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vivastory

vivastory

Joined November 2016

Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.-Fernando Pessoa
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vivastory
Soft City | Pushwagner
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The full title of this is “Soft City: The Lost Graphic Novel.“ I think that gives a bit of insight into the background of this oversized, seemingly impossible creation pub. by New York Review Comics. As Chris Ware writes in the intro. “Though it masquerades as narrative , the term 'graphic novel' seems inadequate to describe Soft City, especially for a book that existed before the term was even coined.“ Elsewhere in the brief, yet (cont)

vivastory fascinating intro, Ware cites Tarkovsky, Kubrick, Chaplin, & Lang. It is not just the oversized format of Soft City that lends it a cinematic feeling, but how the work is orchestrated throughout the book. As far as the story goes, this is more of a book of themes than of plot: foremost being saturation in urban centers leading to increased control & conformity. I have read a few releases by NYR Comics & this is easily one of the best I have read. 1h
7 likes1 comment
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vivastory
Love at First Sight | Wislawa Szymborska
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Out of the flowering of post-war Polish poets, Wislawa Szymborska is my favorite (with Zbigniew Herbert a close second). The tagged book is an illustration of Szymborska's love poem. I love Szymborska's cool irony, how she addresses serendipity & how the couple in the poem are convinced that they were “in love at first sight“ yet they had been passing one another for years; yet there is real emotional warmth for her subjects too. This was a (cont)

vivastory library copy. While I really loved the illustrations by Beatrice Gasca Queirazza I would recommend borrowing if possible. The real star of this work, is of course the poem. Link to full poem (with the same translation):
https://poets.org/poem/love-first-sight
4h
vivastory I don't know if you have seen this one @lindy but it seems like it would be of interest to you 4h
30 likes2 comments
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vivastory
Out of Sight: A Novel | Elmore Leonard
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#FolsomPrisonBlues
Although bank robber Jack Foley is imprisoned in Florida & not in California, this book came to mind. I read this one years ago. It was when a lot of Leonard's books were being adapted & I read it right before the Clooney/Lopez adaptation was released which I recall really enjoying. Although I haven't revisited the book, I loved it at the time & have since read several others. He's one of the best at writing snappy dialogue.

Eggs Love this book/song association 👌🏼👌🏼 6h
DGRachel I love Elmore Leonard‘s books! 5h
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vivastory @DGRachel He's great! I plan on reading Maximum Bob soon. 5h
Aimeesue Elmore L! ❤️ 4h
vivastory @Aimeesue One of a kind! 4h
42 likes6 comments
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vivastory
The Mah Circle | Georges Simenon
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#EveryBreathYouTake
Last weekend I watched a very awkward, yet creepy & memorable movie called Speak No Evil. While watching it the tagged Simenon came to mind. This was my first experience with the prolific French author & it is a standalone work. About a well to do couple vacationing on a French island, the husband develops an obsession with escaping his regular day to day life. Has a claustrophobic feeling to it.
@alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

Eggs Perfection 👏🏻👏🏻 6h
peaknit At first I thought this post was about the “circle game” 👌🏻 lol! The movie you watched and this book sound intriguing. 6h
vivastory @peaknit 😂 😂 They were both interesting in their own ways, but I think both had great sense of atmosphere & psychology. Some might say that the movie is a horror movie, but I would call it more of a dark psychological thriller. Also both were definitely a bit of a slow-burn but pretty unforgettable. 5h
LeahBergen Stacked! 2h
39 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Marlena | Julie Buntin
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#EdgeofSeventeen made me immediately think of the tagged book, despite having read it several years ago. Buntin's strong debut tells of Marlena & Cat & their dangerous friendship. Cat, the narrator, is 15 at the time of the events of the novel & she has a fascination with her older friend's reckless lifestyle. Highly recommend.
@eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
#volumesandvocals

