What did I read between January 3rd and today?
Well, I think I did well on the challenges *pats self on back*.
I finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel, Fatale, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker, and The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith. I also read (most) of my homework for the week, got halfway through Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski and started Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. I touched everything on the list, and completed 5/7 challenges.
I also unintentionally completed 3/24 2016 Read Harder Challenges. Station Eleven filled the dystopian novel slot. Fatale, Vol. 1 completed the graphic novel without a superhero challenge. The Silkworm, unsurprisingly, won an Audie for best audiobook - it was great!
Challenges without hard and fast rules and timelines seem like a really nice way to encourage more thoughtful reading, but not feel overwhelmed by it.
10 January, 2016
05 January, 2016
2016 Read Harder and an update on #TBRTakedown
Today. I. Go. Back. To. Work.
eeep.
Even though I have worked a bit since the 23rd of December, I've also had two stretches of consecutive five day mini-vacations. This has been fabulous, as "the job" is not really my cup of tea.
But, today I go back, and I am procrastinating on here until I absolutely must leave.
Check out the NYPL's amazing recommendations for the 2016 Read Harder Challenge: http://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/12/15/read-harder-challenge
I am all over this challenge, and I've already ticked off one of the goals without even meaning to (read a non-superhero graphic novel completed with Fatale by Ed Brubaker). In general, after reviewing what I read last year, I do also hope to read more books by authors of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds to my own. With that being said, I do tend to agree with Rincey that this sort of collecting of racial diversity is pretty problematic. Is it more important to read interesting and diverse material, or to check off boxes on a list of certain categories that fulfill arbitrary diversity requirements? I would argue that the first is most important, and the second sort of misses the point.
Quick #TBRTakedown update: I am enjoying this challenge. Granted, I haven't been at work yet this week, so I've had some time to enjoy it, but even so I wasn't sure whether my reading brain would thrive on specific goals or fall into a slump. I'm glad it's thriving! I've finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, as well as Fatale, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker. I am also fairly well into Station Eleven (which is so intense and great so far), Come As You Are, and The Silkworm. I'll need to do some reading for school tonight, so may fall back on some of the books, but so far I've made a decent dent in everything.
Wish me luck and love in the new work year, and I'll wish you all the same!
eeep.
Even though I have worked a bit since the 23rd of December, I've also had two stretches of consecutive five day mini-vacations. This has been fabulous, as "the job" is not really my cup of tea.
But, today I go back, and I am procrastinating on here until I absolutely must leave.
Check out the NYPL's amazing recommendations for the 2016 Read Harder Challenge: http://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/12/15/read-harder-challenge
I am all over this challenge, and I've already ticked off one of the goals without even meaning to (read a non-superhero graphic novel completed with Fatale by Ed Brubaker). In general, after reviewing what I read last year, I do also hope to read more books by authors of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds to my own. With that being said, I do tend to agree with Rincey that this sort of collecting of racial diversity is pretty problematic. Is it more important to read interesting and diverse material, or to check off boxes on a list of certain categories that fulfill arbitrary diversity requirements? I would argue that the first is most important, and the second sort of misses the point.
Quick #TBRTakedown update: I am enjoying this challenge. Granted, I haven't been at work yet this week, so I've had some time to enjoy it, but even so I wasn't sure whether my reading brain would thrive on specific goals or fall into a slump. I'm glad it's thriving! I've finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, as well as Fatale, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker. I am also fairly well into Station Eleven (which is so intense and great so far), Come As You Are, and The Silkworm. I'll need to do some reading for school tonight, so may fall back on some of the books, but so far I've made a decent dent in everything.
Wish me luck and love in the new work year, and I'll wish you all the same!
04 January, 2016
Where did I end with the 2015 Read Harder challenge?
A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 - Never finished this! Please provide any recommendations below for 2016, as I had some troubles finding authors' works published this early that I haven't already read.
A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 - M Train by Patti Smith! Fabulous, fabulous and quite different from Just Kids, which is also one of my favorites.
A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people) - Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace by Ann Lamott
A book published by an indie press - Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli (Pantheon = indie imprint of Knopf.
A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ - Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
A book by a person whose gender is different from your own - The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap by Matt Taibi
A book that takes place in Asia - The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
A book by an author from Africa - I failed this one big time, especially since I've had Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie's books on my TBR for a few years now. Will be pulling them to the top for this year, and I'd also like to read The Fisherman, and other books. Please leave any recommendations below!
A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) - This one was also a miss in the end. I had hoped to see if I read diversely without categorizing, but it looks like when it comes to cultural and ethnic diversity, I am not way up there within these conditions. As mentioned above, please leave recommendations below!
A microhistory - Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
A YA novel - Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
A sci-fi novel - The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
A romance novel - Together Tea by Marjan Kamali. This isn't your typical romance novel, but it was stellar and unexpectedly so, for me, given that I kind of judged the book by its cover. I highly recommend this book.
A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade - George F. Kennan: An American Life by John Lewis Gaddis
A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.) - Castle Waiting, Vol. 1 by Linda Medley
An audiobook - The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
A collection of poetry - 100 Poems by Jen Campbell
A book that someone else has recommended to you - Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A book that was originally published in another language - Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi translated from the Persian
A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind (Hi, have you met Panels?)
- Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why? by G. Willow Wilson
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over) - The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
A book published before 1850 - The Frogs by Aristophanes
A book published this year - Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
A self-improvement book (can be traditionally or non-traditionally considered “self-improvement") - The Unapologetic Fat Girl's Guide to Exercise and Other Incendiary Acts by Hanne Blank
So, overall I missed three of the challenges, and I didn't even really try. I wanted to use this year to see how diversely I could read if I just read what interested me. Here are a few more stats for you guys:
32/47 books, or about 68% were written by women.
4/47, or 8% had LGBTQ+ themes (this is definitely an area where I could branch out, and would love some recommendations).
13/47, or 27% were nonfiction.
15/47 were written by authors who aren't/weren't from the U.S. (32%).
4/47 were written by someone who isn't white (8%). This one I take as a real challenge for this year. I need to broaden my reading culturally and ethnically. A few of the books I've listed on my #TBRTakedown should help with this a bit, but it's one of my biggest areas of improvement in terms of diverse reading.
03 January, 2016
#TBRTakedown 3.0
HAPPY 2016!
I've wanted to try a readathon for a while (since I've been following people on BookTube). This video details a challenge that looks, well, challenging, but also fun: #TBRTakedown 3.0. It's running from tomorrow until January 10th, and these are the challenges and my picks for fulfilling them. One small caveat, my Master's program does start up again full-time this week, as does work, so I am trying to make this a bit more doable for myself in a couple ways. I am not going to be mean to myself and not count books that I am currently in the midst of/need to finish first, and I am also going to count my required school reading!
1: Most recent TBR pile -- Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (currently reading)
2: TBR for over a year -- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
3: Read a book outside your comfort zone -- Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. (currently reading)
4: First in a series -- Fatale by Ed Brubaker
5: Complete series/read sequel -- The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (currently reading)
6: Read a fire-colored book -- Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
7: A non-novel item -- Required readings for this week from Campaigns and Elections: Players and Processes by Stephen K. Medvic
I've wanted to try a readathon for a while (since I've been following people on BookTube). This video details a challenge that looks, well, challenging, but also fun: #TBRTakedown 3.0. It's running from tomorrow until January 10th, and these are the challenges and my picks for fulfilling them. One small caveat, my Master's program does start up again full-time this week, as does work, so I am trying to make this a bit more doable for myself in a couple ways. I am not going to be mean to myself and not count books that I am currently in the midst of/need to finish first, and I am also going to count my required school reading!
1: Most recent TBR pile -- Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (currently reading)
2: TBR for over a year -- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
3: Read a book outside your comfort zone -- Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. (currently reading)
4: First in a series -- Fatale by Ed Brubaker
5: Complete series/read sequel -- The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (currently reading)
6: Read a fire-colored book -- Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
7: A non-novel item -- Required readings for this week from Campaigns and Elections: Players and Processes by Stephen K. Medvic
22 September, 2015
On Borrowing
I have spent just about a year (since 11/9/2014 if you trust my Goodreads) pulling myself through John Lewis Gaddis' tome on the life of George Frost Kennan (George F. Kennan: An American Life). I can genuinely state that this biography is one of the most engaging biographies I have ever read. The question then remains: why has it taken me about a year to finish it? I could say it is both dense and lengthy (and it is), but that would be misleading. The truth is, it's a borrowed book.
Now "borrowed" book is a bit of a misnomer in my case because I always try as hard as possible to avoid the borrowing. I love books, don't get me wrong, but part of my love of books is loving the books that I most want to love at the moment when I want to love them. Borrowing is not conducive to this sentiment.
Books are often somewhat foisted upon me for numerous reasons. In the case of the book above, my lovely grandfather thought it would be an important read as I was beginning a Master's degree in Political Science. That's quite valid. It has also been a good way for us to bond, and I've enjoyed the biography a lot. On the other hand, I currently have two books foisted upon me by my manager. Although a kind thought and possibly a good way for us to connect, I've relegated said books to a pile with other books that have been lent to me and I don't know when I'll get around to them. In a similar vein, a colleague has lent me 4 different graphic novels and I am excited to read all of them, but he regularly asks me about my progress and I am starting to feel pressured by the fact that he has lent them to me.
I guess my issue is this: in what other context in life does someone give you a project, expect you to complete said project for fun (quickly) and report back to them, and then look to give you another project? It's a bit ridiculous, and I begin to wonder if it stems from a couple things.
1) People who read are considered intelligent.
2) More is expected of intelligent people.
3) People who read and people who do not read consider themselves intelligent and (obviously) are attracted to certain types of information and certain ideas.
4) If you're attracted to a certain idea you may wish to share this idea, but not everyone may be open to hearing that idea. A reader in your midst is someone who clearly has fun with other people's ideas and is, therefore, a good choice of person to hand your ideas to in book form.
What do others think? Am I overthinking this issue, or is there something major that I am missing here? Please share thoughts below!
Now "borrowed" book is a bit of a misnomer in my case because I always try as hard as possible to avoid the borrowing. I love books, don't get me wrong, but part of my love of books is loving the books that I most want to love at the moment when I want to love them. Borrowing is not conducive to this sentiment.
Books are often somewhat foisted upon me for numerous reasons. In the case of the book above, my lovely grandfather thought it would be an important read as I was beginning a Master's degree in Political Science. That's quite valid. It has also been a good way for us to bond, and I've enjoyed the biography a lot. On the other hand, I currently have two books foisted upon me by my manager. Although a kind thought and possibly a good way for us to connect, I've relegated said books to a pile with other books that have been lent to me and I don't know when I'll get around to them. In a similar vein, a colleague has lent me 4 different graphic novels and I am excited to read all of them, but he regularly asks me about my progress and I am starting to feel pressured by the fact that he has lent them to me.
