literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "The Wild Irish Girl" by Sydney Owenson, Lady Morgan
Sydney Owenson, known professionally sometimes as Lady Morgan, was a woman writer of the early 1800s and was born in Ireland in the 1770s or 1780s. Her novel The Wild Irish Girl is known as a feminist masterpiece, publishing under her real name also meant she made some enemies with people who found the intellect of the female character scandalous. But that would only reflect the intellect and wit of Lady Morgan herself. Upon the publication of The Wild Irish Girl, there were also other books in her bibliography being admired by Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. Personally, I thought this novel was a blast.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
A Court of Thorns and Roses, BookTok & the Renaissance of Cosplay Fantasy Balls
Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), first published in 2015, has grown into a captivating romantic fantasy universe. With over 38 million copies sold, ACOTAR's influence extends beyond its pages, inspiring themed cosplays, fantasy balls, and fan meetups that bring Prythian to life, fueling TikTok communities with billions of tag views.
By Jenna Deedyabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review–Atmosphere: Love, Space, and the Weight of Dreams
In Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid takes readers on an unforgettable journey—not just through the vast unknown of space, but deep into the tangled galaxies of ambition, love, and sacrifice. With her signature emotional intensity and immersive storytelling, Reid’s latest novel proves once again that she can take a specific world (be it music in Daisy Jones & the Six, fame in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, or tennis in Carrie Soto Is Back) and make it universally resonant.
By Kamran Zebabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Hanging Garden" by Patrick White
I had no idea that this book was unfinished because the author died before completing it. Patrick White had physically declined but not mentally and so, still worked on his novels. He refused hospitalisation in his last weeks and died at his home at the age of 78. He received letters of appreciation from the likes of Salman Rushdie and is often considered to be one of the great writers of the 20th century. Honestly, after reading The Hanging Garden, that statement makes a lot of sense. Though the novel is unfinished, it is still a grand masterpiece that covers some harrowing themes. It is written beautifully.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A Dead Man in Deptford" by Anthony Burgess
Anthony Burgess is probably best known for his book A Clockwork Orange and yet, there is so much more to him than that. His final book A Dead Man in Deptford is about Christopher Marlowe - the Renaissance playwright and spy. Famously, Marlowe died in what people believe was a bar fight in 1594 at the age of 29. In Burgess' book, we see the life of the Cambridge graduate spy detailed in witty dialogue, references to Ovid and clandestine relationships. The copy I found at the library may be all tattered but I can honestly say that I probably enjoyed reading this more than the first time I read A Clockwork Orange at 17.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "High Crime Area" by Joyce Carol Oates. Top Story - July 2025.
Yes, it's another JCO book and yes, it's another short story anthology. Why? Well, I've been to a new library and the only one I haven't read in terms of JCO novels from this place is called High Crime Area. I hope I get some more because I honestly do not have the money to buy all of her books. Perhaps one or two, but she hasn't written one or two has she? She's still writing more as we speak and well - I'm never going to have enough money at this rate. Let's take a look at High Crime Area, a short story anthology by Joyce Carol Oates.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Olde Essex Stage Company's Triumphant 'Romeo & Juliet'
These violent delights have violent ends. Olde Essex Stage Company presented Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare’s timeless romantic tragedy. When young lovers Romeo and Juliet fall in love, their forbidden romance causes more turmoil than reconciliation between the long-feuding Montagues and Capulets.
By Marielle Sabbagabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Sandwich" by Catherine Newman
So yet again, I'm back with another cheap Kindle find and it's been absolutely scorching in the UK. Normally, I go for a walk almost every day, but the other day when it was super hot, I didn't mainly because I didn't want to feel like I'd been set on fire. UK heat is definitely different because in the USA, the houses are built with AC and are built to allow for heat to escape. In the UK, buildings are probably a thousand or so years older and were built to never let heat escape ever. Anyways, let's move on to the book Sandwich by Catherine Newman...
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Books of Jacob" by Olga Tokarczuk
I think by now we all realise that Olga Tokarczuk is probably one of the most prolific writers of the age. My most recent read of one of her books has been The Empusium which has quite a few references to a popular Thomas Mann novel. I've also read Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead which was pretty good too. Now, I've got on with Books of Jacob which I admit took me longer to read that I had hoped because I was reading it in between other books rather than just on its own. Let's take a look at what this book is all about...
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
