“DoNUT laff at me, muther, for I rock this look”
Bork
I cannot stop cackling and gasping at this book. I think it’s curing my social anxiety.
Today I learned LASER is an acronym
Nothing like the Booker Prize long list to drop a dozen books I want to get in the midst of packing and moving…
Recent reads. Surprisingly, Siddhartha and Thinking in Systems were very similar.
New books!
Huchu in his new raincoat, because we’re gonna be moving to a rainy state soon. He’s not too pleased but god damn it if he ain’t the cutest.
Such breadth of ideas in these stories. My favs were “Immortal is the Heart” (C. Khaw), “No Future But Infinity Itself” (S. Leong), and “Encore” (W. Talabi).
“If the truth were derived from consensus like sanity, then lies would be true.”
-Vajra Chandrasekera, from the short story “The Limner Wrings His Hands”
A quadrology? We are blessed 😭 I hope they have it in this cover version
Superbly late in reading this but wow! Felt like The Matrix of sci-fi novels—a good balance of philosophy and action. Running to the bookstore tomorrow to get Books 2 & 3.
I hope you enjoy it! It was a very deep, calming read for me
So very beautifully written. You know the feeling you get when you see a Webb telescope photo? That encapsulated in 200 pages.
All Los Angeles Public Library locations are providing free N95 masks. Libraries are essential!
This book has my jaw on the floor and gasping, and I’m only on Chapter 2. (“Elephant Head” by Sarai Tomoyuki)
My boy looks very festive and happs 😍
Sometimes, you just gotta get your hands dirty and festive.
모순 (Contradiction), by 양귀자 (Yang Gui-ja). Such fascinating observations about the contradictions and paradoxes of (Korean) society and its people. Even if you don't agree, the writing makes you understand the other person's pov, and that was impressive and wonderful. (8/8)
The City in Glass, by Nghi Vo. When poetry and prose blend. How one can be sucked into a new world, yet never feel like your feet have touched the ground. I find most multi-generational epics boring, but this one is riveting all the way through. (7/8)
What Doesn't Break, by Cassandra Khaw. I have zero inkling of the Critical Role world, but that didn't stop me from loving this book. The aching of wanting to belong and the coldness of self-hatred are written beautifully here. (6/8)
Know My Name, by Chanel Miller. I sobbed and threw this book across the room multiple times. If you were born female, born non-white, born an outsider and have felt the hard gaze of the world, this will have you shaking and nodding. A good reminder of the work left to do. (5/8)
Suicide, by Edouard Leve. Imo, only the French language can capture the romance of life in the context of death. One of the only books that can accurately depict how one looks at life and death differently after experiencing suicide (your own attempt or a loved one's). (4/8)
The Maniac, by Benjamin Labatut. Labatut does it again, weaving history and fiction with his red thread, highlighting, underlining, and merging how humanity can be both awesome and awful. (3/8)
I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman. Short, dark, hopeful in its hopelessness. This book taught me to fight the world, then to begrudgingly accept the world, and finally to see the world from a distance that I chose to protect my peace. And nothing is as important as your peace. (2/8)
My 2024 in books: 44 books--2 French, 13 Korean, 6 non-fiction, mostly literary, horror, and fantasy. Out of these, seven standouts: (1/8)