I guess my issue is this: in what other context in life does someone give you a project, expect you to complete said project for fun (quickly) and report back to them, and then look to give you another project? It's a bit ridiculous, and I begin to wonder if it stems from a couple things.
1) People who read are considered intelligent.
2) More is expected of intelligent people.
3) People who read and people who do not read consider themselves intelligent and (obviously) are attracted to certain types of information and certain ideas.
4) If you're attracted to a certain idea you may wish to share this idea, but not everyone may be open to hearing that idea. A reader in your midst is someone who clearly has fun with other people's ideas and is, therefore, a good choice of person to hand your ideas to in book form.
What do others think? Am I overthinking this issue, or is there something major that I am missing here? Please share thoughts below!
13 September, 2015
I found this randomly, and think it is fantastic. What would you add to the #BeAGoodHuman list?
Here are a few of my additions:
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
Candide by Voltaire
Baldwin: Collected Essays by James Baldwin
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
The Unapologetic Fat Girl's Guide to Exercise: And Other Incendiary Acts by Hanne Blank
21 July, 2015
Abandoning Books
For many book lovers, it seems to be a guilty and saddening task to give up on a book. Turning pages wistfully, dragging yourself to the next chapter, only to find that you still aren't engaged or excited. That's one type of book guilt. Alternately, you could find yourself just hating the points the author is making or the ways in which they're making them. With some books, there are portions you dislike, but the rest of the book is strong enough to pull you through. With others, you just feel strongly opposed to the author's outlook. This is especially frustrating when you're dealing with an author you've - at one time - enjoyed.
This past week I borrowed The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson because it was (sadly) the only audiobook of his available from my local libraries. I have very much enjoyed Thompson in the past. I love the sardonic, freakish tone of his observations. I adore his ability to portray the mundane as truly horrifying in ways that are also an essential depiction of reality. There were certainly aspects of this formidable skill in The Rum Diary. To be fair to the guy, he probably didn't get to hand-pick his narrator for this reading. But not only was the narration gratuitous, sounding like a Johnny Depp impersonator pretending to be Ron from Parks and Rec, pretending to be Hunter S. Thompson, but Thompson's sole female character was a travesty. This character, whose name I couldn't even be impressed upon to remember, is purely a testosterone-fueled humanization of tits and ass. Thompson takes some formidable digs at the Beats, but simultaneously fails to have the imagination to create a "real girl." Even a manic pixie dream girl would be a bit of an improvement upon Ms. Daisy Dukes whose sole purpose seems to be following male writers around in little clothing.
*Rant Over* I gave up. About two hours into the audiobook, I just couldn't take it. It makes me nervous to re-read or read some of Thompson's other works, in fear that I might see this stark chauvinism in a new light. The last time I'd read something by Thompson was when I was still in high school, and perhaps a bit more anaesthetized to lackluster depictions of female characters.
What books have you abandoned? Did you feel it was deserved, or were you frustrated that you weren't in the right frame of mind to finish them?
This past week I borrowed The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson because it was (sadly) the only audiobook of his available from my local libraries. I have very much enjoyed Thompson in the past. I love the sardonic, freakish tone of his observations. I adore his ability to portray the mundane as truly horrifying in ways that are also an essential depiction of reality. There were certainly aspects of this formidable skill in The Rum Diary. To be fair to the guy, he probably didn't get to hand-pick his narrator for this reading. But not only was the narration gratuitous, sounding like a Johnny Depp impersonator pretending to be Ron from Parks and Rec, pretending to be Hunter S. Thompson, but Thompson's sole female character was a travesty. This character, whose name I couldn't even be impressed upon to remember, is purely a testosterone-fueled humanization of tits and ass. Thompson takes some formidable digs at the Beats, but simultaneously fails to have the imagination to create a "real girl." Even a manic pixie dream girl would be a bit of an improvement upon Ms. Daisy Dukes whose sole purpose seems to be following male writers around in little clothing.
*Rant Over* I gave up. About two hours into the audiobook, I just couldn't take it. It makes me nervous to re-read or read some of Thompson's other works, in fear that I might see this stark chauvinism in a new light. The last time I'd read something by Thompson was when I was still in high school, and perhaps a bit more anaesthetized to lackluster depictions of female characters.
What books have you abandoned? Did you feel it was deserved, or were you frustrated that you weren't in the right frame of mind to finish them?
13 July, 2015
The Book Riot 2015 Read Harder Challenge (update)
I decided that I would undertake this challenge, but without a specific plan on its completion (e.g. I am randomly reading what interests me, and hoping to knock out a bunch of the categories). So far, I have actually knocked out a few! Join me, and track your progress on Goodreads or in the comments section. I have completed 11/24 challenges, and would also love feedback or recommendations for the other slots.
A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 - Yet to be completed!
A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 - Yet to be completed!
A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people) - Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace by Ann Lamott
A book published by an indie press - Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli (Pantheon = indie imprint of Knopf.
A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ - Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
A book by a person whose gender is different from your own - The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap by Matt Taibi
A book that takes place in Asia - currently working on The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
A book by an author from Africa - Yet to be completed!
A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) - Yet to be completed!
A microhistory - Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
A YA novel - Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
A sci-fi novel - Yet to be completed!
