#samurais and mockingbirds

[azalawa-scroggs]

About Eddie Fender and why he was a dick to Miles

I first started this post in response to something, but it got so long I decided against inflicting it on OP. This is very long and very meandering and the form is kinda weird, as a warning. It's also kinda spoilery for Ace Attorney Investigations 2.

When we first start playing AAI2 and are introduced to "Ace Attorney Eddie Fender," it's true he doesn't come across as very likeable. The first thing he says to Miles is basically "Oh, look! Here comes Manfred von Karma," and the game happens three years after the truth about DL-6 came out. That's incredibly low, very petty, cruel even. He does start off as a dick to Miles, unfair on him until he gradually realises he isn't as bad as he thought, and as he starts warming up to Miles we start warming up to him.

But also... I kind of get it.

Like... Imagine you're 19 years old. Your boss just died in a sudden and shocking murder. You inherit the law firm even though you haven't even passed the bar yet. You're grieving as you keep working hard to become an attorney, now without the guidance you used to have. Maybe you even blame yourself a little - after all, you worked on that case too, you were likely there for the trial, you left both Edgeworths to take that elevator by themselves. Had things played out differently you would have been there, too.

Did you think of your boss's son, in the middle of this whirlwind? Probably a little, but you're a 19 year-old law student. You're nowhere near a suitable place in your life to even think about fostering a kid. Besides, Gregory Edgeworth was your boss. Someone you greatly admired and whose death you will never stop mourning, but still just your boss.

(It's unclear how well Eddie knew Miles. Enough for Miles to recognise him instantly, but certainly not as close as Miles and Phoenix were.)

You take it on yourself to continue the work he left behind, to help the clients Gregory can no longer help. For ten years you try your best to uphold the reputation and the values of his firm and name, and every day you witness a little more how corrupt the system really is.

Then, one day, you start hearing about this young new prosecuting upstart. Passed the bar at 20 and already has the legal world in his pocket. Rumours of forged evidence, backstreet deals, manipulated witnesses. Not only is that just like the whole lot of them, the tactics you became so familiar with over the years - no, it sounds painfully, specifically familiar to that one long, drawn-out case, the last one you worked with Gregory. It turns out the young prodigy is the student and protégé of Mr. Perfection himself, the man who never lost a case in thirty-five years, even though he should have lost against you ten years ago if the world was even a little fair. You would hate the boy for that alone, but on top of that he's also the son of the mentor you lost, the son of the man you both used to admire so very much.

And that hurts. That none of Gregory's legacy lived on in his son. That this sweet, kind boy, who Gregory always used to worry about not making any friends, became a parody of all they used to despise.

Perhaps you even get to see him. You catch a glance of him in the courthouse corridor as he passes you by without so much as a nod to acknowledge you, or you stumble upon a picture in the same paper that struck Phoenix Wright so deeply. You see that damn suit. That damn smirk. That damn waggly finger. His features may have something of Gregory but everything in him screams von Karma. He's spent a decade trying to shape himself into him, and it shows.

Prosecutors are a privileged bunch, and the Edgeworth kid grew up into a downright brat. Entitled. Rude. Arrogant. Obsessed with his fucking perfect record. You hear he goes around cutting the salaries of detectives that make a tenth of what he does and insulting the opposing counsel in court. He became the worst of them all, taught by the worst of them all, he is everything Gregory fought against and everything you hate.

Why would you want to associate with that? Why would you ever think he is not perfectly fine where he is, with his cushy office and his cushy sports car and his doubtlessly cushy pay?

A couple years later you hear he's been arrested for murder. Maybe you follow the trial, maybe you only see the headlines after everything, after DL-6 is finally solved. Honestly, that's when you start having a reason to reach out. When, had you been less embittered and jaded by the thanklessness of your job, you might have wondered what it was like for him to grow up in the shadow of his father's murderer. You might have been stricken with compassion and horror at the thought of fifteen years spent in crushing guilt, believing he killed the father he used to love so much. You might have empathised, despite your contempt for von Karma, with how his ward might feel to be so cruelly betrayed, thrice over, by the man who raised him since he was nine, who taught him everything before throwing him away like a piece of used junk.

But you still think of how he was like a son to von Karma, of how he got to spend fifteen years in wealth, following a shiny, easy, corrupt new path while you grieved and desperately tried to keep the pieces of your shared dream together. You think of how uneasy Gregory seemed with the idea of von Karma as a teacher, you think of how eager Miles seemed to follow in his footsteps and how much Gregory would have hated it. You think of the many defendants this boy callously condemned with barely a thought, just like his mentor. Of how he may not have his father's blood on his hands, but with the way he acts you'd think he had his murderer's in his veins. And you really, really don't want to deal with any of that.

You think, somewhat unfairly, that maybe Miles ought to have seen it coming. It's not like it's much of a secret that Manfred von Karma is a piece of shit, and good riddance to him.

Three years later, you actually have to interact with him again. It's been 18 years since you last saw him in his father's shadow, looking at him like he hung the stars in the sky, back when everything was so simple for the three of you. It's been 3 years since the truth about his oh-so-esteemed mentor was uncovered. He still wears the cravat. His brow is still furrowed, his eyes are still piercing.

But slowly, begrudgingly, you talk to him. You start realising he actually has some honour to him. That he's not really the Demon Prosecutor the papers made him out to be, that maybe you misjudged him a little bit, in you grief-stricken, angry bitterness. That maybe he can be trusted, after all, with his father's legacy.

Why would you think he ever needed saving?

[doctorsiren]

Part 6

<- previous | next ->

[high-school-lit-tournament]

THE LIST IS OUT!

The 64 entries that will be competing in the bracket are, as follows, in no particular order:

Of Mice and Men

The Catcher in the Rye

To Kill A Mockingbird 

A Separate Peace

Macbeth

An Inspector Calls

Huckleberry Finn 

1984

Animal Farm

The Great Gatsby

The Invisible Man

Night 

The Outsiders

The Crucible

The Poisonwood Bible

Wuthering Heights

A Streetcar Named Desire

The Kite Runner

Pride and Prejudice

Fahrenheit 451

Hamlet

The Things They Carried

L'étranger (the Stranger)

Persepolis

The Bell Jar

Death of a Salesman

The Importance of Being Ernest 

The Color Purple

Lord of the Flies

A Doll’s House

The Stepford Wives

Beloved 

Frankenstein 

Brave New World

The House of the Spirits 

The Count of Monte Christo

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 

War and Peace

Crime and Punishment 

Jane Eyre

Their Eyes Were Watching God

A Raisin in the Sun

The Sound and the Fury

Saragana

Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma

Catch-22

Kindred

Heart of Darkness

Metamorphosis 

Maus

Arcadia

Things Fall Apart

The Master and Margarita

We (Zamyatin)

I Am A Cat

The Grapes of Wrath

Madame Bovary

The Scarlet Letter

The Sun Also Rises

Never Let Me Go

Slaughterhouse 5

Noli Me Tángere

The Samurai’s Garden

Stay tuned for the bracket later this week!

[hoursofreading]

thinking about that Atlantic article and the robust works of literature I read in both my regular and advanced English classes: romeo and juliet, odyssey, of mice and men, to kill a mockingbird, the stranger, the samurai’s garden, antigone, the great gatsby, huck finn (which I skipped), the plague, crime and punishment, beloved, the scarlet letter, Frankenstein, the omnivore’s dilemma, catch-22, hamlet, macbeth

[headlesssamurai]

Sarcasm: This question is impossible to answer, and I feel attacked.

List Your Top Ten Favourite Films (in no particular order) : - The Empire Strikes Back - Gladiator - Seven Samurai - Raiders of the Lost Ark - Batman Begins - O Brother Where Art Thou? - Dr. Strangelove - Terminator 2: Judgment Day - The Big Lebowski - Unforgiven - The Incredibles - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Alien - Yojimbo - District 9 - Stalker - The Prestige - Heat - North By Northwest - Goldeneye - Blade Runner

Oh, was that more than ten? Meh.

Honorable Mentions: Star Wars, Logan, Beyond the Black Rainbow, Collateral, The Big Heat, Alphaville, The Terminator, Aliens, Children of Men, Red Sun, Ex Machina, Predator, The Raid, Back to the Future, Saving Private Ryan, Hostiles, To Kill A Mockingbird, Jurassic Park, Sleeping Beauty, Willow, Rear Window, Mulan (1998), Notorious, The Thing, The Matrix, No Country for Old Men, Godzilla (1954), Pulp Fiction, The Fall, Dredd, First Blood, The Departed, The Road Warrior, True Grit, Hidden Fortress, Training Day, Serenity, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Return of the Jedi, Gattaca

Tagged by @sunny-adorkable Tagging @celestialmoments777, @what-reality, @drkhuntress, @shisasan, @johnhocksbur, @hug-your-face, @flowerofheaven420, @ksana-salamandra

Cheers.

侍 headless

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #313: THIEVES HONOR

January, 1990

The ULTIMATE Super-Villain Team-Up! Plus -> Beginning -- the FATE of the SCARLET WITCH!

Plus, it's the 90s! Dark times ahead! Allegedly! Things still feel pretty 80s around here, to be honest but we've only just got here.

Also, hi, Black Widow! Guess you're here to capitalize on the more fluid roster of the Byrne run. Should we call you the Gray Widow now? Because of that costume?

