Reviews and Comments

Denise Mochid Locked account

MochiD@bookwyrm.social

Joined 3 years ago

Bi, Asian-European, trans woman, she/her, cybersec student, surviving and thriving in the Balkans. Very interested in developing thoughts and ideas about the relationship between tech and oppression/liberation. Mainly reading either political books from a queer-feminist anarchist/leftist perspective, IT and cybersecurity books, and self-help. Hopefully regular book reviews :)

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Julia Serano: Whipping Girl (2016)

A provocative manifesto, Whipping girl tells the powerful story of Julia Serano, a transsexual woman …

Life-changing for making sense of my social experience as a trans woman

This very specific trans woman perspective highlights the issues we face in wider society, feminist circles, and queer communities. It has helped me tremendously to understand both myself as well as the different and often malicious lenses I am viewed by different perspectives throughout society.

Andrew S. Tanenbaum: Computer Networks (1996)

Tanenbaum is one of the best authors for explaining IT concepts and implementations

Not only does he have an incredible knowledge, he even delivers it with a sort of dry humor that makes technical areas seem exciting and fun. This edition is sadly already more than 20 years old, but it still offers the reader knowledge about the basics of computer networks as well as its history. Some content is obviously quite aged, but I got it quite cheap in a university bookstore and can recommend it.

Jules Joanne Gleeson, Elle O'Rourke: Transgender Marxism (2021, Pluto Press)

The first collection of its kind, Transgender Marxism is a provocative and groundbreaking union of …

A weapon in the hands of any trans worker!

In 14 essays from different trans authors a trans-specific reading of Marxism is outlined from different perspectives. Mostly, the essays focus on the sphere of social reproduction, the way how capitalism continuously reproduces itself, its labor force, and the notion of gender. Here, trans people are facing and overcoming challenges which are experienced in a more sublimed form by all workers: Capitalism's violent forming of bodies and minds into docile and gendered workers, the constant threat of expulsion from the limited areas of rest and recreation, and the devaluing of workers due to their transgressions against the ideal of a white, cis, hetero, able-bodied, and male worker.

The essays differ widely in their form. Some are artistic observations of unique moments and others theoretical works in their own right. I admittedly didn't understand everything. Critically reading a complex and at times theory-ladden work like this requires a knowledge not everyone …

Bill Bryson: A short history of nearly everything (AudiobookFormat, 2003, Random House)

A Short History of Nearly Everything by American author Bill Bryson is a popular science …

Veeery cute, listened to it as audiobook :) Not really difficult, just the scientific history told in a leisurely way. What I take from this: Most great minds will be ignored, forgotten, or similar. Oh, and if you're not a man, you can bet on it. And scientists are a petty bunch of ego-driven maniacs praying on those colleagues that are there for the love of knowledge.