A romance novel - Yet to be completed!
A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade - Yet to be completed!
A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.) - Yet to be completed!
An audiobook - The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
A collection of poetry - Yet to be completed!
A book that someone else has recommended to you - Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A book that was originally published in another language - Yet to be completed!
A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind (Hi, have you met Panels?)
- Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why? by G. Willow Wilson
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over) - The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
A book published before 1850 - Yet to be completed!
A book published this year - Yet to be completed!
A self-improvement book (can be traditionally or non-traditionally considered “self-improvement”) - Yet to be completed!
A book written by someone when they were under the age of 25 - Yet to be completed!
A book written by someone when they were over the age of 65 - Yet to be completed!
A collection of short stories (either by one person or an anthology by many people) - Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace by Ann Lamott
A book published by an indie press - Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli (Pantheon = indie imprint of Knopf.
A book by or about someone that identifies as LGBTQ - Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
A book by a person whose gender is different from your own - The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap by Matt Taibi
A book that takes place in Asia - currently working on The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
A book by an author from Africa - Yet to be completed!
A book that is by or about someone from an indigenous culture (Native Americans, Aboriginals, etc.) - Yet to be completed!
A microhistory - Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
A YA novel - Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
A sci-fi novel - Yet to be completed!
A romance novel - Yet to be completed!
A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade - Yet to be completed!
A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, classic novel, etc.) - Yet to be completed!
An audiobook - The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
A collection of poetry - Yet to be completed!
A book that someone else has recommended to you - Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A book that was originally published in another language - Yet to be completed!
A graphic novel, a graphic memoir or a collection of comics of any kind (Hi, have you met Panels?)
- Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why? by G. Willow Wilson
A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over) - The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
A book published before 1850 - Yet to be completed!
A book published this year - Yet to be completed!
A self-improvement book (can be traditionally or non-traditionally considered “self-improvement”) - Yet to be completed!
16 June, 2015
The fantasy continues...
It may be something in the air or water, but I've just had an interest in female-focused fantasy stories this year. After writing my last post I realized that I have read a lot of books lately that take female representation to a social-norms challenging level.
Here's my short list for the first half of this year:
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb: Recommended by George R.R. Martin, I ate up this series via audio book (they get pretty lengthy for those readers who have a HUGE pile and little free reading time). These books revolve around a male main character -- FitzChivalry Farseer -- but the women in the story are amazing! There's a strong, witty candle maker; an aging sorceress; a mountain queen; a former wife to the future king who just kills with spirit and sass; a bard with sexual liberation on the mind...I could go on. For anyone who was ever disappointed that the Lord of the Rings series had like two ladies who said a couple lines ever, this is a great series.
Alanna: The First Adventure (Book 1 - Song of the Lioness)by Tamora Pierce: I am re-reading these after a long break. I first discovered them in the children's section at my local library, and probably didn't quite appreciate them for what they were. They spin around one of the main elements of Shakespeare: deceptive gender-bending. The first book (highlighted here) also has probably the best incorporation of sex education into fiction writing that I have ever read. The menstrual cycle is explained! Not shamefully! The older woman states that women enjoy sex! Not shamefully! It's great, and certainly something I'll want on my shelf if I ever have any young ones of my own.
The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black: These books are dark, and I ate them up. They're certainly horror-fantasy hybrids, and not the sort of sweet and boring fairy stories you may have found when you were young. To be fair, despite the modern settings of these books, the disturbing tricks and traps of the fairies described therein are quite classic (anyone heard of a bloodcap, or changeling?). I am excited to see fairy lore brought back to its darker roots, and even more excited to find alternative, angry teenage girls in protagonist roles. Yes, the angry girl type can go a bit far (not quite manic pixie dream girl far, but far nonetheless). Not all teenagers are brooding mounds of adolescent rage. What Black does that's so refreshing is give these girls something to truly be angry about! Their lives are pretty fucked up, and she's not afraid to have them say that. [Note: I am currently in the midst of book two, and I haven't read the conclusion yet, but I imagine from the extensive praise the books have received that Black keeps up the good work.]
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley AND Deerskin by Robin McKinley AND Sunshine by Robin McKinley (oh hell, anything by Robin McKinley): Despite the concussive hoopla on children' and young adults reading lists, I didn't get through a Robin McKinley book until I was almost in college. I read Sunshine as an antidote to feelings of frustration when finishing Twilight. I couldn't get through any more than the first book in that painful series, but Sunshine was a gorgeously-wrought vampire romance with a main character who enjoyed/embraced her sexuality and saved the day to boot. A few years later I was recommended Deerskin, a novel that is entirely too difficult to find in libraries given its incredibly important subject matter. This is a book that deals with paternal rape, something that occurs rather early in the story, then shows the heroine healing and (again) saving the world. As I keep up to date on Ms. McKinley's life by reading her blog, I found myself thinking it was high time to jump back into her books. This weekend I devoured The Hero and the Crown (a prequel to The Blue Sword). These two books are some of McKinley's older books, and are written in a stylized manner (one reviewer said "sword and sorcery" and I tend to agree), but engaging like the very best Princess Leia scenes in Star Wars (despite what some might say - not the Jabba the hut chain dress scenes). Outside of her feminist bent, I adore the relationships she builds between characters and their animals in her books. Call me a McKinley fan. I am consistently surprised, tantalized, and engaged by what she can do with genre.