Eggs Sounds good ❤️🧡 6h
Booktourist I loved this book and no one talks about it anymore! Thanks for sharing. 3h
40 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vivastory
Fragments | Heraclitus
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It's a general consensus that aphorisms are best consumed a few at a time. I just read all 130 in a single sitting. I love aphorisms. I find philosophy to be most impactful when it is delivered in compact format. I think of Cioran or Schopenhauer. Heraclitus is interesting because of the range: from the philosophical to the practical to the enigmatic. This is a volume I will be returning to in the future & I'm hard pressed to think of a (cont)

vivastory better ending as I sit in a bar writing this with a glass of Cabernet at my elbow after an extremely frustrating work day than the final fragment 130:
Silence, healing.
(edited) 2d
Hooked_on_books Love that cover 2d
vivastory @Hooked_on_books Isn't it great?! 2d
batsy I loved this, too! Perfect final fragment 🥂 1d
62 likes1 stack add4 comments
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vivastory
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1) The tagged book which some consider to be the oldest written book. Highly recommend the Stephen Mitchell or David Ferry translation. I'm intrigued by the version published last year, translated by Sophus Helle.
2) It is really hard for me to be interested beyond 3-5.
3) I had a major book hangover with The Dark Tower.
#wondrouswednesday @eggs

LeahBergen I read Gilgamesh in my Classics class in university. Now I must try to remember what translation it was. 😆 3d
Eggs Thanks for the thoughtful responses 🙏🏻📚🤗 2d
vivastory @LeahBergen That sounds like a fun class! Any favorites? 2d
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LeahBergen Ohh, that‘s a toughie. We also read Ovid‘s Metamorphoses in this class which I loved. I did several other classics courses and the standouts were Virgil‘s Aeneid, Homer‘s Iliad and The Odyssey… oh, and the “love” poems of Catullus were amazing. Our prof was an Oxford grad and would totally help translate all the nastiest bits for us. 😆 I did a couple of years of Latin, too. 2d
vivastory @LeahBergen I 💙 Metamorphoses. I've read a couple of versions, but am curious about the recent translation published by Penguin. Catullus & the Latin poets were fantastic. I always really loved Horace too. 2d
LeahBergen Oh yes, Horace was one I read and loved, too! I‘m going to have to look up that newer Ovid translation. 👍 2d
50 likes6 comments
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vivastory
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As my next read is the tagged book, or I should say re-read, I was put in mind of Lewis Caroll for #weirdwords Specifically one of my favorite poems of all time, including one of my all-time favorite nonce words coined by Caroll: vorpal sword. Jabberwocky, alongside Carroll's other works, is a treasure trove of great words, as this article shows:
https://theweek.com/articles/468355/10-whimsical-words-coined-by-lewis-carroll

CBee YES! A favorite of mine as well 💚 3d
Aimeesue I had to memorize this in HS, and still recite it frequently. “Snicker-snack” makes me laugh. 😂 4h
vivastory @Aimeesue I was bored at work once & I memorized it lol. For some reason the lines that have always stuck with me is, “'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/ Did gyre and gimble in the wabe“ I find myself muttering it under my breath sometimes when I'm stuck in traffic 😂 4h
56 likes4 comments
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vivastory
After the Quake: Stories | Haruki Murakami
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#weeklyreport
Non-reading Bibliophile Highlight: My order of the tagged book arrived. A story collection; I was intrigued when I heard that there's a piece in here about a man who believes there's a giant toad who will save Tokyo.
In the middle of Datlow's anthology “Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror.“ The highlights so far have been Ballingrud's Scream Queen, Laird Barron's The One We Tell Bad Children & Brian Hodge's Insanity (cont)

