books

1y

<p>Is This the Best of All Possible Worlds? Leibniz vs. Voltaire</p><p>What does it mean for this world to be the “best possible world,” even with the obvious existence of evil? Leibniz and Voltaire weigh in.</p><p>By Mirjana Jojić</p><p><a href="https://www.thecollector.com/is-this-best-all-possible-worlds-leibniz-voltaire/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.thecollector.com/is-this-best-all-possible-worlds-leibniz-voltaire/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.thecollector.com/is-this-b</span><span class="invisible">est-all-possible-worlds-leibniz-voltaire/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a></p>

Portrait of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Ludwig Bechstein - from the book Zweihundert deutsche Männer in Bildnissen und Lebensbeschreibungen (Two hundred German men in portraits and biographies), Leipzig 1854, edited by Ludwig Bechstein

Portrait c. 1720s, the Musée Carnavalet

François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778), known as Voltaire, French Enlightenment writer and philosopher

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1y

<p>I recently finished The Will of the Many. this story follows an orphaned prince surviving in the Republic that invaded his country in a Romanesque world that uses will based magic in all things. Vis finds himself stuck between a plot to tear down the Republic and a senator that adopts him to attend a school to solve the murder of his brother. This was a fun read but there were issues with the grammar that were frustratingly repetitive. ⭐⭐🌟 @bookstodon @fantasy <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/fantasy/" rel="tag">#fantasy</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a></p>

(no description)

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97d

<p>Ebook: <a href="https://books2read.com/TheWizardsScion" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>books2read.com/TheWizardsScion</a></p><p>Levi Jacobs always dreamed of being like his father, the greatest wizard in the world, but had no understanding what it would be like. Follow Levi’s journey from bumbling teen to a great hero, while the young wizard learns to master magical powers that are initially completely beyond him and barely under control.</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>

The cover for the omnibus edition of The Wizard's Scion.

The background is a symbolic representation of a wormhole, hinting at the time-travel elements of the series.

The foreground consists of four figures, in silhouette, each filled with a different texture and behind them is a black octopus with red eyes and a menacing, red aura.

The central figure is a wizard in the midst of casting a spell, with his arms and robe outstretched. The texture used is black, with patches of mottled gold, overlaid with eight pointed stars. He's surrounded by a golden aura.

To the immediate left of the wizard is a girl. The texture used has a black background, overlaid with symbols for music, in green, cyan and white. She's surrounded by a green aura.

Standing just ahead of the wizard, but also slightly to the left is a woman wielding a pair of short swords in a combat-ready pose. The texture used is of blood spatter on a black background. She's surrounded by a dark red aura.

Ahead and to the right of the wizard is another woman with short swords, in a more relaxed stance than the other dual-wielder. The two woman are very similar in appearance, hinting at the fact that the one is a clone of the other. The texture used for this figure is a combination of a golden sunrise and translucent parts of clocks, hinting that the clone was made by time travelers. She's surrounded by a dark golden aura.

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97d

<p>One good thing about life these days are the number of independent and small press publishers that have sprung up. The majority of the most interesting books published now come from them, and in this piece six editors whose presses specialize in finding and reissuing engaging backlist titles talk about why they publish the books they do and how they find them. <br><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/publishing/" rel="tag">#publishing</a> <a href="/tags/indies/" rel="tag">#indies</a> <a href="/tags/smallpress/" rel="tag">#SmallPress</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span> </p><p><a href="https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2026/01/08/literature-small-press-editors-out-of-print-books/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.culturedmag.com/article/2026/01/08/literature-small-press-editors-out-of-print-books/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.culturedmag.com/article/20</span><span class="invisible">26/01/08/literature-small-press-editors-out-of-print-books/</span></a></p>

