Oh my god... so many new features added since my last post.

"...for boldness is an ill keeper of promise."

Goodbye to a fantastically talented writer. Albee won several pulitzers.

Finishing this book, I was left with a web of complicated emotions. First: it's my belief that mostly everyone in this book, with the exception of Elizabeth-Jane, is loathsome. Second: my dislike of the characters did not prevent me from feeling great sympathy for them. This is a profoundly sad book. There's lots to say about Hardy's dense psychological themes, but it's the emotion that left its impression on me; it's close to heartbreaking. 🤘🤘

This is a difficult book to describe, for all the best reasons. It's not so much a work of surrealism as it is one of dissociation and paranoia, with the fantastic sprouting up in otherwise completely recognizable settings and scenarios. There's so much to examine and reflect upon when reading this book, and I feel comfortable saying this book is a masterpiece. Before I can say more about it I'll have to read it again; I can't wait. 🤘🤘🤘

Dr. Wortle's School is a perfect example of a satisfying and well-written Victorian novel, and were it not for the many other vastly superior Victorian novels, it might be an incredibly exciting book to read. It's a decent character-study, but lacks the ambition and insight present in Trollope's best writing; it's not a very good introduction to his work. If you like Victorian novels, and temper your expectations, you'll likely enjoy this book.🤘

"There is one book I must ask you to read if you want to make films" - Werner Herzog.

Well if I wasn't excited to read The Peregrine before, I certainly am now.

I think I'd dismissed Jackson as "middle-brow"; she was a skilled writer who wrote decent stories, but nothing crazy, nothing paradigm-shifting. This beautiful, surprisingly sad book proves exactly how wrong I was; Jackson is an amazing, undervalued writer. THoHH is both a psychological ghost story (in the vein of The Turn of the Screw) and an intense character study, using the genre conventions to explore themes of identity and perception. ???

I first learned about Greene because of his amazing work with Carol Reed; Greene's novels are equally fantastic. This book reads like a beautifully precise and poignant narrative essay on all the various ways in which these characters relate emotionally, addressing the complexity of romantic relationships. Greene doesn't judge his characters, but commits to all their flaws and virtues. The result is a beautiful book. 🤘🤘🤘

When you watch a movie you really love and realize you've yet to read the book it's adapting... 😳😱 Anyone else got one of these?

Hope everyone has had a lovely Bloomsday! Reading Ulysses is a commitment and not everyone enjoys it, but it's quite unlike anything else in English literature. I think everyone should try reading it at least once. 🤘🤘🤘

The Nick Adams Stories may be my favorite Hemingway; at the very least, I revisit these stories more often than his novels and other work. These stories exude a form of tenderness that distinguishes them from his other writing, and the beautiful sparsity of his language goes without saying. 🤘

Silas Marner lays bare the psychology of the community: Eliot drops countless insights into the folktale-like narrative, revealing ideas about performative identity, social interaction, semiotics - plenty of awesome stuff! It's a beautiful and accessible and smart book, and I totally love it. 🤘🤘🤘

I was completely blindsided by Orlando. It's a rare blend of intelligence and creative formal irreverence, all delivered in Woolf's brilliant prose. Orlando easily stands among Woolf's other incredible literary achievements, and is now one of my favorite books. 🤘🤘🤘

Yates doesn't throw you any curveballs with this book - A Good School delivers everything you'd expect from his writing: loneliness, compromise and resignation, sorrow - but Yates is such a talented writer that his voice never feels stale to me. This book is brief and bitter, but not without hope.

One of my absolute favorite books, one that I've read at least a dozen times. Great books often take on a life of their own and transcend their author, but here is something different: Seven Pillars of Wisdom feels like a piece of Lawrence himself. It's beautiful and intelligent; I love it. 🤘🤘🤘

"He will have no easy life, your Eminence. That country will drink up his youth and strength as it does the rain." I remember reading this line for the first time. Thats when I knew I was in for a treat. ???

