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newtsoftheworldunite · 5 months ago

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Reading tag game! Tagged by @hoeratius. Tagging @the-lincyclopedia @the-knights-who-say-book @oughtaagh @eponymiad @cartograffiti

Last book I read: The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho. It’s a comedic wuxia adventure in a fantasy setting where religious orders have been caught in the crossfire between an authoritarian government and rebel bandits. A nun who loses her job as a waitress joins a group of black market vagabonds attempting to navigate this new reality and everybody gets more than they bargained for.

It’s a whole lot of fun and also gave me so much to think about. I wish I had a hundred more books like this one.

Book I recommend: Maria Dahvana Headley’s translation of Beowulf. @hoeratius recommended the Heaney, as is her right, and that’s the first Beowulf I read but I encountered MDH’s translation in 2021 and was absolutely blown away. I want to do things like this as a translator.

Book I couldn't put down: I first encountered Nate Stevenson’s graphic novel Nimona while it was being serialized online and probably about 80% complete, zoomed through everything that existed so far in a few hours, and then waited eagerly for each additional page. It was absolutely captivating. I’ve had other similar experiences but that one stands out right now in my memory.

Book I've read twice: I’ve been an inveterate rereader over the past four years. Through 2019 probably less than 10% of my reading was rereads and now it’s around 50%. The Queen’s Thief series, The Goblin Emperor and Cemeteries of Amalo books, the Murderbot Diaries, the Wayfarers novels, the Vorkosigan Saga and the Five Gods books, Discworld, and the Young Wizards series have all been ones I’ve revisited regularly. And in 2022 I did a LeGuin readthrough that included revisiting many of her works and experiencing others for the first time. There are so many others as well. Rereading is great!

A book on my TBR: Navdeep Singh Dhillon’s YA romcom Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions. I don’t see books with Punjabi protagonists very often so I’m very interested in this one.

A book I have put down: I started An Immense World last year, which is an examination of nonhuman sensory experiences, and I’d really like to get back to it but my brain has been having a harder time with nonfiction over the past couple of years so I haven’t found my way back around yet. I’ve also bounced off Translation State a couple of times now which is frustrating because I’ve enjoyed every other Ann Leckie book I’ve read.

A book on my wish list: I don’t actually have much of a wish list for books because I’m very library-centric. There are definitely books I end up buying and I have a fairly eclectic home collection. But mostly I get books through the public library and the Libby and Hoopla apps with the library’s digital holdings. I do like to buy interesting haggadot and siddurim and have my eye on a new translation of Tehillim, so that’s something.

A favourite book from childhood: There is a picture book with text by Lloyd Alexander and illustrations by Ezra Jack Keats called The King’s Fountain, which I haven’t encountered in decades but remember adoring as a child. It’s a fable about a monarch who plans to divert the city’s water to build a beautiful fountain for himself and a beggar who tries to find some way to convince him to change his mind.

A book I would give a friend: The Thief by @meganwhalenturner. I want everybody to read it.

A book of poetry or lyrics I own: I’m very invested in my local poetry scene which means that unfortunately most of the poetry I own would reveal more about my geographic location than I’m comfortable posting on tumblr. TFW most of the books of poetry you own are written by people you personally know. Highly recommend. I grew up on a lot of Billy Collins and e e cummings and Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou and Edna St Vincent Millay and so many others. But that was my mother’s collection and I unfortunately haven’t filled my shelves at home with poetic classics. As a teenager I also had an absolutely wonderful global anthology of poetry from all over the world and from ancient times until the nineteenth century that I’ve never been able to find again and I don’t remember the title. It was very thick and paperback and had a reddish purple cover and was organized by the language each poem had been translated from.

A non-fiction book I own: One of my favorites is The House Book by Phaidon which is a little reference book with a selection of 500 houses from ancient times to the present as an exploration of how people live and what architectural possibilities we’ve explored.

Currently reading: Demon Daughter by Lois McMaster Bujold, Omnitopia Dawn by @dianeduane for the @crossingscon book club, Little Thieves by @what-eats-owls, and Witch King by Martha Wells, not counting rereads.

Planning on reading next: Painted Devils and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. There are a few other titles that might intervene, because my choice of reading material is heavily dependent on mood now. Which is part of what makes rereading so appealing. It’s easier to know what mood something is right for if I’ve already read it!

#tag game #reading #books #my good books #frondship #books books books #book recommendations

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jewishraypalmer · 1 year ago

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As a librarian what do you think about the post going around about Libby being bought by a vulture capitalist hedge fund?

https://www.tumblr.com/distractedbyshinyobjects/725009025057603585/and-now-theyre-in-closing-negotiations-to-buy?source=share

*sigh* yeah I mean... it sucks because we're still not sure what some of the bigger changes are going to mean in the future especially in terms of how much libraries can afford to even keep overdrive/libby on. My sister literally was just complaining to me the other week about how she could no longer request a title to the library if she couldn't find it on the app and I thought "huh... that's strange..." and so now I know why!! And I mean yeah, one could always do it through the website of a library to suggest a title but the access to having it straight on the app was so convenient. I haven't been that aware of who bought Overdrive but now this all makes sense since I have been noticing a lot of changes and not for the better (I always have patrons complaining to me about how they miss the Overdrive app). The unfortunate thing I think in these circumstances is that it is just... a really hard time for libraries right now and I feel like everyone is just trying to stay afloat and probably why Overdrive was bought out to begin with but I wish that we could find a way to keep this really great service without having to resort to that. I'm now worried though about how this will affect libraries even purchasing individual titles for Overdrive/Libby in terms of there if there will price point barriers with certain features(as libraries have to purchase these titles themselves, Hoopla is the only one that does its own purchasing regardless of library).

#I hope this made sense?#asks #libraries #librarian #it's just really hard to be a librarian right now lol everything is on fire

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thatchronicfeeling · 6 months ago

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I used to stagger out of the library with a rucksack full of books that caught my eye (in addition to the ones I was intending to collect). Now I do the eAudiobook equivalent and it fills me with so much joy! Support your local library! There is *no* pressure on you to finish a book. You can check it back out if you want to revisit it. Experiment with different genres/authors/print sizes (large print is awesome!). Borrow picture books because you like the illustration style! Maybe you'll find that you love graphic novels. Library adventures are amazing! If your library doesn't have the book/audiobook/film/etc you want to borrow, ask if they'd consider buying a copy! (there are online request forms, a function on Libby where you can register interest in a book, I think?, or you could email or ask in person -- this often means they're more likely to say yes because you're a human asking another human to help you! :) ) In addition to what @grumpy-cardigan said, Hoopla has TV and film too (as well as multiple language options for books/audiobooks). I think this varies from library to library, so it's worth checking what online resources your library offers! You can ask them, or have a look on their website.

unsung benefit i think a lot of ppl are sleeping on with using the public library is that i think its a great replacement for the dopamine hit some ppl get from online shopping. it kind of fills that niche of reserving something that you then get to anticipate the arrival of and enjoy when it arrives, but without like, the waste and the money.

#libraries are so important

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asecretvice · 2 years ago

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Rereading 'And this your living kiss' and it really makes me want to take Cas's class haha! Which got me wondering whether you might have any recommendations how to ease into reading poetry or learning more about it as someone who has been out of school for a while? I find the way you talk about poetry in that fic incredible and I reference it all the time when speaking about fan fiction in general, because not only do you flesh out these characters so beautifully, you also write original poetry from a character's viewpoint and it's analysis?! It is honestly super inspiring. I'll stop gushing now haha :D

(Also sorry I might have unfollowed/refollowed you a few times earlier since my tumblr was glitching...)

Oh my goodness, thank you so much! This is very kind of you. That you feel inspired means so much to me ^_^ [And no worries about the following stuff. Tumblr is as tumblr does, lol.]

And now I have wonderful news for you--there are several avenues you can take when easing back into poetry! I answered an ask a while back in which someone requested recs, and much of that still holds true: seek out anthologies; look into different countries' most celebrated poets; peruse exemplars from various poetic movements, etc.

But how to get to those things? Let us count the ways!

