books

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1818.</p><p> Lord Byron, in Venice, sends the final part of Childe Harold to his publisher.</p><p>The poem contains elements thought to be autobiographical, as Byron generated some of the storyline from experience gained during his travels through Portugal, the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea between 1809 and 1811.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childe_Harold%27s_Pilgrimage" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childe_Harold%27s_Pilgrimage"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childe_H</span><span class="invisible">arold%27s_Pilgrimage</span></a></p><p>Childe Harold's Pilgrimage at PG:<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/5131" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/5131</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>

This is the title page of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, circa 1812.

The name of the work, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, prominently displayed in an elegant and serif typeface, reflecting the literary and romantic style of the period.

Lord Byron, the author, would be credited beneath or near the title. His name might appear in a slightly smaller or secondary font.

The name of the publisher (John Murray), the location (London), and the year of publication (1812) would be included, often at the bottom of the page.

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1910.</p><p>Serialisation of Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) concludes in the Paris newspaper Le Gaulois.</p><p>Because of his fascination with both Edgar Allan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he wrote a detective mystery entitled The Mystery of the Yellow Room in 1907, and four years later he published Le Fantôme de l'Opéra.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(novel)" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(novel)"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phan</span><span class="invisible">tom_of_the_Opera_(novel)</span></a></p><p>The Phantom of the Opera at PG:<br><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/175" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/175</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Dressed in a red death mask for a costume ball, Erik the Phantom descends the grand staircase of the Opéra Garnier. He “appears with his true face, challenging the masked characters with his unveiled ugliness” (François Raymond and Daniel Compère, Les maîtres du fantastique en littérature, Paris, Bordas, coll. “Les Compacts” (n° 36), 1994, ISBN 2-04-018502-X.) Watercolor by André Castaigne illustrating the first American edition of Gaston Leroux's Fantôme de l'Opéra (1911).

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

104d

<p>Five Good Books about Mental Illness. As a parent and caregiver for an adult living with a serious psychiatric illness, I have read a lot about the subject. Here are my five favorite books about psychiatric illness. </p><p>An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness (1996) by Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD. The best memoir about living with a serious mental illness and the best book overall that I have read about mental illness, in this case bipolar disorder. Fine literature written by a brilliant author who earned a PhD in psychology and has been awarded about a dozen honorary doctorates. It is inspirational. </p><p>The Mad Among Us: A History of the Care of America’s Mentally Ill (1995) by Gerald Grob, PhD. The author was a medical historian who wrote this balanced and objective book about the history of psychiatry. It includes the good and the bad. Despite the unfortunate title, this is a great non-fiction book about the history of psychiatry in the USA. </p><p>We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication (2010) by Judith Warner. This book, written by a journalist, was originally intended to be a critique of psychiatry and the parents of children with mental illnesses. But as the author met families and did her research, she changed her mind and wrote a balanced book about parents trying to help their children. As the author points out, we parents are not eager to put our children on psychiatric medications; in fact the opposite is true. </p><p>Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of An American Family (2020) by Robert Kolker. This biography was written by a journalist about the lives of a large family with twelve children, six of whom were eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia. It is intense and disturbing, as is living with schizophrenia. It is not an encouraging or feel-good book. </p><p>Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are (2018) by Kevin Mitchell, PhD. This book by a neuroscientist is more broadly about neuroscience, rather than specifically about mental illness. But the author addresses serious mental illness and the state of our knowledge about possible underlying causes of it as a developmental disorder. This book focuses on modern scientific evidence, rather than assumptions and the blame game often associated with attitudes about mental illnesses. </p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/mentalillness/" rel="tag">#MentalIllness</a> <a href="/tags/mentalhealth/" rel="tag">#MentalHealth</a> <a href="/tags/psychiatry/" rel="tag">#Psychiatry</a> <a href="/tags/caregiving/" rel="tag">#Caregiving</a> <a href="/tags/disability/" rel="tag">#Disability</a> <a href="/tags/schizophrenia/" rel="tag">#Schizophrenia</a> <a href="/tags/neuroscience/" rel="tag">#Neuroscience</a></p>

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1851.</p><p>A fire at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroys 35,000 books, about two–thirds of the collection. Between 1890 and 1897, a new library building (Thomas Jefferson Building), was constructed. Two additional buildings, the John Adams Building (opened in 1939) and the James Madison Memorial Building (opened in 1980), were later added.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Congress" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Congress"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_</span><span class="invisible">of_Congress</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/library/" rel="tag">#library</a></p>

Library of Congress in the Capitol Building in 1853.

