I've read books published by Oxford University Press before, but I've never enjoyed a book from OUP like I have Gehl's Move Slowly and Build Bridges. This work of Internet Studies focused on the Mastodon social media platform employs an interview-based methodology that lets the citizens of the Fediverse tell their stories in a compelling way. I loved hearing the backstories of Mastodon luminaries Ro and The Artist Marcia X, who I've followed since joining Mastodon after Musk's purchase of Twitter, and especially loved that Gehl chose artwork of Marcia X to adorn the cover. My own instance admin from @Scholar.social is quoted repeatedly emphasizing the ethical choices and ideals that made me want to join that instance over others. Gehl's analysis of Mastodon and the Fediverse is incisive and insightful--he articulates as few others have what makes a non-centralized social media platform like Mastodon both challenging and so …
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An English prof in New England. Most of my reading is re-reading for class, but when reading for myself I enjoy challenging and unusual reads, often with fantastic, sci-fi, or postmodern elements.
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snowka reviewed Move Slowly and Build Bridges by Robert W. Gehl
Move Slowly and Build Bridges
5 stars
I've read books published by Oxford University Press before, but I've never enjoyed a book from OUP like I have Gehl's Move Slowly and Build Bridges. This work of Internet Studies focused on the Mastodon social media platform employs an interview-based methodology that lets the citizens of the Fediverse tell their stories in a compelling way. I loved hearing the backstories of Mastodon luminaries Ro and The Artist Marcia X, who I've followed since joining Mastodon after Musk's purchase of Twitter, and especially loved that Gehl chose artwork of Marcia X to adorn the cover. My own instance admin from @Scholar.social is quoted repeatedly emphasizing the ethical choices and ideals that made me want to join that instance over others. Gehl's analysis of Mastodon and the Fediverse is incisive and insightful--he articulates as few others have what makes a non-centralized social media platform like Mastodon both challenging and so essential to maintain. And quite simply, the book is fun. From references to solarpunk to #Monsterdon, you'll find people, orgs, and instances that you will want to follow and learn more about.
snowka finished reading Move Slowly and Build Bridges by Robert W. Gehl

Move Slowly and Build Bridges by Robert W. Gehl
Move Slowly and Build Bridges tells the story of activists, software developers, artists, and everyday people who have built the …
snowka started reading Move Slowly and Build Bridges by Robert W. Gehl

Move Slowly and Build Bridges by Robert W. Gehl
Move Slowly and Build Bridges tells the story of activists, software developers, artists, and everyday people who have built the …
snowka finished reading The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Alma Cruz, the celebrated writer at the heart of The Cemetery of Untold Stories, doesn’t want to end up like …
snowka started reading The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Alma Cruz, the celebrated writer at the heart of The Cemetery of Untold Stories, doesn’t want to end up like …
snowka finished reading Blindness by José Saramago

Blindness by José Saramago, Jonathan Davis, Jose Saramago
Una ceguera blanca se expande de manera fulminante. Internados en cuarentena o perdidos por la ciudad, los ciegos deben enfrentarse …
snowka finished reading The Antidote by Karen Russell
snowka finished reading The Poppy War by Rebecca F. Kuang (The Poppy War, #1)

The Poppy War by Rebecca F. Kuang (The Poppy War, #1)
The Poppy War is a 2018 novel by R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager. The Poppy War, a grimdark …
snowka finished reading John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead

John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead
In a glowing review of Colson Whitehead's first novel, The Intuitionist, the New York Times Book Review concluded, "Literary reputations …
snowka started reading John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead

John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead
In a glowing review of Colson Whitehead's first novel, The Intuitionist, the New York Times Book Review concluded, "Literary reputations …
snowka finished reading John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead

John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead
In a glowing review of Colson Whitehead's first novel, The Intuitionist, the New York Times Book Review concluded, "Literary reputations …
snowka finished reading The AI Con by Emily M. Bender
snowka started reading The AI Con by Emily M. Bender

The AI Con by Emily M. Bender, Alex Hanna
A smart, incisive take-down of the bogus claims being made about so-called ‘artificial intelligence’, exposing the real harm these technologies …
snowka started reading The Poppy War by Rebecca F. Kuang (The Poppy War, #1)

The Poppy War by Rebecca F. Kuang (The Poppy War, #1)
The Poppy War is a 2018 novel by R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager. The Poppy War, a grimdark …