The Library. I don't know where you live, but hopefully you have access to either a public or university library (many of which allow non-students to get cards as well). Different types of libraries have different aims when it comes to curating a collection, but either way if you head to the 811s and thereabouts (if they use the Dewey Decimal System) you will have a ton of stuff to choose from. Again, go to the anthologies so you can read a wide variety of poetry. Then, mark every time you read a poem that stirs something inside you. Then by the end of it you'll have a ready-made list of poets to explore more in depth. At the same time, you've really widened your horizons. If there's already a poet or two you have in mind, a library will likely carry a collection or even a complete collection of their work. Reading the complete collection of a poet can be just as illuminating an experience as reading a wide-reaching anthology. You see a poet grow before your very eyes, can feel the themes as they evolve in their clever hands, watch as they experiment and find their unique voice. I prefer physical books when possible, but libraries also have one or more ebook subscription services, such as Libby or Hoopla, that you can access as well if that's more convenient for you. And, if you're unfamiliar with libraries you may not have heard of interlibrary loan before--this is when a library will look outside of its own system for a book, so even if none of their branches carry it, they will find someone in the country who does and then bring it to their library for you. The best part about this is that these services should all be free to you. Unfortunately that is not true of every library, but most try their best, because freedom of and access to information is their mission. That makes the library the perfect place to explore things you don't necessarily want to invest your resources in.

Of course, if you do have some resources don't neglect to check out your local bookstore. If you're lucky, you have access to some independent bookstores! I mean, if you've only got access to a big chain go there too, but in my experience unless it's a huge store they only carry what will specifically sell because it's a classic likely to be assigned by local schools, or the odd book that has big prospects. Which is totally fine! But what an independent bookstore can give you is a more personally curated collection. If you're lucky, you can find little gems in addition to what will conventionally sell. Regardless the owners/managers of such a bookstore will have a working relationship with lots of different publishers and their salespeople, and will have a more interesting spread. There are websites, such as libro.fm and bookshop.org, which support independent bookstores for your online book and audiobook shopping needs.

The internet, especially The Poetry Foundation. The organization behind the website also publishes Poetry Magazine. You will find most popular poets on this website, often with an accompanying bio. This will give you a decent overview of whoever you're looking up. Sometimes when you click on a poem it will lead you to the page of a digital upload of the magazine--which is amazing, because then you can keep turning the pages and read everything they published in May of 1952, or whatever. Also when you're on the front page of the website you can read articles and interviews etc about poetry. A small caveat about this, and any other poetry journal or anthology. These poems are chosen by editors and other people who fancy themselves good arbiters of what is the best kind of poetry. Sometimes they're right; sometimes they're wrong; sometimes it's simply a matter of taste. People are inherently subjective, poetry is very subjective, and therefore all sorts of biases can be in play. Another factor to consider is that a lot of poetry from the 20th century on is still under copyright, whether under a trust or the author/author's family. Therefore some of the selections of poems that the site has for someone isn't necessarily what they'd choose, but what they're allowed to host on their site. Another source to really consider is wikipedia. I know, I know, but it's great at two things: a) lists and b) sourcing. Look at lists of your country's poet laureates (even states/provinces and cities can have them too!). Look at winners and nominees for major literary prizes. Pick a poet, scroll down to the bottom, and see what categories the wiki elves have put them in (eg, "Poets in such and such movement") and see who else is a part of it.

People. Don't underestimate the people around you. Friends, family, even coworkers. The most random people might have an opinion--or a wealth of knowledge--that surprises you. Ask them, even, if they remember what sort of poems/poets they were taught in school. If nothing else, it will tell you what's stuck with them all this time. And hey, wherever there's someone whose taste you trust, may as well mine them for more recs!

Books about poetry. Okay, so you've got several avenues you can take when looking to read poetry. But you mention learning--so let's talk about those resources. I would say there are a few different angles to take here: anthologies, histories, biographies, and workbooks. I know I've already mentioned anthologies, but it's worth mentioning here again because not all anthologies are alike. They're edited by different people and have different goals. Sometimes the goal is to give as wide a spread of a certain thing as possible; other times it's to be very narrow in scope for deeper exploration. Likewise, sometimes they will have a lot to say before a certain poem/poet is introduced, and sometimes they stick with bare bones. Flip through an anthology before committing to it to see if it strikes the right balance for you. How much context would you like? Histories is kind of a wide range...they overlap a lot with biographies and more academic ventures. These are the type that might focus on a pair or group of poets who had a relationship of some kind (friendship, antagonism, student-teacher, etc). So you know, you can find a book about the Pre-Raphaelites, for example, and if the author(s) know what they're about you'll get tons of amazing context for the point in time, the social fabric they lived in, their influences, and why they changed the world, basically. Biographies are that, but more focused on one person. I really enjoy biographies about poets because in my experience the author set out to write the book because they really love the poetry and find the person behind it interesting. Sometimes they have even been a student of the poet in question. I think it's really great to get so much historical and personal context, because you can read the poetry in so many more ways. (I don't know what your educational background is, but are you familiar with the various types of literary criticism? There are so many lenses to choose from, and all useful in different ways. If you're interested in hearing more about that, let me know!) Workbooks are ones that are designed to help you write poetry. Even if you're not interested in pursuing writing for yourself, it can teach you a whole lot about reading it because it gives you a greater understanding of its underlying structure. Stephen Fry's The Ode Less Travelled does well with introducing poetic elements, providing examples, and setting up exercises for you to try yourself. I hope at least some of this has been helpful to you. Thanks again for your ask!

#opal replies #poetry #living kiss

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emjee · 4 years ago

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so you wanted to like Bridgerton

…but you couldn’t get past the gender politics/massive consent issues/rich people/crime of wearing stays with no shift underneath/insert your reason here.

Behold, I present to you this list of some of my favorite romance novels categorized by my own reactions that mayhap you share:

(But first, a note: I have read all of the books on this list, but in some cases it has been quite a while, so I’m not going to list content warnings because I frankly don’t remember all of them. I recommend checking Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, author websites (KJ Charles has her content warnings listed by book), and reviews if you’re concerned. If you DM me about specific books I can also do a quick search and give you an answer.)

(Actually, a second note: Please obtain these books through means that support the authors as well as small business, if possible. If audiobooks are your thing, check out libro.fm, which allows you to support an indie bookstore through digital audio purchases. If you prefer paper, order from an indie if you can--The Ripped Bodice is a romance-only bookstore that has paper copies of authors who can be hard to find in paper elsewhere, like KJ Charles. Where you have to get your ebooks depends on what your device is, but please pay for them. If you can’t or don’t want to, (which is fair!) check and see if you library uses Libby and/or Hoopla, which allow you to borrow ebooks as well as audiobooks. I believe Libby and Hoopla is only available in the US, but I might be wrong.)

I’m not going to do a summary for every book because this post is already long enough but I’m happy to answer questions about any of them!

If you liked the brotherly shenanigans, but weren’t into the weird controlling thing Anthony had going on:

The Turner Series by Courtney Milan (Unveiled, Untamed, and Unraveled) is about Ash, Smite, and Mark Turner, three brothers who have made it through life so far by relying on each other. If you want schemes and revenge on rich people, start with Unveiled. If you want to read about a law professional who actually cares about justice, start with Unraveled. If you want a book-length purity culture takedown, start with Untamed.

The Brothers Sinister Series by Courtney Milan (The Duchess War, The Heiress Effect, The Countess Conspiracy, and The Suffragette Scandal) listen Courtney Milan’s just really good at brothers and sibling relationships in general. If you want a duke who’s a class traitor, start with The Duchess War. If you want politics and wild fashion, start with The Heiress Effect. If you want friends-to-lovers plus SCIENCE! start with The Countess Conspiracy. If you want the best suffragist newspaperwoman ever to appear in fiction and the forger who falls in love with her, start with The Suffragette Scandal.

If you were very happy to see people of color in an English historical drama, but have some reservations about the way it was handled (see this video about colorism, racebaiting, and implicit bias in Bridgerton):

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian (this one’s gay)

After the Wedding by Courtney Milan (this one has a bi heroine)

An Unseen Attraction by KJ Charles (also gay)

The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan

Wanted, a Gentleman by KJ Charles (also gay)

Unfit to Print by KJ Charles (also gay)

If you were like “none of these members of the aristocracy are sufficiently embarrassed that they’re members of the aristocracy”:

The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian (also this one’s gay)

A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian (this one has a bi heroine)

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan (The Duke Who Didn’t, also falls under this category)

If you thought, “actually I’ve decided I’m not interested in the aristocracy, no matter how embarrassed they are”

Try anything by Rose Lerner, especially Sweet Disorder, True Pretenses, and Listen to the Moon.