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12d

<p>It's been almost a month since I last performed any maintenance on my digital library (maintenance primarily being backing up recently purchased books and a few post-processing actions). I feel like the books that catch attention and make their way to a TBR shelf can tell you, well maybe not a lot, but at least something about someone, and I think this is a pretty comprehensive, and not bad looking list of books, IMO. So, here are the books I've recently added to my library (all, sadly, bought through Amazon at severe discounts): </p><p>- A Memory Called Empire (Book 1 of Teixcalaan) by Arkady Martine*<br>- These Prisoning Hills by Christopher Rowe*<br>- The Rose Rent (Book 13 of The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) by Ellis Peters<br>- Shakespeare by Bill Bryson<br>- Pastoralia by George Saunders<br>- Grave Empire (The Great Silence) by Richard Swan<br>- The Best of Me by David Sedaris<br>- Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith by Studs Terkel<br>- The Kill Artist (Book 1 of Gabriel Allon) by Daniel Silva**<br>- The Mephisto Club (A Rizzoli & Isles Novel) by Tess Gerritsen<br>- The Running Man by Stephen King<br>- The Long Walk by Stephen King<br>- Night Shift by Stephen King<br>- Christine by Stephen King<br>- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas<br>- The Warded Man (Book 1 of the Demon Cycle) by Peter V. Brett<br>- Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits (Zoey Ashe) by Jason Pargin & David Wong***<br>- Shadow and Bone (Book 1 of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo<br>- Siege and Storm (Book 2 of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo<br>- Neon Riders by AE Marling*<br>- Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead (The Loyal Opposition Trilogy) by K. J. Parker***<br>- Queen Demon (Book 2 of the Rising World) by Martha Wells<br>- Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud<br>- No Life Forsaken (Book 2 of Witness) by Steven Erikson<br>- Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher<br>- The Tiger and the Wolf (Book 1 of Echoes of the Fall) by Adrian Tchaikovsky<br>- The Bear and the Serpent (Book 2 of Echoes of the Fall) by Adrian Tchaikovsky<br>- The Hyena and the Hawk (Book 3 of Echoes of the Fall) by Adrian Tchaikovsky<br>- King Sorrow by Joe Hill<br>- Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker</p><p>*These books were discovered via the fediverse (thanks for the recommendations and for sharing)<br>**Recommended via IRL local networks<br>***Just some badass covers because, don't lie, everyone loves a good book cover</p><p><a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

Book cover for _Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead_ by K. J. Parker. A gothic stone arch frames a black background with the title in bold white and red lettering. Above, a gold chalice holds a skull; below, a small red, stylized animal stands. The overall tone is dark with medieval, slightly eerie imagery.

Book cover for _Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits_ by Jason Pargin (writing as David Wong). A stylized figure with a cat’s head and a cybernetic eye stands against a teal, circuit-patterned background. One hand is raised, wearing a ring emitting red beams. Bright splashes of red and yellow paint surround the head, and the bold title appears in large, jagged red lettering. The overall style is chaotic, graphic, and sci-fi.

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53d

<p>I updated my book recommendations page to include most, but not all, of the diverse Romance authors I read. <a href="https://sightlessscribbles.com/fav-books/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="sightlessscribbles.com/fav-books/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">sightlessscribbles.com/fav-boo</span><span class="invisible">ks/</span></a> <a href="/tags/romance/" rel="tag">#Romance</a> <a href="/tags/romancelandia/" rel="tag">#RomanceLandia</a> <a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#Book</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

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1y

<p>Limited restock of all signed copies of my poetry books are now available at <a href="https://www.nihtgengapress.com" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.nihtgengapress.com</a><br><a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/indie/" rel="tag">#indie</a> </p><p>Thank you for supporting an independent indigenous poet directly!</p>

3 books in a line on a pine table top. Disremembering, threnody, and library on fire by Michelle Joy Gallagher soffe.

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1y

<p>Anactoria is a woman mentioned in the work of the ancient Greek poet Sappho, who wrote in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. Sappho names Anactoria as the object of her desire in a poem numbered as fragment 16. Another of her poems, fragment 31, is traditionally called the "Ode to Anactoria", although no name appears in it.</p><p>Algernon Charles Swinburne wrote a long poem, "Anactoria", published in his 1866 collection Poems and Ballads.</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anactoria" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anactoria"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anactori</span><span class="invisible">a</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>

Sappho and Alcaeus (1881), painted by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Anactoria's name is visible near the middle of the painting.

The scene is set in a marble amphitheater overlooking the sea, with lush pine trees framing the background.

