literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "Six Stories" by Stefan Zweig
Stefan Zweig is probably one of my favourite writers of all time. His language is often terrifyingly emotional and tear-inducing. I purposefully left Six Stories for a while because of the emotions it may bring up that I really wasn't quite ready for until now. 6 years' ago, I said this about Journey into the Past if you would like to read it:
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
🔹 Grace Hopper – A Mind, A History, A Revolution! 🚀
✨ Introduction Some people in history don't just succeed—they lay the foundation of an era. Grace Murray Hopper was one of those rare minds who not only revolutionized computer programming but also played a key role in laying the groundwork for the entire digital world. --- 🧠 A Spark of Genius – The Reverse Alarm Clock! Born in New York City in 1906, Grace had a deep curiosity for how things worked. At the age of 7, she dismantled seven alarm clocks just to see how they functioned. She successfully got one to run counterclockwise, showcasing her early rebellious and analytical thinking. This moment reflected her lifelong habit of "asking questions," "thinking differently," and challenging norms. --- 👩🎓 Academic Journey – From Rejection to PhD Her academic path was not without setbacks. Vassar College initially rejected her due to low Latin scores, but Grace didn’t give up. She later earned: B.A. in Mathematics and Physics – Vassar College (1928) M.A. in Mathematics – Yale University (1930) Ph.D. in Mathematics – Yale University (1934) She became one of the first women in the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics. --- 🏫 Teaching Career Before the War Before joining the military, Hopper worked as a professor of mathematics at Vassar College, where she taught for almost a decade. Despite her success in academia, she felt a strong urge to contribute during World War II, which led her to a new mission in life. --- ⚓ World War II & Joining the U.S. Navy In 1943, during World War II, Hopper joined the U.S. Navy Reserve (WAVES). She faced rejection at first due to her age (37) and petite frame, but she persisted and eventually earned a commission as a Lieutenant. She was then assigned to work at Harvard University’s Computation Project. --- 🖥️ Harvard Mark I and the First "Bug" While working on the Harvard Mark I, one of the first electromechanical computers, Hopper encountered a moth trapped inside the machine. She taped it in her logbook and coined the term "computer bug" to describe glitches—thus giving rise to the now-common phrase “debugging.” --- 👨🔬 Collaboration with John Von Neumann Hopper collaborated with the legendary John Von Neumann, a pioneer in computer science. Together, they worked on programming techniques used in the Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the atomic bomb. --- 🖥️ UNIVAC I – America’s First Electronic Computer In 1949, Grace Hopper joined the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, where she contributed to the development of UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer I)—the first commercial electronic computer in the U.S. UNIVAC I revolutionized business, census, and scientific calculations. --- 🔤 Compiler Revolution – A-0 System Hopper’s most revolutionary contribution came when she developed the first compiler—the A-0 System. A compiler is a tool that converts human-readable language into machine code. This invention laid the foundation for all modern programming languages and made programming accessible to non-mathematicians. --- 💼 COBOL – Programming Language for Business In the 1950s, Hopper led the development of COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language)—a language designed to be readable by humans and suitable for business applications. Even today, COBOL is used in banking systems, government software, and large-scale enterprise systems. --- ⚓ Grace Hopper's Naval Legacy Despite retiring in 1966, the Navy recalled her in 1967 due to her unparalleled expertise. She finally retired in 1986 at the age of 79, holding the rank of Rear Admiral (Lower Half). She was the oldest active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy at the time of retirement. --- 🎓 Teacher, Speaker, and Advocate After her military career, Hopper continued to speak globally, especially advocating for young people and women in STEM. She became known for using short, sharp quotes and engaging stories in her lectures—always encouraging innovation and risk-taking. --- 🏅 Awards and Legacy Grace Hopper received numerous prestigious awards: 40+ honorary degrees National Medal of Technology – Awarded by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 Presidential Medal of Freedom (posthumously in 2016) – By President Barack Obama USS Hopper (DDG-70) – A U.S. Navy destroyer named in her honor Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing – The world's largest gathering of women in tech is named after her She passed away in 1992 at the age of 85, but her influence continues to shape computer science today. --- 🧠 Quotes and Philosophy Grace Hopper was famous for her wit and insight. Some of her most iconic quotes include: > ❝The most dangerous phrase in the language is: ‘We’ve always done it this way.’❞ ❝It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.❞ ❝You manage things; you lead people.❞ Her words continue to inspire innovation, creativity, and leadership. --- 💬 Legacy and Motivation Grace Hopper teaches us: ✅ Age, gender, or obstacles can't stop a determined mind. ✅ Rules can be redefined; systems can be reimagined. ✅ Programming is not just about writing code—it’s about solving problems and shaping the future.
