literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "Breathing Lessons" by Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler is one of my favourite living writers because she very rarely writes a bad book. She could write something that I would never have thought I would read, and I can guarantee that knowing she wrote it would get me interested immediately. She is one of the few great voices of her era left in literature - that special time where modernism was gaining its own voice and, over the turn of the decades, books took on a whole new meaning and experience. Able to set her books here or there, past or present, Anne Tyler proves that she is still able to thrill us with the extraordinary idea of everyday experiences both internal and external. She's probably the closest author we have to Virginia Woolf.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Dark Tales" by Shirley Jackson
I read this book initially a few years' ago and honestly, it was back before I even had Vocal and so, I couldn't write about it. I was recently revisiting some old books and found my copy of 'Dark Tales' amongst the rubble. This is one of those anthologies that Shirley Jackson is famous for. Yes, we have her novels like 'The Haunting of Hill House' and 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle'. But we must remember her short stories are also awesome features of making the ordinary days of our lives look terrifying. Shirley Jackson was always the best at that. She could scare the pants off everyone in the room and she doesn't need jump scares.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Crucible was written in 1953 during the height of the Cold War and McCarthyism in the United States. Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist pursuits led to widespread paranoia and the persecution of individuals accused of communist sympathies. Arthur Miller used the Salem witch trials of 1692 as an allegory for the contemporary witch hunts led by McCarthy.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Disturbance" by Jenna Clake
When I bought this book on my Kindle App, one of the ways in which it was described was 'atmospheric and witchy'. Now, I'm all up for a witchy book as long as there is some form of grounding in reality. For example: less superpowers, more 'Crucible'. However, I do like my fair share of dark, foreboding witchiness such as those we see in classics like Macbeth. I was initially thought that this book was going to be more folkish because of the fact I'd read there were rituals involved. But as I read on, I realised there was hardly anything witchy about the book at all, and definitely no atmosphere to speak of. Most of this book is pointless conversation with an uninteresting main character gaslighting herself.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Editor's Wife" by Clare Chambers
I was surprised I had decided to get this book because again: I'm really not a fan of romance novels. But then again, it is not wholly a romance novel, but an amalgamation of many different things. First of all, we have a character-centric narrative and boy does this character have some bad luck. Then, we have the familial relationships which are dysfunctional at best. After this, we have the storyline about the publishing industry and all it's oddities. Then, we have the romantic storyline and apart from all of this, there is also a storyline which involves death and childbirth. It really is a book of many things. But were they all well done in equal measure?
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Celestial Navigation" by Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler is a great author and I have so far read many of her works. These include but are not limited to, 'The Redhead by the Side of the Road', 'Searching for Caleb', 'Back When We Were Grown Ups', 'A Spool of Blue Thread', and 'Clock Dance'. Though I have read a lot of her work, I still think there are more things to discover when it comes to reading her. Initially, when it came to 'Celestial Navigation' I was unsure about whether I was going to truly enjoy it because it was quite slow and awkward to start. When the story finally got underway though, the artifice of supplementary characters faded away and we were left with something quite extraordinary. It may not be my favourite Anne Tyler novel, but it is still very much enjoyable.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Otaku Girl (Book Review): Where Memes and Literature Mix
Last year, I was lucky to stumble upon the book Escapist Dream by Louis Bulaong. It’s a story about this virtual reality world where people can visit and transform themselves into real comic book, anime, and video game characters. It’s basically this pop culture gamelit book for geeks which, as a fellow geek myself, instantly loved. While it’s gotten mixed reviews as expected from a book of its genre, it has gotten recognition for being the quintessential book for geeks.
By Carl Hannigan2 years ago in Geeks
Versus Sites and Battle Boards
Who would win in a fight? Batman… or Spider-Man? Superman… or Goku? A Medieval Knight… or a Feudal Samurai? Every nerd, geek, bookworm, or gamer has come across at least one of these questions when discussing their favorite medium or character. While the world debates about which political candidate is better, or what philosophy is more meaningful, or simply what new high-tech gadget is superior, in the realm of fans, fanboys, and fandoms, the most common debate you’ll hear is which fictional character is the strongest.
By Carl Hannigan2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Darling Girls" by Sally Hepworth
When it comes to female-centric thrillers I have to say that I am normally the first one to go ‘absolutely, yes and then some’. For the past few weeks I have been trying to delve into stuff a little outside this realm. Books that perhaps have more dialogue than I would normally read, books that are more drama and gossip than simply murder mystery or thriller and of course, books that include themes that normally, I would not care about - such as romance. In this novel, there is a wide range of things going on and though the first time I saw the book I thought ‘am I really going to like this?’ I can tell you know that I did, in fact, thoroughly enjoy this reading experience.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Young Women" by Jessica Moor
I was going to start with a different book by the same author but I found these two that sounded really interesting and felt this way first. I know, it sounds a bit odd but, I would like to wait before I read something that is a little bit more in depth than this one seemed. However, I also wanted to take a small dip before taking the dive. Jessica Moor's writing style is easily readable and atmospheric. There is something quite dark and shady to the atmosphere she writes into this book too which makes it extra special.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Girls" by Kirsty Capes
I'm really trying to get into fiction that maybe, this time last year, I would not have picked up. This is mainly because of the requirement to expand my reading whilst also hopefully not breaking the bank. At the moment, I'm using my reading to kind of distract myself from the fact that my country is on fire (at the time of writing this review on Monday 5th August, 2024). It's a strange thing to see outside but not entirely without its predictability. But what a book I have chosen as a distraction! Girls is a strong novel about sisterhood, grief, loneliness and what you can truly do with a purpose.
By Annie Kapur2 years ago in Geeks