Alcaeus, seated to the right, is playing a kithara (a type of lyre) and singing, clad in a pinkish tunic with golden sandals. He appears engaged in performance, his fingers on the strings, as he sings to an enraptured audience.

Sappho, seated on a stone bench to the left, leans forward with her chin resting on her hand, listening intently. She wears a flowing pale green gown and a dark headband. A small altar-like table in front of her holds a laurel wreath, possibly a prize for poetic excellence.

Behind Sappho, a group of women, possibly her companions or disciples, are dressed in elegant, classical garments and adorned with floral crowns.

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12d

<p>Why does fiction matter? </p><p>Because stories can sharpen the way we understand other people. </p><p>A meta-analysis found that reading fiction has a small but positive effect on social cognition. Including our ability to interpret emotions, motives, and inner lives. </p><p>In other words: novels may help us practice empathy.</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/mentalhealth/" rel="tag">#mentalhealth</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#fiction</a></p>

Reading matters

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96d

<p>"<a href="/tags/julianbravenoisecat/" rel="tag">#JulianBraveNoisecat</a>’s debut memoir, <a href="/tags/wesurvivedthenight/" rel="tag">#WeSurvivedTheNight</a> [...] begins with an act of literary resistance in the face of colonial erasure. NoiseCat’s father was born and then abandoned as an infant at St Joseph’s Mission, an Indian boarding school in Canada now known to be the site of generations of systemic state violence against <a href="/tags/indigenous/" rel="tag">#Indigenous</a> children and their families." </p><p><a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/julian-brave-noisecat-memoir-sugarcane-leila-nadir-interview/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="lareviewofbooks.org/article/julian-brave-noisecat-memoir-sugarcane-leila-nadir-interview/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">lareviewofbooks.org/article/ju</span><span class="invisible">lian-brave-noisecat-memoir-sugarcane-leila-nadir-interview/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/firstnations/" rel="tag">#FirstNations</a> <a href="/tags/nativeamericans/" rel="tag">#NativeAmericans</a> <a href="/tags/oraltraditions/" rel="tag">#oralTraditions</a> <a href="/tags/coyotestories/" rel="tag">#coyoteStories</a> <a href="/tags/memoirs/" rel="tag">#memoirs</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

Tricksters and the Spirit World

Julian Brave NoiseCat discusses ‘We Survived the Night,’ his genre-bending revival of the ‘Coyote epic,’ with Leila Nadir.

By Leila NadirJanuary 24, 2026

[tags] CULTURAL STUDIES ENVIRONMENT

image: photo of author and cinéaste Julian Brave Noisecat

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95d

<p>Did Edison accidentally make graphene in 1879?</p><p>Rice University chemists replicated Thomas Edison’s seminal experiment and found a surprising byproduct.</p><p>by Jennifer Ouellette</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/01/did-edison-accidentally-make-graphene-in-1879/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="arstechnica.com/science/2026/01/did-edison-accidentally-make-graphene-in-1879/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">arstechnica.com/science/2026/0</span><span class="invisible">1/did-edison-accidentally-make-graphene-in-1879/</span></a></p><p>Thomas Edison at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3325" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3325"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/3325</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/science/" rel="tag">#science</a> <a href="/tags/technology/" rel="tag">#technology</a></p>

Edison carbon filament lamps, early 1880s.

There are four glass bulbs mounted upright on a base, each with slightly different shapes and proportions.The bulbs have:

Rounded, bulbous glass envelopes, some more spherical than others

Visible carbon filaments inside (thin, looped or arched)

Darkened glass near the tops, likely from carbon deposits caused by early filament evaporation

Primitive bases and sockets

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96d

<p>📚 Departure by: A. G. Riddle</p><p>En route to London from New York, Flight 305 suddenly loses power and crash-lands in the English countryside, plunging a group of strangers into a mysterious adventure that will have repercussions for all of humankind.</p><p>Struggling to stay alive, the survivors soon realize that the worl...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/departure" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>bookblabla.com/book/departure</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/dystopianfiction/" rel="tag">#dystopianfiction</a> <a href="/tags/thrillers/" rel="tag">#thrillers</a> <a href="/tags/technologicalfiction/" rel="tag">#technologicalfiction</a> <a href="/tags/suspensefiction/" rel="tag">#suspensefiction</a></p>

En route to London from New York, Flight 305 suddenly loses power and crash-lands in the English countryside, plunging a group of strangers into a mysterious adventure that will have repercussions for all of humankind.