Ornamental columns and arches in the neoclassical style, symbolizing strength and permanence.

Wooden shelves, likely reaching high, filled with bound volumes, representing the library’s growing collection at the time.

Sunlight streaming through large windows or skylights, illuminating the space with a warm, diffused glow.

Sturdy, elegant furniture arranged for study and research, reflecting the purpose of the library.

Early gas lamps or chandeliers providing artificial light, as electricity was not yet in use.

A few individuals working, cataloging, or reading, dressed in mid-19th-century attire.

1 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

211d

<p>In Pursuit of Peace, Ancient Athens Created a Goddess</p><p>In the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War, Athenians worshipped Eirene. Her cult reflects the political role of religion in Ancient Greece.</p><p>By: Anna Gustafsson </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/in-pursuit-of-peace-ancient-athens-created-a-goddess/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-01152026" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/in-pursuit-of-peace-ancient-athens-created-a-goddess/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-01152026"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/in-pursuit-of-</span><span class="invisible">peace-ancient-athens-created-a-goddess/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-01152026</span></a></p><p>Eirene at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=eirene" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=eirene"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=eirene</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/history/" rel="tag">#history</a></p>

Eirene (Peace) bearing Plutus (Wealth), Roman copy after a Greek votive statue by Kephisodotos (ca. 370 BC) which stood on the agora in Athens.

Eirene is shown as a mature, dignified woman in flowing Classical Greek drapery. She cradles the infant Plutus in her left arm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eirene_(goddess)#/media/File:Eirene_Ploutos_Glyptothek_Munich_219_n4.jpg

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

211d

<p>Richard the Lionheart: New Study Rethinks His Capture After the Crusade</p><p>by Attila Bárány</p><p><a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2026/01/richard-the-lionheart-capture/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.medievalists.net/2026/01/richard-the-lionheart-capture/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.medievalists.net/2026/01/r</span><span class="invisible">ichard-the-lionheart-capture/</span></a></p><p>Original article:<br><a href="https://real.mtak.hu/188501/1/Veber_MercenariesandCrusaders2024.pdf" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="real.mtak.hu/188501/1/Veber_MercenariesandCrusaders2024.pdf"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">real.mtak.hu/188501/1/Veber_Me</span><span class="invisible">rcenariesandCrusaders2024.pdf</span></a></p><p>Richard I at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/2908" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/2908"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje</span><span class="invisible">ct/2908</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/history/" rel="tag">#history</a></p>

Depiction of Emperor Henry VI pardoning Richard in Peter of Eboli's Liber ad honorem Augusti, c. 1196.

The illumination shows:

Upper right: Emperor Henry VI seated on a throne in red robes with a crown, holding symbols of authority, with a green tree beside him
Lower right: King Richard kneeling or prostrating himself before the emperor in submission
Left side: Armed figures, likely guards or knights, one prominently holding a sword
Center: Another figure, possibly a mediator or official

Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI grants a pardon to en:Richard I of England (Richard Lionheart). Petrus de Ebulo, Liber ad honorem Augusti sive de rebus Siculis, fol 129, recto

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p>New Media, Old Anxieties:<br>Why is “Brain Rot” the Word of the Year?</p><p>Josh Abbey Considers “Savage Torpor” and Other Nice Things</p><p><a href="https://lithub.com/new-media-old-anxieties-why-is-brain-rot-the-word-of-the-year/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lithub.com/new-media-old-anxieties-why-is-brain-rot-the-word-of-the-year/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lithub.com/new-media-old-anxie</span><span class="invisible">ties-why-is-brain-rot-the-word-of-the-year/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/dictionaries/" rel="tag">#dictionaries</a></p>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1879.</p><p>During construction of an extension to Birmingham Central Library in England, a fire destroys 50,000 books and the original manuscript of the Coventry Mystery Plays (including the "Coventry Carol").</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Mystery_Plays" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Mystery_Plays"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry</span><span class="invisible">_Mystery_Plays</span></a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Carol" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Carol"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry</span><span class="invisible">_Carol</span></a></p><p>Coventry Carol at PG (as audio book):<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20603" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20603</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Cover of Christmas Carol Collection 2006 by Various.