Here's my short list for the first half of this year:
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb: Recommended by George R.R. Martin, I ate up this series via audio book (they get pretty lengthy for those readers who have a HUGE pile and little free reading time). These books revolve around a male main character -- FitzChivalry Farseer -- but the women in the story are amazing! There's a strong, witty candle maker; an aging sorceress; a mountain queen; a former wife to the future king who just kills with spirit and sass; a bard with sexual liberation on the mind...I could go on. For anyone who was ever disappointed that the Lord of the Rings series had like two ladies who said a couple lines ever, this is a great series.
Alanna: The First Adventure (Book 1 - Song of the Lioness)by Tamora Pierce: I am re-reading these after a long break. I first discovered them in the children's section at my local library, and probably didn't quite appreciate them for what they were. They spin around one of the main elements of Shakespeare: deceptive gender-bending. The first book (highlighted here) also has probably the best incorporation of sex education into fiction writing that I have ever read. The menstrual cycle is explained! Not shamefully! The older woman states that women enjoy sex! Not shamefully! It's great, and certainly something I'll want on my shelf if I ever have any young ones of my own.
The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black: These books are dark, and I ate them up. They're certainly horror-fantasy hybrids, and not the sort of sweet and boring fairy stories you may have found when you were young. To be fair, despite the modern settings of these books, the disturbing tricks and traps of the fairies described therein are quite classic (anyone heard of a bloodcap, or changeling?). I am excited to see fairy lore brought back to its darker roots, and even more excited to find alternative, angry teenage girls in protagonist roles. Yes, the angry girl type can go a bit far (not quite manic pixie dream girl far, but far nonetheless). Not all teenagers are brooding mounds of adolescent rage. What Black does that's so refreshing is give these girls something to truly be angry about! Their lives are pretty fucked up, and she's not afraid to have them say that. [Note: I am currently in the midst of book two, and I haven't read the conclusion yet, but I imagine from the extensive praise the books have received that Black keeps up the good work.]
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley AND Deerskin by Robin McKinley AND Sunshine by Robin McKinley (oh hell, anything by Robin McKinley): Despite the concussive hoopla on children' and young adults reading lists, I didn't get through a Robin McKinley book until I was almost in college. I read Sunshine as an antidote to feelings of frustration when finishing Twilight. I couldn't get through any more than the first book in that painful series, but Sunshine was a gorgeously-wrought vampire romance with a main character who enjoyed/embraced her sexuality and saved the day to boot. A few years later I was recommended Deerskin, a novel that is entirely too difficult to find in libraries given its incredibly important subject matter. This is a book that deals with paternal rape, something that occurs rather early in the story, then shows the heroine healing and (again) saving the world. As I keep up to date on Ms. McKinley's life by reading her blog, I found myself thinking it was high time to jump back into her books. This weekend I devoured The Hero and the Crown (a prequel to The Blue Sword). These two books are some of McKinley's older books, and are written in a stylized manner (one reviewer said "sword and sorcery" and I tend to agree), but engaging like the very best Princess Leia scenes in Star Wars (despite what some might say - not the Jabba the hut chain dress scenes). Outside of her feminist bent, I adore the relationships she builds between characters and their animals in her books. Call me a McKinley fan. I am consistently surprised, tantalized, and engaged by what she can do with genre.
26 May, 2015
Feminist Fantasy
A recent scandal surrounding some *hrm hrm possible TV spoiler* Game of Thrones story choices has caused me to think about the extensive, diverse, relatable, and touching feminism of the original George R.R. Martin books. It's not new to see the problems of our world brought to life in stark color and contrast through fantasy and science fiction, and it's even common to see difficult issues of race, sex/gender, and privilege explored. But alongside the ghastly (Joffrey, Ramsay, etc.), A Song of Ice and Fire brought to life the complicated ways in which women within the universe must consistently reckon with their existence within a patriarchy, assuming power in various ways that allow them to maintain some control over their own lives. The diversity of the female characters; the variety with which they attack this constant problem, absorbing the impact and renegotiating their lives to fit within the world: it's powerful and challenging.
This diversity seems unfortunately difficult for HBO to recreate with their stilted concept of the violence enacted upon women within the Game of Thrones universe. To be quite honest, I've always thought the exposition of the show paled in comparison to the depth of character and world-building within the novels. Without operating in the first person with the thoughts of each character available to explore, it is far easier for viewers to cast lots with characters who seem more clearly good and cast out characters whose actions appear clearly bad. In the books, the characters of Cersei and Jaime circle each other in an interplay of power, hubris, love, deceit, and growth. **SPOILER** Yes, when they throw Bran off the tower, you hate them, but in later books you grow to empathize and recognize them as full, human characters.** In the show, their relationship is consistently boiled down to incest and money. Without access to the depth of thoughts each character has about their situation, the show latches onto symbols, and the symbols are often a weak substitute for the internal debate and dialogue.
So if you're looking for compelling feminist fantasy, you can look to Game of Thrones. But I'd stick to the old adage: read the book first!
This diversity seems unfortunately difficult for HBO to recreate with their stilted concept of the violence enacted upon women within the Game of Thrones universe. To be quite honest, I've always thought the exposition of the show paled in comparison to the depth of character and world-building within the novels. Without operating in the first person with the thoughts of each character available to explore, it is far easier for viewers to cast lots with characters who seem more clearly good and cast out characters whose actions appear clearly bad. In the books, the characters of Cersei and Jaime circle each other in an interplay of power, hubris, love, deceit, and growth. **SPOILER** Yes, when they throw Bran off the tower, you hate them, but in later books you grow to empathize and recognize them as full, human characters.** In the show, their relationship is consistently boiled down to incest and money. Without access to the depth of thoughts each character has about their situation, the show latches onto symbols, and the symbols are often a weak substitute for the internal debate and dialogue.
