</a> <a href="/tags/canada/" rel="tag">#canada</a> <a href="/tags/alberta/" rel="tag">#alberta</a> <a href="/tags/bbs/" rel="tag">#bbs</a> <a href="/tags/smolweb/" rel="tag">#smolWeb</a> <a href="/tags/indieweb/" rel="tag">#indieWeb</a></p>

The front cover of Mages & Modems: A Childhood Well-Wasted in the Golden Age of Personal Computers, Games & Internet Piracy - a confessional by vga256.

It shows a collage of computer and tech paraphernalia stacked on top of each other like a junk pile: a bright red telephone handset, a pile of 5.25 and 3.5-inch floppy disks, a mouse, a cocktail napkin from lefty's bar, two RAM simms.

The rear cover of the book, showing a Carmen Sandiego-style letter from the ACME Detective agency. The letter has a picture of a spazzing out kid wearing a Just Do It sweater.

The letter reads:

ACME Detective Agency

Dear Detective #0294,

As discussed, I have enclosed a hardcopy of VGA256's journals discussed at the departmental briefing. The journal entries are chronological, and document the suspect's computing and gaming activities from the early 1980s to late 1990s - his childhood and adolescent years.

Each vignette is an introspection into the suspect's self-described obsessions, including but not limited to:

* IBM PC, Amiga, Apple ][, Macintosh, Tandy

* MS-DOS, MacOS, Windows 3.1 & 95, UNIX

* NES, GameBoy, Sega Genesis, TI-85

* Modems, BBSes, CompuServe, Prodigy, ISPs

* Warez, FTP, Usenet, IRC, Shell Accounts

* Origin Systems, LucasArts, and Sierra On-Line

... and so on. The stories are a treasure trove of immoral and illicit activities that made him the dysfunctional adult he is now. I hope these will be of value in building your dossier on this delinquent.
I expect a report on my desk by Friday.

Deputy Chief Conover

Brat & Punk Division

Edited 157d ago

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1836.</p><p>Honoré de Balzac's novel La Vieille Fille begins a 12-day serialization in the newly established Paris newspaper La Presse, as the first novel serialized in the French press.</p><p>This book was republished in 1839 by éditions Charpentier, before being published alongside le Cabinet des Antiques in the isolated les Rivalités group within Scènes de la vie de province in la Comédie humaine, published in 1844 by édition Furne.</p><p>La Vieille Fille at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52831" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52831</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

IMP. S. RAÇON.

MADEMOISELLE CORMON.

Mais la pauvre fille avait déjà plus de quarante ans!

(LA VIEILLE FILLE.)

Mademoiselle Cormon ne trouvait cependant point dans sa personne l'auxiliaire obligé.

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52831

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157d

<p>Do you all actually follow people on <a href="/tags/bookwyrm/" rel="tag">#bookwyrm</a> ?<br>Who then? Friends? Critics?<br><br>I read mostly children and teenager <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a>. Who would you advice me to follow?<br><br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@reading" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>reading</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><br>@book@lemmy.world<br><a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#book</a> <a href="/tags/bookworm/" rel="tag">#bookworm</a></p>

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157d

<p>Do you all actually follow people on <a href="/tags/bookwyrm/" rel="tag">#bookwyrm</a> ?<br>Who then? Friends? Critics?<br><br>I read mostly children and teenager <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a>. Who would you advice me to follow?<br><br><span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@reading" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>reading</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><br>@book@lemmy.world<br><a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#book</a> <a href="/tags/bookworm/" rel="tag">#bookworm</a></p>

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174d

<p>Making Sense of The Nutcracker’s Libretto</p><p>Early audiences loved it, even as critics questioned its structure. Returning to the story helps illuminate what makes the ballet so strangely captivating.</p><p>By: Angelica Frey </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/making-sense-of-the-nutcrackers-libretto/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/making-sense-of-the-nutcrackers-libretto/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/making-sense-o</span><span class="invisible">f-the-nutcrackers-libretto/</span></a></p><p>Ballet at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/26513" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/26513"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje</span><span class="invisible">ct/26513</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/ballet/" rel="tag">#ballet</a></p>

Snowflake Waltz in the White Forest (The Nutcracker Act I, Scene III) performed by The New York City Ballet in 1954.