vivastory Among Penguins. Hodge's story is about a mysterious Werner Herzog film & it covers quite a bit of ground of his different films. Good stuff.
I finished 4 books this week. Highlights were two books, both about orphans, but could not be more different: Oliver Twist & Berserk Deluxe Vol. 2. I also just finished John Hodgman's Vacationland which I very very much enjoyed. An eclectic, rich week,
@cinfhen
(edited) 6d
CBee At this point, a giant toad saving the world sounds GREAT to me 🐸 😂 6d
vivastory @CBee Kaiju Groot or Giant Toad. I'll take either one 🤣 6d
68 likes3 comments
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vivastory
Killer | Peter Tonkin
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Creature features, both movies & books, are a good time all year long; but I am especially in the mood for them during the summer. My choice for #TitlesandTunes is the latest in Valancourt publication of titles from Paperbacks From Hell. Pairs nicely with Aquabats Shark Fighters.
https://open.spotify.com/track/06WArFWIZUt3WUk6E6PdIu
#guiltypleasure
@cinfhen @barbarabb

Cinfhen #CreatureFeatures would make a great prompt!!!! Might have to borrow that 😄🎶 7d
vivastory @Cinfhen Feel free! I feel like there's a wide variety between both fiction & non-fiction, both equally fascinating 7d
Cinfhen BTW - that song is FABULOUS 😂😂😂 7d
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vivastory @Cinfhen 😂 There's some funny lines in it 7d
TEArificbooks Oh I love creature features! 7d
BarbaraBB That‘s a great guilty pleasure! 7d
LeahBergen And have you heard about the orcas attacking yachts off Spain? Eek! 6d
vivastory @LeahBergen I hadn't heard about that! 6d
58 likes8 comments
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Oliver Twist | Charles Dickens
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Oliver Twist is Dickens' second published work, initially released as a serial. This is a novel that reads like a classic serial & I can picture in my mind where the cliffhangers must have been. Widely considered to be Dickens' foremost social novel, OT tackles judicial corruption, child labor & exploitation, & laws targeting the financially vulnerable. The politics of casual cruelty targeting the vulnerable is one reason readers return to (cont)

vivastory OT today. Oliver is rarely “on stage“ so to speak in the novel & when he is present he is reduced to a bit of a one dimensional character. What is fascinating for me about the book, is that it is the other characters who steal the show in this novel, mostly unsavory characters: Mr. Bumble, Artful Dodger, Fagin, Mr. Grimwig, Bill Sikes. Bill Sikes is easily one of the greatest villains I have encountered in a book in awhile. I do have to (cont) 1w
vivastory address an elephant in the room, which is how Fagin & other Jewish characters were portrayed in the book. It was definitely a bit jarring. If you want to know a bit more, I'd encourage you to look at the Wikipedia Page regarding this & decide if you want to read it.
Despite the flaws, I was utterly engrossed while reading Oliver Twist.
*This is my review of OT as the desktop is not letting me post reviews w/ pics.*
(edited) 1w
LeahBergen What a comprehensive review! I haven‘t read (or reread) this in YEARS. 1w
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BarbaraBB Cool that you‘re reading Dickens! 1w
vivastory @LeahBergen Thanks! It was quite a bit different from what I expected. 1w
vivastory @BarbaraBB I read an excerpt from Pickwick Papers a few months ago & it stuck with me for awhile. Great Expectations is a favorite of all time; definitely need to read more by him. 1w
BarbaraBB I enjoyed Great Expectations too. My favorite I guess (not that I have read that many, I haven‘t read Oliver Twist nor Pickwick Papers for that matter) is (edited) 1w
vivastory @BarbaraBB I def plan on reading that one down the road. I have a classic chunkster lined up for some point in the upcoming months, so it might be next year before I do so 1w
BarbaraBB Which one do you have lined up if I may ask?? 1w
vivastory @BarbaraBB I plan on reading Count of Monte Cristo. Have you read it? 1w
batsy What @LeahBergen said. I definitely feel like I should be reading more Dickens because it feels like the issues are so contemporary in terms of describing the barbarism of modern capitalism. 1w
BarbaraBB I did. It‘s fun! 1w
MotherOfCats I despised having to read Dickens in high school… but I named my little boy Oliver and feel like I should read this one 😅 1w
Aimeesue Dickens works best for me on audio, maybe because they were written to be read out loud, in a way? There‘s a LibriVox reader who‘s Absolutely BRILLIANT with all the voices that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to read Dickens -Mil Nicholson. She‘s done all his books, I think. Stellar. 1w
Bookwomble @batsy Hard Times would be a good one to read on those lines, being Dickens' satire on the burgeoning capitalists of the Industrial Revolution. His "Coketown" was a thinly disguised Preston, the city just up the road from me, which Dickens visited and, clearly, thoroughly disliked! 1w
65 likes1 stack add15 comments
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Untitled | Unknown
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Frobly-Mobly: “As an 1839 Glossary of Provincial and Local Words put it, to be frobly-mobly is to be merely “indifferently well”—that is, neither well nor unwell, or neither good nor bad.“
More on other reduplications, or “ricochet words“ ( some great #weirdwords contenders) can be found here:
https://www.haggardhawks.com/post/frobly-mobly
@cbee