If you thought, “dear God please just use your words and talk about sex” (a.k.a. books about women who are DTF):

A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian (this one also includes a bi for bi main pairing, and every single main character is queer)

Gilded Cage by KJ Charles (this one has a bi heroine)

Extra shoutout to The Duchess War, listed above, for A+ communication between the two protagonists about the sex they do and don’t want to have.

If you did kind of agree with “reformed rakes make the best husbands”:

The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian (also gay)

Band Sinister by KJ Charles (actually very little reformation goes on here, which makes it better, trust me, and gay as hell)

If you were like “yeah yeah can we get back to Benedict and this artist guy? Is it too much to want them to make out?” (a.k.a. this is the section for queer books I haven’t already mentioned)

Anything by Cat Sebastian and KJ Charles, with honorable mentions for:

Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian

The Society of Gentlemen Series by KJ Charles (A Fashionable Indulgence, A Seditious Affair, and A Gentleman’s Position) - extra shoutout for the research that went into this series and how historical events directly impact the plot and the characters’ decisions, it’s really quite masterful.

I have also heard wonderful things about Olivia Waite’s The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Navigation and The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, but I haven’t had a chance to check those out for myself yet.

You actually kind of liked the costumes, but you would like to read about historically accurate wild fashion in which everyone wears the proper linings under their stays and corsets really dear Lord is it too much to ask:

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan. The wild outfits are a plot point, trust me, and have historical basis to boot.

These books are concentrated on nineteenth century England, because that’s when Bridgerton is set. (Courtney Milan’s books are Victorian, not Regency, but they’re going on the list because I said so, Netflix Adapt Courtney Milan Next And Do Not Mess It Up challenge 2k21). If you’re looking for non-England-set romance novels in any of these categories, hit me up and I will see what I can find.

“Hey MG, this list is made up of like…the same four authors.” Yes, alas, I have grown wildly picky about my romance novels in the last few years and this is the core of what I know well enough to confidently recommend.

I’d love to hear what people think of these!

#reader's advisory #mg says stuff #romance novels #romancelandia

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ninaraise2020 · 4 years ago

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2020 Book List

For 2020, I made a new years resolution to read 52 books by the end of the year.... which is one of the first new years resolutions I’ve actually kept!! Here are some of my favorites, and my thoughts about everything I read.

As a note: I know audiobooks // ebooks aren’t everyone’s thing, but I read most of these through the Brooklyn Public Library using Libby, and through HOOPLA, the LAPL app. HOOPLA has a ton of stuff, and all you need is to write down an LA address to get a virtual library card. (And just saying, they don’t do anything to confirm that’s your actual address...)

MY LIST with favorites bolded (in the order I read them)

The first bad man, Miranda July

Can’t we talk about something more pleasant, roz chast

Killing and Dying, Adrian Tomine

The Idiot, Elif Batuman

Bad Friends, Ancco

Fully coherent plan: for a better society, David Shrigley

Through a Life, Tom Haugomat

A Body Worth Defending, Ed Cohen

The Hospital Suite, John Porcellini

Excuse Me, Liana Finck

Ongoingness, Sarah Manguso

The Romance of Tristan, Beroul

Two Kinds of Decay, Sarah Manguso

Unfinished Business, Vivian Gornick

300 Arguments, Sarah Manguso

No one belongs here more than you, Miranda July

Anti-Diet, Christy Harrison

Women, Chloe Caldwell

Romance or the End, Elaine Kahn

How to Murder Your Life, Cat Marnell

Rubyfruit Jungle, Rita Mae Brown

A Body Undone, Christina Crosby

Delta of Venus, Anaïs Nin

Sick, Porochista Khakpour

Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson

Eros the Bittersweet, Anne Carson

Norma Jean Baker of Troy, Anne Carson

Hunger, Roxanne Gay

Grief Sequence, Prageeta Sharma

The Undying, Anne Boyer

Illness as Metaphor, Susan Sontag

Gut Feminism, Elizabeth A. Wilson

Come as You Are, Emily Nagoski

Practicalities, Marguerite Duras

The Soft Life, Bridgette Talone

Look at Me, Anita Brookner

The Cancer Diaries, Audre Lorde

Zami, Audre Lorde

Fearing the Black Body, Sabrina Strings

Unbearable lightness, Portia di Rossi

The Art of Cruelty, Maggie Nelson

The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides

The Red Parts, Maggie Nelson

Jazz, Toni Morrison

The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides

Motherless Brooklyn, Jonathan Lethem

Pain Studies, Lisa Olstein

The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula k. Le Guin

Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude, Ross Gay

Coeur de Leon, Ariana Reines

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

TOP 10 Books (in no order)

The Cancer Diaries, Audre Lorde

Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

Eros the Bittersweet, Anne Carson

Unfinished Business, Vivian Gornick

The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides

Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson

Zami, Audre Lorde

Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude, Ross Gay

Come as You Are, Emily Nagoski

Coeur de Lion, Ariana Reines

Favorite queer books

Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

Rubyfruit Jungle, Rita Mae Brown

The Cancer Diaries, Audre Lorde

Zami, Audre Lorde

Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude, Ross Gay

Favorite books about illness

Sick, Porochista Khakpour

A Body Undone, Christina Crosby

The Cancer Diaries, Audre Lorde

The Undying, Anne Boyer

Gut Feminism, Elizabeth A. Wilson

Pain Studies, Lisa Olstein

Two Kinds of Decay, Sarah Manguso

Favorite graphic novels

Through a Life, Tom Haugomat

The Hospital Suite, John Porcellini

Excuse Me, Liana Finck

Can’t we talk about something more pleasant? Roz Chast

Killing and Dying, Adrian Tomin

Favorite nonfiction

Fearing the Black Body, Sabrina Strings

Anti-Diet, Christy Harrison

The Art of Cruelty, Maggie Nelson

Gut-Feminism, Elizabeth A. Wilson

Come as You Are, Emily Nagoski

A Body Worth Defending, Ed Cohen

AND..... if you’re interested in seeing my thoughts on each book.....

A Complete List of Every Book I Read in 2020 and My Thoughts (listed in the order read)

The first bad man, Miranda July

This book is absolutely wild, and I greatly enjoyed it – I don’t think it’s everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking for something very funny, surreal and visceral, I’d recommend. I described it to my friend as like if my psyche wrote a book, or like a very true dream. I enjoyed her collection of short stories, No One Belongs Here More Than You, more - but they’re both excellent.

Killing and Dying, Adrian Tomine

This was the first graphic novel I read this year. Zadie Smith said about this book, “Adrian Tomine has more ideas in twenty panels than novelists have in a lifetime,” so I was very intrigued. It reminds me a lot of Nick Drnaso’s Sabrina which is one of my favorite (if not my favorite) graphic novels. I love the book’s minimalist style, and bits of it felt like getting punched emotionally – so I’d recommend if you’re looking for that!

Can’t we talk about something more pleasant? Roz Chast

Roz Chast’s memoir about her parent’s final years is incredibly funny and beautifully done. I think New York Jews will especially enjoy – but I’d recommend to anyone!

The Idiot, Elif Batuman

For whatever reason, this book really grated on my nerves and I was not a fan. Batuman writes about a freshman at Harvard studying linguistics and writing emails to this man I wanted to punch. A lot of people love this book, so I definitely wouldn’t say not to read it – perhaps it just triggered too much of my anxiety from freshman year of college to be pleasurable. I find it similar to Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Marriage Plot, but I liked The Marriage Plot significantly more.

Bad Friends, Ancco

Content warning for abuse/violence – this graphic novel is really dark, and the violence is quite graphic. But overall, I thought it was beautifully done – and I really love the author’s drawing style.

Fully coherent plan: for a better society, David Shrigley

I love David Shrigley – this book is really silly, and I honestly just picked it up from the library because the outside looks fun. It’s a quick read mostly made up of minimalist drawings – so if you want something not-too-serious that will make you laugh, I’d recommend.

