literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
The Grass Arena by John Healy
Published in 1988, The Grass Arena by John Healy is a raw and poignant autobiographical novel that portrays Healy's turbulent life journey. Initially struggling to find a publisher due to its unflinching depiction of poverty, addiction, and crime, the manuscript eventually found a home at Faber and Faber. Editor Matthew Evans recognized the manuscript's authenticity and compelling narrative, leading to its publication. Despite its initial limited release, the novel gained critical acclaim for its honest portrayal of urban life in London and Healy's personal struggles and redemption through the game of chess.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Wall" by Marlen Haushofer. Top Story - November 2024.
I am happy to say that recently I returned from my hometown of Birmingham (as of writing this review, it is the 3rd of November). When there, I visited some old haunts such as the bookshop where I picked up a copy of The Wall by Marlen Haushofer. I had never heard of this book in my life but I liked the depiction of existentialism which highlighted the book cover. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and so I read the blurb just in case. I was sold.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: “Everybody Lies” by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
I found this book because someone had put it on social media and to be honest, I read the blurb first and it goes over some very obvious talking points. I wasn’t fascinated by the argument to begin with and nor was I taken in by the writing style once I started reading. This book has its advantages including: accessibility, opening up conversation and the author has done a good job of keeping the argument logical. However, the downsides for me include: its readability lacks seriousness, it focuses too much on one or two things, it doesn’t really go into depth about anything and it’s obvious confirmation bias. Let’s see why this book is definitely great for ‘pop statistics’ but basically means nothing to those of us who have read Alex Edmans’ book “May Contain Lies”.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife" by Hetta Howes
I have to say I was not initially thinking about reading this book but every single time I bought a Kindle book, this was always the first or second one in the Amazon Recommendations aferwards so it became hard to ignore as you can imagine. I wasn't sure what to think because my first thoughts before reading had to do with the fact I had read so many books about Medieval Women and how their lives played out before. I was looking for something new and honestly, I think I got something new. It was not really in the way I expected, but it was new and more detailed all the same.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A Taste for Poison" by Neil Bradbury
I love my fair share of books about weird deaths that happened in the Victorian Era. But this book is even more interesting as it mixes the Victorian Era weird death complex with the idea that certain substances even by the start of the 20th century, were thought to be entirely safe - not even used for the poisonings that they are so very well known for. It was a turbulent time that fifty or so years that saw the downturn of the Victorian Era and the upstart of out modern times, but this is also where so many chemicals and toxins also changed their tune and no longer were things like Strychnine considered a 'pick-me-up', though I've got no doubt it could definitely make you smile.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Last Dynasty" by Toby Wilkinson
Full Title = The Last Dynasty: Ancient Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra by Toby Wilkinson I have never ever read anything by this author before but the book was in my Amazon Recommendations. Yes, I know, how did it get there, I have no idea. I don't really read anything about Ancient Egypt very often and so, I was confused and interested. As you can tell, I have been reading a lot of nonfiction lately and I promise, I will get back to fiction soon, but for some reason there has been a lot of great nonfiction found and released. For example: the new biography on Goethe and I also found some book on the Pendle Witches. I'm not someone who reads self-help books so that's not what I mean when I say nonfiction - instead, there are many random topics I'd like to know about and so, I seek them out.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Goethe: His Faustian Life" by A.N Wilson
It's old I know - but here's my review of AN Wilson's book on Queen Victoria. I've read quite a bit of AN Wilson, including his books on Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin (regrettably I have not yet read his book on CS Lewis but if anyone can tell me whether it's any good, then I'd be forever grateful). AN Wilson is known for his immersive biographies in which you can get completely lost in.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Small Things Like These. Top Story - November 2024.
I read Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These a couple of years ago. I watched the film produced and starring Cillian Murphy yesterday. “They” say films never live up to the book. I’m not sure I agree with whoever “they” are.
By Rachel Robbins2 years ago in Geeks
The Sea is My Brother by Jack Kerouac
The Sea is My Brother is Jack Kerouac's first novel, written in 1942 but not published until 2011, long after his death in 1969. The novel was originally written when Kerouac was just 20 years old, during a period of personal and literary exploration. It remained unpublished during his lifetime, reflecting Kerouac's own dissatisfaction with it and his desire to refine his writing style further.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "William" by Mason Coile
I did not think I would find a good new-age Halloween read this year but, yet again I was wrong. Dystopia is fine, horror is fine, but when we combine both of them to create what is a great new-age thriller - that is something else entirely. When I heard of this book I knew I had to have it straight away.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Something Wicked" by Carol Ann Lee
Full Title = Something Wicked: The Lives, Crimes and Deaths of the Pendle Witched by Carol Ann Lee. A few days ago I was watching the YouTube Show "History Hit" and the episode I was watching was about the Pendle Witches. If you grew up and studied in England, there is a chance you probably studied the Pendle Witches as well - it was a tragic affair to say the least. The episode on YouTube goes into a lot of detail when it comes to the family rivalries, the crimes they were accused of and the conditions of the jails they were put into.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Frost" by Thomas Bernhard
I am going to be perfectly honest with you here: I bought this book because it was cheap on Amazon and I wanted to read something that was a bit tragic and a bit nihilistic. This seemed to have both of those tones down to a nail and so, I devoured it in one night when I couldn't really sleep too well. I didn't really want to read my copy of Kafka's letters because I haven't had such a great time with Kafka at the moment as you know, but this book had the correct mixture between darkly depressed emotions and dark comedic undertones. Erratic behaviours and madness in friendship are probably not the greatest way to go about the ordeal, but we get sucked into it all the same. Let's explore what this book is really about then...
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
