Mostly literary & experimental fiction, and sci-fi.
My memory is terrible. Let’s see if this account helps me remember what I’ve actually read!
This link opens in a pop-up window
"Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious biodome, its residents comprise …
@noisenerd Ooh! The Dispossessed is an all-time favourite. Suspect it’s a common fave to have on the Fediverse… Hope you enjoy :)
Meljoann
boosted
From the New York Times bestselling author and advice columnist, a poignant and funny debut …
@dianamontalion Same! Becky Chambers is so, so heart-warming.
Meljoann
boosted
I’ve also learned not to put my whole life and personal fulfillment on hold until I reach a certain outcome.
— How to ADHD by Jessica McCabe (82%)
Ooh this is a lesson I think I should learn too!
I was once empowered to disengage from the mundane physicality that comprises reality.
— Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan (Page 58)
The narrator here is a member of the rich class. This quote reminded me of a revelation from the TV show ‘Succession’: the super rich don’t need coats. They go from car to venue to private jet to mansion, without ever being exposed to the weather.
Content warning Spoilers and violence CWs
I loved this, and love reading antique source material. But wow, this was grim. All I could think was: Roman society was just full of horror. Slavery, rape, CSA, casual violence. Very cathartic to see these classical ‘great men’ portrayed as repulsive creeps.
Onwuemezi is in the category of ‘new favourite’ for me. Unique and beautiful style, dreamy resonances. I think the title story felt obliquely allegorical to me — touching something deep.
Content warning Excessive enthusiasm and emojis
I actually hate rating things. Ratings just reveal the personality of the rater, innit.
It’s 5 stars for all the excellent books I have chosen to read!!!!!!!!!! 💖💜✨✨✨✨
Also, lmk if I am the first Bookwyrm user to ever use emojis, or are there more absolute mavericks on here.
@noisenerd bleedin’ love me some Le Guin. This one is great. Hello!
Meljoann
boosted
William
Being poor is like a real cold bath - nobody wants it, but in some ways it's good for you. It brings all of your senses together.
I grew up sharing a bathroom with three other families. If that doesn't teach you respect for other people's personal space, then nothing will. To this day I can never feel that I wouldn't say thanks if someone opens the door for me. If I'm in a hotel in LA and someone just walks through a door someone else has held open for them without saying anything, I'll be like 'What the fuck, dude?'
Imagine if you've got to do a shit and lots of people can hear you just walking down the stairs to the communal toilet. You can't stay in there too long, because you don't want your nextdoor neighbour knocking on the door asking 'Are you finished?' What do you do? Especially if you had a nasty situation going on digestively, which was quite likely, because our diet wasn't great - we were eating just what my ma and da ate, which was meat and potatoes, chips almost every night, then in the summer chips with some cold ham and some lettuce and tomato. That was the summers in Scotland. This might be why in later life I've been drawn to live in the wide open spaces of Arizona - because in all the American films I watched in my teens, I never saw anybody sharing a toilet.
— Never Understood by William Reid, Jim Reid (Page 3)
@meljoann@topspicy.social Oh, well I can reply to a Masto account here anyway. Interesting!
A mother and daughter travel from abroad to meet in Tokyo: they walk along the …
This was such an immersive, touching read. The cultural, generational and intellectual distance between mother and daughter is beautifully portrayed.