So if you're looking for compelling feminist fantasy, you can look to Game of Thrones. But I'd stick to the old adage: read the book first!
01 January, 2015
2015 Marks Ten Years Blogging (in some form, or other)
It's been a full decade since I started (at fifteen) to write music reviews that were intended to challenge the music reporting that I saw around me. I was the kid for a semester of high school who walked around in a Led Zeppelin sweatshirt and wrote "newspaper" articles recommending Pink Floyd alongside Ciara alongside Le Tigre. So when I "dropped out" of high school, I made my own "newspaper" here on Blogspot. That turned into a Tumblr where I wrote about Australia, Feminism, and politics - and recently collected book recommendations and photos for my dream apartment. Simultaneously I kept an on and off Twitter page where I did more sharing than anything, and attempted my own brand of Amanda Palmer-style community collaboration. But I haven't done much of the long-form blogging I started with since 2010 (when I lived in Australia and wrote about that for six months on my Tumblr page). I miss the long-form blog post, and I miss keeping up my own online "newspaper" of sorts. I ultimately miss creating something, as opposed to passively sharing (I was always into sharing, but not originally passively). After all, a mixtape is a creation, albeit made of pieces that someone else created before you. It's like writing. It's like quilting. It's like knitting and collage-ing.
Without further ado, here is my last mix of 2014 to ring in the New Year!
"Closer" by Tegan and Sara
"I'm Writing a Novel" by Father John Misty
"I Want a House" by Twin Sister
"Double Bubble Trouble" by M.I.A.
"Rather Be" by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne
"Rock City" by Kings of Leon
"Hannah Hunt" by Vampire Weekend
"Denial Thing" by Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra
"Changes" by Tupac
"Just In Time" by Nina Simone
"Digital Witness" by St. Vincent
"Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
"This Year" by The Mountain Goats
"I Wanna Get Better" by Bleachers
BONUS: "Shotgun Wedding" by Shira E
Without further ado, here is my last mix of 2014 to ring in the New Year!
"Closer" by Tegan and Sara
"I'm Writing a Novel" by Father John Misty
"I Want a House" by Twin Sister
"Double Bubble Trouble" by M.I.A.
"Rather Be" by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne
"Rock City" by Kings of Leon
"Hannah Hunt" by Vampire Weekend
"Denial Thing" by Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra
"Changes" by Tupac
"Just In Time" by Nina Simone
"Digital Witness" by St. Vincent
"Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
"This Year" by The Mountain Goats
"I Wanna Get Better" by Bleachers
BONUS: "Shotgun Wedding" by Shira E
04 June, 2013
Crowdfunding Campaigns to watch! (And get involved with.)
Ironing Board Sam's TENTH - A Music Documentary
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tomciaburri/ironing-board-sams-tenth-a-music-documentary
This project honestly looks stellar, and I am so excited to have been able to crowdfund the tier where I can actually watch the movie when it is released. Get on board before you can't! It's got 7 days left, and the new goal is $10,000. To lift information directly from the page:
Spark Shira E's New Album and Adventures!
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/spark-shira-e-s-new-album-adventures
I've been watching Shira E. and waiting for more musical releases since my first year of college, when I saw her perform with one of our a capella groups. She is stellar. Not only does she write poetry and perform like nobody's goddamn business, but she is also trying to keep her music within her own control while touring the U.S. This is no small fete. She's over halfway to her goal, and you can still snag a digital and physical (for all you music snobs) copy of her new album for just $25. Listen to her music on Bandcamp and IndieGoGo, and then think about this:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tomciaburri/ironing-board-sams-tenth-a-music-documentary
This project honestly looks stellar, and I am so excited to have been able to crowdfund the tier where I can actually watch the movie when it is released. Get on board before you can't! It's got 7 days left, and the new goal is $10,000. To lift information directly from the page:
$10,000 will allow us to expand the scope of the movie. Reaching this goal will enable us to shoot additional scenes for the film. At the 10k goal, we'll be ab[l]e to submit TENTH into 5 additional festivals!That's awesome. Plus, the film-maker has been partnered with the Music Maker Relief Foundation for years. This is a great project, and absolutely worth supporting (either monetarily, or via signal boosting - AKA Tweet it, link it, Facebook it).
Spark Shira E's New Album and Adventures!
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/spark-shira-e-s-new-album-adventures
I've been watching Shira E. and waiting for more musical releases since my first year of college, when I saw her perform with one of our a capella groups. She is stellar. Not only does she write poetry and perform like nobody's goddamn business, but she is also trying to keep her music within her own control while touring the U.S. This is no small fete. She's over halfway to her goal, and you can still snag a digital and physical (for all you music snobs) copy of her new album for just $25. Listen to her music on Bandcamp and IndieGoGo, and then think about this:
To tour this great country requires funding. There are endless expenses on the road from lodging to gas to renting necessary transportation. But just imagine: a $40 donation fills the gas tank from Cincinnati, OH to Ann Arbor, MI. (Check out the map above to see where your donation could send me!) You will be adding shows to my tour, putting wind in my sails & launching me for two brilliant months on the road.That's pretty epic, and you can get involved. Again, even if you can't contribute monetarily, you can absolutely signal boost this post!
