literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "The Grammar of Angels" by Edward Wilson-Lee
I have wanted to read this book ever since it was released and honestly, even though I couldn't afford it, my hand was always hovering over the 'buy' button. Sooner or later though, I gathered together enough money to afford this book without too much guilt. I was very excited. This book might be nonfiction but the author imbues it with all the atmosphere and literary genius of a fiction novel whilst also keeping the factual base. The Renaissance isn't only a great topic to write about, but it also lends itself to being a beautiful yet volatile place of learning, love, tragedy and philosophies. I actually feel bad for waiting so long to read this text.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Less" by Patrick Grant
It's mid-May 2025 and it hasn't rained in my country for a while - and for England that is quite something. It's been hot and I'm probably going to spend some time outside though I don't know where I'm going to go just yet. At this exact moment I am drinking a cup of coffee, it's about quarter past six in the morning and it's already quite warm. I don't know how I feel about this weather because I get weirded out when it doesn't rain for a long time. But I came here to talk about this book, I don't know why I'm discussing the weather. Here's Less by Patrick Grant.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Daughter of Doctor Moreau" by Silvia Moreno Garcia
I put off reading this book for a long while. I love the book it is based on; in fact my favourite HG Wells novel is The Island of Dr Moreau. The movie was rubbish but hey, so what. Silvia Moreno Garcia is probably best known for writing the fantastic Mexican Gothic and happens to be one of the most trusted voices in Latin-American Gothic Fiction at the moment. I have no reason not to trust her critique-in-fiction form of The Island of Dr Moreau. So, with nothing else to lose - I took a deep breath and disappeared into what was about to be an adventurous novel based on an absolute classic.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "All Desire is a Desire for Being" by René Girard
I really don't want this to be a philosophy binge because that will hurt my brain, I know it. When I go down rabbit holes, I go far down. It's the middle of May 2025 and I've been reading a work I've never even heard of by a man I have heard of, but know very little about. All Desire is a Desire for Being is a strange philosophical text where the author looks at different human desires and how they are formed through imitation. He states near the beginning of the book: "We imitate the desires of those we admire. We want to 'become like them', to spirit away their very being." But he also goes on to clarify: "Desire is not mimetic only in mediocre individuals, those whom the existentialists, following Heidegger, branded as inauthentic, but in everybody without exception, even in those who appear the most authentic in our own eyes, namely ourselves." So, let's investigate!
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Nausea" by Jean-Paul Sartre
I've read this book before but I have to admit, I lost my copy. I vaguely remember leaving it somewhere (like that time I left my copy of Algernon Blackwood's collected stories at a job interview once a while back - that really annoyed me because I was enjoying that). But I have definitely read it before and I can't really recall whether I enjoyed it, but I recall being conflicted from time to time. This memory was remembered through being conflicted again whilst I was reading it a second time. There were a couple of things I don't really like about this book, but they are weighted with the few things that are fairly enjoyable.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A Fool's Alphabet" by Sebastian Faulks
I recently finished reading a book called Hermit by Chris McQueer and then there was that weird Latin-American HG Wells' inspired novel I read as well. I think it's safe to say that Sebastian Faulks is probably the more standard in terms of novel, out of three of these. A Fool's Alphabet tells the story of Pietro Russell from when his parents meet at the end of World War 2, all the way full circle around the globe to Switzerland. It's a great novel that is told through letters in the alphabet and honestly, that's quite a clever structure for a book that is supposed be more about moving emotions. I wasn't surprised I liked this one, I usually enjoy Sebastian Faulks' novels to some extent.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
Book Review: "All the White Spaces" by Ally Wilkes
Yes, I have been reserving stuff at the library and I didn't think I'd like this one to be honest. I was on the fence about it but then again, I didn't understand myself. I enjoy Arctic horror and I've loved books like The Terror by Dan Simmons in the past and so, cold chilly horror should be my thing. I was shaky at first but I reserved it anyway after learning how long it was and so, it would give me a good day or so of reading. And reader, here's the conclusion: I really damn well enjoyed it. It was brilliant.
By Annie Kapurabout a year ago in Geeks
