literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: “The Great Wall of China” by Franz Kafka
I read “Amerika” and it made me so sad and existential that I actually cried about it. Franz Kafka is not the author to read when you already feel bad about the world. I have often said that reading Kafka is complex because when you’re happy, it’ll bring you down and if you’re sad it’s not going to do any good and will probably make you even more upset. This is what Kafka ends up doing to me when I’m sad and so, reading something like “Amerika” when I was upset was a huge mistake. But what happens when you read his short works when all you are is exhausted? Let’s find out.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Bloom Into You
Fifteen-year-old Yuu Koito is a huge fan of shoujo manga; she loves reading stories about young girls falling in love. She loves all the classic romance tropes: love at first sight, the man sweeping the woman off her feet, and sharing gorgeous, blissful kisses under the stars.
By angela hepworth2 years ago in Geeks
Story of Coraline
This is a story of a young girl named Coraline Jones with a boring life with two parents ignoring her attention until she finds a secret door taking her into another world that makes everything better until she realizes the Other World isn't a perfect world that she thought it would be. Her story was based on a 2002 novel by Neil Gaiman later adapted into a 2009 stop animation making it a cult hit and a fan favorite.
By Gladys W. Muturi2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth" by William Boyd
William Boyd again. Yes, I am going through all the books I have not yet read by him. Recently, I recommended The Romantic to someone and I hope they read it because it has made its way on to my top 20 favourite books of all time. It is the most fantastic reading experience I have had in a long time. I trust William Boyd because his output is constantly good, his writing is constantly top tier and his plot lines are spectacularly simple with characters that have deep interpersonal stories. They are so everyday and yet, they are brilliantly philosophical.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
The Trouble with Happiness by Tove Ditlevsen
"The Trouble with Happiness" is an anthology by the Danish author Tove Ditlevsen. Originally published in Danish as "Det er svært at dø i Dieppe" in 1952, the collection showcases Ditlevsen's keen insight into human nature and her talent for exploring the complexities of everyday life. Ditlevsen, born in 1917 in Copenhagen, is a celebrated figure in Danish literature, known for her deeply personal and autobiographical works. Her stories often reflect her tumultuous life, characterised by struggles with addiction, mental illness, and relationships.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Tono-Bungay" by H.G Wells
HOW, reader? In all my years, I have never even come across this HG Wells novel before? How is it that one of my top 50 books of all time is The Island of Dr Moreau and I have to teach War of the Worlds soon, and yet I have never even heard of this one? How did I get to this age without coming across this beautiful under-the-radar novel that reminds me of the critique of consumerism that would arise about one hundred years' later? It just goes to show that HG Wells was way ahead of his time. This book was absolutely brilliant in the strange and twisted ways that HG Wells novels are. I adored reading it.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Spurdogs" by Matthew Slater
It's Thursday night and shortly before I dive into John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent (nobody ruin this for me, I've heard from some that it isn't his best work) - I've actually strangely enough had quite a peaceful day (unusual, I know - especially ever since I cried over Amerika by Franz Kafka). I can say safely though, this book simply made my day even better. The second instalment to the series (to which I hope there is going to be a third), we find ourselves back in an action packed world. The difference here is that we now have a fully developed plot in which our main character struggles with moral dilemmas. It's time to dive in and become immersed in the world of a very ethically complex protagonist.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Amerika" by Franz Kafka
I probably should not have read Kafka to try to make myself feel better. There is absolutely nothing about a Kafka novel that could make someone feel better, in fact whilst I'm teaching modules on dystopia, it could possibly just verify my own beliefs that I have to hold my tongue against in the classroom. Amerika was one of those I had touched on before but I had quickly put back down because I was never really in the absolute mood for it. I eventually did read the rest of it, but this review is the first time I've read the whole thing at one time rather than putting it down and picking it up again after six months.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Exile and the Kingdom" by Albert Camus
Albert Camus is a real hit-or-miss when it comes to me. I thought his play Caligula was okay and the book The Rebel that I read recently was also fair. I've read other works by him and they are either average or they have simply completely missed the mark. I found his book of short stories Exile and the Kingdom to probably be the better side of his writings even though I have also read his personal writings (I apologise to anyone who liked these, I know they are objectively good but I could not plough through his ramblings and pretend I was enjoying it for too much longer - I will return to it). So, let's have a look at his anthology: Exile and the Kingdom and what I thought of these twisted philosophical stories that reminded me of Hemingway (if Hemingway was trying to break my brain).
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Geek Chic
The roots of geek culture can be traced back to the mid-20th century, when science fiction literature, comic books, and early computer technology began to capture the imaginations of young enthusiasts. These early adopters formed tight-knit communities, often meeting in basements or garages to share their passions and discoveries. Despite being marginalized by mainstream society, these geeks laid the groundwork for the cultural revolution that would follow.
By Sazeeb Chowdury2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden
“She was not wanted. That was the long and the short of it: she had learned want, briefly and hungrily. A span of a day, two days. She had learned the shape of it, the quick taste of it. She had reached out, foolishly, and she was not wanted in return.”- "The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