By Ikram Ullahabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Village of Stepanchikovo" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I was practically itching to read some Dostoevsky and seeing as my copy of The Brothers Karamazov, you know that one from years' ago that has all my notes in it, is lost in translation at the moment. So, I'm going to have to settle with a bit of a re-read of The Village of Stepanchikovo. I read this for the first time whilst taking my hiatus a couple of years back and I never reviewed it. I revisited it on my Kindle (again, only the lord will know where my paperback has gone) and all those emotions came rushing back. Dostoevsky just has this way with words that, if you haven't read his works or find them daunting - here is my advice: do it anyway.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "American Rapture" by CJ Leede
This was brutal. I was seeing this book everywhere and I kept avoiding it. I avoided it and avoided it over and over again until one day I just snapped. It's late-July 2025 and I'm not going to lie when I say I was pulled in by the Amazon Recommendations machine. It would be on my main recommendations list, it would be on my Kindle "recommended for you" lists and then, when I would get a book on my Kindle, it would appear after the 'thank you' screen when you go to the next recommendations page. After a week or so - I just cracked and now here we are. This is what I thought about American Rapture by CJ Leede.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Intercepts" by TJ Payne
Statistically, I can tell that you guys aren't fans of my horror novel reviews. But keep with me here because I swear I'm going to get off this train soon. For some reason, I was just aching to read some horror fiction and so, I think I've almost spent my binge-read of that genre for now. But if you don't like horror as a genre then I think we might have to rethink this friendship.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Artist" by Inigo Mort
I had this weird urge to read horror novels again and so, I sought out the Kindle Unlimited section of Amazon. I found a few that I'd like to read, but I don't think it is just me who is having a small issue with Amazon at the moment so please tell me if you feel the same. When seeking out horror novels, I seem to be getting tons of 'sponsored ads' for books. Some of these are horror novels, others are not. Quite literally, half of the page of results would be sponsored ads. I got rather annoyed but hey - at least I found some books.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
The Bunny Man
For decades, the eerie tales of the Bunny Man have circulated through the forests and suburban streets of Fairfax County, Virginia, captivating the imagination of locals and thrill-seekers alike. Who is this mysterious figure clad in a rabbit costume, lurking near the so-called Bunny Man Bridge? Is he merely a product of urban legend, or could there be a deeper truth behind the axe-wielding spectre?
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio was first published in 1919 and is widely considered a cornerstone of American modernist literature. Subtitled A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life, the book is a collection of interconnected short stories that revolve around the inhabitants of the fictional town of Winesburg, as observed through the perspective of a young man named George Willard. The work is often described as a Bildungsroman wrapped within a short story cycle.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Bombshell" by Darrow Farr
When I heard about this book I swear I wasn't looking at the Kindle price to page ratio. Actually I was. It was 99p for over 400 pages of novel and so, I took my chances. The book's summary on Amazon didn't sound all that exciting but I think that if I didn't take up the deal then I probably would have run out of things to read. The Bombshell is basically about a seventeen-year-old entitled girl who is obsessed with celebrities, Hollywood and money who is the daughter of some pretty important people. She ends up getting kidnapped and held as a political prisoner by a group of people trying to get another political prisoner to be set free. At 25, he has a 15 year sentence.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Amazon Basics Printer Paper – Simple, Effective, and Surprisingly Addictive
In today’s digital world, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of printer paper. But for students, remote workers, freelancers, or small business owners, a reliable, affordable, and high-quality printer paper is still a necessity. That’s exactly what I found with Amazon Basics Multipurpose Copy Printer Paper — a no-frills product that delivers far more than I expected.
By THE INSPIRERabout a year ago in Geeks