(I've been a little rude to the Wizard during Acts of Vengeance but c'mon, the ultimate team-up is the Wizard and Silver Samurai oh that's the Mandarin. Still not very ultimate. Now if Thanos and Doom worked together, that'd be scary.)

Last times in Acts of Vengeance: Some Doom robots sank Avengers Island while the Avengers were busy elsewhere. The U-Foes tried to burn down the Avengers West Coast Mansion. Freedom Force attacked Avengers Park, for some reason unrelated to Acts of Vengeance. Mole Man attacked Los Angeles with giant monsters, convinced that the Avengers attacked him first.

Slowly, the Avengers have realized that someone is targeting them, using the general chaos of villains picking unusual fights as cover. But they don't know yet that the someone is a big conspiracy among top villains and the Wizard.

Also, not just in Acts of Vengeance but in general, Scarlet Witch's life has been horrible! Her husband was dismantled, rebuilt without emotions, and decided to professionally separate from her. Not just that but she was crammed full of racism goo and then her babies turned out to be Actually Satan. Then Agatha Harkness erased her memory of ever having children. So because of some or all of that, Wanda keeps lapsing into catatonia.

She's having a difficult time.

Speaking of difficult times, on top of all the villain attacks and HQ destruction, the public has turned against superheroes and Congress is debating a superpower registration act.

Times are tough.

Jarvis, watching the unruly crowd on the security monitors, asks Captain America if there's nothing the Avengers can do to calm the crowd.

Captain America: "Unfortunately not, Jarvis. We're just great when it comes to dealing with super-villains and cosmic menaces... but public opinion is something we cant' possibly control."

That's pretty big talk from a dude wearing a flag. Who gives such great speeches that he has on multiple occasions turned a mob around!

Weirdly, Captain America is sometimes portrayed as just bad and disinterested in PR.

During Kurt Busiek's later run, Cap found himself unable to deal with a concerted PR campaign against the Avengers and turned leadership over to the Wasp.

Which. Okay. That makes sense. I can see her as the Avenger leader great at PR.

(Still though. Captain America talks down mobs so much. You don't even want to try, Cap??)

In this specific instance, the Avengers have other stuff to attend to.

Captain America, Vision, and Wonder Man are going to be diving to where Avengers Island sank to see if they can salvage anything.

I don't know why Wonder Man is here. He was just in California. I'm glad that the Avengers are being more fluid between the East and West but I can't fathom why people are coming and going.

In the meantime, Hawkeye and Mockingbird are holding down the fort in the Midwest with the Great Lakes Avengers.

Who we haven't seen in a bit? Did Byrne backburner whatever he was doing with them?

Meanwhile, the Mandarin lands in Avengers Park and is immediately met with racism.

He is a villain but geez, NYPD officer. Don't be a dick.

Also, I really did mistake the Mandarin for Silver Samurai on first glance. I guess he's upped his game with power armor to better match Iron Man.

A police officer, maybe even the same one that was racist, runs up to the Mandarin and tells him he doesn't know who he is but maybe he better take a hike before he gets arrested for something.

The Mandarin: "Amazing... Do I face a bold warrior, or a blustering buffoon? It matters not."

And then he burns the guy to death with one of his special rings.

The police open fire on the Mandarin but he blocks the bullets with a force field and then starts killing cops.

Although, really, he's here to fight the Avengers.

Back at "Prime Movers" HQ, Doctor Doom is outraged at how dumb the Mandarin is.

VICTOR VON DOOM: "Dolt! Moron! How has this fool survived so long as a foe of Iron Man... when his every word and action shows him to have the fighting sense of a novice in a nunnery!!"

Doom says that if Doom were in the Mandarin's place, Doom would have reduced the Avengers' backup HQ to a crater instead of wasting time terrorizing cops.

Red Skull comes in just in time to zing Doom by pointing out how often Doom gets ousted from his own kingdom.

Doom doesn't like being talked to like that but Red Skull persists, saying... uh... I'm pretty sure he's saying that in his time (World War II) he would have had someone like Doom (guess) tortured and killed just for funsies.

It's really cathartic when Doom backhands Red Skull and tells him off for "angering your betters!"

But Red Skull turns being slapped across the room into a flip and pulls a science gun on Doom.

Apparently, Red Skull has been placed into a new peak-human body? I don't really know what's been going on with him but I suspect there's always something like that happening with the Skull so he can keep up with Captain America.

Red Skull's science gun must be really potent because he shoots Doctor Doom and the guy goes flying to smash into one of those big computer monitors.

Kingpin comes in at the noise and is not impressed with his fellow top villains.

Kingpin: "Well, well, well... The childre are at play again, I see."

Red Skull threatens to shoot him too but crime man has more dunking to do.

Kingpin: "Spare me your preachings, Nazi. If I have learned nothing else in my brief association with you and Doctor Doom... I have learned that neither of you understands the true meaning, the true source of the power you claim to possess. You are infants in the modern world... playing your little games of world conquest... feint and counter feint... While all the while the true power slips ever through your fingers." Red Skull: "You... dare... ?!!" Kingpin: "Yes, Skull. I dare. The Kingpin of crime dares all."

I think he talks a big game but he is consistently slapped down when he tries to reach past really powerful at normal crime. But then again, he usually isn't interested in anything beyond that. There's no profit in the end of the world, etc etc.

Meanwhile, Captain America and Wonder Man (who doesn't need a diving helmet but is wearing one anyway to be like the cool kids) dive down to the sunken Avengers Island.

Alas, fair island headquarters. We barely knew ye.

The good news is that since Avengers Island was a floating artificial island, a lot of the equipment was water-proofed Just In Case.

Water-proofed enough to be salvageable after sitting at the bottom of the ocean for a day or so?

They won't know until they haul stuff out. Which isn't today. Today is just poking around and moving some smaller stuff.

They're interrupted by Jarvis calling on the emergency channel.

Jarvis who is wearing his eyepatch again.

The book really goes back and forth on whether he needs it or is just wearing it to look cool.

It looks very cool. You do you, Jarvis.

Anyway, he reports that some dude is trying to blast through the ground of Avengers Park to get to the sub-basement.

Captain America ID's the guy as the Mandarin and the three Avengers haul ass towards New York.

Captain America: "Jarvis is a good man, but we've left him holding the fort too many times in the past." Vision: "I concur, Captain America. And against a foe like the Mandarin I fear even one so resourceful as Jarvis may be at a loss."

I like that it sounds like Vision is saying, with his computer logic, that if it was someone less than the Mandarin, Jarvis would kick their ass.

If it was Stilt-Man, Jarvis would have him flat on his ass in no time.

In the most recent Avengers comic as of this typing, (Avengers vol 9 #11) Jarvis and Jarvis' assistant beat the shit out of the Mad Thinker. Jarvis can throw hands.

Anyway.

The Wizard is also flying towards the Mandarin.

He noticed the guy leave the very secret headquarters and went to go call him an idiot for messing up the Wizard's very well-planned Acts of Vengeance. Yup, this is Wizard's plan and the Mandarin is screwing it up by attacking the Avengers too soon!

Then the Wizard gets tackled by Wonder Man because he wasn't watching his own ass.

The Wizard breaks free, blasting Wonder Man into the ground, while mocking that he wasted time with bluster like all heroes do.

Vision tries to tangle with Wizard next but he also made the mistake of loudly announcing his presence.

You'd think his computer brain would have told him not to do that.

Wizard easily dodges away from Vision's grasp and then Russian reversals by fisting Vision instead of vice versa.

Alas, Vision. Turns out losing your emotions has not made you a more efficient fighter. You get punked basically the same as always.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in California, the Avengers West Coast Compound and specifically Wanda's house.

After getting back from the Quinjet crash, I guess Hank and Wasp just propped Wanda up in a chair and left her to Agatha Harkness to watch.

Because that's where she is.

Propped up catatonic in a chair and being watched by Agatha Harkness.

Agatha Harkness: "*Sigh* It is still no use, Ebony. My former pupil is utterly unresponsive. She has suffered too many traumas in the past few weeks even for her to bear. Her robot husband, kidnapped, dismantled, reprogrammed... Her beloved children revealed as nothing more than figments of her mutant imagination. And, most recently, having her mind stolen from her by the Deviant known as Ghaur, part of his plan to turn her into one of the Brides of..."

I notice you conveniently left out where you magically wiped her memories of ever having children.

And I feel that very well could be related to whatever is going on with her brain.

Agatha.

Anyway, Agatha gets distracted. She feels like someone is coming up to the house but none of the proximity alarms are alarming.

She goes outside and sees no one, not even with her Special Eyes.

(Special magic eyes)

Then the house launches into space, without her.

Surprise, it's Magneto.

(Also surprisingly funny, it's implied that launching a house into orbit was his anti-magic contingency for getting one over on Agatha)

Magneto: "Now it is time for a long delayed reunion. Good afternoon, daughter. What a pity you cannot express your joy on seeing me again."

I don't know that she would if she could.

Although, I guess in the Vision and Scarlet Witch Vol 2, she did sorta reconcile with Magneto.

But in these circumstances, I don't think she'd be thrilled to see him.

Especially considering how he continues that thought.

Magneto: "But soon enough will come a time when you will know joy beyond your wildest dreams! The joy only absolute power can bring!"