Contents

# 01 - O Holy Night by Adolphe Adam - 00:06:18
Performed by: Karen Savage

# 02 - The Boar’s Head Carol by Traditional - 00:01:17
Performed by: Kara Shallenberg

# 03 - God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen by Traditional - 00:03:30
Performed by: Diyan

# 04 - Good King Wenseslas by J.M. Neale - 00:03:21
Performed by: Alan Drake & Irene Takiris with Friends

# 05 - Here We Come A-Wassailing by Traditional - 00:01:43
Performed by: Claire Goget

# 06 - Joy to the World by G.F. Handel - 00:01:41
Performed by: Kim Butler

# 07 - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John Baptiste Calkin - 00:02:02
Performed by: Kristin Hughes

# 08 - Dona Nobis Pacem by Traditional - 00:02:05
Performed by: SKVE

# 09 - The First Noel by Traditional English carol - 00:02:32
Performed by: Claire Goget

# 10 - Coventry Carol by Robert Croo (Lyrics) - 00:02:00
Performed by: Kim Butler

# 11 - It Came Upon the Midnight Clear by Edmund Hamilton Sears and Richard Storrs Willis - 00:03:35
Performed by: Kristin Hughes

# 12 - Away in a Manger by W. J. Kirkpatrick - 00:02:09
Performed by: Karen Savage

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1818.</p><p>Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" appears in Leigh Hunt's weekly The Examiner (London; p. 24) under the pen name "Glirastes". Horace Smith's contribution to the same informal sonnet-writing competition, "On a Stupendous Leg of Granite, Discovered Standing by Itself in the Deserts of Egypt, with the Inscription Inserted Below" is published on February 1 under his initials.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozymandias" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozymandias"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozymandi</span><span class="invisible">as</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>

"Ozymandias" by Glirastes in The Examiner, London, Sunday, January 11, 1818, No. 524, page 24.

Percy Bysshe Shelley. - First publication in The Examiner, No. 524, page 24.

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

210d

<p>Ebook and paperback: <a href="https://books2read.com/TrollSong" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>books2read.com/TrollSong</a></p><p>Having an abusive assassin for a sister was bad enough, but when Lyra’s older sister, Nicole, becomes obsessed with killing the teenage troll, her life becomes a special kind of nightmare. Will she escape, or become just another victim of the unstoppable woman?</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 Troll Song, by Owen Tyme, Illustrated by Ryan Johnson.

There's a woman in mud spattered white, leather armor crossing a pair of short swords against the neck of a terrified, shirtless dwarf.

The woman has white hair and a darker skin tone on the left side of her face. Her left eye is green and her right eye is blue.

The dwarf's hair and beard are blond.

The background is a green forest, with some flowers among the tall grass.

(Right) The background is a snow-covered forest, with a pair of dark silhouettes in it, one small and the other large, like a giant. The smaller silhouette is of a young woman walking away and the interior is filled with musical symbols, in green, white and two shades of blue. The larger silhouette is a woman wielding two swords and the interior is full of blood spatter. The larger one appears to be chasing the smaller one.

The following text is laid over the scene:

“I can’t die until Lyra takes her last breath! She’ll regret betraying her sisters!”

“There’s no price I won’t pay to see that happen, no pain I won’t endure and I’d sacrifice the whole world to seal her fate!”

