What book(s) are you currently reading or listening to? September 09
books
for #TransDayOfVisibility consider ordering a copy of the new 3rd edition of #WhippingGirl (w/new Afterword on the current anti-trans backlash) for a 20% discount through my publisher @SealPress using this link & promo code: SERANO20
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/julia-serano/whipping-girl/9781541604520/
btw, if you had problems with the promo code earlier, sorry, their distributor sold out. but now it's back in stock & the promo code will work until April 15th!
#TDoV #TDOV2024 #trans #transgender #LGBTQ #feminism #books
It's a double book launch!
Mandy Hager and I are launching our new books at 6pm on Wednesday 1 October at Unity Books, Wellington - my new poetry collection "Dracula in the Colonies" and her new novel "Revenge and Rabbit Holes"!
Check out the details here: https://www.timjonesbooks.co.nz/2025/09/04/youre-invited-to-a-double-book-launch-on-wednesday-1-october-dracula-in-the-colonies-by-tim-jones-and-revenge-and-rabbit-holes-by-mandy-hager/
I hope you can come along! Many thanks to The Cuba Press for publishing both books, and to Unity Books Wellington for hosting the launch.
Can't make the launch? You can pre-order Dracula in the Colonies here: https://thecubapress.nz/shop/dracula-in-the-colonies/
Edited 5d ago
‘Deeply concerning’: reading for fun in the US has fallen by 40%, new study says
"Over the last 20 years, the number of Americans who read daily for pleasure has seen a considerable decline"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/20/reading-for-pleasure-study
'We usually understand “divide and rule” as a tactic for dividing populations, preventing them from unifying to overthrow the colonial power. But “divide and rule” also divides people from their own pasts.'
Samuel Hayim Brody reviews #TheJewelersOfTheUmmah, #ThreeWorlds: Memoirs of an Arab Jew, and #WhenWeWereArabs: A Jewish Family’s Forgotten History
https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/in-search-of-arab-jews/
#ArabJews #JewishHistory #MENA #MiddleEast #MizrahiJews #SephardicJews #Palestine #books #memoirs @bookstodon
![text (at right):
[rubrics ] ARTS IN SOCIETY, PHILOSOPHY
In Search of Arab Jews
Can a culture be resurrected?
Samuel Hayim Brody
[tags] Books & Ideas, Criticism, History, Middle East, Religion
image (at left): Ariella Aïsha Azoulay](/proxy/post_attachment/851184/2f107d2fa4.png "text (at right):
[rubrics ] ARTS IN SOCIETY, PHILOSOPHY
In Search of Arab Jews
Can a culture be resurrected?
Samuel Hayim Brody
[tags] Books & Ideas, Criticism, History, Middle East, Religion
image (at left): Ariella Aïsha Azoulay")
Edited 1h ago
English novelist and poet Charlotte Brontë died #OTD in 1855.
She is best known for her novel Jane Eyre, which she published under the gender neutral pen name Currer Bell. Along with "Jane Eyre," her other notable works include "Shirley" (1849) and "Villette" (1853). Brontë's writing is celebrated for its exploration of social issues, particularly the role of women in Victorian society.
Books by Charlotte Brontë at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/408
![Cover page of The Search After Hapiness [sic]: A Tale by Charlotte Brontë](/proxy/post_attachment/141211/eb11f45900.jpg "Cover page of The Search After Hapiness [sic]: A Tale by Charlotte Brontë")
"Every sensitive person carries in himself old cities enclosed by ancient walls."
Swiss writer Robert Walser was born #OTD in 1878.
One of Walser's most notable works is his collection of short prose pieces titled "Der Spaziergang" (1917). Walser's writing fell out of favor after his death in 1956, but experienced a revival in the late 20th century, thanks in part to the efforts of literary scholars and translators.
Books by Robert Walser at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/26294
Edited 1y ago
French philosopher, an influential early socialist thinker, and one of the founders of utopian socialism Charles Fourier was born #OTD in 1772.
He developed a comprehensive system of societal organization known as Fourierism which influenced many writers and thinkers such as Dostoevsky, André Breton, Walter Benjamin, Herbert Marcuse and many others. He is is credited with having originated the word feminism in 1837.
About Fourier at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=charles+fourier&submit_search=Go%21
![Lithograph, "Vue d’un phalanstère, village français [composé] d’apres la théorie sociétaire de Ch. Fourier", H. Fugère. Date uncertain, but from 19th century. 860.05, Houghton Library, Harvard University](/proxy/post_attachment/152525/628e13e6de.jpg "Lithograph, \"Vue d’un phalanstère, village français [composé] d’apres la théorie sociétaire de Ch. Fourier\", H. Fugère. Date uncertain, but from 19th century. 860.05, Houghton Library, Harvard University")
Edited 1y ago
Irish writer and poet who wrote under the pseudonym "Æ" George William Russell was born #OTD in 1867.
As a poet, Russell's work often explored themes of spirituality, mysticism, nature, and the Irish landscape. One of Russell's most famous works is "The Candle of Vision" (1918), a mystical autobiography in which he describes his spiritual experiences and encounters with the divine.
Books by George William Russell at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1869
“Knowledge leaves no room for chances.”
American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, politician, diplomat, & author Lew Wallace was born #OTD in 1827.
He is best known for his historical novel "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ" (1880), which became one of the best-selling novels of the 19th century. He wrote several other novels, essays, and biographies, though none achieved the same level of success as Ben-Hur.
Books by Lew Wallace at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/836
#OTD in 1897
The Grand Guignol is opened in Paris by Oscar Méténier.
