Wants to read The Starving Saints
book
Wants to read The Hundred Years War: A People's History
Rated The Struggle for Mastery: Britain, 1066 - 1284 8/10
<div>Great overview of this period of history in Britain. Focuses primarily on political history but touches on other aspects as well like economy. Very good bibliography to dive deeper into certain topics which is another reason why this is a great intro book. </div>
Finished reading The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
Wants to read The True Chronicles Of Jean le Bel, 1290–1360
Wants to read Too Like the Lightning
Rated Sherlock Holmes: The Prophet in the Rain 8/10
I enjoyed this, even with being left with a cliffhanger!
Rated Same Bed Different Dreams 9/10
<div>At first I wasn't sure this was for me, or that maybe I was just reading it at the wrong time in my life, but I was interested enough to keep going, and I'm so glad I did. This book is so inventive and interesting. Instead of trying to fully describe what this book is — a many layered, complex alternate-but-not history of Korea, but also the U.S.— I'll quote Alexander Chee from a recent edition of his newsletter:<br><br></div><blockquote>I made note of the many tiny connections at first thinking to use them in the review but of course not only are those spoilers, but such an effort would end up with me looking like someone in front of a murder wall, insisting on a theory held together by string and tacks and photos of people you can almost make out.</blockquote><div><br>I am sure this is a book that rewards rereading. New things to notice, new connections to be made. I can see why Park took his time writing it. What a feat.</div>
Rated Selections from the writings of Kierkegaard 5/10
<div>I am loosely trying a few reading challenges this year again (though they don't entirely dictate what I've been reading), and one of the categories in more than one of them was "A Favorite Writer's Favorite" or something along those lines. And even though I know plenty of writers and read interviews with plenty of others, of course I immediately blanked out on every book any of them had ever suggested (even though I've probably read some of those books!). So I decided to google what influenced Patricia Highsmith, and apparently (though not surprisingly), she liked a lot of existentialists and related writers, including Kierkegaard. You'd think I would've remembered this from reading a biography about her, but no! I have read a little of Kierkegaard in various classes way back when, and I knew he was readable enough, so off to Project Gutenberg I went to see what was available.<br><br>And this is... fine. Not the BEST thing you'd want to read sometimes before falling asleep, tbh, but that's on me. The man manages some breathtaking misogyny in one section, which, given that this was written over 100 years ago, makes it loop back around and is almost funny in how assertive it is? WOMAN UNSERIOUS CREATURE. MAN SO SO SERIOUS. etc.<br><br>The rest deals with Christian ethics, and he picks it apart in a way that I imagine drove some religious people up the wall, but also bolstered the arguments against organized religion among the atheists (which is perhaps what Highsmith got out of it, since she wasn't religious).<br><br>It's sort of ridiculous to give something like this a star rating because even though I wasn't overly into much of it (and the introduction written by someone else is VERY dry), I also see how other writers and thinkers took this and either said, "Yes, and..." or "This is some hot bullshit, and here's why." Existentialists! Your individual mileage often varies! Best of luck!</div>
Rated The Russian Revolution 1917-1932 8/10
Wants to read The Warrior's Apprentice
Finished reading A Trade of Blood
Edited 46d ago
Wants to read Serafina and the Black Cloak