Go home, old man.

Anyway, back over in the A-plot, Captain America arrives at Avengers Park in a Quinjet. Hellcat and Black Widow also arrive, but by leaping and swinging over rooftops.

Cap promptly gets shot down by the Mandarin.

Right when he was telling the two to hang back since they don't have superpowers.

Mandarin: "You worry so much about others, Captain... When it is you who are most at hazard!"

Ya burnt.

(Also, c'mon, Cap. Black Widow doesn't have powers, maybe, but Hellcat is wearing a suit that jacks her up to superhuman levels. C'mon with that. C'mon.)

Also, also, god damn, another Quinjet going down? Not to mention all the ones that fell into the ocean when Avengers Island sank? That's a lot of damaged and destroyed Quinjets lately.

This has to be hurting Tony in the bank account.

Mandarin tries to chop Captain America. An honorable death for an honorable foe. I mean sure, he's passed out after a plane crash but definitely an honorable death.

Black Widow and Hellcat jump Mandarin to save Cap. They punk him a bit but he manages to toss them away and blast them.

But this gives Cap enough time to recover and he bonks the Mandarin in the head with his shield.

It makes a WHONG! sound against Mandarin's helmet.

Love a good sound effect.

Captain America: "You must be really tired of being corrected by now, Mandarin... So I won't bother telling you how wrong you are. You're quite bright enough to figure it out for yourself!"

Burned.

The Mandarin uses his rings to freeze Cap's feet in a giant block of ice. And then Wizard swoops in to blast Cap.

Captain America flips out of the way, even with the ice weighing him down.

And Wonder Man recovers enough from his earlier attack on the Wizard to fly in and pop the guy in the noggin.

Even looks like he dented his helmet. Nice.

Mandarin complains that the Wizard's interference ruined his plan, which was clearly going so well before.

Then he gets hit by Mjolnir and his day gets worse.

Vision melts the ice block off of Cap's legs so now the full team of Thor, Black Widow, Wonder Man, Vision, Captain America, and Hellcat confront the Mandarin and the Wizard.

The Mandarin decides 'fuck this, actually', uses his black light ring to befuddle the heroes, and then ditches.

Ditches the Wizard to be caught by the Avengers.

Hah!

They think he's just one small fish in the conspiracy but Wizard loudly insists that he's the mastermind.

Captain America: "And you're going to tell us everything you know. We've deduced this current madness is part of some overall scheme to destroy the Avengers. We also know, courtesy of Cloak and Dagger, that Doctor Doom is somehow behind it all..." Wizard: "Then you know nothing, Captain. Do you really think a blustering charlatan such as Doom could craft a plan so ingenious in its multifarious texturings? This plan is mine, and mine alone! The others who I have recruited to my needs may well believe each move they make is of their own devising... But it is the wondrous Wizard who conceived the scheme... and it is I who shall enjoy the final victory!"

Definitely Loki is scrying this interrogation and laughs at how Wizard thinks he's the mastermind when, actually, Definitely Loki is the one pulling the strings.

But Definitely Loki gets interrupted from his favorite hobby in this event, watching things and being smug about it, by the noise of his pawns (the Prime Movers) bickering again.

Red Skull is yelling at the returned Mandarin for ditching the Wizard. Also, he throws in some racism. Because, Red Skull.

Mandarin shoots back that it was Wizard's own fault he got captured, for being stupid.

Definitely Loki points out that maybe they should spring Wizard before he spills too many beans, out of spite.

The Mandarin takes issue with Definitely Loki's presumption and Kingpin implies that he's the mastermind, confusing Red Skull who thinks he's the mastermind.

But then Doom explodes.

Revealing that the Doom that Red Skull easily punked was a Doombot.

(A very Byrne move)

Doom was never directly involved in this plot. He sent a Doombot because he didn't feel like the scheme was worth his attention.

So when this inevitably falls apart, it doesn't reflect on Doom at all!

Kind of a weak point to end an issue on but I love the drama of Doom blowing up from the earlier tussle, revealing it was just a robot.

Next time, Avengers West Coast #55, Acts of Vengeance concludes.

It has felt very bearable, covering only the Avengers parts.

Follow @essential-avengers. Like and reblog these posts, maybe.

[wonderandwanderinginmexicocity]

The Poet Prince of Texcoco

“O friends, to a good place we’ve come to live, come in springtime! In that place a very brief moment! So brief is life!” -Nezahualcoyotl

In the downtown Zocalo district, there is a small monument that you could easily miss unless you were looking for it. It is the Garden of the Triple Alliance, a peaceful monument to a violent empire. The Triple Alliance is a term used to describe the trio of Nahuatl city-states in central Mexico, Tenochtitlan (what is now Mexico City), Texcoco and Tlacopan, that together conquered much of what is today Mexico. While their dialects and religions varied slightly, they came from similar ancestors and had similar cultures. This small, quaint garden is a funny way to commemorate an empire that expanded through war and conquest, and would at times require sacrificial victims as tribute. The Alliance’s oppression and subjugation of other Mesoamerican peoples, such as the Tlaxacala and Toltecs, led in part to their fateful decisions to help the invading Spanish. But today this park is a lovely and peaceful spot amidst the chaotic churn of downtown. 

Also commemorated in this park is Nezahualcoyotl, the prince of Texcoco. Born in 1402, Nezahualcoyotl (often translated as “Hungry Coyote”) became prince of his territory at the young age of fifteen, but was overthrown and forced into exile. Nezahualcoyotl would spend three years fighting and return with an army of 10,000 soldiers to return his family and regain his throne. As prince, Nezxhualcoyotl supported the artists and philosophers in his kingdom, and encouraged education. In the incredible historical novel Aztec, Nezahualcoyotl is portrayed as a cautious and clever leader, in contrast to the egotistical and ambitious, younger Moctezuma. Rebuffing Moctezuma’s desires to continue to use their armies to expand the empire, Nezahualcoyotl wisely plans to conserve his kingdom’s resources for whatever dark forces are amassing in the east. At that point in the novel (and history), both Moctezuma and Nezahualcoyotl have heard reports of strange, white men appearing on the eastern coast, and Nezahualcoyotl is proven right to view this threat as gravely serious. 

There is something romantic, even cinematic, about this figure: A prince in exile, a warrior poet fighting to retake his kingdom. Later a wise, older ruler who can see the danger and destruction that is to come. There is of course, something deeply tragic about Nezahualcoyotl, too: He was a man who may have sensed his civilization would soon face an existential threat, and even with his foresight, knew there was very little he, or anyone, could do about it. 

Nezahualcoyotl survives today not just in history, but in his writing. He is considered to be one of the greatest poets of ancient Mexico. The royalty and nobility of the Triple Alliance were expected to be well educated in many subjects, and nobles were taught how to use both the pen and the sword. There are some historical parallels with the samurais of Japan and the scholarly nobles of ancient Greece and Rome. It is amazing that we still have access to his poems, considering that poetry and literature at that time was often times memorized and reproduced orally, as well as the fact that there was great literary and cultural destruction by the Spanish in the generations after the Conquest. 

Here is an excerpt of a poem written by Nezahualcoyotl, perhaps reflecting on his own experience of war and reconquest: 

The battlefield is the place: where

one toasts the divine liquor in war, 

where are stained red the divine 

eagles, 

Where the tigers howl, 

Where all kinds of precious stones

rain from ornaments, 

where wave headdresses rich with

fine plumes, 

where princes are smashed to bits. 

Here is another excerpt of a poem that is kind of like a pre-modern take on “these are a few of my favorite things”: 

I love the song of the mockingbird,

bird of four hundred voices;

I love the color of jade

and the drowsy perfume of flowers;

but more than these, I love

my fellow human beings.

In recent years, as Mexico has strived to decolonize their national identity and intentionally celebrate their long ignored indigenous roots, Nezahualcoyotl has been frequently honored as a wise and fair ruler in Mexican history. There is a neighborhood named after him in Mexico City that, true to the character of the man, is home to many artists. He is even honored with his likeness on the 100 peso bill. 

But I imagine the actual man would take all this recognition in stride. Like another poet who once famously wrote “nothing gold can stay”, Nezahualcoyotl also wrote about the impermanence and ever changing nature of life:

Truly do we live on earth?

Not forever on earth; only a little while here.

Although it be jade, it will be broken,

Although it be gold, it is crushed,

Although it be quetzal feather, it is torn asunder.

Not forever on earth; only a little while here.