Through a life, Tom Haugomat

I also grabbed this from the library because it looked pretty (oops). I absolutely love this illustrator (he’s worth following on Insta even if you don’t read this book). It’s a series of illustrations of a boy that wants to be an astronaut, and it’s one of the most astoundingly beautiful things I’ve read this year. There are no words, and I nearly cried at the end.

A Body Worth Defending, Ed Cohen

This book discusses the history/construction of autoimmunity, and how the idea of a body “attacking itself” is inherently biopolitical. As someone with an autoimmune disorder, I found this book fascinating, but it’s also really dense so I’d just recommend if you have a particular interest in autoimmunity.

The Hospital Suite, John Porcellini

Done by the author of King Cat, this graphic novel follows the protagonist through a series of different severe medical problems. I thought it was really well done and would recommend if you’re interested in art about chronic illness.

Excuse Me, Liana Finck

I’m obsessed with everything Liana Finck does – if you don’t follow her on Instagram you should! – and this book was no exception. It’s very funny and poignant – if you like her cartoons, you’d definitely enjoy!

Ongoingness, Sarah Manguso

My friend recommended this to me a few years ago, and I recently reread. Sarah Manguso writes about her lifelong pursuit of keeping a hyper-meticulous diary, which fascinated me as someone who used to do this, too. It’s a very quick read and made me think more deeply about the desire to constantly record ones’ life as a protection against passing time.

The Romance of Tristan, Beroul

This book is wild – I read it for a class. It’s a medieval book that doesn’t really make sense and I do not think you should read it unless you are also taking a class on Medieval Drugs.

Two Kinds of Decay, Sarah Manguso

Here, Manguso writes about her autoimmune blood disorder, and her suicidal depression, relating the experience of her first flare when she was in college. Big content warning for graphic depictions of hospitals/illness/needles etc., as well as depression. I found it interesting, but I cannot overstate how graphic and upsetting this book is.

Unfinished Business, Vivian Gornick

Absolutely one of the best books I read this year. I saw Vivian Gornick talk at Pomona and was floored. Here, Gornick writes about being a chronic-re reader, and discusses some of her favorite books and how her relationship changed with them throughout time. I found myself underlining everything, her prose is just so wonderful. I think everyone should read this.

300 Arguments, Sarah Manguso

I like Sarah Manguso, so I ordered this. It’s a set of interconnected aphorisms like “Bad art is from no one to no one.” Manguso is clearly brilliant and this book is very well written – it’s just a bit too minimalist for me. I would definitely recommend Ongoingness if you want to read something by her.

No one belongs here more than you, Miranda July

I am obsessed with this short story collection. Again, don’t think Miranda July is everyone’s cup of tea, but the stories were so viscerally weird in a way that really resonated with me.

Anti-Diet, Christy Harrison

I’ve listened to Christy Harrison’s podcast Food Psych for a while now, so was very excited when her book came out. The book focuses on (in Harrison’s words) “Reclaim[ing] your time, money, health, and happiness from our toxic diet culture.” As someone in ED recovery, this book/Harrison’s work in general have changed my life (which I do not say lightly!) – anyone who struggles with body image/their relationship with food should absolutely read this.

Women, Chloe Caldwell

I read this because a girl on Tinder told me too (lol) – it’s about a woman’s sexual awakening and relationship with this woman, Finn, who reminds me of a lot of hot women I follow on Tik Tok that wear suits and look mean. It takes a minute to get into. I overall enjoyed it, and was touched by the book at the end, but found a lot of the prose to be pretty clunky. So, would I recommend – I don’t know, maybe?

Romance or the End, Elaine Kahn

My friend recommended this book of poetry to me. Elaine Kahn is so talented and writes so beautifully – another book where I found myself underlining everything. Would definitely recommend!

How to Murder Your Life, Cat Marnell

Cat Marnell’s memoir recounts her struggles with bulimia and addiction while working as a beauty editor. I found it enthralling and hard to put down. I recommended it to a friend who had to put it down because it was too stressful. I think it’s a great book, but not for everyone.

Rubyfruit Jungle, Rita Mae Brown

If the meaning of the title intrigues you, I would definitely recommend. This coming-of-age story follows Brown’s childhood, and relationships with women. I thought I liked Women by Chloe Caldwell until I read this book. Very gay, very good!!!! I could not put it down!

A Body Undone, Christina Crosby

In this memoir, Crosby writes about queerness/disability through the lens of her experience after a bicycle accident that left her paralyzed. If you want something gay with lots of theory, this book is for you! Fun fact: Crosby is the friend Nelson writes about in The Argonauts. As a heads up, though, the descriptions of pain can be pretty graphic/triggering.

Delta of Venus, Anaïs Nin

I wanted to read something by Anaïs Nin and this is absolutely NOT what I should have read. Nin wrote this erotica for a man who didn’t like romance and wanted her to skip to the sex – the foreword is basically her ranting about the man who commissioned her to write this work. There’s a lot of (unsurprisingly) incest, as well as depictions of rape/assault. I do not recommend.

Sick, Porochista Khakpour

Sick is a memoir about Khakpour’s experience living with lyme disease, and her struggle to attain a diagnosis and proper treatment. I didn’t know anything about lyme, so found this book very enlightening. I’d add it to your list if you’re interested in memoirs of chronic illness.

Eros the Bittersweet, Anne Carson

I read this book because a character in the L Word talked about it (oops….). But wow, this is truly one of the best things I’ve ever read (thanks Marina!). Even Carson’s prose is breathtakingly poetic – she stitches together Sappho’s writing, Greek myths & critical theory so seamlessly. I felt like a different person when I finished.

Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson

I absolutely loved this book. Autobiography of Red is a love story between two men based on a Greek myth. It feels surprisingly epic, despite being a pretty short read. It feels a bit like the long-form-poem version of Song of Achilles. (If you read this book and enjoyed it, absolutely read Song of Achilles).

Norma Jean Baker of Troy, Anne Carson

I love Anne Carson, but I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the others. Maybe it’s because it’s a performance piece and I read it rather than watching it be performed, or maybe I just didn’t get it.

Hunger, Roxanne Gay

In this memoir, Roxanne Gay writes about her rape (so content warning for that, as there are very graphic descriptions), and her relationship with her body. This is one of the most brutally honest books I’ve encountered about food, body image and eating disorders – Gay does not sanitize her self-blame and self-hatred – and it’s an important counternarrative to how fatness is commonly represented in the media. I would not recommend it if you’re in the depths of an ED or early on in ED recovery because it’s pretty triggering. I think it’s an important read, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable just telling anyone to read it off the bat.

Grief Sequence, Prageeta Sharma

Prageeta Sharma is a Pomona professor who is wonderful, so I was very excited to read her book. Grief Sequence is an evocative, moving, and incredibly powerful story of Sharma losing her husband to cancer. It made me even more excited to work with her, and I would definitely recommend especially if you go to the 5cs!

The Undying, Anne Boyer

I’m not sure exactly what to call The Undying – maybe memoir, maybe autofiction? But Boyer combines narrative about her own experience with breast cancer with cultural criticism, drawing on both her experience as a poet and an essayist. This book was definitely one of my favorite works about illness I’ve read this year.

Illness as Metaphor, Susan Sontag

I found this book interesting, but not my favorite of what I’ve read about chronic illness. Sontag writes about how tuberculosis and cancer take on particular cultural symbolism – did you know that tuberculosis was associated with sexual desirability? I did not! Perhaps the piece wasn’t as interesting to me because people don’t tend to get tuberculosis anymore. If you’re particularly interested in TB/cancer, or if you’re writing your thesis about chronic illness I would read, but otherwise, not sure I I’d recommend.

Gut Feminism, Elizabeth A. Wilson

This book discusses depression through the lens of the gut, arguing for feminists to incorporate biological data into their analysis. It’s pretty dense, so I’d only recommend if depression, anti-depressants, and the politics of the gut are particularly interesting to you. But as someone interested in those things, great read!

Come as You Are, Emily Nagoski

Here, Nagoski discusses female sexuality and arousal in a way that made me realize I actually knew nothing about how female arousal works. For example, did you know wetness ≠ arousal? I didn’t! This book truly revolutionized how I think about sex/sexuality. The only caveat is that the book does center on the experiences of cis women (which the author does admit in a disclaimer at the beginning), so I hope that there are future works that touch on the same ideas in more inclusive ways.