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

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1868.</p><p>John William De Forest, writing for The Nation, calls for a more specifically American literature; the essay's title, "The Great American Novel", is the first known use of the term. In 1880, writer Henry James simplified the term with the initialism "GAN".</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Novel" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Novel"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Am</span><span class="invisible">erican_Novel</span></a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Novel#Notable_candidates" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Novel#Notable_candidates"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Am</span><span class="invisible">erican_Novel#Notable_candidates</span></a></p><p>Books by John William De Forest at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/4323" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/4323"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/4323</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Portrait of John William De Forest.

A middle-aged or older man with a strong, thoughtful expression, likely with neatly combed dark or graying hair and a short, well-groomed mustache.

Wearing formal 19th-century clothing, such as a dark suit, waistcoat, and a white shirt, typical of the era's intellectuals or gentlemen.

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

208d

Is a Dream of the Red Chamber or The Story of the Stone worth reading?

0 0 4 View Post & Replies See Original

210d

<p>📚 His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1) by: Philip Pullman</p><p>A war is brewing in Lyra's world between those who would keep people in ignorance and those willing to fight for freedom. Lyra is thrust into the middle of the conflict when her uncle Asriel comes to Oxford, fomenting rebellion, and wh...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/his-dark-materials-the-golden-compass-book-1" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/his-dark-materials-the-golden-compass-book-1"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/his-dark-m</span><span class="invisible">aterials-the-golden-compass-book-1</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/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/actionadventure/" rel="tag">#actionadventure</a> <a href="/tags/classics/" rel="tag">#classics</a></p>

A war is brewing in Lyra's world between those who would keep people in ignorance and those willing to fight for freedom. Lyra is thrust into the middle of the conflict when her uncle Asriel comes to Oxford, fomenting rebellion, and when her best friend, Roger, suddenly disappears.

Lyra learns that Roger was kidnapped by a shadowy organization that is rumored to experiment on children. To find him, she will travel to the cold, far North, where armored bears and witch clans rule—and where Asriel is attempting to build a bridge to a parallel world.

What Lyra doesn’t know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other—and that her actions will have consequences not just in her world, but in all the worlds beyond.

Look for the modern fantasy classics of HIS DARK MATERIALS:
The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife. The Amber Spyglass

And Lyra’s adventures continue in THE BOOK OF DUST:
La Belle Sauvage. The Secret Commonwealth. The Rose Field

DON’T MISS THE EPIC FINALE TO LYRA’S STORY: THE ROSE FIELD, AVAILABLE NOW!

Discover the modern fantasy classic that kicked off the epic trilogies His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust—a world where humans have animal familiars and parallel universes are within reach.

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

208d

<p>Why we love literary anniversaries</p><p>In 2026 there is another slew of big anniversaries, marking the tercentenary of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, and 200 years since the ever-relevant Mary Shelley’s The Last Man.</p><p>by Amy Wilcockson</p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-love-literary-anniversaries-273375" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="theconversation.com/why-we-love-literary-anniversaries-273375"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">theconversation.com/why-we-lov</span><span class="invisible">e-literary-anniversaries-273375</span></a></p><p>Some literary anniversaries at PG:<br>Gulliver’s Travels: <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/829" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/829</a><br>The Last man: <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18247" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18247</a><br>Winnie-the-Pooh: <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67098" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67098</a><br>The murder of Roger Ackroyd: <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69087" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69087</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

In the drawing, Eeyore is starting to munch on the thistle; Pooh is standing up with lots of thistle-burrs on his behind.

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67098/pg67098-images.html

2 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

209d

<p>📚 The Kaiju Preservation Society by: John Scalzi</p><p>When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to h...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/the-kaiju-preservation-society" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/the-kaiju-preservation-society"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/the-kaiju-</span><span class="invisible">preservation-society</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/aliencontact/" rel="tag">#aliencontact</a></p>

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on.

What Tom doesn't tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm, human-free world. They're the universe's largest and most dangerous panda and they're in trouble.

It's not just the Kaiju Preservation Society who have found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy.