02 June, 2013
Jesse & Celine (Reprise of Romance)
I watched Before Sunrise and Before Sunset in an unduly romantic double-feature fashion yesterday, while trying to escape some of this heat. It was most definitely a sweet escape, which ultimately surprised me. I had watched Before Sunrise back in 2010 with a good friend of mine, and we had found the story laughable and almost tragic. This gorgeous, intelligent woman seeming to ignore the imbecilic attempts at getting laid via pseudo-intellect from a greasy young man (young being the most important descriptor, I think). But I think we missed something on that first viewing – maybe having never experienced something like that night that ended in a true and non-predatory way. I mean, one time I met this attractive older Englishmen on a train, and he turned out to be a drunken philanderer who alternately showed me pictures of his two beautiful children and attempted to make out with me. Gross and disappointing.
What I'm trying to say is that I think sometimes you have to be able to step outside of your experience a bit to understand a movie. Maybe that is obvious. But even more so, with some great movies you just can't get them the way they ought to be understood until you've done a bit of growing yourself (or, a bit of strategic ungrowing). Before Sunrise might just be like those great books that you love upon first reading (around age 15, while innocence is still somewhat intact), find laughable upon second reading (in your early twenties, when you've dealt with some cads and feel the world is a bit more real and hard for you), but maybe love again when you've found yourself at a point where you can see how it could be true.
Part of why this movie resonates with me at this moment, is that I am in a great relationship where I wish we got more time to just wander around Vienna at night and talk. That would be more exciting and stimulating than most things I can think of, which alone brings some truth back to the romance depicted in Before Sunrise.
One interesting thing about this storyline is that it is perfectly placed in time. Jump ten years into the future and your two characters would have Facebook pages and internet trails, and even if they hadn't exchanged any information at the end of the movie, they most certainly would have crept on each others' internet imprints and possibly even drunkenly friended one another at a low point. This is the truth of this time: people are often cowardly about romance outside of a screen, and also bored enough for you to guess how they will be just as boring as everyone else. Jump ten years before the movie is set, and it would've been the mid-eighties. The pledges of undying love and early jumps into marriage and/or parenthood would have left the end of the movie sour with a stronger question about what these two characters gave up just to stay together physically. Instead, we have a linear time-capsule holding the promise and the disenchantment of the early nineties, followed by the semi-apocalyptic tendencies of the Bush era, and...what of the new movie – Before Midnight?
Despite the fact that it has been released (its trailer, combined with a Tavis Smiley interview I saw with Ethan Hawke prompted me to pick up the first two again), it is in limited release at the moment. I will most likely go to see it alone when it does come to my area. I just think that the relationship of Jesse and Celine is both one that deserves regular reprise and room to breathe in my own mind. I'm not going to guess about what the driving action of Before Midnight will be, as I am far more excited for the Linklater-esque filming of entire conversations between two close people. That seemingly untouched connection is what is so captivating about these films. The magic of two people meeting and really getting each other. I hope that is made only a bit sweeter, darker, and more complex by their aging together in Before Midnight.
What I'm trying to say is that I think sometimes you have to be able to step outside of your experience a bit to understand a movie. Maybe that is obvious. But even more so, with some great movies you just can't get them the way they ought to be understood until you've done a bit of growing yourself (or, a bit of strategic ungrowing). Before Sunrise might just be like those great books that you love upon first reading (around age 15, while innocence is still somewhat intact), find laughable upon second reading (in your early twenties, when you've dealt with some cads and feel the world is a bit more real and hard for you), but maybe love again when you've found yourself at a point where you can see how it could be true.
Part of why this movie resonates with me at this moment, is that I am in a great relationship where I wish we got more time to just wander around Vienna at night and talk. That would be more exciting and stimulating than most things I can think of, which alone brings some truth back to the romance depicted in Before Sunrise.
One interesting thing about this storyline is that it is perfectly placed in time. Jump ten years into the future and your two characters would have Facebook pages and internet trails, and even if they hadn't exchanged any information at the end of the movie, they most certainly would have crept on each others' internet imprints and possibly even drunkenly friended one another at a low point. This is the truth of this time: people are often cowardly about romance outside of a screen, and also bored enough for you to guess how they will be just as boring as everyone else. Jump ten years before the movie is set, and it would've been the mid-eighties. The pledges of undying love and early jumps into marriage and/or parenthood would have left the end of the movie sour with a stronger question about what these two characters gave up just to stay together physically. Instead, we have a linear time-capsule holding the promise and the disenchantment of the early nineties, followed by the semi-apocalyptic tendencies of the Bush era, and...what of the new movie – Before Midnight?
Despite the fact that it has been released (its trailer, combined with a Tavis Smiley interview I saw with Ethan Hawke prompted me to pick up the first two again), it is in limited release at the moment. I will most likely go to see it alone when it does come to my area. I just think that the relationship of Jesse and Celine is both one that deserves regular reprise and room to breathe in my own mind. I'm not going to guess about what the driving action of Before Midnight will be, as I am far more excited for the Linklater-esque filming of entire conversations between two close people. That seemingly untouched connection is what is so captivating about these films. The magic of two people meeting and really getting each other. I hope that is made only a bit sweeter, darker, and more complex by their aging together in Before Midnight.