Practicalities, Marguerite Duras

I really like Marguerite Duras – The Lover is one of my favorite books – but this book didn’t really do it for me. Duras is brilliant, but parts of it felt a bit mundane/dated. A lot of people love this book, though, so I feel like it’s just me!

The Soft Life, Bridgette Talone

I made a goal for myself to read more poetry this year, since I usually read mostly prose. This is an example of the kind of poetry I struggle reading – l am less drawn to poetry that completely strays away from narrative – and this book was a bit too abstract for me. There’s beautiful imagery, it just felt like it went over my head. But it was recommended by a friend whose taste I greatly respect, so maybe it’s for you and just no for me!

Look at Me, Anita Brookner

This book took me a while to finish. Look at Me follows a librarian and aspiring novelist in her friendship with a glamorous couple. It’s very dry, witty, observant, and brilliantly satirical. I’m very glad I finished it, but it took a while to get pulled in.

The Cancer Diaries, Audre Lorde

Lorde writes about loving women, and her experience with breast cancer. It’s a collection of entries from her journal, combined with meditations on these entries. So, so very beautiful! Also very heartbreaking. This might be my favorite book I’ve read about illness.

Zami, Audre Lorde

Lorde’s wonderful coming-of-age novel covers her life growing up in New York, and her relationships with different women. It took me a bit to get into it, but once I did it was addictive to read. Certain scenes are just so breathtakingly vivid, and I don’t think I’ve read anyone who writes as well as Lorde about loving women. Also, she went to my high school, so that part was very wild to read – definitely recommend in particular to fellow Hunterites!

Fearing the Black Body, Sabrina Strings

I’ve wanted to read this book ever since listening to Strings on one of my favorite podcasts (FoodPsych). This book discusses the historical construction of thinness as an ideal tied to whiteness – it’s very well written and illuminating. I feel like the idealization of thinness is something that is often really tolerated and encouraged in liberal spaces (*cough* Claremont colleges *cough*), so definitely recommend. If you don’t have time for the book, I’d definitely suggest checking out the podcast episode!

Unbearable Lightness, Portia di Rossi

This memoir discusses di Rossi’s experience with anorexia/bulimia, and her relationship with her queerness. I read it in a day, I was so engrossed. However, I wouldn’t recommend to anyone in early stages of ED recovery, or in the thrust of an eating disorder.

The Art of Cruelty, Maggie Nelson

If you have read other works by Maggie Nelson and enjoyed them, and are interested in literature about cruelty, I’d recommend! It’s more theoretical than her other works and it’s pretty dense – I’ll definitely have to read it again to fully ‘get’ it. But Nelson is such a brilliant cultural critic that it’s a pleasure to read anything she writes. Like “truth in art is but a feeling”?? Yes!! Go off!!

The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides

This is definitely top five of the books I’ve read this year. I was floored when I was finished. It’s set at Brown, but so many of the descriptions of campus life really resonated and amused me. The end was heart-wrenching. The prose is so evocative. I loved it.

The Red Parts, Maggie Nelson

This book focuses on the trial for the brutal murder of Nelson’s aunt by a stranger – it’s very gruesome but enthralling. I couldn’t put it down.

Jazz, Toni Morrison

I listened to the audiobook which Toni Morrison reads, which is great. Jazz is set in Harlem in the 1920s, and though it’s pretty short, it’s incredibly vivid and haunting. It’s one of the most original and intriguing narratives I’ve encountered (not even including the beauty of the prose), and unlike anything else I’ve read.

The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides

I read this because I loved The Marriage Plot so much. I didn’t like this as much as I liked The Marriage Plot or Middlesex. After I finished, I thought I didn’t like it, and then I listened to this podcast called Sentimental Garbage and decided I did like it after all. I was frustrated throughout the book at how obtuse the women are, but after getting over my sadness that we never figured out why the girls killed themselves, I have more appreciation for Eugenides’ vision.

Motherless Brooklyn, Jonathan Lethem

Motherless Brooklyn is different from what I usually read – it’s the only detective novel on this list – but I loved it. It’s set in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, which is particularly exciting (and why my Dad is a big Lethem stan). It’s one of the most original books I’ve ever read, and the descriptions are astoundingly innovative and vivid. It’s also really funny! And he’s a Pomona professor! My mom is reading it too for the WNYC book club, which I believe you can still join if you want.

Pain Studies, Lisa Olstein

Another illness book! Olstein writes about her experience with migraines, and also theorizes about pain. I haven’t read any book exclusively focused on pain, so this was cool! It didn’t resonate with me as much as other stuff I’ve read, but still very good.

The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula k. Le Guin

I was very excited for this book, which is a work of sci-fi written in 1969 about a world where everyone is gender-fluid and has no sexual prejudice. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had expected to – perhaps because the main drama of the book is finding out whether this world is going to trade with another world, and I am just not very interested in trade. Sci-fi is also not really a genre I read often, so I wouldn’t do much with the fact that this book didn’t resonate.

Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

I’ve cried maybe six times this year and finishing this book was one of them. It’s gay. It’s Greek. It’s epic. If you liked Percy Jackson and now, you’re part of the LGBTQ community you have to read it. This is the kind of book that made me worried it had ruined all other books. I think this is a perfect book, or at least the closest I can imagine.

Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude, Ross Gay

This book is astoundingly beautiful. A friend recommended it and said it made his writing a lot happier - which was exactly what I needed! – and this description rings true. I definitely have more trouble reading poetry than prose but found this book very powerful and engaging. I read it in one sitting.

Coeur de Leon, Ariana Reines

Absolutely one of my favorite books of poetry! Coeur de Leon embodies the exact kind of poetry I really like – the language is accessible, it’s visceral, it has a narrative – and also made me feel seen. I feel like it’s also one of those books made for people that like to write, especially about love. Very much recommend.

On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

It took me a while to get into this one, and I felt for a while that everything was too depressing to enjoy it. While I do definitely want to revisit in post-pandemic times, I still was deeply moved. Big content warning though for drug abuse, death, and probably some other stuff I’m forgetting.

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olive2read · 10 months ago

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the hoopla algorithm is TERRIBLE ime — it regularly recommends books I have currently checked out, there’s no way to exclude your borrow history so recommendations rarely change, and I have no idea how it determines which authors are “similar.” the search is also shitty, though it’s lightyears better than it was a couple years ago.

the best system I’ve found for searching on hoopla, if you just want to browse and don’t have a title in mind, is to find a book you like and click on one of the things it’s tagged with, then go through the tag sorted by ‘date added’ (release date is much less likely to be accurate and they add new titles all the time — including older releases!)

be advised that different tags will net WILDLY different results even if they seem similar 🙃

ALWAYS check libby for books you find on hoopla that you want!! they may not be in the overdrive catalogue but, if they are, it’s better to borrow from libby where possible because libby borrows are about how many you have out at a given time (ie you can return something to borrow something else if you hit your limit) whereas hoopla borrows are a fixed number per month (ie once you’ve checked out your limit you don’t get any more until next month, even if you’ve returned some).

PLUS if your library doesn’t have the book on libby but it’s in the catalogue, you can add it to your ‘Notify Me’ tag and help shape your library’s purchasing!! I don’t get every title I request but I do get a lot and that means they’re available for other people to borrow, too :D

I strongly recommend getting as many different library cards as you qualify for! there are many public libraries that make cards available to people out of their main service area who meet given criteria (eg in the state of california, in the us, a california resident can get a library card at ANY public library!!)

hehehehehehehehhehehe

hello

if you are looking for the ability to read ebooks and audiobooks for free, you have probably heard of Libby and Hoopla. You may have assumed that they are roughly equivalent services, each offering the same digital resources per library you sign in with

turns out

not true

and with that I am off to listen to a book that Hoopla has available for me which Libby did not, on the exact same library card :3

#books and libaries #libby #hoopla #ollie musings

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suitofvibraniumarmor · 4 years ago

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Yours Truly [Part Thirteen]

Summary: Chris, Sadie, and Layla go to visit Sadie’s family, and come back to an unpleasant surprise. Pairing: Chris Pratt x OFC, Chris Evans x OFC Word Count: 1795 Warnings: None. A/N: This fic was previously posted on my multi-fandom account; in honor of OC Appreciation Day, I figured I would queue it all up for your reading pleasure throughout the day! This was a collab with @captain-s-rogers , and I will link her chapters at the end of all of my posts! Some GIFs were difficult to find again, so if there’s no credit, they’re from Google Image Search or from the original post.

