literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "Mademoiselle de Maupin" by Théophile Gaultier
Reading literature of this time period is always great because it is on the cusp between being morally good and dangerously hedonistic. Eras during the 19th century, starting with early Romanticism and moving through to the Belle Epoque and all the way through aestheticism have always tried to challenge the notion and term of 'polite society' by making high society perfectly impolite to be around. Books like: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by RL Stevenson, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, A Rebours by JK Huysmans and yes, this book Mademoiselle de Maupin by Théophile Gaultier all challenge the idea that high society is 'good' and an 'example of morality to others'. Though scandalous for its time, Mademoiselle de Maupin by Théophile Gaultier is a study in art, desire and immorality whilst also being a criticism of high society. The preface, by the way, needs to be read to set up the rest of the book.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
11 Reasons Shopping At Independent Bookstores Should Be The Only Place You Buy Books
With the convenience of Amazon, bookstores and other retailers often struggle when it comes to book sales in comparison to the online behemoth. However, brick and mortar bookstores aren't quite a thing of the past. Why? Longtime authors and writers still shop at and promote independent bookstores.
By Alisan Keesee4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Selected Poems" by Paul Celan
This was a poetry anthology I had found by reading the book Around the World in 80 Books by David Damrosch. It is a fascinating book and when it first led me to this poetry collection I have to admit that I was cynical. When it comes to poetry, I am incredibly picky. I am far more pickier about my poetry than I am about my novels. I tend to read 18th and 19th century poetry more than anything else so the 20th century poem is something I have only read a bit of. Whilst I was reading Damrosch's description of Paul Celan's poetry, I was becoming more and more enticed by it. I decided to do a bit of digging into who Paul Celan was and it turns out that the life of this man would probably produce some very dark poetry indeed. From losing his parents to living through the second world war having hidden his Jewish identity the best he could all the way down to finally, at the age of just 49, drowning himself in a river - Paul Celan is a fascinating yet tragic character. Every ounce of his being is reflected by the images his poetry produces.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Want To Read More Classics?. Top Story - December 2021.
As the new year gets closer and closer you've probably started thinking about your resolutions for 2022. Workout, be more patient, work harder (or less), or maybe even read more? When picking up reading as a habit for the first time or for the first time in a while, it's good to start with simpler, faster paced books. Usually this means avoiding classics as much as possible, but I don't think that has to be the case. Therefore I give you some of my tips and recommendations (as a classics lover) that'll hopefully make it easier to get into reading more classics.
By The Austen Shelf4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Lover, Wartime Notebooks and Practicalities" by Marguerite Duras
I heard about this book called The Lover by Marguerite Duras in another book entitled Around the World in 80 Books by David Damrosch. She was under the section on France. When I read the article he had written about her book The Lover, I was absolutely in love. It was like being in love with a book without actually having read it. I searched out the book and found a good price for three of her works: The Lover, Wartime Notebooks and Practicalities. I was just counting on my lucky stars that I was going to enjoy this author and what she had to say. I have to be honest, I didn't enjoy her at all - I absolutely adored her.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Great Circle" by Maggie Shipstead
I am really not a huge fan of every post-modern novel I read and normally I don't really understand why they seek to be more complicated than they actually are. However, in some cases, I can understand certain techniques being used. For example: in this text Great Circle, I can understand the use of this near-alternating narrative between the 'then' and the 'now' in order to make the story physically work. This does not mean that the book is perfect by any means and I do not think it was a good idea for being a contender to the Booker Prize. But, I do think it is a good book.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Around the World in 80 Books" by David Damrosch
Here we are again, books about reading books. One of my favourite genres in the world to slip in between my fiction and nonfiction reading now and again. Recently, I have read many actually - released a short while back was my review on Wonderworks by Angus Fletcher. I have also read A Reader on Reading by Alberto Manguel, Bookworm by Lucy Mangan and the brilliant book I released a review on some time ago, Amy Jeffs' Storyland. The point is, stories are what makes us human. We tell stories about everything from what we ate for dinner to when the first leather jackets were invented. When someone else tells me about their love for reading and their favourite books, I listen with great intensity. And I think that may be why I like reading these books as well. I love people who have a passion for books.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
The Best Contemporary Romance Books I've Read This Year
This year has been booming with newly released books and bringing attention to already released books that deserve the attention but were not receiving. Social media platforms have turned into a place for creators, especially books lovers, to give recommendations of their favorite books or upcoming books. I have turned to various social media platforms and blogs this past year to get many of my book recommendations and some of my new favorite reads. Among these recommendations were many new and old contemporary romance novels that were under appreciated and not getting the hype they deserved. I will give the contemporary romance novels recommended to me this past year, which turned into some of my favorite books of the genre.
By Gina M. Beattie 4 years ago in Geeks
Book Series That Are Worth The Time to Read
Book series have a tendency to run long and require an amount of dedication and time to read them all through. Some series are especially worth the time and commitment and will have you reread them long after you finish. In this, I will give a rundown of what I believe are some of the best and time-worthy fantasy book series, including the main books and novellas that have been released.
By Gina M. Beattie 4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Memories, Dreams and Reflections" by Carl Jung
This book was recommended to me by a friend and I'm not going to lie, I did study a bit of Carl Jung in my later schooling about ten years' ago. I was already well-aware of some of the more unethical and questionable experiments he did alongside his friendship with the weird and slightly repulsive Sigmund Freud. So, when it came to the chapter on his career and experimentations in psychology, I was already well aware of around 80% of it. Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud may be respected psychologists, but neither of them are quite right in the head and I think this book entitled Memories, Dreams and Reflections really gives way to that outside of just his career.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
3 Best Adventure Books of All Time
Sometimes we get so caught up in our busy office and work routines that we feel like a robot or machine that is constantly running and rushing. When it comes to earning money, we sometimes forget that we are human beings, not machines. Yes, it is the reality of today’s generation that unless you put in extra effort and hustle, no one will pay you a penny. It’s the harsh reality of our time. Earning money is becoming increasingly difficult due to the growing population and computer technology advances. Many people’s lives are becoming more stressful and the word relax is fading away.
By Tanvi Punia4 years ago in Geeks