Struggling to stay alive, the survivors soon realize that the world they’ve crashed in is very different from the one they left. But where are they? Why are they here? And how will they get back home?

Five passengers seem to hold clues about what's really going on: writer Harper Lane, venture capitalist Nick Stone, German genetic researcher Sabrina Schröder, computer scientist Yul Tan, and Grayson Shaw, the son of a billionaire philanthropist.

As more facts about the crash emerge, it becomes clear that some in this group know more than they’re letting on answers that will lead Harper and Nick to uncover a far reaching conspiracy involving their own lives. As they begin to piece together the truth, they discover they have the power to change the future and the past to save our world... or end it.

A wildly inventive and propulsive adventure full of hairpin twists, Departure is a thrilling tale that weaves together power, ambition, fate, memory, and love, from a bold and visionary talent.

From the author of the #1 bestselling The Atlantis Gene comes a new novel in which the world’s past and future rests in the hands of five unwitting strangers in this definitive edition of A. G. Riddle's time-traveling, mind-bending speculative thriller.

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17d

<p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a> <a href="/tags/khayyam/" rel="tag">#Khayyam</a> <a href="/tags/omarkhayyám/" rel="tag">#OmarKhayyám</a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@bookstodon" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>bookstodon</span></a></span></p>

Omar Khayyam

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1y

<p>Discover the Self-Taught Genius of Leonardo da Vinci</p><p>By Shiori Chen </p><p><a href="https://mymodernmet.com/self-taught-leonardo-da-vinci/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mymodernmet.com/self-taught-leonardo-da-vinci/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mymodernmet.com/self-taught-le</span><span class="invisible">onardo-da-vinci/</span></a></p><p>Leonardo da Vinci at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1629" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1629"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1629</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#art</a> <a href="/tags/history/" rel="tag">#history</a></p>

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Author (1452-1519)
Treatise on painting, by Leonardo da Vinci : published in Paris in 1651 by Raphael du Fresne : with a portrait of Leonardo da Vinci and explanatory drawings

This portrait is based on an engraving by Raphael Morghen (1758–1833), an Italian engraver known for his detailed and refined prints. Morghen's engraving itself was inspired by what was believed to be a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. However, the accuracy of this attribution has been debated by art historians.

The original self-portrait attributed to Leonardo is a red chalk drawing on paper (circa 1512), housed in the Royal Library of Turin, Italy. It depicts an elderly man with long hair and a flowing beard, often considered to represent Leonardo in his later years.

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91d

<p>finished reading <a href="https://eggplant.place/search?r=1&q=https://reviewdb.app/book/7T6I0bpltH54E49M419qo3" rel="nofollow">The Veiled Throne</a> 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 <br>by Ken Liu.</p><p>A silkpunk epic full of far-fetched but fun battles - of both the naval and MasterChef kind! A refreshing change from the usual fantasy fare, although rather too long & detailed. Explores the mess of identity, culture & colonisation.</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/silkpunk/" rel="tag">#SilkPunk</a> <a href="/tags/sff/" rel="tag">#SFF</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> @wildwoila@wyrms.de<br></p>

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1924.</p><p>Seán O'Casey's drama Juno and the Paycock opens at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. It is set in the working-class tenements of Dublin in the early 1920s, during the Irish Civil War period.</p><p>It is the second of his "Dublin Trilogy" – the other two being The Shadow of a Gunman (1923) and The Plough and the Stars (1926).</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_and_the_Paycock" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_and_the_Paycock"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_and</span><span class="invisible">_the_Paycock</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/drama/" rel="tag">#drama</a> <a href="/tags/theatre/" rel="tag">#theatre</a></p>

Poster for the 1930 film “Juno and the Paycock” (alternate title “The Shame of Mary Boyle”).

