Eggplant.place

1y

#OTD in 1922.

In a "savage creative storm" of less than three weeks beginning today at Château de Muzot in Switzerland, Rainer Maria Rilke writes his Sonnets to Orpheus (Die Sonette an Orpheus) and completes his Duino Elegies (Duineser Elegien).

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

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

Books by Rainer Maria Rilke at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/846

#books #literature #poetry

First edition book cover of Sonette an Orpheus (Sonnets to Orpheus) (1923) by Rainer Maria Rilke.

ALT

Cover of Rainer Maria Rilke's Duineser Elegien (1923)

ALT

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

270d

Niels Fredrik Dahl and “Reality Literature”: Writing to Become Visible to Yourself

What does it mean to write truth into literature? In recent decades, books that are largely autobiographical but also explicitly include fictional elements have become a very popular genre in Scandinavia.

by Linnea Gradin

https://www.asymptotejournal.com/blog/2026/01/21/niels-fredrik-dahl-and-reality-literature-writing-to-become-visible-to-yourself/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=01KFJX49SHZWE60334HQRV1RSS&_kx=3MZUehzXM-41qlWAMPUiuNZadX2p0SByuNf_t0eMLB0.U5D8ER

Realism at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=realism

#books #literature #literarycriticism

Ornament from a 1923 magazine.

A pen-and-ink illustration depicting various objects associated with reading and writing:

An open book prominently displayed on what appears to be a book rest or stand
A rolled scroll or manuscript
Other books stacked or arranged around the central open volume

https://archive.org/details/storyworldphotod51phot

ALT

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

"There is not past, no future; everything flows in an eternal present."

James Joyce was born #OTD in 1882.

Together with Virginia Woolf and Dorothy Richardson, he is credited with the development of the stream of consciousness technique in which the same weight is given to both the internal world of the mind and the external world of events and circumstances as factors shaping the actions and views of fictional characters.

James Joyce at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1039

#books #literature

ALT

1 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

#OTD in 1852.

Alexandre Dumas, fils's stage adaptation of his 1848 novel La Dame aux caméllias is premièred at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris.

Shortly thereafter, Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi set about putting the story to music in the 1853 opera La traviata, with female protagonist Marguerite Gautier renamed Violetta Valéry.

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

La dame aux camélias at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2419
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1608

#books #literature

Alphonse Mucha's poster for a performance of the theatrical version, with Sarah Bernhardt (1896).

ALT

2 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

"There are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion; and what remains but to take it ready-made from others, instead of forming opinions for himself?"

The Art of Controversy, and Other Posthumous Papers (ed. 1896)

~Arthur Schopenhauer (22 February 1788 – 21 September 1860)

Books by Arthur Schopenhauer at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3648

#books #literature #philosophy

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

270d

The Untold Story of Selene, Greek Goddess of the Moon

A daughter of the Titans, Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon. She appears throughout Greek mythology in divine wars and torrid love affairs.

by Kieren Johns

https://www.thecollector.com/selene-greek-goddess-moon/

Greek Mythology in literature at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/17235

#books #literature #mythology

Selene, engraving by François Chauveau.

The goddess is shown in flowing drapery, seated or reclining on a large crescent moon, which was her traditional attribute
Her pose is dynamic and graceful, with arms raised in a classical manner
A sleeping figure, likely Endymion, the handsome shepherd or astronomer with whom Selene fell in love according to Greek mythology

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selene#/media/File:S%C3%A9l%C3%A9n%C3%A9.jpg

ALT

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

271d

Book Review: ECO 24 edited by Marissa Van Uden
A speculative fiction anthology devoted to ecological fiction.
@Princejvstin has the review at the NOAF blog
http://www.nerds-feather.com/2026/01/book-review-eco-24-edited-by-marissa.html

#books #review #bookstodon @bookstodon

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

271d

A Review of What Do We Afford: https://lydiaschoch.com/a-review-of-what-do-we-afford/

#BookReview #Books #ScienceFiction #IndieBooks

@bookstodon

Book cover for What Do We Afford by Eyal Avissar. Image on cover is possibly AI-generated and shows a nondescript blue drawing of a male human body with various parts of it labelled. There is also a sketch of a cow behind the human. The text reads: “system diagram - Volume 1” and then has the following words and phrases written clockwise around figures: Afford data relay, Affords reverie, (deprecated), Affords calm gaze, Affords systematic rhymthm (which seems to be purposefully misspelled), Affords yield, Affords grounding, Affords noise detection, Affords extraction, Affords compliance, Affords gripping, Affords recognition, and Affords extraction.