[brandonwayneb]

hispanic lives matter too,

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Gay Que,

guacamole

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guacamole and paprika

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[elgaberino-mcoc]

MCOC Wishlist Poll Snapshot: Entire Rankings

001 Mystique 002 Quicksilver 003 Beta Ray Bill 004 Sandman 005 Adam Warlock 006 Kitty Pryde 007 Lizard 008 Morbius the Living Vampire 009 Kraven the Hunter 010 Cloak & Dagger 011 Spider-Man 2099 012 Black Cat 013 Bullseye 014 Jessica Jones 015 Ares 016 Shang-Chi 017 Gladiator (Kallark) 018 Baron Zemo 019 Lady Deathstrike 020 Enchantress 021 Valkyrie MCU 022 Knull 023 Morgan le Fay 024 Scorpion 025 Captain Britain 026 Galactus 027 Dazzler 028 Silver Samurai 029 Black Knight 030 Dracula 031 Hobgoblin 032 Pyro 033 Fantomex 034 Spider-Woman 035 Jean Grey 90s 036 Silk 037 Polaris 038 Silver Sable 039 Sif 040 Anti-Venom 041 Mister Negative 042 Crystal 043 Legion 044 Shocker 045 Malekith the Accursed 046 Destroyer Armor 047 M'baku the Man-Ape 048 The Mandarin 049 Emplate 050 Multiple-Man 051 Shuri 052 Banshee 053 Onslaught 054 Warpath 055 Sunfire 056 Cannonball 057 Dark Phoenix 058 Blue Marvel 059 Prowler (Aaron Davis) 060 Okoye 061 Mockingbird 062 Spiral 063 Madame Hydra / Viper 064 Hydro-Man 065 Red She-Hulk 066 Agent Anti-Venom 067 Blackheart 068 Gorr the God-Butcher 069 Songbird 070 Quasar 071 Absorbing Man 072 Whiplash 073 Armor 074 Daimon Hellstrom 075 Wendigo 076 Nimrod 077 Graviton 078 Gwenom 079 Deathlok 080 Firestar 081 Vulcan 082 Wonder Man 083 Selene 084 Blob 085 Klaw 086 Rachel Summers 087 Thor (MCU Stormbreaker) 088 Shadow King 089 White Tiger 090 Tombstone 091 Jack O'Lantern 092 Valkyrie Classic 093 Toad 094 Moonstone 095 Weapon H 096 Jocasta 097 Dani Moonstar 098 Monica Rambeau 099 Wolfsbane 100 Franklin Richards 101 Ancient One 102 Arnim Zola 103 Exodus 104 Forge 105 Supergiant 106 Madelyne Pryor 107 Hank Pym 108 Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) 109 Negasonic Teenage Warhead 110 Spider-Man Noir 111 Phantom Rider 112 Blink 113 Sebastian Shaw 114 Clea 115 Black Tom Cassidy 116 Kurse 117 Danger 118 Daken 119 Omega Sentinel 120 Grim Reaper 121 Radioactive Man 122 Shatterstar 123 Darkstar 124 Werewolf by Night 125 Hope Summers 126 The Magus 127 Union Jack 128 Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) 129 Crimson Dynamo 130 Pixie 131 Conan 132 Scarlet Spider (Ben Reilly) 133 Azazel 134 Jigsaw 135 Boom-Boom 136 Swarm 137 Xorn 138 Machine Man 139 Black Widow (Yelena Belova) 140 Madame Masque 141 Misty Knight 142 Chamber 143 Mistress Death 144 Skaar 145 Morlun 146 Thanos (Endgame) 147 Leader 148 Sleepwalker 149 Deacon Frost 150 Black Swan 151 Agent 13 (Sharon Carter) 152 Fin Fang Foom 153 Ka-Zar 154 Arcade 155 Iron Spider 156 Dust 157 Gorgon 158 Lash 159 Namora 160 A-Bomb (Rick Jones) 161 Ikaris 162 Nick Fury (Classic) 163 Rescue 164 Nico Minoru 165 Volstagg 166 Weapon Hex 167 Stingray 168 Maximus the Mad 169 Cyttorak 170 Skurge the Executioner 171 Doc Samson 172 Maverick / Agent Zero 173 Sauron 174 Baron Blood 175 Captain America Falcon 176 Wong 177 Mantis 178 Whirlwind 179 Firelord 180 Magma 181 Molecule Man 182 White Fox 183 Nova (Sam Alexander) 184 Satana 185 Dum Dum Dugan (LMD) 186 Holocaust 187 Shiklah 188 Valkyrie Moonstar 189 High Evolutionary 190 Bloodaxe 191 Magus (Technarch) 192 Nighthawk 193 Punisher: War Machine 194 Goliath (Bill Foster) 195 Nova (Frankie Raye) 196 Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch) 197 Dr. Cecilia Reyes 198 Sentinel X (Shogo Lee) 199 Thena 200 Hellcat 201 Cosmic Spider-Man 202 Attuma 203 Shroud 204 Doctor Nemesis 205 Siryn 206 Nate Grey 207 Iron Monger 208 Black Mamba 209 Agent Carter 210 Kluh 211 Tiger Shark 212 Purple Man 213 Snowbird 214 Ice-Thing 215 Lilandra 216 Superior Spider-Man 217 Thane 218 Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur 219 Jackal 220 Jean Grey (X-Men Red) 221 Punisher: Frankencastle 222 Puck 223 Rockslide 224 Red Ghost and his Super-Apes 225 Deathbird 226 Hydra Supreme 227 Strong Guy 228 Zarda the Power Princess 229 Sage 230 Quentin Quire (aka Kid Omega) 231 Prowler (Hobie Brown) 232 Slapstick 233 Stardust (Lambda Zero) 234 Titanium Man 235 D'spayre 236 Colleen Wing 237 Thunderbird (John Proudstar) 238 Iron Maiden 239 Gorilla-Man (Kenneth Hale) 240 Jack of Hearts 241 Titania 242 Avalanche 243 Toxic Doxie 244 Death’s Head 245 Impossible Man 246 Worthy Captain America (Mjölnir/Endgame) 247 Outlaw (Higgins) 248 Scarlet Spider II (Kaine Parker) 249 Beetle 250 Typhoid Mary 251 Bloodscream 252 Serpent (Cul Borson) 253 Ms. America Chavez 254 Ghost Rider (Reyes) 255 Hummingbird 256 Mercury 257 M (Monet St. Croix) 258 Black Tarantula 259 Spitfire 260 Wizard 261 Superior Octopus 262 Maria Hill 263 Minotaur (Dario Agger) 264 Echo 265 Morph 266 Karolina Dean 267 Zarathos 268 Thundra 269 Smasher (Kane) 270 Hyperstorm 271 Boomerang 272 Stature (Cassie Lang, AKA Stinger) 273 Meggan 274 Caliban 275 Hollow 276 Abyss (Styger) 277 Silverclaw 278 Red King 279 Doctor Druid 280 U.S. Agent 281 Sersi 282 Molten Man 283 Zzzax 284 Singularity 285 Agatha Harkness 286 Blastaar 287 Korvac 288 Citizen V 289 Carter Slade the Satan-Stomper 290 Post 291 Shuma-Gorath 292 Sin 293 Triton 294 Quasar (Kincaid) 295 Martinex 296 Iron Man (Mark I) 297 Wiccan 298 Speedball 299 Paladin 300 Amanda Sefton 301 Overmind 302 Diamondback (Rachel Leighton) 303 Feral 304 Charlie-27 305 Rom: Spaceknight 306 Juggerduck 307 The Uranian 308 Blazing Skull 309 Starfox 310 Living Laser 311 Hiro-Kala 312 Namorita 313 Jack Flag 314 Stormborn 315 Doctor Bong 316 Crescent & Io 317 Gamora mcu 318 Wave 319 Ironheart 320 Venom Rocket 321 Doctor Spectrum 322 Davos the Steel Serpent 323 Lady Hellbender 324 Falcon classic 325 Bloodstorm 326 Tempus (Eva Bell) 327 Voyager 328 No-Name the Brood 329 Demon Bear 330 Moondragon 331 Arachne 332 Aero 333 Andromeda 334 Speed Demon 335 Phyla-Vell 336 Xemnu the Living Hulk 337 Aleta 338 Araña 339 Human Torch (Jim Hammond) 340 Constrictor 341 Iso 342 Arkon 343 Genis-Vell 344 Shanna the She-Devil 345 Volcana 346 Batroc the Leaper 347 Arclight 348 Scientist Supreme 349 Yukio 350 N'kantu the Living Mummy 351 Gentle 352 Caiera the Oldstrong 353 Beetle (Janice Lincoln) 354 Penance (Baldwin) 355 Super-Adaptoid 356 Ajak 357 Future Colossus 358 Moses Magnum 359 Vampire by Night 360 Superia 361 Puppet Master 362 Chimera 363 Count Nefaria 364 Stick 365 Hellion 366 Agent May 367 Mister Hyde 368 Spot 369 Cobra 370 Doop 371 Lyja 372 Wrecker 373 Stargod/Man-Wolf 374 Stilt-Man 375 Machinesmith 376 Spider-Bitch 377 Madame Web 378 Corsair & Sikorsky 379 Thor (Groot) 380 Balder 381 Random 382 Power Man (Alvarez) 383 Starhawk 384 Sun-Girl (Selah Burke) 385 Arcanna 386 Scream 387 Kree Sentry 388 Agent Phil Coulson 389 Thunderstrike (Kevin) 390 Talos 391 Carmilla Black 392 Uatu 393 Jennifer Kale 394 Warwolf 395 Enigma (Aikku Jokinen, AKA Pod) 396 Belasco 397 Swordsman 398 Trevor Fitzroy 399 Dazzler Thor 400 Hepzibah 401 Atlas 402 Ogun 403 Yellowjacket (DeMara) 404 Hala the Accuser 405 Entropy 406 War Machine (Infinity War) 407 Animax 408 Captain Universe 409 Whizzer 410 Hogun the Grim 411 Cottonmouth (Clemens) 412 Blizzard 413 Storm (Queen of Wakanda) 414 Silhouette 415 Immortus 416 Beast (Hex-Men) 417 Solo 418 White Rabbit 419 Aurora 420 Equinox 421 Hellcow 422 Owl 423 Arsenic & Old Lace 424 Beetle mk iii 425 Valeria (Age of Conan) 426 Trapster 427 Throg 428 Mimic 429 Hulkling 430 Iron Lad 431 Angel (Black Vortex) 432 Marionette 433 Phastos 434 Hobgoblin 2099 435 Razor Fist 436 Asp 437 Baymax 438 Captain America (Peggy Carter) 439 Sp//dr 440 Tarantula (Kaine) 441 Silver Scorpion (Barstow) 442 Midnight Angels of Wakanda 443 Demolition Man 444 White Wolf (Hunter) 445 Synapse 446 Kingo 447 Grey Gargoyle 448 Gilgamesh the Forgotten One 449 Justice 450 Atlas Bear 451 Iron Fist (Orson Randall) 452 Victorious 453 Lincoln Campbell 454 Luna Snow 455 Zadkiel 456 Crystar 457 Husk 458 Gravity 459 Kaecilius 460 Marrina 461 Ghost Rider (Circle of Four) 462 Nighthawk Supremeverse 463 Fixer 464 Cardiac 465 Capwolf 466 Kull the Conqueror of Atlantis 467 Noh-Varr 468 Korath the Pursuer 469 Miss America (Joyce) 470 Blackjack O'Hare 471 Bi-Beast 472 Vance Astro 473 Bushmaster (Quincy) 474 Krugarr 475 Poundcakes 476 Yo-Yo 477 American Son 478 Mister M 479 Cottonmouth (Stokes) 480 Manphibian 481 Infamous Iron Man 482 Paibok the Power-Skrull 483 Shatter 484 Daredevil Shadowland 485 Nakia 486 Garrison Kane 487 Makkari 488 Elloe 489 Northstar 490 Spiderling 491 She-Hulk (Lyra) 492 Proteus 493 Grey Hulk 494 Doorman 495 Toro 496 Nuke 497 Acroyear 498 Blonde Phantom 499 Drax MCU 500 Orrgo 501 Marvel Girl NPC 502 Fandral the Dashing 503 Spider-Girl 504 Ms. Thing 505 Captain America 2099 506 Veranke 507 Haechi 508 Mulholland Black 509 Mighty Destroyer 510 Eclipse 511 Powell McTeague 512 Druig 513 Copycat 514 Terror 515 Ahab 516 God-Emperor Doom 517 Doombot (V Series) 518 Sword Master 519 Cyclone 520 Black Mariah 521 Zenzi 522 Thor: Herald of Thunder 523 3-D Man 524 Hulk Endgame 525 Tetu 526 Doctor Octopus (Liv Octavius) 527 Margali 528 Molly Hayes 529 Sinara 530 Aldrich Killian 531 Goldballs 532 Mindless Ones 533 Nikki Gold 534 Foolkiller 535 Darkwing Duck 536 Thunderstrike (Eric) 537 She-Thing (Ventura) 538 Killmonger (Emperor Symbiote) 539 Iron Duck 540 Ms. Marvel II (Ventura) 541 Spymaster 542 Scalphunter 543 Spider-Man (Miles Morales Movie) 544 Karn 545 Gun-R 546 Terminus 547 Achebe 548 Llyra 549 Bushmaster (John) 550 Sugar Man 551 Great Lakes Avengers 552 Xarggu 553 Human Fly (Deacon) 554 Shogun 555 Plantman 556 Brawn 557 Elixir 558 Litterbug 559 Smasher (Rokk) 560 Bug 561 Mammomax 562 Synch 563 Anaconda 564 Wolvie 565 Dirk Anger 566 Captain [****] 567 Ezekiel 568 Diamondback (Stryker) 569 Unworthy Thor 570 Master Mold 571 Masked Marauder 572 M.O.D.A.M. 573 Hellsgaard 574 Hulkbuster 2.0 575 Forgetmenot 576 Ghaur 577 Arcturus Rann 578 Ultimate Green Goblin (Movie) 579 Dragoness 580 Porcupine 581 M-11 582 Taskmaster MCU 583 Dansen Macabre 584 Lady Bullseye 585 Harpoon 586 Unicorn 587 Bushwacker 588 Loki variant 589 Night Nurse 590 Psyklop 591 Mack 592 Eel 593 Water Snake 594 Chaos King 595 Red Hulk (Maverick) 596 Kaluu 597 The Russian 598 Geena Drake 599 Jimmy Hudson 600 Slayback 601 Mentallo 602 Skull the Slayer 603 Karkas 604 Dominic Fortune 605 The Buzz 606 Doctor Crocodile 607 Ox 608 Dorrek VII 609 Needle 610 Krang 611 Dino-Thor 612 Stegron 613 Zeitgeist 614 [VACANT] 615 [VACANT] 616 [VACANT]

