literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "Memoirs" by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Memoirs are an interesting thing. Autobiographies of certain great events in a person's life can really give you an insight into where and how certain ideas developed and, if written well, they can also provide a great story to read for entertainment. In my life I have come across memoirs both great and terrible. I have come across some that I cannot quite put a review on and so, I stayed on the fence and I have come across some that I thought were less a memoir for a person, more an advert of their life to massage their own ego.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Hitch-22: A Memoir" by Christopher Hitchens
When I read a memoir, there are certain things I am looking for in order to not only be entertained, but to gain more insight into the person's life than I had before. I am really looking for someone to tell me a good story about how they came to be the way they were. Books such as Just Kids by Patti Smith, Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford, and even the farce that was Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey allow the reader to become immersed in the life of the person they are reading about and gain this feeling of really getting to know the person that wrote said memoir. Then problems arise when they are written badly, when they are written badly the first problem is normally that the reader gets angry with the author and this disallows the reader to become more immersed in the life of the figure writing.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Bookworm" by Lucy Mangan
I love books about reading, as you might know. For example, recently I read a book called A Reader on Reading by Alberto Manguel and it was sublime as the entire text had the underlining allusion to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland loud and clear throughout. I also loved the read the book Ex Libris: 100 Books to Read and Reread by Michiko Kakutani. A book with a bunch of great books within, some of which cannot go through life without being reread - that is just the way those books are.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Faulkner and Hemingway
Although their styles differ, in comparing Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying to Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants,” one can see that they share similar use of literary elements with narratives that are equally effective in their own rights. Written in documentary style, Hemingway’s technique remains indifferent to both characters, with no access to their thoughts or emotional interpretation in their words. This differs from Faulkner's "stream-of-consciousness" style, which is written as though he is inside the mind of his characters.
By Stevi Vaughn4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Her Diaries and Notebooks" by Patricia Highsmith
Now, I have read many 'diaries and notebooks', 'letters and correspondences' by many different authors that have intrigued me over the years. The one that I enjoyed the most was probably the letters of Truman Capote, purely because you could definitely read them all in his own voice. I thought that was incredible. Another one I enjoyed was the Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde along with the letters of Kurt Vonnegut and the letters of HP Lovecraft.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Her Heart for a Compass" by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
Historical Fiction is something that I really enjoy reading. One of my favourite authors ever is Philippa Gregory - I have read all of her books to date and every book she writes is brilliant. In this book entitled Her Heart for a Compass, we see the Duchess of York excel against the backdrop of one of British History's most famous ages - the Victorian Era. Honestly, the reason I picked up this book was because upon first glance, it reminded me so much of a Philippa Gregory novel even though Philippa Gregory herself tends to stick to an earlier age of history - it reminded me of the way Philippa Gregory writes about women and how they should have a voice.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Murder After Christmas" by Rupert Latimer
The British Library Crime Classics Collection is really a treat to read and every time they release something new, I make it my business not to miss it. So far, I think I only have one more to read before I have completed the series (for now) and yet, I cannot wait until they have more. For me, the British Library Crime Classics Collection is always a great series to read during times such as Christmas and when the colder season sets in as they can be great for settling down with a cup of coffee when the weather is too chilly.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Mr. Rochester's Ghost" by Lindsay Marcott
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte appears at number 14 on my list of my '25 favourite books' of all time and is one of those books which I consider to be truly timeless. It will never go out of style, out of print or go out of mind. It is truly art. I read Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea when I was about seventeen and I'm not going to lie - at first I didn't like it all that much but as I read it again, I started to appreciate it. It was like learning a new language - you don't really get the hang of it at first, but the more intensely you read on it, the better it gets. Wide Sargasso Sea in comparison to Jane Eyre is an entirely different language, yet one does not take away from the other.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
3 Books Perfect as Christmas Gifts
Christmas is at the doors, and, there are always birthdays coming out from everywhere. A bit like mashrooms in summer. And there you are, wondering what to figt your family, or friends. Or, if you're friendless like me, you're wondering what to gift yourself this chrismas.
By Avocado Nunzella BSc (Psych) -- M.A.P 4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Infernal Riddle of Thomas Peach" by Jas Treadwell
There is something in Victorian and Georgian literature that keeps the audience coming back over and over again. From Mary Shelley's Frankenstein all the way to Bram Stoker's Dracula - the literature of these eras includes theories about science vs. the personality, monstrosity, secrecy and sensationalism. I myself have always been fascinated by how secrecy works in these era as my favourite novel of all time, The Picture of Dorian Gray depends on it for survival. Secrecy and sensationalism are possibly best put forward in the books by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Her books Lady Audley's Secret and Vixen being the most prominent for the themes.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Hiding Place" by Amanda Mason
Ghost stories are always good this time of year. From the start of October all the way through to just after New Years' - ghost stories really do get under your skin when the weather is colder. I like to re-read books like The Haunting of Hill House and The Turn of the Screw to definitely get me in the mood for Halloween and then, the cold and strange aura of Christmas. When we talk about the 'ghost story' most of us think of the Victorian Era and yet, books such as The Haunting of Hill House (which indeed, is missing some physicality when it comes to ghosts, but is a haunting nonetheless), Peter Straub's Ghost Story, and Susan Hill's chilling Christmas Eve which starts The Woman in Black - are all written in the modern era.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A Reader on Reading" by Alberto Manguel
Books about reading are always fascinating. I read a book recently entitled Wonderworks by Angus Fletcher and it is all about the science of storytelling told from the perspective of a reader. I read another book some months back entitled Ex Libris by Michiko Kakutani and again, a book about reading made the titles inside it come alive. The one thing I have always loved about books on reading is the fact that even though there are many secondary sources inside it, there is always something deeply personal about the book when it comes to the author. The author is searching within themselves to not only provide us with an amazing book on what we read and why, but also a deep personal experience that is relative to the wider story being told.
By Annie Kapur4 years ago in Geeks