Want a movie, album, etc. covered in my blog? Send me a DM on Twitter, or write in the comments below.
01 June, 2013
Orchestra Technologica
So, I have a little bit of a Twitter presence, which showcases my split personality (equal parts coffee, gender studies, book recommendations, random quotations, and music videos). Somehow I caught the attention of chiptune artist, freelance sound engineer, and video game reviewer N8bit, who sent me a DM asking if I wanted to hear his music. I – quite honestly – have not really broken into the chiptune scene before, but I am always up to hear something new, so I subsequently listened to his whole EP (Pixelhate [edit: I had missed this title earlier, but I don't want my readers to be ill-informed]) on Bandcamp.
The EP consists of five songs, starting off with a doozy called "To The Brim," which genuinely sounds like a miniature orchestra walked into your GameBoy Advance and started playing originals over your old-school Pokémon soundtrack. I've always been a fan of the chiptune classics - Zelda, Mario, the Tetris theme: they are all among the soundtrack of my childhood, but I never figured I would get into the music outside of the game environment. What's cool about this EP is that it is immersive, leaving you little room but to let it take you on its own adventure. You can also jam to it. I found myself wishing that "Ice Pond" had some rapping action going on, because the beat is just so damn catchy. Hey N8bit, have you ever thought about pairing up with Aesop Rock for an album?
Anyway, this is definitely worth a listen and with a "pay what you want" format on Bandcamp, totally worth purchasing, if you love it. Even if you don't love it, I say share, share, share. This music is bound to make any #90skid feel like they just ate some warheads while sitting on a sunny lawn playing Harvest Moon.
The EP consists of five songs, starting off with a doozy called "To The Brim," which genuinely sounds like a miniature orchestra walked into your GameBoy Advance and started playing originals over your old-school Pokémon soundtrack. I've always been a fan of the chiptune classics - Zelda, Mario, the Tetris theme: they are all among the soundtrack of my childhood, but I never figured I would get into the music outside of the game environment. What's cool about this EP is that it is immersive, leaving you little room but to let it take you on its own adventure. You can also jam to it. I found myself wishing that "Ice Pond" had some rapping action going on, because the beat is just so damn catchy. Hey N8bit, have you ever thought about pairing up with Aesop Rock for an album?
Anyway, this is definitely worth a listen and with a "pay what you want" format on Bandcamp, totally worth purchasing, if you love it. Even if you don't love it, I say share, share, share. This music is bound to make any #90skid feel like they just ate some warheads while sitting on a sunny lawn playing Harvest Moon.
28 May, 2013
New Musical Swag from May!
Here's a breakdown:
Top left corner: Dream of Life by Patti Smith. This is one of my favorite later albums by Patti. It was produced by her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith who also wrote the track "People Have The Power." It's one of the albums she made after she was married and had at least one child (I think both at that point), and her focus has really transitioned. The art is obviously prime in her mind, but the accessibility is also there. I cannot wait to listen to this on my record player.
Top right corner: Streetlights by Bonnie Raitt. I walked into Bullmoose Records thinking I wanted some early Bonnie Raitt, and then I proceeded to look at the covers of all the albums they had until I found one where she looked like a baby. Even so, it's still her fourth fucking album. But the great thing is that it has "Angel of Montgomery" written by John Prine and "The Song About The Midway" by Joni Mitchell on it. I have never listened to much Joni Mitchell, but she is a musician who I want to delve into, so I figured this is a good way to start.
Bottom left corner: Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend. This album is supposed to be gloomy. I mean, just take a look at the cover art, which is an actual picture of New York city one of its smoggiest days - a day when people actually died from the air pollution. So yeah, this is distopian Vampire Weekend, but I think it's still right in their wheelhouse. Jumping from cardigans and yachts on Cape Cod, and rich people problems, to - well - the problems that rich people sometimes create seems pretty perfect.
Bottom middle: United by Phoenix. I have been surprised by my interest in Phoenix's latest album, and my brother noticed this, so he bought me Phoenix's first album for my birthday! This is so great. It's a hodgepodge in the best type of way, and I finally realized that Phoenix is a French band (where have I been?).
Bottom right corner: The Sky Is Calling by Kim Boekbinder. I Kickstarted this album awhile ago, and I was pumped when it came in the mail. It's a whole bunch of pop-rock tunes inspired by space, space travel, etc. It's like if Neil Degrasses Tyson and Madonna had a baby, and then that baby hung out with the Cure and Occupy Wall Street people.
I cannot wait to do this music justice on this blog. Hopefully, I will be a font of productivity in the next few weeks and I won't leave you all hanging.
25 May, 2013
Calling all...
...people of the internet!!
I just posted this request on Twitter:
This is now going to exist as an open thread where responses can live. Come share your music with us in the comments. XO
I just posted this request on Twitter:
This is a question I need answered, Twitter. So far Google has failed me. I want piano music that is moody and mixed like the best Regina Spektor. But I don't want the singer to sound twee or fragile (like no Florence, Ingrid, etc. etc.) Any recommendations??
This is now going to exist as an open thread where responses can live. Come share your music with us in the comments. XO
"Patron Saint" (Live) by Regina Spektor
Spektor is a fantastic live performer, and the quality of her recordings is so strong! I have been re-listening to all of her albums lately, and finding myself incredibly drawn to the darkness and movement of her lyrical play. Piano is a perfect accompaniment - a second voice. It all makes me want to learn piano.
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