[kattahj]

Ten highly acclaimed films I just don't vibe with

Here's my top ten list (in no particular order) of films that other people just looove and I don’t like at all, with comments as to why.

If you're wondering, "What about X film that's also vastly overrated?" chances are I didn't see it. Or maybe I did, and I actually liked it. You can always ask!

I won't be arguing with anyone about these choices, and you can't change my mind.

The Godfather

In fairness, I barely even remember this movie. I just found it really boring. It's the quintessential "serious men do serious things", which is my least favourite genre in the world. (I do have some movies I like even within that umbrella, such as "12 Angry Men" and "Seven Samurai", but they're exceptions from the rule.)

Forrest Gump

Heyyy, let's make a movie that touches on most major issues in modern US history without saying anything of value about any of them! And also, let's make it super schmaltzy and stick an insultingly maudlin portrayal of a person with an intellectual disability in the center!

This is the movie that put me off Tom Hanks. I quite liked him before that, but Hollywood leaned hard into "Tom Hanks can do no wrong, you obviously like Tom Hanks!" with every movie he was in afterwards, while I was all, "I still haven't forgiven you for Forrest Gump."

It was utterly rewarding to hear the song "Gump, the Magic Movie", which addressed at least half of my issues with this film.

Also, sidenote, I read the book the film was based on and found it really heartless and mean-spirited, so they kind of went in two different directions with the same material, and neither was appealing.

The Matrix

Keanu Reeves seems like a good man, but God, is he a boring actor. Though in fairness, everyone in this film has zero personality. The whole thing is too wrapped up in the aesthetics and in philosophical concepts that aren't as mindblowing as the directors think.

Se7en

The serial killer cheats on his own rules. That annoys me. If your schtick is to punish people for their sins, you can't suddenly switch into punishing them for YOUR sins.

Avengers: Infinity War

I like some of the MCU films, but I have found that I much prefer the heroes apart than together. I thought the first Avengers film had about half an hour of good material in it. The two following had substantially less. I didn't bother to see #4. This one consisted mainly of people introducing themselves and explaining plot points to each other, plus boring action scenes.

The Dark Knight Rises

In fairness, I had lots of fun seeing this film, because it was so pompous and I found that so funny. I laughed in a lot of places where I wasn't supposed to. (The FLAG is in TATTERS!) Anne Hathaway was legit likeable, though.

The Shining

I'm mostly lukewarm on The Shining, I don't really hate it, but it just plain doesn't work for me. Mainly because if you want the full horror of a character slowly descending into homicidal mania, it helps if he doesn't start off being a total creep right away. Jack Nicholson isn't credible as anything BUT a giant asshole. Now, The Babadook, that one did it right!

Citizen Kane

Nothing about this guy makes me even the slightest bit curious to learn his secrets.

To Kill a Mockingbird

I don't outright hate this film, but I used to watch "I'll Fly Away" as a kid, which is basically TKAM with black people actually having substantial roles. After that, both book and movie version of TKAM come off as awfully white-centric for a story about racism.

Titanic

It reminded me of John Hughes' most irritating films (i.e. anything with Molly Ringwald), with a super basic, clichéd love story. The main difference being that this film had a gazillion dollar budget. I found it wryly amusing that when it swept up the Oscars, it won pretty much everything EXCEPT script and acting.

Like Forrest Gump did with Tom Hanks, this movie put me off Leonardo DiCaprio. Again, to the world he could do no wrong, to me he had something to make up for.

There's also the fact that it's three hours long and has water sloshing about in the entire final act, which does not make for a fun cinema experience. :-P

I always love Kathy Bates, though. And the orchestra, that was genuinely tragic.

[silenthillmutual]

what Classic Film(TM) you should watch based on who your fave Danganronpa 1/2 character is

disclaimer - obviously as a film dude i’m gonna say you should watch all of these. but maybe watch the one correlating to your fave first!

Makoto: 12 Angry Men (1957, dir. Sidney Lumet) - strong themes of justice, it’s about a jury trying to determine a man’s guilt. it’s basically what Makoto does for the entire game. you’ll also like it if you’re a fan of Phoenix Wright.

Sayaka: A Star is Born (1954, dir. George Cukor) - it’s all about a girl’s rise to fame and how her relationships change with that. there’s three versions of this film, most recently with Lady Gaga. 

Mukuro: Vertigo (1958, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - themes of murder and hiding your identity, losing yourself to a cause.