merelybookish Fun!! 1w
TheKidUpstairs We should totally bring this one back. 1w
Aimeesue Lisa! 😂 1w
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CBee Super cool word. And per the article, I‘m feeling a bit deetle-dottle, actually 🤦‍♀️😂 1w
vivastory @CBee Same! Def ready for a 3 day weekend 1w
CBee @vivastory hope it‘s a good one 😊 1w
swynn But is it "frawbly-mawbly" or "frohbly-mohbly"? Resurrectors of obsolete expressions want to know. 1w
62 likes7 comments
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vivastory
Oliver Twist | Charles Dickens
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My first #weeklyreport in awhile. This week I read 3 books: 2 graphic novels & a novella. I also started the tagged book Saturday night & am now about 3/4 through it. Have quite a few thoughts on it. I can see the flaws, but I'm really engrossed. Non-reading, yet book highlight of the week is my first Macmillan Collector's Library. I love these small editions with their uniform, yet appealing, light blue colors & wonderful designs
@cinfhen

Cinfhen Agree, cover art is stunning 🤩 Glad to hear you‘re enjoying Dickens. 2w
TheBookHippie I love these little books!! 2w
vivastory @TheBookHippie I have my eye on a couple of the Shakespeare and The Little Prince. Really unique editions. 2w
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LeahBergen They are such pretty little editions. 2w
Bookwomble @LeahBergen I picked up Peter Pan in this edition earlier this year - they're sweet 🙂 2w
Aimeesue Oh, dear, more gorgeous little books to covet. My shelves groan, but who can resist? 2w
LeahBergen @Bookwomble Oh, nice! I only have one of these, Just William by Richmal Crompton. 2w
vivastory @LeahBergen @bookwomble @aimeesue I also have my eye on Malice Aforethought which sounds really good & might appeal to you 2w
Aimeesue @vivastory Oh, that‘s a great cover! Sounds like a great dark read. 2w
LeahBergen @vivastory Malice Aforethought is SO GOOD. Try it! 2w
vivastory @LeahBergen Glad to hear your endorsement! I'm sold! 2w
74 likes11 comments
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vivastory
Go Giants: Poems | Nick Laird
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I LOVE this poem from the latest issue of the NY Review:
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/06/08/talking-to-the-sun-in-washington-squ...

SamAnne Beautiful. 2w
vivastory @SamAnne So many great lines. I also learned while reading it that permacrisis was the 2022 word of the year. Seems accurate. 2w
Aimeesue Wow. Thanks! 2w
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TheKidUpstairs Thank you for sharing! Wonderful. Amusing and heartfelt with a slight echo of malaise 2w
Suet624 Thank you for sharing! So good. 2w
wanderinglynn Lovely. 3d
44 likes6 comments
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vivastory
Our Mutual Friend | Charles Dickens
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I somewhat recently came across Podsnappery not in the original source, Dickens' novel, but in several articles about certain public figures who aren't too fond of facts. Merriam Webster Online defines Podsnappery as, “an attitude toward life marked by complacency & a refusal to recognize unpleasant facts.“
#weirdwords @cbee