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

92d

How to Build a Universe: Philip K. Dick on Reality, Its Enemies, and Its Heroes

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p>"We thought we believed in trial marriage. Nothing of the sort—trial separation! What marriage put asunder divorce has joined together."</p><p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1917.</p><p>Jesse Lynch Williams' Why Marry?, the first drama to win a Pulitzer Prize, opens at the Astor Theatre (New York).</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Marry%3F" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Marry%3F"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Marr</span><span class="invisible">y%3F</span></a></p><p>Why Marry? at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35389" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35389</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/theatre/" rel="tag">#theatre</a> <a href="/tags/drama/" rel="tag">#drama</a></p>

Nat Goodwin, an unidentified actress and Leonard Mudie in the 1917 play Why Marry. Date stamped Sept. 28, 1918.

The play was a comedic exploration of the institution of marriage, written by Jesse Lynch Williams. The actors are likely dressed in early 20th-century attire, fitting the time period of the play's production. The image was stamped with the date September 28, 1918, indicating either the date of publication or archival cataloging. The scene captures a moment of dramatic or comedic interaction between the characters.

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

209d

Heavy Is the Crown: George R.R. Martin on His Triumphs and Torments

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

209d

<p>finished reading <a href="https://eggplant.place/search?r=1&q=https://reviewdb.app/book/7MLmYj9vugHeZDTHRJYVdh" rel="nofollow">Becoming Mrs Mulberry</a> 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 <br>by Jackie French.</p><p>In the aftermath of WW1, a woman strives to build a new life despite the sacrifices she has made. Eventful & enjoyable, if implausible, with an excellent cast of characters and strong Miss Fisher vibes.</p><p><a href="/tags/bookreview/" rel="tag">#BookReview</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/historicfiction/" rel="tag">#HistoricFiction</a></p><p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://aus.social/@wildwoila" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>WildWoila</span></a></span> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://wyrms.de/user/wildwoila" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>wildwoila@wyrms.de</span></a></span><br></p>

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p>See Charles Dickens' Rare Manuscripts, Teenage Love Letters and a Copy of 'David Copperfield' That Traveled to Antarctica</p><p>To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Charles Dickens Museum in London is staging an exhibition of historic objects that shed light on the writer’s life and legacy</p><p>By Julia Binswanger</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-charles-dickens-rare-manuscripts-teenage-love-letters-and-a-copy-of-david-copperfield-that-traveled-to-antarctica-180985811/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-charles-dickens-rare-manuscripts-teenage-love-letters-and-a-copy-of-david-copperfield-that-traveled-to-antarctica-180985811/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-n</span><span class="invisible">ews/see-charles-dickens-rare-manuscripts-teenage-love-letters-and-a-copy-of-david-copperfield-that-traveled-to-antarctica-180985811/</span></a></p><p>Books by Charles Dickens at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/37" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/37"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/37</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/manuscripts/" rel="tag">#manuscripts</a></p>

Dickens at his desk, 1858

By George Herbert Watkins, born 1828.

Dickens is seated at a polished wooden desk, which is adorned with neatly arranged papers, a quill pen, and an inkwell, symbolizing his literary craft.

Dickens is dressed in mid-19th-century attire, including a dark frock coat and waistcoat, reflecting the fashion of his time.
His face bears a contemplative expression, with his gaze slightly diverted from the camera, suggesting introspection or creative thought.

His distinctive facial features, such as the sharp nose, expressive eyes, and thick beard, are rendered with remarkable clarity.

1 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

209d

<p>📚 Death of the Author by: Nnedi Okorafor</p><p>Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/death-of-the-author" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/death-of-the-author"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/death-of-t</span><span class="invisible">he-author</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/womenfiction/" rel="tag">#womenfiction</a> <a href="/tags/sciencefiction/" rel="tag">#sciencefiction</a> <a href="/tags/literaryfiction/" rel="tag">#literaryfiction</a> <a href="/tags/sagasfiction/" rel="tag">#sagasfiction</a></p>

Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is nothing like the quiet, literary novels that have so far peppered her unremarkable career. It’s a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots.

When Zelu finds the courage to share her strange novel, she does not realize she is about to embark on a life-altering journey—one that will catapult her into literary stardom, but also perhaps obliterate everything her book was meant to be. From Chicago to Lagos to the far reaches of space, Zelu’s novel will change the future not only for humanity, but for the robots who come next.