Leon: Animal House (1978, dir. John Landis) - a comedy about a fraternity. it’s THE college frat movie and i think Leon would enjoy it a lot.

Chihiro: WarGames (1983, dir. John Badham) - two teenagers might have accidentally started a world war during the cold war by trying to play computer games...fitting for the series, no?

Mondo: On the Waterfront (1954, dir. Elia Kazan) - struggling to do the right thing and being sort of frustrated about your circumstances as they pertain to class and missed opportunities. being dragged into bad situations by family. also Marlon Brando is a bicon and very hot in this movie.

Taka: Rebel Without a Cause (1955, dir. Nicholas Ray) - a lot of turbulent shit happens to three teenagers over the course of 24 hours. one of - if not the first canonically gay teenager on film. i think we all know by now that James Dean was mlm, but so were the director and Sal Mineo. big bi polyam vibes; if you like chishimondo as a ship you’ll probably like this film too.

Hifumi: Akira (1988, dir. Katsuhiro Otomo) - had a hard time figuring out what to put for Hifumi, but overall i think if nothing else he’d appreciate how impressive the animation was (and honestly, still is) along with the fact that the mangaka was also the director. so although there’s a lot cut out (the manga had not finished before the film came out), it’s still roughly the same plot as the manga.

Celes: Dracula (1931, dir. Tod Browning) - probably the most iconic iteration of Bram Stoker’s novel, this is the one staring Bela Lugosi. not terribly true to the novel from what i remember, but it’s peak aesthetic and exactly the kind of thing she’d enjoy.

Sakura: Rashomon (1950, dir. Akira Kurosawa) - finally getting onto films i haven’t actually seen but that are on my list. sakura’s another person i had a hard time deciding on a film for, but the “several characters telling different accounts of the same plot” reminded me a bit of her case in the game. 

Hina: West Side Story (1961, dir. Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins) - admittedly i had a different film in mind for her to start with, but Maria’s final monologue fits with Hina’s motivations during Sakura’s case.

Toko: Gone With the Wind (1939, dir. Victor Fleming) - another one i haven’t actually watched yet, but it’s based on a famous novel, described as “epic historical romance.” i think that vibes with Toko pretty well.

Byakuya: Citizen Kane (1941, dir. Orson Welles) - if you’re really interested in film, you’re gonna be made to watch this sooner or later. famous for being the “best film ever made”, it’s more or less about newspaper moguls like William Randolph Hearst - who is also the main reason why this film is famous at all. it’s not exactly a flattering depiction of those kinds of people and boy, did that ever piss Hearst off. if he hadn’t made such a big deal trying to keep Citizen Kane from seeing the light of day, something much better might have made it to the top spot. 

Hiro: The Music Man (1962, dir. Morton DaCosta) - based on the Broadway musical of the same name, a “travelling salesman” (read: con artist) starts to work his latest con on a gullible small town, but actually starts liking the people in it.

Kyoko: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - not to be confused with the other Hitchcock film from the 30s also titled The Man Who Knew Too Much. this is the one with James Stewart and Doris Day. it’s a highly suspenseful film that gave us the song “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)”.

Junko: Gaslight (1944, dir. George Cukor) - ever heard the term “gaslighting”? this is where it comes from! based on a play in which a woman’s husband psychologically tortures her into believing she is going insane.

Monokuma: Duck Soup (1933, dir. Leo McCarey) - all Marx Brothers films are as utterly silly (and sometimes as incomprehensible) as one of Monokuma’s MonoTheatres. i watched about half of Duck Soup and had to stop because it was finals week and i was supposed to be doing something other than losing my shit.

Hajime: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946, dir. Frank Capra) - you probably already know this film. if you’re Christian you know it as That Film Your Parents Watch Every Year On Dec 24th Around Midnight. if you have seasonal depression, don’t watch it then; warning for suicidal ideation. it’s supposed to be uplifting. your mileage may vary on that one. 

Impostor: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, dir. Robert Mulligan) - i don’t have a good reason to pair these two up other than gut feeling. as far as film adaptations of books go, it’s pretty damn good, and Atticus Finch is the original DILF. themes of childhood innocence and racism. 

Teruteru: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961, dir. Blake Edwards) - apparently much different from the novella on which it is based, but i think Teruteru would really dig the aesthetic and romantic vibes of the film. Holly Golightly is probably the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl.

Mahiru: Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - like It’s a Wonderful Life, chances are good you know this film - or at least, you’ve seen its plot recycled a hell of a lot. a professional photographer recovering from a broken leg thinks he witnesses a murder take place and is determined to get to the truth.

Peko: Seven Samurai (1954, dir. Akira Kurosawa) - another one on my to-watch list, but it’s oft referenced and remade in film. a village hires seven ronin to protect them from bandits who will return to steal their crops. 

Hiyoko: East of Eden (1955, dir. Elia Kazan) - i’ll be honest here, i didn’t really know what to put for Hiyoko because i’m not sure i understand much about her, but i seem to remember her family playing a pretty big role in her being Like That and for “shitty family” the first two things to come to mind were this and Giant. and unless you like 3-hour long movies about the state of Texas, i’m not about to recommend you watch Giant.

Ibuki: A Night at the Opera (1935, dir. Sam Wood) - another Marx Bros film in which they help a girl both to be with her lover and to achieve her dreams of stardom as an opera singer. the kind of silly, manic thing i think Ibuki would like.

Mikan: The Shining (1980, dir. Stanley Kubrick) - i hate hate hate putting this on here, but since this is for film and not books i couldn’t exactly state to read the book. the book is about the cycle of abuse. the movie is more about... a trapped man going crazy in a spooky hotel. 

Nekomaru: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963, dir. Stanley Kramer) - comedy about five groups of people racing to get to a large sum of money buried by a recently escaped convict they stopped to help out after his car crash. it’s a comedy, and just kinda seemed like Nekomaru’s thing.

Gundham: The Seventh Seal (1957, dir. Ingmar Bergman) - i watched this in like 10th grade and all i really remember is a man playing chess with Death and if that doesn’t say Gundham Tanaka to you, i don’t know what does.

Nagito: North by Northwest (1959, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - i don’t really have a reason for this one either but it’s a spy film and i think komaeda could get behind that kind of intrigue. 

Chiaki: Metropolis (1927, dir. Fritz Lang) - not to be confused with the anime, this is a 1927 German expressionist film that seems to be about socialism and unionization. it’s also famous for its (purposeful) use of the Male Gaze and being one of the first sci-fi films ever made. be warned: it is a silent film.

Sonia: Strangers on a Train (1951, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - another one of those films you’ll get told to watch if you’re interested in the queer history of film, i was gonna put something else but honestly the character of Barbara kinda reminded me of Sonia. a famous tennis player meets a man on a train who attempts to plan a double-murder with him.

Akane: My Fair Lady (1964, dir. George Cukor) - i was trying so hard not to double up on the post about musicals, but Akane really does have Eliza Doolittle vibes. they’re both feral and nothing would be able to really domesticate them. for whatever it’s worth, this film and the musical on which it is based is itself based on the play Pygmalion, in which your typical rich cishet white dude bets he can turn any street urchin into a real lady because he’s just that good. you might know the plot better as Pretty Woman.

Kazuichi: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951, dir. Elia Kazan) - i don’t really have a good excuse for this one, either; i haven’t even watched it yet (although i have read the play on which it is based). all i’m gonna say is i want Souda to have his gay awakening via Marlon Brando, as we all do.

Fuyuhiko: Casablanca (1942, dir. Michael Curtiz) - despite his love and adoration for Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart decides fighting Nazis is more important. i think Fuyuhiko would like the aesthetic, and the film. don’t let him know but i think he’d probably cry watching it.

Usami: To Sir, With Love (1967, dir. James Clavell) - issues of race and class intersecting in a film about a teacher working with inner city students. i was going to put Singin’ in the Rain here, because it’s what Usami would want people to watch...but i think this better fits the effect she wants to have as a being. 

[high-school-lit-tournament]

The official high school literature tournament bracket is here!

Because I am moderately technologically inept, I printed out a bracket and filled it in; that sort of thing helps me visualize the rounds and contextualize the matchups better.

Because this is really small and fairly difficult to read, here is a comprehensive list of the matchups, as organized by side (I’m calling A, B, C, and D sides because I forgot what they’re actually called. Imagining a LP makes this imagery more entertaining).

Side A

War and Peace vs Crime and Punishment

Animal Farm vs Fahrenheit 451

The Catcher in the Rye vs A Separate Peace

The Bell Jar vs The Color Purple

Kindred vs The Stepford Wives

The Great Gatsby vs The Count of Monte Cristo

Arcadia vs A Raisin in the Sun

A Doll’s House vs A Streetcar Named Desire

Side B

Pride and Prejudice vs Jane Eyre

1984 vs Slaughterhouse 5

The Outsiders vs Lord of the Flies

An Inspector Calls vs The Crucible

To Kill a Mockingbird vs Huckleberry Finn

Beloved vs The Things They Carried

Things Fall Apart vs Invisible Man

Night vs The Kite Runner

Side C

Of Mice and Men vs The Grapes of Wrath

L’étranger vs The Little Prince

Brave New World vs Catch-22

Maus vs Persepolis

Ethan Frome vs Never Let Me Go

The Poisonwood Bible vs Heart of Darkness

The Master and Margarita vs We

I Am A Cat vs The Samurai’s Garden

Side D

Hamlet vs Macbeth

Frankenstein vs Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Wuthering Heights vs Metamorphosis

The Scarlet Letter vs Madame Bovary

The Sound and the Fury vs The Sun Also Rises

Death of a Salesman vs The Importance of Being Ernest

Sagarana vs The House of the Spirits

Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma vs Noli Me Tángere

The first round of the tournament will be split up over four weeks, with the matchups of each side lasting a week.