IndoorDame 🤩🤩🤩 2w
CBee I can imagine who that public figure might be 🙄 Great word!! 2w
Amiable This word is amazing 🤩 2w
dabbe You mean there are public figures who ignore facts? Or prefer only alternative ones? 🤣🤩🤣 2w
69 likes4 comments
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vivastory
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1) Setting of my current book is in the words of the Beastie Boys, “Intergalactic Planetary“
2) Hmm..it seems to vary. At the moment I'll go with London or Venice.
3) At the moment I'd have to say Discworld
#wondrouswednesday @eggs

Eggs Thanks for joining in 🥰🙏🏻 2w
51 likes1 comment
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Shubeik Lubeik | Deena Mohamed
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I loved this graphic novel that tells of Shokry, a kiosk owner, in Cairo where wishes are real & regulated & controlled by the local & federal authorities & bureaucracies. The frame narrative is that Shokry is determined to sell his three first class wishes & the bulk of the book is comprised of the stories of the disparate individuals who buy them. The artwork, by turns colorful & starkly black & white as necessitated by the story is (cont)

vivastory crisp & clean & while it might seem a bit simplistic at times I felt that it added to the emotional heft of the narratives. Shubeik Lubeik is imaginative & moving & it showed that people are not who they may appear to be.
Note: I am posting my reviews as blurbs as I have recently acquired a new Android & it appears that the Litsy app is not currently available for download in the Google Play store.
3w
BarbaraBB That is weird, about the app..! 3w
Bookwomble @BarbaraBB Somebody on Goodreads questioned the Android app availability and got a somewhat vague update from Litsy that while it's not currently available, they're "working on it", so presumably it will be back on at some point. 3w
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batsy That's unfortunate that it's not available for new Android downloads 😕 3w
jlhammar I recently read this and really enjoyed it. So creative and thought-provoking! 2w
vivastory @batsy Fingers crossed that it's added. I'm glad it's available online. 2w
vivastory @jlhammar It really was. I thought it handled certain issues very well too. 2w
76 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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Black Paradox | Junji Ito
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A group of 4 strangers meet on the titular message board to end their lives. The book opens with them driving to do so & they begin sharing their reasons why. Existential anxiety, modernization & fear of their doubles are a reoccurring theme in the opening with the Japanese author Akutagawa mentioned. In the second chapter a gateway to the other side opens causing minerals to spill out into this side. These minerals & what happens (cont)

vivastory with them becomes the main storyline for the rest of BP. I typically like Ito's story collections more than his long form works, however I would say that this is one of his strongest longer works in awhile.

3w
CBee Just popping in to say hi, and offer my email if you ever want/need to talk: cydneybean@gmail.com. No pressure! Just know I‘m happy to be a friend if you need that. 3w
vivastory @CBee Thanks! 🙂 3w
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The Hole | Hiroko Oyamada
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#MayMontage
This is the second Oyamada novella that I have read & I love her style of lightly treading the waters of the awkward & occasionally dipping into the absurd or even surreal. In The Hole Asa's husband is transferred to a different job in the countryside where they will no longer have to pay rent. However they will be living literally right next to her in-laws. Asa is good natured about the situation & is def a #mellowcharacter