"He never attempted to sleep on his left side, even in those dismal hours of the night when the insomniac longs for a third side after trying the two he has." Thought this was pretty clever without being too conspicuous. (IG: dedalus_photo)

Reading TG was an amazing experience. The book feels like it's own self-contained ecosystem, both surreal/exotic and familiar, and Peake's writing makes each page interesting. Ultimately, this book is about how people grapple with change, and I consider it an underrated masterpiece. 🤘🤘🤘

"A dull mind, once arriving at an inference that flatters a desire, is rarely able to retain the impression that the notion from which the inference started was purely problematic." --- I am loving Silas Marner! Making me want to revisit Middlemarch.

This is a book of immense importance. Not only is it immaculately written, but Du Bois recognizes the insidious challenges of Post-Emancipation racism with astounding precision. He wrote this book in 1903, and we struggle with the same issues to this very day. Everyone should read this book. 🤘🤘🤘

"'Manny Chaves,' he whispered, 'had the clearest piss of any man I ever seen. He'd take a specimen and the piss in that bottle would be just as clean and pure as fresh drinking water'" (34). There's a reason we all love Gardner's dialogue. Pic: John Huston on the set of Fat City (1972).

Orientalism signifies the arrival of post-colonial studies, and remains, as far as I'm concerned, one of the most important works of criticism in recent history. This book is not only profoundly insightful but deeply engrossing, and it's been crucial to my growth as a reader. 🤘🤘🤘

This collection of essays is astounding! Leys' brilliance lies within his ability to maintain a very high level of discourse without alienating the reader with erudite terminology. His writing is smart and accessible to everyone. Every type of reader can enjoy these essays. 🤘🤘🤘

Let's be clear: this is not high-literature. However, there's still plenty of enjoyment to be had. Howard's writing is visceral and intense, and his stories are so much fun to read. Now and then I always feel the need to return to Howard's writing to watch Conan kick some ass. 🤘🤘🤘

This collection of stories introduced me to Borges, and I knew immediately that I needed to read everything the man had ever published. He demolished my expectations of what could be done with genre fiction, and has become one of my favorite writers. This collection is prime Borges. 🤘🤘🤘

(Inferno 24.43-60) Perhaps my favorite canto in the entire Divine Comedy. Virgil's address to Dante is amazing, and effective: this is the moment where the pilgrim starts to become the poet, where Dante begins to stand apart from his guide and become his own autonomous being.

I, Claudius is just so much damn fun. Graves takes us through complex Roman history, balancing the exposition and characterization through the strength and consistency of Claudius' voice. It's very exciting, and makes this book one of my favorite pieces of historical fiction.🤘🤘🤘

Passing may be the most underrated book I have ever read; its relevance has grown, rather than diminished, since its publication in 1929. You must read this book. Larsen confronts you with the contradictory and performative dimensions of racial identity, and I think she deserves more recognition. 🤘

Mervyn Peake was not only a brilliant writer, but was quite talented in the visual arts. Here's a drawing he made of Steerpike!

"Her role in life alone preoccupies her. I knew the reasons: her beauty brings dramas and events to her. Ideas mean little. I saw in her a caricature of the theatrical and dramatic personage. Costume, attitudes, talk. She is a superb actress. No more. I could not grasp her core." (IG: dedalus_photo)

Am I really the first to post about this amazing book? 😱 Get off your ass and get Red Harvest! I'm always amazed by Hammett's ability to weave exposition into the rich voice of the protagonist, his ability to conjure visuals. This is the essence of hard-boiled detective fiction. 🚬🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

This fantastic little book can be read in one sitting, and deftly plays on some of Duras' pet themes, namely memory and sex. It's a swift and atmospheric story that I often feel compelled to revisit. Also make sure to check out Hiroshima Mon Amour after you finish. 🤘🤘🤘

I read White Noise for the first time recently: it's an incredibly entertaining and fun book, despite its heavy subject matter. DeLillo recycles the language and signifiers of American consumerism and skillfully weaves them into the story and speech of his characters. A funny and enjoyable read. 👍

Equal parts acerbic and hilarious, Waugh's writing exemplifies a triumph of style; the sentences are so smooth, almost aerodynamic. A Handful of Dust is razor-sharp, and I was choking on my laughter all the way through. A fantastic introduction to Waugh's writing. 👍👍👍