literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "The Peepshow" by Kate Summerscale
I've read a few books by Kate Summerscale before and they have never disappointed me. Books such as The Wicked Boy and The Haunting of Alma Fielding are great dark reads for the holiday season. However, be that as it may, I do believe that The Peepshow might be her darkest book yet. There is something truly dark about the way this is written because of its subject matter. If you pay attention to true crime and you live in Britain then I think you have already heard of the case of John Christie, a serial killer who was caught only after a man was already executed for the crime that Christie had actually committed. John Christie - a man who murdered at least six women and hid them amongst the walls of 10 Rillington Place.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Troubled" by Rob Henderson
I ran into this book after seeing a discussion between the author and Dr Jordan Peterson on YouTube, where the author goes through his horrific upbringing and how his book was being shadow-banned by bookstores. (That's basically where bookstores deliberately place the book in awkward places so that readers won't find it, or put stickers over vital information that the book gives to the readers so that they won't pick it up). The fact that an autobiography of a guy who has gone through the foster care system in America is being shadow-banned and Boris Johnson's autobiography is right there in front of us, really does show us what the commercial world of publishing actually cares about and it's ironic as hell.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
I heard about this story when I was growing up, especially during the times when I started reading Emerson and Thoreau during the first year of university. The first time I ever heard the story I thought it was really quite a stupid endeavour but, as I kept looking at it, I started to wonder what exactly was going through the head of this kid when he left his life behind to go and live in the wilderness. As much as I try, I cannot fathom what was racing in that brain and yet, I have drawn some similarities between the two of us. The first (and probably the most important) is that we both like to read. But, where I enjoy the indoors far too much to venture outside, this boy may have taken Jack London a bit too seriously...
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Aronofsky's "The Whale" touches me personally with parallel lines
In 2022, I went to the theater with my son to see a new movie from Darren Aronofsky: The Whale. Though I was familiar with other films from Aronofsky, and I was a fan of both Brendan Fraser and Sadie Sink, I hadn't seen any trailers so I had no idea what the movie was going to be about. I really don't care what Rotten Tomatoes score it has or how much money it made, but I am happy that it did get Fraser an Oscar award, and won some other award acknowledgements. The movie was adapted from the play (of the same name) written by Samuel D. Hunter. The movie is available to watch at home, so I rewatched it again today in November 2024.
By Shanon Angermeyer Norman2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A New World Begins" by Jeremy D. Popkin
Full Title = A New World Begins: The History of the French Revolution by Jeremy D. Popkin As you can see, I have made the 18th Century political atmosphere of France my entire personality for the moment being. I tend to have these weird hyperfixations on nonfiction literature in which I disappear down rabbit holes and, if you've been following when I write about nonfiction, you would have probably already realised. Jeremy D. Popkin's book on the French Revolution is one of the books I have read during this binge-read at the moment and I thought it was a fascinating look at the different perspectives on the war, what caused it, the people involved and the economic atmosphere.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
Down and Out in Paris and London is a semi-autobiographical work by George Orwell, first published in 1933. It marked Orwell's debut as a novelist and journalist, setting a precedent for his later literary career characterized by social commentary and political critique.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Patriot" by Alexei Navalny
Now, before anyone starts saying something about Putin I just want to say that this review has nothing to do with Putin (as stated in the title) but instead has to do with the system that he is not only an important component but is also supporting at the moment in the months after the *coughs* 'accidental' prison death of the author in question.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Age of Revolution: 1789-1848" by Eric Hobsbawm
I read a few chapters of this book when I was in university, almost ten years' ago now. I was pretty sure that one day I would actually bother to read the whole thing and yet, though I owned the book, I never did. Textbooks and philosophical texts, literature and criticisms took over and this got pushed to the background. Recently, after unpacking things, I found it again and felt a little compelled to read it, especially after reading The Enlightenment by Ritchie Robertson. So, as I went back to start at the beginning, I was quite excited to step into such a rich and fascinating time in history. Let's have a look...
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A Voyage Around the Queen" by Craig Brown
I've read a few books by Craig Brown before such as One, Two, Three Four which is his book about the Beatles and Ma'am Darling which is his book about Princess Margaret. It seems like the book A Voyage Around the Queen has been more anticipated than both of them put together even though I was personally losing it waiting for Ma'am Darling to come out before it did. This book is not just any book about Queen Elizabeth II, it is a book about everything around her. It isn't a story of her life, but rather a story of her changing surroundings and how she changed with them. It is practically a story about everyone, everything and all of it. Here's what I mean...
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Enlightenment" by Ritchie Robertson
“To them, happiness was not, as it often is in present-day discussions, simply a subjective state, such as might be induced by chemicals; it meant attaining the preconditions for personal happiness, including domestic affection, material sufficiency and a suitable degree of freedom.”- The Enlightenment by Ritchie Robertson
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Homer and His Iliad" by Robin Lane Fox
I really wanted to read something literary without going back to just re-reading classics and so, this is where I picked up a book by the great Robin Lane Fox entitled Homer and His Iliad. Even though I may not agree with treating Homer as an actual human being as many scholars now accept that he was probably at least a group of people over a certain amount of time, it is still a pretty good book and explains in some extreme detail the ideas and theories of the book. If you ever want to learn about the Greek Dark Age and the Late Bronze Age then this is probably the best book to start with - readable and entertaining from time to time, Robin Lane Fox gives us a lot to chew on.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