vivastory I ALSO want to say Thank You to everyone for the messages of support. It means a lot. You are the best. 💙 💙 (edited) 3w
LeahBergen I‘m so glad you‘re back, Scott! 3w
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vivastory @LeahBergen Thanks! I've definitely missed it 3w
stretchkev Asa is one of my favorite modern Japanese authors, her stories are unique for sure. The Factory is still stuck in my brain. 3w
sarahbarnes I loved this one! I also really liked The Factory. 3w
vivastory @sarahbarnes I plan on reading that one soon. Her work is so clever and interesting. 3w
vivastory @stretchkev The Factory sounds great. She's definitely one of my favorites, really hard to classify but I really love her work. 3w
Eggs Love the cover 🌾 3w
Aimeesue I feel like Weasels in the Attic is calling my name. Weasels! 3w
vivastory @Aimeesue That was the other one I read. Definitely recommend! 3w
Branwen This cover makes me want to take a nap in a field! 🌿 3w
vivastory @Branwen If I recall correctly Asa actually does that when she first moves to the countryside 3w
BarbaraBB Such an interesting author. I read and enjoyed 3w
73 likes1 stack add14 comments
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Untitled | Unknown
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Hello & thanks to everyone who has reached out. Where have I been? I don't want to go into specifics but I have experienced a lot of uncertainty & turmoil in both my professional & personal lives the past couple of months that frankly left me with little energy for much in the way of an online life. I am hoping that some of these issues have been resolved & I have missed this community & have missed posting.