A book-within-a-book that blends the line between writing and being written, Death of the Author is a masterpiece of metafiction that manages to combine the razor-sharp commentary of Yellowface with the heartfelt humanity of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Surprisingly funny, deeply poignant, and endlessly discussable, this is at once the tale of a woman on t

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p>What Is Infinity? A Philosophical Approach</p><p>Infinity shapes philosophy, science, and ethics, challenging our understanding of reality, existence, and the limits of human thought.</p><p>By Viktoriya Sus</p><p><a href="https://www.thecollector.com/what-is-infinity-philosophical-approach/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.thecollector.com/what-is-infinity-philosophical-approach/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.thecollector.com/what-is-i</span><span class="invisible">nfinity-philosophical-approach/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a></p>

The Celestial Map-Northern Hemisphere, Albrecht Dürer, 1515.

The constellations are illustrated as mythological figures and animals, following classical traditions.

The map is based on Ptolemaic astronomy, using data from ancient Greek and Islamic scholars. Heinfogel, an astronomer, provided the positional accuracy of the stars.

The chart is centered on the North Pole and displays major star formations visible from the northern hemisphere.

Dürer’s celestial map was published as a pair—one for the northern hemisphere and another for the southern hemisphere—creating a comprehensive sky chart.

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

208d

What *is* literary fiction?

<p>Could you explain literacy fiction? I come from scifi/fantasy land and am confused.</p><p>There’s this definition that feels like “genre fiction has some recognizable theme/trope/rule/setting/whatever. Literary fiction is just the stuff that doesn’t fit easily.” I guess that’s a fine definition. Useful! Though I think my library just calls that “fiction” or “general fiction”.</p><p>But there’s this other “literature makes you think” definition. That’s the definition I feel like people mean when they say the word with reverence. There’s some “genre is popcorn and literature is vegetables” there too. Genre is of plot driven literature character driver. Literature examines the human condition and has complex story structure.</p><p>So, like, Use of Weapons and Chasm City are just about the most scifi books to ever scifi. I’m not as into war fiction, but Catch 22 counts, right? They use they’re complex narrative structure to make you feel a way. In service of their examination of war/time/identity. I dunno. Slaughterhouse Five leans on scifi to process war.</p><p>Never Let Me Go uses it’s simple structure and scifi tropes to examine a very complex theme. That book is not candy.</p><p>Ender’s Game taught me more about empathy than religion ever managed to.</p><p>There is certainly plot driven scifi with not great characters that’s super duper scifi. Three Body Problem, 2001, Childhood’s End. I don’t tend to like those as much. But they sure have things to say about the human condition.</p><p>We’re living in some terrible mashup of Snowcrash, The Diamond Age, Neuromancer, and The Fifth Season. And they wrote those books because they saw it coming. Or wanted to explain that I was already here. Hell, there’s even the classic “we built the torment nexus from the classic book don’t build the torment nexus” meme.</p><p>I’m just… What even is literature?</p>

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1812.</p><p>Lord Byron takes his seat in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.</p><p>These parlamentary experiences inspired Byron to write political poems such as Song for the Luddites (1816) and The Landlords' Interest, Canto XIV of The Age of Bronze. Examples of poems in which he attacked his political opponents include Wellington: The Best of the Cut-Throats (1819) and The Intellectual Eunuch Castlereagh (1818).</p><p>Books by Lord Byron at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1708" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1708"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1708</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Portrait of Byron by Richard Westall, completed in 1813.

Byron is shown in a slightly turned pose, gazing to the side with a thoughtful and introspective expression.

He wears an open-collared white shirt with a rich, red cloak or drape, which enhances his aristocratic elegance.

His hair is styled in soft, dark curls, framing his face, which was considered emblematic of beauty during the period.

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

208d

<p>Have you ever read a book set at a magical boarding school in England and wondered why the adult staff aren't doing anything about the supernatural problems the site faces? Well, then I recommend The Incandescent by Emily Tesh to you. Turns out competent adults can make a difference!</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/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> </p><p>1/2</p>

4 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

Previous Page Next Page