Stay posted for the rounds!

Update: round 1, side A (results), B (results), C (results), and D (results) are complete; stay tuned for round 2!

- - -

On accessibility: we have added alt text for cover images. In future rounds, we might write image IDs, as there’ll be less of them

[marvelloussynergy]

COMIC BOOK REFERENCES & EASTER EGGS - Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

For me personally, while Spider-Man: Far From Home is a great film, it was made even better by the many Easter eggs and comic book references Jon Watts crammed into it—especially the really obscure ones! The following is a guide to all the ones I’ve spotted along with any deviations from the source material (I will update this as more come to light). Note that owing to the convoluted and complex nature of comic books, I’ve tried to include only the most essential information regarding a character’s history and backstories.

In the comics, Aunt May has worked for F.E.A.S.T. (Food, Emergency Aid, Shelter, and Training), an organization that helps the homeless. This is alluded to in the film, with her cinematic counterpart working at a Salvation Army homeless shelter.

A poster featuring Crusher Hogan and advertising a $100 prize can be seen in the kitchen of the homeless shelter. Crusher Hogan is the wrestler Peter Parker beats in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), with $100 being the amount he earns for doing so. And while partially obscured, another name that’s listed could be Bone Saw McGraw, the wrestler Peter fights in the 2002 film Spider-Man.

A Piazza New York Mets flag can be seen in Peter’s room (it was also there in Spider-Man: Homecoming), indicating that he’s a fan, something he has in common with his comic book counterpart. This is revealed in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #33 (2001) in which we find out that Uncle Ben often took a young Peter to see the baseball team play.

The suitcase Peter uses bears the initials BFP, referring to Benjamin Parker (his middle name has yet to be canonically revealed), Peter’s uncle.

Ned Leeds and Betty Brant become a couple in the film. In the comics, Ned and Betty also dated each other before marrying in The Amazing Spider-Man #156 (1976). Note that the MCU version of Ned isn’t necessarily meant to be based on Ned Leeds, merely taking his name while being modeled after Ganke.

Two new characters at Peter’s school are derived from the comics. In both media, Mr Del (spelt “Dell” in the film) is a teacher at Peter’s school (he’s specifically a science teacher in the comic books). The cinematic version of Brad Davis competes with Peter for MJ’s attention. In the source material, he was a quarterback at Empire State University who went out on a date with MJ.

Far From Home sees Mysterio pretending to be a hero and tricking the public into believing Spider-Man is a criminal, which is essentially the story told in his debut issue—The Amazing Spider-Man #13 (1964). In the comics, Quentin Beck/Mysterio was a movie special effects artist and stuntman who sought a quick path to fame by trying to frame and kill Spider-Man. Though he doesn’t posses any powers, Beck’s costume contains various weaponry he can employ in combat. Parts of his suit can emit a smokescreen and hallucinogenic gas, which he often uses in tandem with his hologram projectors to disorient his foes. The crystal ball-esque helmet he dons—that he can see out of, but others can’t see into—contains a sonar device that allows him to “see” through the smoke around him. His gloves can dispel a web-dissolving acid, while his cape would electrically shock anyone who touched it.

In the film, Quentin Beck says he’s from Earth 833, while Peter’s reality is Earth Dimension 616. This follows the multiverse naming convention used in the comics. The mainstream Marvel Universe is known as Earth-616, Earth-833 is where Billy Braddock/Spider-UK comes from, while the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been designated Earth-199999. For those curious, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy takes place in Earth-96283, while Marc Webb’s two Spidey films are set in Earth-120703.

Though not a direct adaption of anything from the source material, the stealth suit Nick Fury gives Peter in the movie was inspired by two costumes from the comics: the black costume worn by Spider-Man Noir and the stealth costume (which has a camouflage mode) Peter develops early on in the “Big Time” (The Amazing Spider-Man #648-656, 2010-11) story arc.

In the comics, the Elementals are a group of beings that hail from another universe, each of who can control one of the elements. Hellfire has mastery over flames, Hydron can command water, Magnum is able to manipulate earth, and Zephyr has power over air. For the film, however, director Jon Watts decided to amalgamate the concept of the Elementals with some of Spidey’s classic foes.

The MCU earth Elemental takes some inspiration from Sandman. Flint Marko, having escaped from prison, hides on a beach where nuclear tests are conducted. After a nuclear explosion, he finds his body has taken on the properties of sand.

The water Elemental is based on Hydro-Man. During a battle between Spider-Man and Namor on board the U.S.S. Bulldog, crewman Morris “Morrie” Bench was knocked overboard, falling into the water just as an experimental generator was being tested. The energy from the device combined with underwater volcanic gases granted him the ability to turn his body into water. In the film, Hydro-Man’s origin story from the comics is cited by Flash as a possible explanation for the existence of the water Elemental.

The lava Elemental resembles Molten Man. Mark Raxton’s skin turned to metal after he’s covered with a liquid metal alloy that was created from substances found inside a meteor. He finds that he now has super strength, possesses skin that is highly resistant to injury, and is also able to generate intense heat, giving his body a molten form.

The air Elemental, meanwhile, could be based on Cyclone. Andre Gerard was an engineer who invented a weapon known as the Cyclone. With NATO not wanting to use his creation, he instead incorporated the technology into a suit that could create high-speed winds around him.

Despite the film not featuring direct adaptations of Sandman, Hydro-Man, Molten Man, and Cyclone, the debut issues of each character are referenced in Far From Home. When Fury and Maria Hill are shooting the earth Elemental the numbers 462 can be seen as part of a car’s number plate (The Amazing Spider-Man #4, 1963; Sandman’s first appearance), Fury’s car in Prague bears the number plate “ASM 28965” (The Amazing Spider-Man #28, 1965, which was published in September; Molten Man’s first appearance), an overturned car on Tower Bridge has “TASM 143” as its plate (The Amazing Spider-Man #143, 1975; Cyclone’s first appearance), and though not in the final cut of film—but present in the trailers—“Asm 212” can be seen on a boat in Venice (The Amazing Spider-Man #212, 1981; Hydro-Man’s first appearance).

Speaking of number plates, the one on the car Fury drives in Berlin is “MTU 83779,” a reference to Marvel Team-Up #83 published in July 1979. The issue sees Spider-Man and Nick Fury team up against Silver Samurai and Boomerang. In addition to being Cyclone’s debut issue, The Amazing Spider-Man #143 (1975) is also the issue in which Peter and MJ first kiss—hence the “TASM 143” number plate appearing on screen when Peter and MJ kiss in the film. The number plate on Aunt May’s car, unchanged from Homecoming, is “AMF 1562,” a nod to Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962). And lastly, in the post-credits scene we see the number plate of Talos’ car: “HNM 62011.” This is a reference to Hawkeye & Mockingbird #6 (2011) in which a Skrull impersonating Nick Fury is discovered.

This cinematic incarnation of MJ reveals to Peter that she knows he’s Spider-Man, with her comic book counterpart having done the same in The Amazing Spider-Man #257 (1984).

While the zombie Iron Man we see in the film was merely an illusion, there actually does exist a zombie Iron Man in the comics. This version of the character hails from Earth-2149 where all the Marvel heroes have been turned into zombies.

Though it is a newspaper in the mainstream comic continuity, The Daily Bugle is a news website in the film. Both iterations, though, have an anti-Spider-Man slant. In the Ultimate Universe, however, the publication did go digital-only, doing so in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #11 (2010). The website in the issue is dailybugle.com; in the film it’s thedailybugle.net.

In the comics, J. Jonah Jameson is the executive editor and publisher of The Daily Bugle. What’s significant about the MCU incarnation of the character is that he’s played by J. K. Simmons, who portrayed the character in Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy!

Spider-Man’s identity has been revealed in the comics—accidentally or otherwise—to members of the public several times. The MCU has Mysterio do this, but in Civil War #2 (2006) Peter himself willingly does so at a news conference as a way of showing his support of the Superhuman Registration Act. 

And while not exactly a reference to the comic books themselves, in Venice the students stay at Hotel DeMatteis, a nod to J. M. DeMatteis who has written many Spider-Man comics. Additional shout-outs to Spidey writers come in the form of signs that can be seen in the city: Calle Bendiso (Brian Michael Bendis), Calle Slotto (Dan Slott), Calle Sterno (Roger Stern), Calle Michelinio (David Michelinie), and Calle G. Convayo (Gerry Conway).

