There was a poll that stated—Rowling’s opening line in the HP series is one of best in the world. Someone posted about how there are a bunch of other opening statements that are better.
Here’s one of my personal favorites, from Gabriel Garcia Marquez (in English):
“It is inevitable — the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.”
At the instigation of @jessica and other trans and queer siblings, my ADHD has compelled me to assemble a basic guide or primer on LGBTQ+ Media, Literature, and Culture for those getting their footing in our community. This is not authoritative, this just one rando queer trans gal's perspective on the keys to queer culture and art.
This will be very loosely organized and potentially chaotic...do not be afraid, my brain is just weird. Also, once the whole thread is up, feel free to add your own notes on key artists, media, moments, and more.
It's rare for me to share negativity, but I was so excited to see a new #DavidJamesDuncan#novel out (his first in 30+ years) and it's..... bad. Like I have fought through some books before, and there's no way I am wasting 700 pages worth of my time on this hamfisted, bloated, unbelievable nonsense. Really disappointing, because I adore everything else he has written. Buyer beware in case you were thinking of getting it. #books#literature#NotGood
After three long years of struggling with the book and analyzing it I finally put my thoughts into a coherent blogpost. I never expected the Ministry to be #solarpunk , but I hoped that it will paint a future to look forward to.
I really like @xor's Python script for generating domain names from public domain books, so I turned it, with permission, into a website, to make it easier to use.
"The pile beside my bed never shrinks; at the bottom of the stack are books I've been planning to crack open for months. My shelves remain full of lingering aspirations," writes the Walrus's Michelle Cyca. She looks at the problem of unread books, and the difficulty in offloading our libraries. What do you do with your unwanted books?
I'm starting to wonder if I wandered into a "new" genre of #literature or #art.
I'd sum it up as "Heirloom Fiction".
A work of art that combines some of your life experiences and lessons that you want to pass on. It can be collected and added to over the generations. Resulting art and commentary would be like a conversation through the generations.
Have you heard of or read something similar?
What do you think of it?
Want to start your own? Let's figure out what that even means!
Plenty of new titles are available now and volunteers at @DProofreaders will have plenty of work ahead.
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
The Giant Horse of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Money for Nothing by P.G. Wodehouse
The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
Hunting for Hidden Gold by Franklin W. Dixon
American novelist, essayist, and short story writer F. Scott Fitzgerald died #OTD in 1940. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age. His second novel, The Beautiful and Damned, propelled him further into the cultural elite. His third novel, The Great Gatsby, received generally favorable reviews but was a commercial failure. Following the deterioration of his wife's mental health, he completed his final novel, Tender Is the Night.
French social reformer and writer who challenged conventional views on a number of matters, especially the role of women as citizens Olympe de Gouges died #OTD in 1793.
In 1791, she drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen, and left numerous writings and pamphlets in favor of women's civil and political rights and the abolition of Black slavery. She is often taken as an emblem by women's liberation movements.
#OTD in 1938. Orson Welles broadcasts a radio adaptation of H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds, which caused some listeners to believe that a Martian invasion was in fact occurring, resulting in a massive panic in some of the audience in the US.
The novel even influenced the work of scientists. Robert H. Goddard was inspired by the book, and helped develop both the liquid-fuelled rocket & multistage rocket. via @Wikipedia
I have never made it to #goodreads and its #fediverse alternative #bookwyrm is still underdeveloped. Esp. in terms of user interaction and books catalogue.
Any suggestions? I'm after tracking, occasional short review and recommendation from other users.
His best-known works include Demian, Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, each of which explores an individual's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. via @Wikipedia
revisiting Blood Meridian to mark McCarthy's passing. The suffering and cruelty are hard going sometimes, especially with animals, but it's full of lovely atmospheric passages like this
(Rhetoric fans: the repetition of "and" to make long strings of clauses or other elements is an example of polysyndeton)
Looking for a place to discuss what you've been reading? Consider checking out the new Lemmy instance dedicated to all things books and writing over at: https://literature.cafe
The best part is you can participate from your existing fediverse account. Communities on Lemmy can be followed like users and have similar functionality to other fediverse groups!
American humorist, journalist, lecturer, and novelist Mark Twain was born #OTD in 1835. His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, with the latter often called the "Great American Novel". Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and Pudd'nhead Wilson, and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today with Charles Dudley Warner. via @wikipedia
Random question that came to mind after re-reading Lord of the Rings. LotR started a lot of fantasy tropes, but the magic as depicted in Tolkien’s work is generally pretty indirect and subtle. Gandalf lights fires and Saruman has his commanding voice. The One Ring’s invisibility is perhaps the most straightforward magic effect depicted.
So, historically, what books ramped up the level of fantasy magic? Or did it rather happen in D&D? #literature#fantasy
Robert Louis Stevenson’s #shortstory “The Bottle Imp” was first published (in English) #OTD, 8 Feb 1891, in the New York Herald. It was originally published in #Samoan translation as “O le Fagu Aitu” in the missionary magazine O le sulu Samoa (The Samoan Torch)
James Leslie Mitchell (1901–1935), better known as Lewis Grassic Gibbon, was born #OTD, 13 Feb. Author of SUNSET SONG – & many other titles from #HistoricalFiction to #ScienceFiction – he is one of the most important #Scottish writers of the #20thcentury
OC What are you reading right now?
What the title says. What books are you reading? Or if not books, what are some interesting articles you've read lately?...