literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "Imaginary Strangers" by Minka Kent
Minka Kent is probably best known for her terrifying novel The Stillwater Girls and is prolific in the circles of psychological horror. I have to admit, this is only my second book by her since I read The Stillwater Girls during my year-long hiatus from this website a while back. Currently, I have had to read this book on my phone since my devices are taken up by other books but I'm still glad that the book was cheap and still pretty good. Though sometimes the therapy-session flashbacks from the narrator are a little bit cringe-worthy since they aren't really psychology-accurate in what a sociopath actually is, the atmosphere and the slow, creeping pace makes the misunderstanding forgivable. I don't think any of us can actually know what a true sociopath is unless we've studied it for years and so the narrator's imaginative perspective on the disorder is understandable; be that as it may, it's still a bit cliché at times. Let's take a look at what the story consists of then...
By Annie Kapur8 days ago in Geeks
Clandestine in Chile by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Published in 1986, this book is a nonfiction achievement by the legendary Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It recounts Chilean filmmaker Miguel Littín’s secret return to Chile in 1985 after twelve years in exile under the Pinochet dictatorship. It is based on around 18 hours of recorded interviews conducted with the subject after his clandestine trip. Littín returned under a false identity to secretly gather material for a documentary on life under Augusto Pinochet’s brutal regime, mixing together this intense thriller-like storytelling with a more serious political observation.
By Annie Kapur9 days ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Monsters" by Christopher Dell
Full Title: Monsters: A Bestiary of the Bizarre by Christopher Dell I found this book on Vinted for a huge reduction in comparison to what it was on Amazon for and so, of course I had to have it. Monsters becomes a book not only about teaching us the history of where these things came from and how they came to scare us so. Christopher Dell makes an excellent point for reading more into the folklore that kept us from endangering ourselves yes, but there's another thing: the human imagination. For long stretches of time we had no idea what was in the sky or the depths of the ocean and so, we conjured up monsters so that people did not wander into them unchecked. But if all of this folklore has some connection to reality, then we have to ask ourselves one question: what did our ancestors see? what did they really see?
By Annie Kapur9 days ago in Geeks
Book Review: "More Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin . Top Story - October 2026.
Yes, it's the second book in the series and don't worry - my page isn't just going to become a list of Armistead Maupin novels even though I might want it to. I'm going to spread them out mainly because I don't want to finish them too quickly and be left with whatever heartbreak awaits in the end. I don't want to be randomly thrown out of San Francisco too soon. But then again I could not resist diving into the next in the series. In More Tales of the City our Mary Ann Singleton is kind of dumpy and out of it, so she decides to take a trip to Mexico - oh, and she's taking a friend with her!
By Annie Kapur10 days ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin
You can read some more of my reviews on the books of Armistead Maupin below: Tales of the City is the first instalment in the series so I'm glad to say I've gone right back to the beginning and yes, I am planning to read them all in order, which means a reread of Babycakes and Mona of the Manor eventually. I've managed to find used copies of them and in this first novel, we are introduced to Mary Ann Singleton who has disappointed her parents for calling and telling them that she won't ever be returning home. Her trip to San Francisco was only supposed to be a vacation but Mary Ann has moved there permanently. Living on her own might be a change but she's managed to meet up with Connie - a freer spirit who tells her that the city may loosen her up. I am hooked from page one and absolutely ready for what is to come...
By Annie Kapur11 days ago in Geeks
Book Review: "These Dark Places" by Hilary Tailor
There are times when you discover a book that you've never even heard of by an author that you've never read in your life. Hilary Tailor is a writer with some great talents for penning a literary thriller. I was initially apprehensive to start something so heavy and yet, I could not actually wait to read it. Della's story is one of heartbreak and madness as her husband, Leo, randomly dies of a haemorrhage only days before their 18th wedding anniversary. But as soon as Leo dies and her marriage turns into the era of widowhood, Della is just on the edge with absolute heartbreak over losing the best thing that had ever happened to her. But, with a body buried in the yard, and a refusal to sell the house, no money left in an account which had thousands of pounds in it once upon a time and atop of that, a new woman moving in next door - Della realises she didn't know her husband at all. Hilary Tailor tells a story of horror and nightmares as lives are burned down and restarted, things are remoulded and smashed upon the studio floor - atop of this, Della is keen that she isn't going crazy. Or is she?
By Annie Kapur12 days ago in Geeks
Brynhild: This Fat Lady Hasn't Stopped Singing
The Opera Revives a Deity The following scene has come to symbolize a musical art form. A heavy-set woman dressed in Viking armor and horned helmet enters the stage and immediately hits high notes as she stretches her arms to seemingly embrace the crowd. She is known as the “fat lady that sings” and the term itself has become a part of our daily language.
By Dean Traylor13 days ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Trad Wife" by Carrie Hughes
Carrie Hughes has a sly, sarcastic writing style that I have to say, is great to read if you want to relax, laugh and read a great psychological-kind of new-age thriller - one that doesn't take itself too seriously but covers some heavy topics. I reviewed her book The Woman From Book Club here:
By Annie Kapur14 days ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Requiem for a Nun" by William Faulkner
You've probably seen me here and there rereading some works by Faulkner. If you haven't then here's where you can start! Faulkner is one of my all-time favourite authors and when it comes to American Literature, I don't think that very many authors from the United States have such a vast and incredible bibliography. One of my favourite books of all time is Absalom, Absalom! and it really does feel like a Shakespearean tragedy. But here, in one of his lesser known works, Requiem for a Nun, we see Faulkner at possibly his most gritty and calculating in prose. The storyline feels warped with emotion, dark and intense like his characters are, in fact, slouching towards Bethlehem. This is not quite the sound and fury of my favourite Faulkner books, not so wrought with fire. But instead, it is quiet and pacing, juggled with a sense of constant foreboding - as if someone has cast a spell on both book and reader.
By Annie Kapur15 days ago in Geeks