In terms of references to the wider MCU, the biggest would have to be Tony Stark’s death, which occurred at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Pictures of him, along with Captain America, Black Widow, and Vision can be seen as part of the in memoriam video a student at Midtown School of Science & Technology creates. The disappearance and return of half the universe’s population is referred to as “the blip.” Happy Hogan hands May a large cheque for the homeless shelter signed by Pepper Potts. Videos about the Snap, Wakanda, Hydra, Einstein Rosen Bridges (featuring Erik Selvig), and Iron Man can be seen as part of the in-flight entertainment. Various other heroes are also named-dropped: Thor (who’s offworld), Doctor Strange (who’s unavailable to help Fury), and Captain Marvel (Fury tells Peter to not invoke her name). We find out that Quentin Beck was the one who invented B.A.R.F., and was present backstage at MIT during Stark’s demonstration of it in Captain America: Civil War. William—who we first met in Iron Man—has joined Beck in his revenge against Stark. At one point, Fury mentions the presence of Kree sleeper cells, and that this information was top secret. And in the post-credits scene we find out that Talos and his wife, Soren, have been impersonating Fury and Maria Hill respectively during the course of the film.

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[bestfreebooks]

The 5 best books of all time chosen by famous authors and readers

1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Synopsis: “Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and thereby exposes herself to the hypocrisies of society.”

2. The Da Vinci Code

MORE THAN 80 MILLION COPIES SOLD

Nominated together of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s the great American Read

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a call within the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they're stunned to urge a trail of clues hidden within the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to determine and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

3.Madame Bovary by Gustav Flaubert

Synopsis: “When Emma Rouault marries Charles Bovary she imagines she will pass into the life of luxury and passion that she reads about in sentimental novels and women’s magazines. But Charles is a dull country doctor, and provincial life is very different from the romantic excitement for which she yearns.”

4.The Last Samurai

Is about the relationship between a young boy, Ludo, and his mother, Sibylla. Sibylla, a single mother, brings Ludo up somewhat unusually; he starts reading at two, reading Homer in the original Greek at three, and goes on to Hebrew, Japanese, Old Norse, Inuit, and advanced mathematics.

5.To Kill a Mockingbird

Novel by Harper Lee

Voted America's Best-Loved Novel in PBS's the good American Read

Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice within the deep South—and the heroism of 1 man within the face of blind and violent hatred

[lordsandladiesofthesilverscreen]

Tag Game: Fave movies by decade

Tagged by my evil bestie @midnightinjapan (and this list is by no means complete! Just what I could think of without Google)

Rules: pick your favorite movies from every decade (that is, if you watch tons of old movies – if you don’t, just go as far back as you can)

1920: Nosferatu, The Phantom of the Opera, Steamboat Willie 

1930: Dracula, The Wizard of Oz,  Camille, Gone with the Wind, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, King Kong, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Drums Along the Mowhawk, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Gunga Din, Goodbye Mr. Chips,Jezebel, Queen Christina, Frankenstein

1940: Gaslight, Ben Hur, Fantasia, Bambi, The Red Shoes, The Wolf Man, Now Voyager, The Body Snatcher, Gilda, The Ghost and Mrs Muir, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Magnificent Ambersons, Anna Karenina

1950: The King and I, My Cousin Rachel, The Vikings, A Streetcar Named Desire, Seven Samurai, Cinderella, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Lady and the Tramp, Moby Dick, Ivanhoe, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, The Ten Commandments, Sleeping Beauty, Bridge on the River Kwai, Roman Holiday, 

1960: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Raven, Dr. Zhivago, The Birds, Romeo and Juliet, Anne of the Thousand Days, Camelot, Oliver, Cleopatra, Valley of the Dolls, A Hard Day’s Night, Mutiny on the Bounty, West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter, To Kill a Mockingbird,

1970: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Rescuers, The Great Gatsby, Alien, The Hobbit, the AristoCats, Grease, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Robin Hood, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Salem’s Lot, Patton, Live and Let Die, The Godfather Part II, Cabaret

1980: Highlander, The Secret of Nihm, Labyrinth, Dead Poets Society, The Black Cauldron, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, The Witches of Eastwick, Beverly Hills Cop, Oliver and Company, The Color Purple, The Outsiders, Scarface, The Princess Bride, The Shining Beetlejuice, Little Shop of Horrors, Clue, Clash of the Titans, The Flight of Dragons, The Last Unicorn, The Great Mouse Detective, Moonstruck, The Little Mermaid, Lonesome Dove

1990: The Secret Garden, Into the West, Misery, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Witches, Practical Magic, Dazed and Confused, Jumanji, The Swan Princess, Schindler’s List, Remains of the Day, Pretty Woman, The Silence of the Lambs, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, Dragonheart, The Secret of Roan Inish, Merlin, Interview with the Vampire, Hocus Pocus, Hercules

2000: Peter Pan, Pride & Prejudice, Queen of the Damned, The Devil Wears Prada, Secret Window, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Moulin Rouge, Atonement, Shrek 2, Hannibal, Gladiator, LOTR Trilogy, The Patriot, Troy, Rent, Sweeney Todd, Tristan and Isolde, The Mists of Avalon, 300, Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Summer Wars, The Hours

2010: Tolkien, Alice in Wonderland, Brave, On the Basis of Sex, Snow White and the Hunstman, Knives Out, Can You Ever Forgive Me, The Greatest Showman, BlackkKlansman, Rocketman, Murder on the Orient Express, Peter Rabbit

2020: The Old Guard, Emma

Play if you want to, peeps! No pressure. 

[theinspiredinfp]

Huge INFP reading list

Miguel de Cervantes: Don Quixote (1605)

Hans Christian Andersen: Fairy tales (1800s)

Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1818)

Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings (1843)

Emily Brontë: Wuthering Heights (1847)

Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (1851)

Henry David Thoreau: Walden (1854)

Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karenina (1877)

Thomas Hardy: Jude the Obscure (1895)

Frances Hodgson Burnett: A Little Princess (1905)

E. M. Forster: A Room With a View (1908)

Lucy Maud Montgomery: Anne of Green Gables (1908)

Vincent van Gogh: The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (1918)

Xun Lu: Diary of a Madman and Other Stories (1918)

Sherwood Anderson: Winesburg, Ohio (1919)

A. A. Milne: Winnie-the-Pooh (1926)

Virginia Woolf: A Room of One's Own (1929)

Daphne du Maurier: Rebecca (1938)

Jean-Paul Sartre: Nausea (1938)

Carson McCullers: The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1940)

Albert Camus: The stranger (1942)

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: The Little Prince  (1943)

Viktor E. Frankl: Man's Search for Meaning (1946)

Osamu Dazai: No Longer Human (1948)

George Orwell: 1984 (1949)

C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia (1950)

J. D. Salinger: The Catcher in the Rye (1951)

John Steinbeck: East of Eden (1952)

J. R. R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings (1954)

Ray Bradbury: Dandelion Wine (1957)

Jack Kerouac: On the Road (1957)

Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)

J. D. Salinger:  Franny and Zooey (1961)

Shirley Jackson: We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962)

Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar (1964)

Hubert Selby Jr: Last Exit to Brooklyn (1964)

John Fowles: The Magus (1965)

Julio Cortázar: Hopscotch (1966)

Jean Rhys: Wide Sargasso Sea (1966)

S.E. Hinton: The Outsiders  (1967) 

Joyce Carol Oates: them (1969)

John Berryman: The Dream Songs (1969)

James Kavanaugh: There Are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves (1970)

Milan Kundera: The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1984)

Patrick Süskind: The Story of Mr Sommer (1991)

Pat Conroy: The Prince of Tides (1991)

Katherine Frank: A Chainless Soul: A Life of Emily Brontë  (1992)

Charles Bukowski: The Last Night of the Earth Poems (1992)

Lois Lowry: The Giver (1993)

E. E. Cummings: Selected Poems (1994)

Douglas Coupland: Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1996)

Jon Krakauer: Into the Wild (1996)

Chuck Palahniuk: Fight Club (1996)

Stephen Chbosky: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999)

Janet Fitch: White Oleander (1999)

Laurie Halse Anderson: Speak (1999)

Helen DeWitt: The Last Samurai (2000)

Yann Martel: Life of Pi (2001)

David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas (2004)

Kazuo Ishiguro: Never Let Me Go (2005)

Amy Tan: The Joy Luck Club (2006)

Cormac McCarthy: The Road (2006)

Betty Smith: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (2006)

André Aciman: Call Me by Your Name (2007)

Junot Díaz: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007)

Miranda July: No One Belongs Here More Than You (2007)

Karl Ove Knausgaard: My struggle (2009)

Haruki Murakami: 1Q84 (2009)

Aimee Bender: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake (2010)

Deborah Levy: Swimming Home (2011) 

Jonathan Culver: I am an Island (2011)

Vanessa Diffenbaugh: The Language of Flowers (2011)

Elena Ferrante: Neapolitan novels (2012)

Carol Rifka Brunt: Tell the Wolves I'm Home (2012)

Alexis M. Smith: Glaciers (2012)

Rachel Kushner: The Flamethrowers (2013)

Ruth Ozeki: A Tale for the Time Being (2013)

Donna Tartt: The Goldfinch (2013)

Neil Gaiman: The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2015)

Martine Leavitt: Calvin (2015)

Janice Y.K. Lee: The Expatriates (2016)

Elizabeth Strout: My Name Is Lucy Barton (2016)

Olivia Laing: The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone (2017)

Rebecca Solnit: A Field Guide To Getting Lost (2017)

Rachel Cusk: Outline Trilogy (2018)

Stephen Chbosky: Imaginary Friend (2019)

Patti Smith: Year of the monkey (2019)