ALT

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1d

Ebook and paperback: https://books2read.com/TymeDarkMoon
Series Ebook omnibus: https://books2read.com/TheWizardsScion

On a world thought to have no moon, its sudden appearance inspires wonder and terror. Research links the full moon and catastrophe, revealing the existence of ‘Harbingers of Doom’, creatures that harvest souls. Can everyone survive or will they be reaped like wheat?

@bookstodon
#author #indieauthor #writing #fantasy #scifi #sciencefiction #sff #sciencefantasy #scifi #actionadventure #fiction #books

(Left) The cover of dark moon, by Owen Tyme, illustrated by Ryan Johnson.

In the foreground, a redheaded witch and a dark haired wizard fight back to back, holding some rather large pistols. The witch is in a black dress and the wizard is in a black robe with golden decorations. Both looked a bit purple, due to the lighting. The witch's hair blows on the wind and she wears a necklace of bone beads.

Behind them, there's dust, mist and fog lit by twilight as a moon rises, framing their heads. Objects that look like shooting stars fall from the moon and there's a few visible impacts.

(Right) A white moon, on a background of the stars of space, with the following quote over the top of it:

“Idiot! You’ve likely killed us both, leaving us stuck out in the open like this.”

“We’ve got incoming. I know you’re angry and I suppose you’ve got every right to be, but we need to defend ourselves.”

“ ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’, for now, and then we decide what to do about the conflict between us.”

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

ALT

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

#OTD in 1869.

Booth's Theatre opens on Manhattan with the owner, Edwin Booth, playing the male lead in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Some reports said it was one of the most elaborate productions of Romeo and Juliet ever seen in America; it was certainly the most popular, running for over six weeks and earning over $60,000 (equivalent to $1,000,000 in 2023).

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

Romeo and Juliet at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1513

#books #literature #theatre

An 1870 oil painting of Romeo and Juliet by Ford Madox Brown depicting the play's balcony scene.

In the painting, Juliet leans over a stone balcony, dressed in a flowing, golden-yellow gown, her expression a mix of longing and affection.

Romeo, clad in a deep red tunic, clings to the balcony’s edge, gazing up at her with passionate devotion.

ALT

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

38d

Love getting lost in a historical fiction series?

Set in 19th-century Ireland, The Fitzgeralds of Dublin series follows one family through hardship, secrets, and choices that echo across generations.

📚️️️️️ Books 1–9 available as box sets
📖 Read free in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon - https://mybook.to/FitzgeraldsBoxSets

#BooksByLornaPeel #Books #FamilySaga #HistoricalFiction #Bookstodon #Ireland #KindleUnlimited #Dublin @bookstodon

Promotional image for "The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Series" - an Irish historical fiction series by Lorna Peel, featuring three box sets: Books 1–3, Books 4–6, and Books 7–9. The text reads: "Love, trust, family ties and secrets... The Fitzgeralds of Dublin Series. Books 1–3 Box Set, Books 4–6 Box Set, Books 7–9 Box Set. Out now on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited." Each box set is shown with individual book covers showing characters from the series and photographs of 19th-century Dublin, Ireland.

ALT

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

What Are the 5 Most Influential English Ghost Stories?

Ghost stories are an ancient tradition, often carrying moral or religious messages. Over time, writers realized the power of crafting uniquely unsettling tales, and this list examines 5 of the most influential.

By Lauren Jones

https://www.thecollector.com/most-influential-english-ghost-stories/

All these ghost stories are available at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/768
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1289
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14522
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8486
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/209

#books #literature

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

What Is the Diamond Sutra? The Oldest Printed Book in the World

We explore the fascinating story behind the Diamond Sutra, thought to be the oldest printed book in the world.

By Maysara Kamal

https://www.thecollector.com/what-is-the-diamond-sutra/

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

#books #manuscripts

Front line of the Chinese Diamond Sūtra, printed in the 9th year of the Xiantong era of the Tang dynasty, i.e. 868 CE, the oldest known dated printed book in the world. British Library

The colophon, at the inner end, reads: Reverently [caused to be] made for universal free distribution by Wang Jie on behalf of his two parents on the 13th of the 4th moon of the 9th year of Xiantong [i.e. 11th May, CE 868 ].