Since it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and based on Seán O’Casey’s acclaimed play, the poster have been designed in the early sound era’s style, featuring bold typography and theatrical imagery.

A strong central image, possibly depicting key characters like Juno Boyle (a struggling mother) and Captain Boyle (her irresponsible husband).

A somber or dramatic color scheme reflecting the film’s serious tone.

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336d

<p>Why G.K. Chesterton?</p><p>What was it that this non-expert, the funny fat man, had to say? Why did his works become for many a sort of bible? How was it that an artist-turned-journalist was accepted as the idea man as well as the entertainer of people?</p><p>By Leo R. Ward</p><p><a href="https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2025/05/gk-chesterton-leo-r-ward.html" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="theimaginativeconservative.org/2025/05/gk-chesterton-leo-r-ward.html"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">theimaginativeconservative.org</span><span class="invisible">/2025/05/gk-chesterton-leo-r-ward.html</span></a></p><p>G.K. Chesterton at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=G.K.+Chesterton" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=G.K.+Chesterton"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc</span><span class="invisible">h/?query=G.K.+Chesterton</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Chesterton in his office

Unknown author - Crisis Magazine: http://www.crisismagazine.com/2012/new-study-marred-by-old-cliches-about-preconciliar-catholic-writers

He is seen seated, likely at a desk, with his characteristic imposing figure, round face, and thick spectacles. His hair is tousled and he wears a typical dark suit, with a cravat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton#/media/File:G._K._Chesterton_at_work.jpg

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1912.</p><p>Frieda Weekley meets D. H. Lawrence in Nottingham. She met D. H. Lawrence, a former student of her husband's; they soon fell in love and eloped to Germany. During their stay Lawrence was arrested for spying; after the intervention of Frieda's father, the couple walked south over the Alps to Italy. In 1914, following her divorce, Frieda and D.H. Lawrence married. </p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frieda_Lawrence" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frieda_Lawrence"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frieda_L</span><span class="invisible">awrence</span></a></p><p>D.H. Lawrence at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/123" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/123"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/123</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

David Herbert Lawrence & Frieda von Richthofen, 1914.

The image typically shows them sitting close together, reflecting their deep and unconventional relationship.

David Herbert Lawrence, known for his intense gaze and bohemian appearance, is often depicted with unkempt hair and a beard, dressed in simple, rugged clothing that suggests his rejection of traditional societal norms.

Frieda, who came from an aristocratic German background, appears confident and free-spirited, sometimes wearing a long dress or a coat suitable for the countryside.

Edited 1y ago

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1y

<p>Currently reading Agatha Christie's "The Murder on the Links" which I downloaded free of charge thanks to <span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@gutenberg_org" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>gutenberg_org</span></a></span> </p><p>A top-notch book. Hercule Poirot mysteries are such a joy. Thoroughly enjoying it. Get your copy at:</p><p><a href="https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/58866" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>gutenberg.org/ebooks/58866</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a></p>

A book cover for The Murder On The Links by Agatha Christie

The image is of a narrow dagger, surmounted by an eagle with spread wings on the end of the handle. Behind it is an orange circle on a white background.

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90d

<p>Jack Kerouac’s 37 metre-long, first draft scroll of On the Road to be auctioned</p><p>The draft – one of the Beat Generation’s defining artefacts – will be part of a wider sale of pieces from the Jim Irsay Collection at Christie’s in March</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/30/jack-kerouac-on-the-road-first-draft-scroll-to-be-auctioned" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/30/jack-kerouac-on-the-road-first-draft-scroll-to-be-auctioned"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.theguardian.com/books/2026</span><span class="invisible">/jan/30/jack-kerouac-on-the-road-first-draft-scroll-to-be-auctioned</span></a></p><p>Naval Reserve Enlistment photograph of Jack Kerouac</p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Naval Reserve Enlistment photograph of Jack Kerouac.- picryl.com. He standing in front of a height chart. (He is 5'9".) At the bottom of the photo is his enlistment number.