July 19

Caroline,

I got the job here in Lawrence! I’m so, so excited. I’ll be teaching one of the two kindergarten classes and can start setting up my room in a couple of weeks, once I get through all the new hire hoopla.

I also found a house to rent. It’s a little farmhouse, owned by an older couple who have sold off most of their land and just rent the house now; there’s a couple of bedrooms, so you’ll have somewhere to stay when you come visit! You know, in eight years when Mr. President has completed his terms.

We’re going to Wichita this weekend to pack up my storage unit and bring it all here. Chris and Layla will meet my family while we’re there, and if all goes well, Chris and I agreed it will be a good time to tell Layla that we’re together. I think she has some idea, but I’m looking forward to actually telling her.

Okay, I think I have rambled about myself for long enough. How are things in D.C.? I’m glad Chris didn’t let you step down — you have worked SO HARD for that job, and no one can do it better than you! Even with this weird media stuff. I’m guessing the Caroline-look-alike girlfriend was your idea? Seems to be working, anyway. I just hope you’re being true to yourself and heart through all of this, C.

Only another month and summer is over. How has the time gone so fast?

Yours truly,

Sadie

After a long couple of days of new-hire orientation, Sadie was ready to be back at the Pratt farm, moving her few boxes to the new house. The trio would take their time getting up and around the next morning before heading to Wichita, and she was ready to be back home for a while. Sadie had always been close with her family, and she was even more excited for them to meet Chris and Layla.

Before driving back to the farm, she stopped at the elementary school to check in on her new classroom. She wanted to know what size of the room she was going to have so she could be thinking of decor.

“Ms. Coleman?” someone said, catching her attention as she walked toward the kindergarten hall.

Sadie turned. “Yes?”

“Hi,” the woman greeted. “I’m Libby Anderson. I teach second grade.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sadie smiled. “Please, call me Sadie.”

Libby gave a tight smile. “I hear you’ve been working with Layla Pratt this summer. How is she?”

Sadie was puzzled at first, but chalked up Libby’s knowledge of her summer activities to small town talk. “She’s great. Such a smart little girl.”

Another tight smile. “And Chris?”

Sadie’s concerns about Libby’s inquiry grew, tensing her muscles. “Um, he’s great, too. Are you a family friend? I’m sorry, I’m still working on getting to know everyone.”

“Something like that,” Libby answered. “I have a meeting to get to, Sadie, but I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“See you,” Sadie replied as the other woman walked away.

Suddenly, the size of her classroom seemed of little importance. She changed course for the parking lot, then hurried back to the farm.

“She’s Emily’s sister,” Chris informed Sadie once Layla was down for a nap and Sadie had a chance to ask about her interaction with Libby at the elementary school.

Sadie nodded. “Now it all makes sense.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t even think about that. The Andersons are just so far from my mind anymore. None of them have even tried to contact or see Layla since Emily left.”

“You don’t need to apologize. She should have been much more clear about who she is and how she’s related to you and Layla. I just hope it doesn’t cause problems at work.”

Chris shook his head. “I don’t see why it would. Why don’t you let me make you a glass of that peach iced tea? Ed’s coming by so we can talk about how things went while I was out of town, and I can tell him about a couple things I’m changing. You can just relax — well, till Layla wakes up, then I’m sure she’ll have other plans.”

Sadie chuckled. “You’re probably right about that. Thanks, Chris.”

She reinforced her gratitude with a kiss before heading off to her room. Until she was laying down, Sadie wasn’t even aware of how tired she felt; she was asleep before Chris brought in her glass of tea.

Both Sadie and Chris had expected for Layla to take a little time to warm up to Sadie’s family, but she took to them right away. She settled herself on Sadie’s father’s lap and immediately began telling him about the farm and about her birthday party and her trip to her grandparents’ farm in Minnesota. Justin listened intently, immediately enchanted by the little girl.

While Chris and Sadie got to packing things from storage into the trailer Chris had pulled behind the truck on the way down from Lawrence, Layla stayed with Sadie’s aunts. She was fascinated still about how they had taught Sadie to make a dress, and finally begged and pleaded long enough, Sadie’s aunt Marie got out the beginner sewing machine that Sadie and her cousin, Marie’s daughter Lizzy, had learned to sew on. When they returned to pick Layla up and head back to Sadie’s father’s house, Layla had successfully sewn a little pillow.

“I did it all by myself, Daddy!” she beamed. Aunt Marie was too kind to say any different.

Chris smiled. “I’m so proud of you, baby girl. Let’s get back to Justin’s house, okay? Daddy and Adie are gonna get cleaned up, then we’ll come back here for supper to meet more of Sadie’s family.”

“I don’t wanna go!” Layla said, crossing her arms over her chest and stomping her foot.

Sadie frowned. “Layla! Be nice, please.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied, not sounding sorry at all. “I like Justin, but Marie teached me how to make a pillow! I wanna make another one for Sadie for her new house!”

Marie spoke up, kindly. “I don’t mind if she stays here.”

“You need a nap,” Chris told Layla when she looked at him hopefully.

“Can I take a nap here?” Layla asked Marie.

Marie nodded. “But only if it’s okay with your dad. He’s the boss.”

Chris exchanged a glance with Sadie, who shrugged. “All right. But please, continue to be on your best behavior, and use your manners.”

“Yessir,” Layla promised, rushing off for the sewing machine.

“Nap before more sewing, young lady,” Sadie called after her.

Layla groaned but called back, “Yes ma’am!”

Sadie thanked Marie profusely for keeping Layla for longer before following Chris out of the house. She indeed needed to get cleaned up, and was looking forward to seeing the rest of her family that evening.

“Are you comfortable with me talking to your dad about what’s going on with us before we go back to Marie’s?” Chris asked. “I know it’s sort of an outdated practice, just seems like the right thing to do, still. I don’t mean asking permission, or anything, just – making my intentions known, I guess.”

Sadie reached across the truck seat and took his hand. “I think that would mean a lot to my dad – and to me.”

Chris squeezed her hand before pulling her closer, finishing out the trip back to Justin’s house with his arm draped over the back of the seat, and Sadie singing along with him to the radio.

On the way back to the family dinner at Marie’s house, Chris broached the subject of telling Layla that he and Sadie were a couple.

“I’d like to get you all moved in, then maybe we can have dinner in town and tell her?” Chris suggested. “I figure a place with neutral ground is probably the best venue. She’s been so encouraging to you when it comes to me, I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it, but I want to make it as easy for her as possible.”

“I agree,” Sadie nodded. “I think she’ll be just fine – probably excited, to be honest – but you’re right, it’s better to make it as easy on her as possible.”

The agreement gave them something to look forward to when they returned to Lawrence; the couple was so excited about it, they confirmed for the family members who asked that they had indeed started a relationship. Fortunately, all of Sadie’s family was completely for the idea, and they understood about keeping it quiet around Layla until Chris and Sadie were able to update her on what was happening.

There were no goodbyes with the trio left Wichita, only see-you-later’s and lots of hugs from Layla to Sadie’s family members. Chris told Sadie that it could have been because Layla was older, but he had never seen her that comfortable even with Emily’s family. Sadie’s heart could have burst with that news; she was so in love with Chris, though she had yet to tell him, and her love for Layla had only grown from the first day she met the girl. She was already dreaming of the day they would all become a family, and expand that family, but she kept those dreams to herself for the time being – which turned out to be a good thing, she discovered a few hours after their return to Lawrence.

The heavy furniture had been placed in the appropriate places in the rental house, and the boxes were all in the house wherever there was room. Sadie would have a busy few days ahead, settling the house, but Layla could come with her during the day and help or play, so another sitter wouldn’t be necessary.

She had one night left at the Pratt farm, and they had planned on going into town for pizza after resting a while. Chris and Sadie were both on pins and needles to finally include Layla in their relationship, but it was soon clear that even that would have to wait.

“Whose car is that, Daddy?” Layla asked, leaning forward from her booster seat as they approached the farm.

Chris didn’t answer; Sadie glanced over at him and received a tight smile and a mumbled apology in return. That was all she needed to know exactly who had shown up uninvited to the farm.