From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialised in naturalistic horror shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, amoral horror entertainment, a genre popular from Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre (for instance Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, and Webster's The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil), to today's splatter films.
#OTD in 1914.
The first English-language performance of George Bernard Shaw's comedy Pygmalion at His Majesty's Theatre is given in London starring Mrs. Patrick Campbell and Herbert Beerbohm Tree, and famously including the Act III line "Not bloody likely!".
Shaw's play has been adapted many times, most notably as the 1938 film Pygmalion, the 1956 stage musical My Fair Lady, and its 1964 film version.
Pygmalion at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/3825
French author Georges Duhamel died #OTD in 1966.
One of Duhamel's most famous works is the "Chronique des Pasquier" series, which consists of ten novels that follow the lives of the Pasquier family over several generations. Duhamel was also known for his essays and philosophical reflections on literature, art, and the human condition. He was also a committed pacifist and humanist.
Books by Georges Duhamel at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1445
"Movement will cease before we are weary of being useful."
Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci was born #OTD in 1452.
Leonardo's notebooks are perhaps as famous as his artworks, containing sketches, diagrams, and notes on a wide range of subjects. He made significant contributions to anatomy through his detailed anatomical drawings, which were far ahead of his time. He also conducted experiments in various scientific fields, including optics and aerodynamics.
British novelist and dramatist Charles Reade died #OTD in 1884.
One of Reade's most famous novels is "The Cloister and the Hearth" (1861). Other notable works by Reade include "It Is Never Too Late to Mend" (1856), "Hard Cash" (1863), and "Put Yourself in His Place" (1870). Reade also published three elaborate studies of character: Griffith Gaunt (1866), A Terrible Temptation (1871), A Simpleton (1873).
Books by Charles Reade at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/618
#OTD in 1755. Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language is published in London.
Johnson's dictionary was not just a list of words with their meanings; it also included extensive quotations from various literary works to illustrate the usage of each word. It played a significant role in standardizing English spelling and usage, helping to establish a common linguistic framework for communication.
Books by Samuel Johnson at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/297
Spanish poet and man of letters Manuel José Quintana was born #OTD in 1772.
Quintana was known for his eloquent poetry and his active involvement in the political and cultural affairs of his time. One of Quintana's most famous works is his poem "La Pelayo," which celebrates the victory of the Spanish forces led by Pelayo over the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga in 722 AD.
Books by Manuel José Quintana at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Manuel+Jos%C3%A9+Quintana&submit_search=Go%21
American journalist & writer of fiction & drama Richard Harding Davis died #OTD in 1916.
In addition to his work as a journalist, Davis was also a prolific author of fiction. He wrote numerous novels and short stories, many of which drew on his experiences as a war correspondent and adventurer. Some of his best-known works include "Soldiers of Fortune" (1897), "The Bar Sinister" (1903), and "The Lost Road" (1913).
Books by Richard Harding Davis at PG
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/181
French astronomer Charles Messier died #OTD in 1817.
He is best known for his catalog, the Messier Catalog (contains 110 objects), which lists various astronomical objects, including nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. Messier was primarily interested in comet hunting, and his catalog was created to help him and other astronomers differentiate between permanent celestial objects and comets, which could easily be mistaken for new discoveries.
Italian poet and librettist Pietro Metastasio died #OTD in 1782.
His librettos were characterized by their lyrical quality, emotional depth, and dramatic structure, which made them well-suited for musical adaptation. Some of his most famous works include "La clemenza di Tito," which was later set to music by Mozart, "Didone abbandonata," and "Artaserse."
Books by Pietro Metastasio at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/4069
English astronomer Edward W. Maunder was born #OTD in 1851.
The Maunder Minimum, named after him, refers to a period of low solar activity that occurred from about 1645 to 1715. During this time, very few sunspots were observed, indicating a decrease in solar magnetic activity. His research into historical records of sunspot observations led to the recognition of this extended period of solar quiescence, which is now associated with a decrease in global temperatures on Earth.
Dutch mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, & inventor who is regarded as a key figure in the Scientific Revolution Christiaan Huygens was born #OTD in 1629.
He developed the wave theory of light, proposing that light propagates as a wave rather than a stream of particles, which was a revolutionary idea at the time. Huygens also invented the pendulum clock, which greatly improved timekeeping accuracy and became widely used in scientific experiments and everyday life.
Brazilian novelist, short story writer and chronicler Raul Pompeia was born #OTD in 1863.
Pompeia was known for his innovative literary style and his exploration of themes such as social issues, psychology, and the complexities of Brazilian society. His most famous work is the novel "O Ateneu", published in 1888, which is considered one of the masterpieces of Brazilian literature.
Books by Raul Pompeia at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=raul+pompeia&submit_search=Go%21
American marine biologist, conservationist, and writer Rachel Carson died #OTD in 1964.
She is best known for her groundbreaking book "Silent Spring," published in 1962, which brought attention to the environmental impact of pesticides, particularly DDT, and sparked a global environmental movement. The book is often credited with inspiring the modern environmental movement and the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Aphra Behn, who died #OTD in 1689, was an English dramatist, fiction writer, and poet who was the first Englishwoman known to earn her living by writing.
One of Behn's most famous plays is "The Rover," a Restoration comedy first performed in 1677. In addition to her plays, Behn wrote novels and poetry. Her novel "Oroonoko", is considered one of the earliest English novels and is notable for its exploration of slavery and colonialism.
Aphra Behn at PG
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2728