Edited 90d ago

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1y

<p>‘He contains the whole of literature’: is Dickens better than Shakespeare?</p><p>After rereading the entire works of the great Victorian novelist during the pandemic, Peter Conrad became convinced – whisper it – that Dickens is an even greater writer than that other British literary giant, the Bard.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/02/is-dickens-better-than-shakespeare" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/02/is-dickens-better-than-shakespeare"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.theguardian.com/books/2025</span><span class="invisible">/mar/02/is-dickens-better-than-shakespeare</span></a></p><p>Shakespeare at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/65" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/65"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/65</span></a></p><p>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></p>

Portrait of William Shakespeare by John Taylor.

The portrait shows Shakespeare with a slightly melancholic yet confident expression, dark eyes, and a mustache with a small pointed beard.

He is dressed in Elizabethan attire, wearing a black doublet or jacket with a wide, white collar. A gold hoop earring is visible in his left ear, a fashionable accessory among poets and playwrights of the time.

The background is dark, which emphasizes his face and adds a sense of depth and drama to the portrait.

Portrait of Charles Dickens by Jeremiah Gurney, c. 1867–1868.

In the portrait, Dickens is dressed in formal Victorian attire, typically a dark suit with a vest and a neatly tied cravat.

His hair is slightly disheveled, and his full beard and mustache frame his face, giving him a distinguished yet somewhat weary appearance.

His eyes, often described as piercing and thoughtful, add to the emotional depth of the image.

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95d

<p>Entwinings</p><p>Literature and History, Fathers and Sons, Writers and Readers</p><p>by Adam Garfinkle</p><p><a href="https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/place-and-revolution/articles/entwinings" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="hedgehogreview.com/issues/place-and-revolution/articles/entwinings"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">hedgehogreview.com/issues/plac</span><span class="invisible">e-and-revolution/articles/entwinings</span></a></p><p>Wharton & Fitzgerald & Stoddard at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/104" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/104"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/104</span></a><br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/420" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/420"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/420</span></a><br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3837" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3837"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/3837</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Wharton, c. 1895

Photograph of writer Edith Wharton, taken by E. F. Cooper, at Newport, Rhode Island. Cabinet photograph. Courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University.

Whartons is dressed with:
Elaborate hat with feathers and ornamental details
Leg-of-mutton sleeves (gigot sleeves)
High-necked white blouse with lace or embroidered details
Two small dogs on her lap, likely Pekingese or similar toy breeds (Wharton was known to be fond of dogs throughout her life)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Wharton#/media/File:Edith_Newbold_Jones_Wharton_(cropped_02).jpg

Fitzgerald in 1921

Photographer unknown. The publicity photo was distributed by Fitzgerald's publisher, Scribner's (source: Curtis, William (April 15, 1922). "Some Recent Books". Town & Country, Vol. LXXIX, pp. 62, 76; see photo caption).

The photograph shows Fitzgerald as the embodiment of the young Jazz Age celebrity:

Handsome, polished appearance
Slicked-back hair in the fashionable style of the early 1920s
Well-tailored tweed jacket and tie
Direct, confident gaze

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald#/media/File:F._Scott_Fitzgerald_(1921_portrait_-_crop)_Retouched.jpg

This is a scan of the frontis of his most attributed book, "John L. Stoddard's Lectures". Copyright is 1897; printed in 1905.

This formal portrait shows Stoddard:

In his prime, with a distinguished appearance
Wearing a formal dark suit typical of the Victorian/Edwardian era
With his characteristic well-groomed mustache
Seated with what appears to be a rolled document or paper in his hand

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lawson_Stoddard#/media/File:John_L._Stoddard.jpg

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91d

<p>Over 32,000 medieval manuscripts transcribed in four months using AI</p><p>Medievalists can now access automated transcriptions of 32,763 digitised medieval manuscripts, produced in just four months as part of a project called CoMMA—a large-scale corpus designed to make manuscript texts searchable and analysable at a scale that would be impossible to tackle by hand.</p><p><a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2026/01/32000-medieval-manuscripts-transcribed-using-ai/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.medievalists.net/2026/01/32000-medieval-manuscripts-transcribed-using-ai/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.medievalists.net/2026/01/3</span><span class="invisible">2000-medieval-manuscripts-transcribed-using-ai/</span></a></p><p>Original paper:<br><a href="https://inria.hal.science/hal-05299220" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>inria.hal.science/hal-05299220</a></p><p>The CoMMA website:<br><a href="https://comma.inria.fr/homepage" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>comma.inria.fr/homepage</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/old_manuscripts/" rel="tag">#old_manuscripts</a></p>

First page of Chronicon Pictum, the "Illuminated Chronicle" from the court of King Louis the Great of Hungary from 1358.