Sadie stayed back, helping Layla out of the truck while Chris got out of the driver’s side and approached the woman standing at the top of the stairs.

“Hey, Chris,” she greeted politely – too politely.

He cleared his throat as Sadie approached behind him, carrying Layla. “What are you doing here, Emily?”

Part Fourteen

#chris pratt #chris evans #fanfiction #collab #new to this blog

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askpetethelibrarian · 6 years ago

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Arrr! The Pirate Library

Yesterday, someone over at King Shot Press found himself in a little hot water over some tweets that were...not pro-piracy, I guess, but not AS anti-piracy as some people wanted.

It turned into a whole thing. Because this is the internet, so one person’s opinion on piracy shatters too many worldviews or something.

Frankly, it turned into a big mess. I wouldn’t want to get involved, until...

And when someone said “I honestly don’t see the difference with a library” I felt compelled to say a few things. And to ask myself: Why is checking out a book from the library different from piracy?

Before we get into it, however, I just want to say that the opinion of someone at King Shot isn’t something that induces anger in me. I think it’s an opinion that I agree with in some ways and disagree with in others, and I’m not looking to pile on here. After the library bit, I’ll share some of my opinion on piracy, in general.

1. Scale

When piracy puts a book up online, an infinite number of people can download, possess, and read it simultaneously.

When a library buys a print copy of a book, that’s obviously not true. That book can only go out a limited number of times (50 checkouts is usually too many for most books, physically). It can only be held by one person at a time. And, it can only be in any person’s possession for a limited period.

When a library buys an ebook, similar rules will apply. Overdrive/Libby, the most popular library ebook service, does require us to buy licenses for every copy. Not every title, every copy. So, if we have two copies of something, we bought two. If we have one copy, only one person can have it out at a given time.

Hoopla, another service, has a different model. We don’t buy individual licenses for individual items, and any number of people can have it at the same time. However, the time period is limited, and users are limited to a given number of titles per month. So, one can’t use library service to stockpile a bunch of books that they keep forever.

Piracy and borrowing might not look different from a user POV, but from a view that’s bigger than the individual, the difference is big enough to start having its own gravitational pull.

2. Purchase

It certainly seems like I can check out something from the library for free, so what’s the difference between that and downloading it for free?

The library isn’t “free.” It’s a pre-paid service, meaning you’ve already paid for it, it’s just a matter of whether or not you make use of it. Much like a road, street lamp, or public park. You pay for those things, and then you choose whether or not to make good use of your money.

You’ve also paid for ebooks held by your library. Your tax money goes to the library, the library buys ebook services.

Now, in theory, SOMEONE paid for a copy of a book at some point before it was up for free online. So there’s a similarity here. However, let’s look more closely:

If a library buys a title and it’s very popular, they will buy more. Our system has a policy that says we’ll buy another copy of something for every 5 simultaneous requests placed. If 50 people requested The Martian when it came out, our guiding principle is that we should have at least 10 copies.

There’s no such system in piracy. That one copy is all that’s ever purchased.

To cross over with the above argument about scale, let’s say that my library system bought 10 copies of The Martian. Consider that this is ONE library system serving a portion of one U.S. state. Even if we were overly generous, we could say we cover a quarter of the state. Multiply our purchase four times to cover Colorado, then multiply times 50 to cover the U.S., all of a sudden you’ve got 2,000 purchased copies of The Martian. This is very quick and dirty math, and it’s almost certainly a lowball.

Also, you need to factor in that libraries will be replacing copies of books. So, in the 5 years or so since The Martian came out, the initial number has likely doubled.

There’s another effect here. Once The Martian is a hit, you’d better believe libraries are all over Andy Weir’s next book, Artemis. Pre-orders play a big part in sales. Pre-orders count in the first week of a book’s sales, and large pre-orders help a book climb onto bestseller charts.

You might not care about putting money in Andy Weir’s pocket, and I’m not here to argue about that (for THAT portion, see below). It does warrant talking about, however, in terms of the difference between pirating material and borrowing it from the library. The library is a positive factor in the economics of books. Piracy is not.

3. Mutual Support

There is oftentimes an argument for piracy that’s about piracy being a positive force for folks who can’t afford books. Let me tell you why using your library is better.

The library works like this: you support us, we support you.

You come in, check out some stuff, and that gives us better stats to take to the local government and say, “See, this is important. The community needs this.”

When you pirate something, we lose out on those stats. We become less busy. The local government sees that the library needs less cash. And then, that economically destitute person who can’t afford books? Where do they go now? Piracy? Bad news, economically destitute people are far less likely to have a computer, an internet connection, and maybe even a place to plug a computer in if they DID have one. Oh, and they probably don’t have a fancy-ass e-reader either.

Piracy may be an option for some people who can’t afford books, but if you are concerned with the availability of books to all, the library is a better solution.

Let’s talk about some of my personal feelings on piracy, in general.

We Hurt The Ones We Love

I spoke to a very well-known author. This author told me that they’ve had some contractual trouble with their publisher because this author’s books are VERY frequently pirated, which means that the books are popular, but the publisher won’t pay as much because they will have a hard time getting a return on their investment.

Pirating material can have a ripple effect that makes it more difficult for the artists we love to put out more of the material we love. Some might see it as hurting a large, faceless company, but the truth is that we’re hobbling someone whose work we love.

The Money Question

When talking about piracy, there’s always an element of class warfare going on. Why should someone pay the multi-millionaires like Metallica for an album they had to work 2 hours to afford? Why do I care if Harper Collins loses out on a few bucks?

I’m about to enter some uncomfortable territory because the stats are impossible to find. Because, frankly, piracy is something that many people wouldn’t admit to doing. It’s pretty difficult to get a good bead on this whole thing. I tried to find out whether or not piracy is a result of economics, and I could find no evidence supporting or denying that. What I will speak from is personal experience. Because that’s all I’ve got.

Yes, there is probably some kid out there who is economically destitute and the only way he’s getting his hands on sweet books is through piracy.

However, my personal experience tells me that a whole lotta piracy is committed by people who could afford the things they’re pirating and end up stockpiling things they never use.

Let me put it like this: I don’t really have a problem with an individual sneaking into an art museum because they can’t afford to pay their way, and they really want to see the art.

But I think it would be wrong, while sneaking into the art museum, to grab yourself something from the gift shop. Even something small you don’t need.

My morality on this is somewhat flexible, and somewhat capitalistic. If you genuinely can’t afford books AND you’ve exhausted the options to come about them legitimately (libraries, friends, etc.) then I don’t think I’d have a problem. However, if you, like most people, justify the collection and hoarding of electronic files that you could afford to come by legitimately, you’re in a bad moral spot.

Short version: If you are that person who can justify piracy because you pirate only that which you actually view, and you wouldn’t be able to experience art otherwise, you get a pass. But if you’re the person justifying it because someone else is probably too broke to buy books, therefore it’s okay for YOU to pirate, I respectfully disagree.

The Value of Art

Some piracy is justified through saying that pirated things don’t necessarily equate to income loss because they wouldn’t have been purchased anyway. In other words, maybe I would pirate a movie I would never actually pay to see.

*Ahem*

Sure, like Speed Racer. Maybe I wouldn’t pay a single dollar to see it, but I would watch it for free. This means that the makers of the movie don’t really lose anything. Maybe I wouldn’t PAY for a new Metallica album, but I would listen for free.

For books, I don’t know that this is nearly as applicable. Who is going to put in the effort to read a book that they wouldn’t pay the paperback price on? It’s not a passive medium the way movies and music are. The book isn’t just going to happen in front of you. You actually have to do some shit to get the information inside your head.

The real issue on this point is that of de-valuing of art.

Writing a book is hard work. Damn hard work. I think writers deserve to be paid for their work.

There’s a long-standing tradition of de-valuing artistic work as work. Because artists aren’t out there busting concrete.

But I’m here to tell you, art is work. It’s not a blast to sit down and type out a couple hundred thousand words, edit them, re-edit them, send them out for publication. No part of this is more fun than watching Speed Racer.

The writers you want to read, while you’re enjoying a book, binge-watching something, doing whatever you like to do, they are working, many of them doing so in addition to their regular day jobs. Many of them in addition to being parents, partners, and doing all the same bullshit we all do every day.