ALT

2 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

271d

Impressionism Beyond Painting: Sculpture, Literature, Film and More

Impressionists like Edgar Degas experimented with photography and inspired a photographic movement that aimed to convey the same effects as their groundbreaking paintings.

by Anastasiia Kirpalov

https://www.thecollector.com/impressionism-sculpture-literature-film-photography/

Impressionism at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/3050

#books #art #literature

Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet, 1872.

The painting shows the port of Le Havre in northern France at sunrise. Others elements:

The orange sun: Rising through morning mist, with its reflection shimmering on the water
Boats and industrial elements: Barely defined shapes emerging from the fog
Color palette: Predominantly blues, grays, and greens with the vivid orange sun as the focal point
Atmospheric effect: The hazy, dreamlike quality of early morning light filtering through fog

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monet_-_Impression,_Sunrise.jpg

ALT

1 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

157d

On reading

0 0 4 View Post & Replies See Original

270d

📚 Operation Bounce House by: Matt Dinniman

To be released February 10, 2026.

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family's aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a...

https://bookblabla.com/book/operation-bounce-house

@bookstodon

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #fantasy #epicfiction #sciencefiction #thrillers

To be released February 10, 2026.

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family's aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there's a complication.

Even though the settlers were promised they'd be left in peace, Earth's government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an eviction action. But maximizing profits will always be Apex's number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their homes?

The game is called Operation Bounce House.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who've paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he's ever known.

A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl.

To

ALT

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

271d

📚 Anxious People by: Fredrik Backman

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hid...

https://bookblabla.com/book/anxious-people

@bookstodon

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #literaryfiction #sportsfiction

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live—and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can’t agree on anything. And there’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn’t outside parking the car.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face

ALT

0 0 1 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

#OTD in 1898.

Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing J'Accuse…!, a letter accusing the French government of antisemitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus.

He was sentenced to jail and was removed from the Legion of Honour. To avoid jail time, Zola fled to England. He stayed there until the cabinet fell; he continued to defend Dreyfus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%27Accuse...!

J'Accuse at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20974

#books #literature

Emile Zola photographié par Nadar en 1898.

The image is in black and white and shows Zola with a beard and round glasses, wearing a formal suit with tie.

His expression is serious and his gaze determined. His hands are crossed in a distinctive manner, highlighting a ring and bracelet visible on his fingers.

ALT

Front page cover of the newspaper L’Aurore of Thursday 13 January 1898, with J’accuse...!, the open letter written by Émile Zola to president Félix Faure about the Dreyfus affair. The headline reads "I accuse...! Letter to the President of the Republic".

ALT

5 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

#OTD in 1826.

In the Mexican Republic, lithographer Claudio Linati inaugurates El Iris, a "pocket sized" bi-weekly. It is in print until August 2, when its popularization of liberal ideas prompts the intervention of state censors.

It was founded as an illustrated literary review, with topics of interest to women. It included articles on poetry, theater and fashion, as well as portraits and biographies of heroes of the recent war of independence.

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

#books #literature

Cover of the Mexican journal El Iris from 3 May 1826.

ALT

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

#OTD in 1856.

Lewis Carroll chooses his pseudonym; on May 1 he takes up photography as a hobby. A romantic poem called "Solitude" appeared in The Train under the authorship of "Lewis Carroll". This pseudonym was a play on his real name: Lewis was the anglicised form of Ludovicus, which was the Latin for Lutwidge, and Carroll an Irish surname similar to the Latin name Carolus, from which comes the name Charles.

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

At PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7

#books #literature

Lewis Carroll self-portrait c. 1856, aged 24 at that time.

In the image, Carroll (whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) appears as a young man with wavy, slightly unkempt hair.

His expression is serious and contemplative, with deep-set eyes and a focused gaze, reading a book.

He is dressed in formal Victorian attire, including a dark jacket, waistcoat, and a high-collared shirt.

ALT

0 0 0 View Post & Replies See Original

1y

From March 1 to October 15, 1919.

Publication runs of the American pulp magazine The Thrill Book are oriented towards the fantasy genre or science fiction. It includes the serialization of The Heads of Cerberus, written by Gertrude Barrows Bennett as Francis Stevens, with its early thematic use of an alternate time-track, or parallel worlds.

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

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

The Thrill Books is available at LibriVoX:
https://librivox.org/group/676?primary_key=676&search_category=group&search_page=1&search_form=get_results&search_order=alpha

#books #pulpfiction