Main illumination shows:

A multi-paneled scene within an elaborate architectural frame
Central figure: A crowned king (likely representing Hungarian royalty) seated on a throne
Left panel: Armed warriors or knights
Right panel: Groups of courtiers or nobles
Rich colors: deep blues, reds, golds, and ochres
Gothic architectural elements including towers and arches

Latin text in two columns
Red lettering (rubrics) for important headings and initial words
Black text for the main chronicle
Beautiful calligraphy in Gothic script

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscript#/media/File:K%C3%A9pes_kr%C3%B3nika_els%C5%91_lapja.jpg

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95d

<p>📚 The Friend of the Family by: Dean Koontz</p><p>The human "oddities" in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised. But Alida is something else. The real thing. Traveling Depression-era America from carnival midways to speakeasies, Alida is resigned to an exploited and lonely l...</p><p><a href="https://bookblabla.com/book/the-friend-of-the-family" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="bookblabla.com/book/the-friend-of-the-family"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bookblabla.com/book/the-friend</span><span class="invisible">-of-the-family</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/historical/" rel="tag">#historical</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/thrillers/" rel="tag">#thrillers</a> <a href="/tags/suspensefiction/" rel="tag">#suspensefiction</a></p>

The human "oddities" in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised. But Alida is something else. The real thing. Traveling Depression-era America from carnival midways to speakeasies, Alida is resigned to an exploited and lonely life on the road as the museum's golden ticket. Until she's rescued by two compassionate strangers.

Franklin and Loretta Fairchild see in Alida a gifted and uncannily well-read girl in need of a loving touch and a family. With the openhearted couple and their three precociously imaginative children, Alida finds it. Yet despite everyone's overwhelming generosity and acceptance, Alida knows she is still a very different kind of girl. Her dreams bear that out. They're vivid, unsettling, and threatening. Alida fears that they're also warnings. And that it's the Fairchilds who may need rescue from a bad, bad world.

Alida will do anything to help those she now holds nearest and dearest. Empowered with a purpose to vanquish evil, she will not fail her family.

A girl liberated from a carnival sideshow discovers her mysterious purpose in a moving novel about family, sacrifice, and transcendent love by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.

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32d

<p>This is how I feel when I look at my TBR pile 😜😂 </p><p><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> <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 <span class="h-card"><a href="https://fedigroups.social/@joinin" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>joinin</span></a></span></p><p><a href="/tags/readingmemes/" rel="tag">#ReadingMemes</a> <a href="/tags/meme/" rel="tag">#Meme</a> <a href="/tags/memes/" rel="tag">#Memes</a> <a href="/tags/readallthebooks/" rel="tag">#ReadAllTheBooks</a> <a href="/tags/humor/" rel="tag">#Humor</a> <a href="/tags/humour/" rel="tag">#Humour</a> <a href="/tags/funny/" rel="tag">#Funny</a><br><a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#Reading</a> <a href="/tags/readers/" rel="tag">#Readers</a> <a href="/tags/readersofmastodon/" rel="tag">#ReadersOfMastodon</a> <a href="/tags/readingcommunity/" rel="tag">#ReadingCommunity</a><br><a href="/tags/book/" rel="tag">#Book</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#Books</a> <a href="/tags/novel/" rel="tag">#Novel</a> <a href="/tags/novels/" rel="tag">#Novels</a> <a href="/tags/fiction/" rel="tag">#Fiction</a> <br><a href="/tags/bookwyrm/" rel="tag">#Bookwyrm</a> <a href="/tags/bookworm/" rel="tag">#Bookworm</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#Bookstodon</a></p>

Drawing of a sorcerer sitting behind a talbe filled with crystalballs, on each ball has been editing in the text "unread book".

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