Dance Magazine April 1954 issue page 20 by Fred Fehl

A historic 1954 photograph by Fred Fehl showing the New York City Ballet performing the iconic "Snowflake Waltz" from The Nutcracker Act I, Scene III. The ethereal black and white image captures the corps de ballet dancers in romantic white tutus with their arms raised gracefully, evoking falling snowflakes in the enchanted White Forest scene. Published in Dance Magazine, April 1954.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snowflake_Waltz_NYC_Ballet_1954.png

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172d

<p>A Forgotten Louisa May Alcott Story Showcases the Author’s Twist on Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’</p><p>"Written in 1882, “A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True,” covered many of the same themes as Dickens’ classic, albeit with a different audience in mind"</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-forgotten-louisa-may-alcott-story-showcases-the-authors-twist-on-charles-dickens-a-christmas-carol-180987898/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-forgotten-louisa-may-alcott-story-showcases-the-authors-twist-on-charles-dickens-a-christmas-carol-180987898/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smithsonianmag.com/history</span><span class="invisible">/a-forgotten-louisa-may-alcott-story-showcases-the-authors-twist-on-charles-dickens-a-christmas-carol-180987898/</span></a></p><p>This story is in "Lulu's LIbrary, Volume I" at PG:</p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40682" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40682</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/holida/" rel="tag">#Holida</a></p>

Photograph of Louisa May Alcott.

Edited 172d ago

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174d

<p>I've finished: The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa </p><p>When I purchased a novel translated from Arabic I was expecting something more local. What I got is a universal appeal to the power of imagination and the role of stories in our humanity. </p><p>I learned about Zorba the Greek, Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland as they struggle to survive in the grip of 1984. </p><p>I watched a man and his daughter struggle to retain their humanity in the face of a totalitarian regime. </p><p><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/8b7e9b13-a81e-44c4-9bc7-e46b5142e1ae" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="app.thestorygraph.com/books/8b7e9b13-a81e-44c4-9bc7-e46b5142e1ae"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">app.thestorygraph.com/books/8b</span><span class="invisible">7e9b13-a81e-44c4-9bc7-e46b5142e1ae</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> @audiobooks <a href="/tags/sff/" rel="tag">#SFF</a> <a href="/tags/dystopia/" rel="tag">#dystopia</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/amreading/" rel="tag">#amReading</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/audiobook/" rel="tag">#AudioBook</a></p>

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174d

What book(s) are you currently reading or listening to? December 23

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173d

<p>Old Saint Nick: Santa Claus in 19th Century American Print</p><p>Many of the images and traditions currently associated with Santa Claus can be traced back to books, broadsides, and cards printed in the early 1800s.</p><p>by: Patrick Hastings</p><p><a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/bibliomania/2025/12/22/old-saint-nick-santa-claus-in-19th-century-american-print/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="blogs.loc.gov/bibliomania/2025/12/22/old-saint-nick-santa-claus-in-19th-century-american-print/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">blogs.loc.gov/bibliomania/2025</span><span class="invisible">/12/22/old-saint-nick-santa-claus-in-19th-century-american-print/</span></a></p><p>The book of Saint Nicholas by James Kirke Paulding & Knickerbocker's History of New York by Washington Irving at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71404" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71404</a><br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13042" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13042</a></p><p>Santa Claus at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=santa+claus" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=santa+claus"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje</span><span class="invisible">cts/search/?query=santa+claus</span></a></p><p>Thanks @puppernutter!</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

J. G. Chandler. "Santa Claus Presents his Compliments to All the Little Folks." Roxbury: S. A. Chandler, 1858.

Santa is depicted as a bearded, robust figure emerging through a fireplace chimney, laden with a bounty of toys and gifts.

The illustration is richly detailed: among the toys visible are a chessboard, dolls, a bugle, a toy gun, a rake, a toy sword, a drum, and a tea set.

In one hand he holds an American flag, adding a patriotic element to the festive scene.

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172d

<p>📚 How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Full Color Edition by: Dr. Seuss</p><p>Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot...but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!</p><p>Not since "Twas the night before Christmas" has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly r...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas-full-color-edition" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas-full-color-edition"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/how-the-gr</span><span class="invisible">inch-stole-christmas-full-color-edition</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/juvenilefiction/" rel="tag">#juvenilefiction</a> <a href="/tags/holidayscelebrations/" rel="tag">#holidayscelebrations</a> <a href="/tags/socialthemes/" rel="tag">#socialthemes</a> <a href="/tags/emotionsfeelings/" rel="tag">#emotionsfeelings</a></p>

Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot...but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!

Not since "Twas the night before Christmas" has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly recognizable. From the Grinch and his dog, Max, to Cindy-Lou and all the residents of Who-ville, this heartwarming story about the effects of the Christmas spirit will warm even the coldest and smallest of hearts. Like mistletoe, candy canes, and caroling, the Grinch is a mainstay of the holidays, beloved by readers young and old.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! was first published in 1957 using just two different colored inks, red and black. This edition adds full color to Dr. Seuss’s unforgettable illustrations while still retaining the classic look of the original.

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER. The Grinch has never been greener! Perfect for lifelong fans as well as the littlest readers discovering Dr. Seuss’s iconic holiday classic for the first time, this edition preserves all the original text and illustrations only now in full, dazzling color!

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