Colored pencil WIP

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

☀️tagged and pictured. One of my hobbies is to do illustrative-type colored pencil art, and this book was a huge reason why I chose to pick that particular hobby up.

☀️ Eh. This is a tough summer.

☀️ EEG and Fracture. That‘s it. I‘ve been making a point of spending as little as possible because my income is unreliable due to quarantine. But both were purchased from the local indie store.

#BTBA2020 it‘s the little things 🤣

As someone with a lot of initiative, it really messes me up when something shitty happens and I can‘t do anything about it. Fortunately, I can always watch Harry Potter and redirect my frustration and rage at Voldemort, and then watch him get his ass handed to him at Hogwarts. Which always makes me feel better.

New in-person buddy read!

#BTBA2020 discussion #1: I was curious why the book is called EEG, so I looked up the acronym. The first result was for Electroencephalography, which is an electrode test used on psychology patients to diagnose brain death, among other things (note: Andreas Ban is a retired psychologist). (more in the comments)

#aVeryCromwellSummer

I watched the Wolf Hall miniseries and fell in love with all of it: the superb acting, the superb dialogue, the superb soundtrack and cinematography and (historically accurate!) costumes. I thought this would be a rare occasion where I would like the cinematic version more than the written...but I don't actually think that's the case. Mantel is WITTY. I am perpetually amused, and perpetually in awe of her sharp mind. #aVeryCromwellSummer

Look what was in the Little Free Library down the street! I‘ve been meaning to read this!

#BTBA2020 preach!

Daša Drndić, bursting from the page and prodding you and your literary expectations very sharply in the forehead. I already am in love with this book. #BTBA2020

#BlackoutTuesday

@Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 #BTBA2020 reading schedule! Do we want to do our weekly discussions on Sundays? What times of day work for everyone? I‘m wide open, but also in CST, so as long as it‘s not, you know, 2am my time I‘m good 😂

You guys, Alexander Hamilton is probably the most brilliant mind I have ever had the pleasure to read. His passion for the subject is obvious, and it‘s no surprise to me that he wrote the bulk of The Federalist Papers. So glad I read this.

#24b4monday yesterday I got in 4hr26min of reading, which equated to 130 pages of The Federalist Papers. Goal is to finish the book this weekend, and there are about 130 pages left. Let‘s go! @Andrew65 @jb72 @SumisBooks

#BTBA2020 winner was just announced -- EEG by Daša Drndić! Oh boy you guys...Drndić's writing is gorgeous, but H-E-A-V-Y. Book is 380 pages. Let's sound off in the comments below for who plans to acquire a copy of Celia Hawkesworth's translation from the Croatian...and then shall we sound off again, once we have our copies, so we can have a full month to read it? @bookwyrm42 @sydneyerin @Jennifer3 @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick

Thanks for the tag @Scochrane26! #Favs

1. In the Distance - Hernan Diaz
2. Dracula - Bram Stoker
3. The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

The complex relationship between anxiety and peace is a running thread in this novel. It explores what triggers these emotions, particularly regarding memory: the different ways people relate to their memories, and identify with them...or not. Neuman continues to be one of my favorite authors.

Happily planning to spend my “Friday” reading this book. Roughly 150 pages left. goal is to finish it and then take a stab at using @Andrew65 ‘s #24b4Monday challenge to (hopefully) wrap up The Federalist Papers to clear the way for reading #BTBA2020 in June and starting #BigBookSummerReading for...some TBA chunkster. 😅 What do you all have planned?

#BTBA2020 normally announces the winners with an in-person party for locals only, but thanks to quarantine, they are now doing a zoom party that EVERYONE can attend! They'll be doing live/recorded readings from all the shortlisted works, for anyone interested in getting a better idea of what sort of literature usually makes the BTBA list (BTBA twitter also has summaries of the works, FYI). Sign up is here: https://bit.ly/36AmUG4

#BTBA2020 needs to be postponed until June, because they‘re now apparently announcing the winner this Friday instead of Wednesday. What does everyone think? What if, after the announcement, we all check in once we have our copies, and start reading at that point? @Bookwyrm42 @sydneyerin @Jennifer3 @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick

Also: we're still happy to have people join! Just let me know in the comments below!

I mean, are we talking Banksy, or basic tags?

Hey everyone! The winners of the Best Translated Book Award 2020 will be announced this Wednesday 5/27. Anyone interested in doing a #buddyread of the winning novel? Use hashtag #BTBA2020 and tag me. If there‘s enough interest, I‘d like to expand this into reading the entire shortlist, which will be announced the same day...but we‘ll see :)

The protagonist is determined to think about anything other than the elephant in the room. Absolutely anything. Including pets, which have not once been mentioned previously in this book. 🙄

I understand that labels create awareness, and that awareness is oftentimes in short supply. But what I love about literature (vs. mainstream fiction) is that labels are usually absent, which allows truths and perspectives to be FELT. Don‘t tell me my POV character is neurodiverse. That creates a sense of him being “other” and puts him at a safe emotional distance. Let me grasp who he is without labels, so I can instead see how much we are alike.

Not gonna lie, I am glad to see Madison‘s name heading the next batch of papers. Hamilton is brilliant, but after reading 150 pages of him lambasting Constitution critics as period-equivalent varieties of “f***ing idiots”, JM‘s more mild opinion of his fellow countrymen will be a welcome reprieve.

“The afternoon appears calm, and yet time is waiting to pounce.“ @ShyBookOwl #FirstLineFridays
By the way, is there some account or calendar I can watch that lists all the upcoming buddy reads and reading challenges on Litsy? I just found out that regardless of government decisions, I'm going to continue to be out of work for at least another month...which leaves plenty of time for reading.

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! And happy Friday! This just came in today from indiebound.org — so stoked to have the Memorial Day weekend to read it!

Figured a good introductory post should include what I‘m currently reading. Started this one a few weeks ago. Not a quick read, but a very, very interesting one.