I also feel, in this time of plenty, that there’s really no need to watch movies you hate, listen to albums you don’t like, and read books that’re no good. If it’s not worth the cost of admission, it’s not worth your time either. Just leave it be and move onto something else you’d pay for.

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mermaidsirennikita · 2 years ago

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Where do you get the audio books?

I personally use Libby and Hoopla. These are free apps that libraries can buy into--all you need is a library card, and if your library partners with either one (or both) you'll have access to their catalog. Both offer not only audiobooks but ebooks.

The differences:

--Hoopla will have a limit on how many borrows you can have in one month. Some libraries offer like, 100+ borrows per month, whereas others will limit it to as few as 6 (keep in mind that this is a budgetary issue, so call on politicians to fund your local libraries!!!). Even if you return a book early, you've used a borrow for the month and won't get it back.

--Hoopla's catalog is more likely to change than Libby's, similar to how a streaming service's catalog will change. Libby functions more like a physical library.

Other things will vary more depending on your library. Some libraries have amazing catalogs, others have very sparse catalogs. Some libraries will allow people from out of state to pay to get a library card for a year or so, and then you have access to a much larger catalog (potentially).

I use Libby unless Libby doesn't have a book, and then I'll go to Hoopla, in order to avoid running out of borrows.

Otherwise, the best option for audiobooks right now is prooooobably audible, but it's still not great. $10-$15 a month, I think? For one book credit per month. I mean, that's cheaper than paying full price for most audiobooks (those are expensive) but for me, I run through an audiobook in a couple days sometimes, so I'd prefer to stick to my libraries.

#romance novel blogging

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catsteinbooks · 7 months ago

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Please, please. And independent authors distribute through Libby and Hoopla too. It's earning me money and it's exposing my work to a MUCH wider audience. (And my books are really NOT expensive for libraries to purchase because I set the price.) Whereas pirating only prevents me from earning money on those books and adds additional work for me (cease and desist requests, piracy prevention on ARCs and finished books, just to name a couple) in a job that already requires a ton of work.

And if my traditionally published friends have their work pirated, they're losing sales, which might mean they won't get another contact, or they'll get paid less, etc.

So please think about what you're doing before you pirate books.

"Don't use Libby because it costs libraries too much, pirate instead" is such a weird, anti-patron, anti-author take that somehow manages to also be anti-library, in my professional librarian-ass opinion.

It's well documented that pirating books negatively affects authors directly* in a way that pirating movies or TV shows doesn't affect actors or writers, so I will likely always be anti-book piracy unless there's absolutely, positively no other option (i.e. the book simply doesn't exist outside of online archives at all, or in a particular language).

Also, yeah, Libby and Hoopla licenses are really expensive, but libraries buy them SO THAT PATRONS CAN USE THEM. If you're gonna be pissed at anybody about this shitty state of affairs, be pissed at publishing companies and continue to use Libby or Hoopla at your library so we can continue to justify having it to our funding bodies.

One of the best ways to support your library having services you like is to USE THOSE SERVICES. Yes, even if they are expensive.

*Yes, this is a blog post, but it's a blog post filled with links to news articles. If you can click one link, you can click another.

#writing #publishing #piracy #book piracy #support writers

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kelsiestelting · 3 years ago

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How to Get Free and Discounted Audiobooks

Who doesn’t love audiobooks? I know I do, what’s not to love? You get to hear a great story narrated by professionals with smooth, calming voices and not only that but you can hear the entire book while doing just about anything else. Whether it’s chores, working, exercising or just enjoying the weather, there’s nothing that listening to a great book doesn’t improve.

However everything comes at a price, and not everyone can afford a $20-$30 book every week or two so many choose alternative, cheaper options. But fear not, for there is a way to enjoy the calmness and intrigue of a good audio book that doesn’t take such a harsh bite out of your wallet. Keep reading and you’ll learn all the tips and tricks I and many others use to enjoy the great audio literature experience that’s swept the nation.

Free Audio Books

YouTube: Simple and Easy Access

The more I talk to people about audiobooks the more I realize people aren’t aware of how many avenues are available to them for their listening experience. It’s not just Audible folks, and I find people often neglect to look in the most obvious spaces. Sites like YouTube host a wide variety of content but most importantly for today there are thousands of full audiobooks just a click away. Yours truly has three full recordings of my books on my very own YouTube channel along with a wealth of other content and exciting news to keep you up to date, you can find it all at Kelsie Stelting on YouTube,

Kelsie’s Books on YouTube

There’s more than just me out there, lots of authors use YouTube and similar sites as another way of getting their work out there. So while you can get a free listening experience, engage with the authors you love and show your support for both mine and others growing communities. Luckily with the advent of YouTube monetization even by listening to these audiobooks at no expense to yourself you’re still supporting the authors you love and engaging with these videos shows myself and others how much you care at the same time. Can’t knock free support and encouragement, can you?

Hoopla: eBooks, Audiobooks, Movies & TV

Even if going to the library may be a bit less common nowadays it’s no less useful as many libraries offer physical audiobooks and players for those less technologically inclined. But what’s even better is that as the public libraries have much of their content on the internet now, you can access it for free using a library card.

One service that offers this is Hoopla, which can be found at Hoopla.com or on any mobile device through the app store. Plus, like with YouTube using audiobooks through this means you get to support your favorite authors for free, as the library compensates the author to give others the option to check out their book. All it takes is a library card and a short setting up of an account. If you happen to not have a library card, you can apply for one online or get one from your local library. So if you want to support your local library and your favorite authors, going to Hoopla.com or getting the Hoopla app is a great way to go.

OverDrive/Libby: All the Convenience of Your Local Library, at Home

On a more ‘local library’ level is OverDrive, a service that offers individuals the ability to peruse their local library’s collections as a free service. While Hoopla offers a wide range of media, OverDrive through their app Libby offers exclusively eBooks and audio books and is based on nearby locations.

While Hoopla has more multimedia venues for audiobooks Libby supports libraries at a more local scale and strives to provide readers with a tailored experience featuring written material. So if you want to skip all the tertiary things that Hoopla offers and focus solely on eBooks and audiobooks, Libby is for you. Apps like Libby and Hoopla are great for authors and readers alike because they help to support the authors works while giving the readers the experience for pennies on the dollar or for free.

Discounted Audio Books

Chirp: Great Audiobooks at Great Prices

I find one of the biggest struggles in the tech age is that there are always deals out there, yet finding them is next to impossible without help. Luckily Chirp.com (along with their app) offer a wonderful solution to listeners and readers on a budget. They help to sort those deals and promotions that publishers put on and organize them all in one place, even being nice enough to offer their own book player inside the app.

What’s great about Chirp other than the tremendous savings is it helps to highlight authors and publishers putting on deals, letting more people get access to the book and take advantage of all those nice promotions. No reason to hunt for the deal yourself with a friend like Chirp sorting through thousands of deals a week, keeping their readers informed and letting them know about authors who are trying to get their book out there. All at a great price that rarely exceeds five dollars and more often than not is less than half that. Oh, and the best part? No annoying subscription fee or hidden charges, you just get a great deal, pay a fraction of what you would at other places, support your favorite authors and get a great book at the same time.

Straight From the Author

Sometimes the best way to find something is to go straight to the source. Almost every author has their own website and on that website you can often buy their content directly from them. Through this you are supporting the author, and what’s even better is that when it’s under their own control most authors give better deals and sales than you’ll find just about anywhere else. So don’t hesitate to check their site directly to see if the authors themselves have any deals active. Make sure to follow your favorite authors on social media as well, as it’s a great way to keep up, learn about new books and new deals they may be having. Keeping up to date with authors you like is the best way to get all the info you need on how to access their work.

Closing Thoughts

Wanting to listen to audiobooks is natural, like I said I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love a good audiobook but you don’t need to break the bank to find the books you love. Many authors just want their readers to hear what they’ve been creating, so like me they made YouTube channels, uploaded to Spotify, or have their own sites to give their readers that pleasant, relaxing experience. And while people may not go to the library much after leaving college, it never hurts to support a local institution and your author through media-sharing apps owned by the library. You get the money-saving benefits, the great experience, and the clear conscience knowing you’re helping the authors and the library too.

I hope this is useful to those of you. I hope it saves a bit of scratch on some great books. Mostly, I just hope you all start saving and start relaxing, maybe even get a nice coffee with all the money you saved to enjoy the book with.

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