Read4life Welcome back! I hope things continue to improve 💙 3w
JamieArc I Hope Litsy provides a little respite in the day for you ❤️ 3w
CSeydel 💗 3w
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merelybookish Hey Scott! Yay, so glad you checked in! I hope life is getting a little easier. You were definitely missed!! 3w
Liz_M Scott, always a pleasure to see you posting (and happy to hear that you were both able to take time off when needed and that life is getting better). 3w
AmyG Nice to see you back. Wishing you the best….always. 3w
Ruthiella Wonderful to have you back! 🥳 3w
dabbe Hoping things are better for you, Scott, and welcome back! You're in good hands here! 🤣🤩🤗 3w
Hooked_on_books I‘m glad you had a window in the turmoil to come say hello! Those times in life really suck, so hopefully you‘re on the homestretch. It‘s nice to see you here. 3w
Bookwomble Sorry to hear you've had a tough few months, Scott. Pleased to hear that things are starting to get back on track 💖 3w
jlhammar Hope you‘re through the worst of it and that we‘ll get to see more of you around here. You‘ve been missed! 3w
CBee SCOTT!!!!!! Thank goodness you‘re okay. We‘ve all missed you. Please know this is a safe space and we‘re all here for you if you need us. I am so relieved to see your post 🤗 🤗 3w
TheBookgeekFrau Welcome back! Hope the turmoil continues to ease 3w
Librarybelle ❤️❤️❤️ 3w
kspenmoll I hope your personal & professional lives eases up- we have missed you- no worries though; we are always here.💜 3w
LiteraryinLawrence 💗💗💗 3w
Jas16 You have been missed 3w
Leftcoastzen We have missed you so much! But I completely understand how things can get difficult and it‘s hard to have energy for anything extra. Hope things are leveling off. 3w
Sapphire Welcome back. Give yourself grace! 3w
Deblovestoread So glad you checked in. You‘ve been missed. Hope life continues to improve. 3w
Tamra Hello! Happy to see you posting. 😃 3w
quietjenn You've definitely been missed. Take care of yourself and I hope things calm down and things improve. 💙 3w
batsy Hello, Scott! You've been missed and I'm so glad to see you back. I'm sorry to hear that you've been going through some tough times. I hope things are easing up for you. 3w
BarbaraBB Such a happy moment to see your name back here. I am very sorry that you‘ve been having such a rough time. I hope you‘re feeling a bit better now. Take care & know that we‘re here for you 🤍 3w
LeahBergen I‘ve missed you!! I‘m sorry you‘ve been dealing with some stuff. Much love to you. ❤️❤️❤️ 3w
julesG You've been missed! Glad to see you posting again. Hope life is giving you less lemons now; one can only drink so much lemonade (or eat so much lemon meringue pie). 😉 3w
squirrelbrain So glad to see your name pop up. Sorry to hear you‘ve been having a tough time but hopefully you‘re through the worst now. 3w
Centique Echoing all the other Littens happy to see your post pop up. 💕 Turmoil sucks and there‘s been so much of it lately - I hope Litsy can be a place of calm and no pressure. And may things improve on all fronts 🤞🤞 3w
MaureenMc Hello! Happy to see you again, and hope for better things ahead for you. 💗 3w
sarahbarnes So good to hear from you. 💙 I‘m sorry things have been tough. Keeping you in my thoughts and hoping it gets easier. 3w
SamAnne Welcome back. Hope things settle out. 3w
youneverarrived So glad you‘re back! You‘ve been missed. Sorry to hear things have been tough 🤍 3w
TheBookHippie So happy to see you!!! 3w
RaeLovesToRead We missed you! Welcome back 🤗 3w
Addison_Reads Seeing your name pop up in my feed yesterday made me happy. 😊 I am truly sorry that life has not been kind recently. You were most definitely missed here. 3w
Megabooks Welcome back, Scott!! I‘ve been a lot less active due to personal issues, too, so I totally get it. I‘m just glad that you‘re alive, safe, and still enjoying books! I hope things continue to stabilize/improve. You know I‘ve got to give you a 👍🏻 for old times sake. 😏 3w
TrishB Lovely to see you posting. Take care. ❤️ 3w
vivastory @Megabooks Thanks! I hope things improve for you too. 👍 👍(Never gets old) (edited) 3w
Aimeesue Great to see you back! Hope things are looking up for you very soon 💙 3w
Branwen SCOTT! *HUGE HUGS* I'm so glad to see you back! I've missed you so much, my friend! 💕📚💕 I'm sorry there's been a lot of upheavals and hardships for you, and I hope things get better soon! ❤️ I'm here if you need to talk! 3w
Branwen If you want to email me feel free! ayanami023@hotmail.com NO PRESSURE! Just wanted you to know I'm here if you need me! 💕📚 3w
vivastory @Branwen Thanks for the kind words! I truly appreciate it 💙 3w
DGRachel I squealed when I saw you pop up in my feed! So glad you are able to check in. I hope things are easing now and continue to improve. Hugs. 3w
Bklover Welcome back! This always feels like a safe place to me. ❤️ 2w
Reggie Hi Scott! As someone who takes breaks from here occasionally I understood. However, that didn‘t stop me from making up stuff in my head. Like you and our other missing in action Litten, @sprainedbrain having run off together to an island where all you did was read. Or that you were in jail for the protesting of what your state is doing to libraries. Glad to see you back. 2w
Billypar I'll join the chorus - so glad you're back and that things are going better on your end! 2w
Cinfhen What a wonderful gift!! Missed you and glad to see you‘re back 💙 2w
Cinfhen Also FANTASTIC graphics 💜💜💜 2w
Suet624 I think @CBee expressed my thoughts perfectly, capital letters and all. I had made up so many stories about why you weren‘t posting and getting all worked up about it. Thank you for posting. As you can see, we all missed you so much. 💕 2w
Bookzombie I was so happy to see your posts when I started catching up with Litsy. You were definitely missed! I‘m sorry to hear that you have been having a rough time. I hope everything gets better soon. 💗 2w
94 likes50 comments
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vivastory
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I just watched a booktube video of a ranking of the creator's 5 favorite plays of the past 60 years. Although it's been awhile since I've been to a play, I love live theater so I started thinking of my favorite plays that I have watched the past few years. Pictured are my 5 favorite plays of the past 60 years. The only one that I have not seen an in person performance of is Happy Days & for that one I watched a recorded performance on a box set👇

vivastory of Beckett performances. (Caveat for Happy Days as it is technically 62 years old. As Ella Fitzgerald said: potato, potahto.) Honorable mention to the plays of Joe Orton, Ionesco, Fernando Arrabal, Sarah Kane. Not to mention musicals. 💙 3mo
Reggie Hey, Scott. Have you watched Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix? I think they‘re fabulous. I‘m on Pickman‘s Model right now and having the best time. (edited) 2mo
batsy Hey! Just checking in to see if all is well 🙂 2mo
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Branwen Miss you, friend! 💕 Hope you're doing okay! 2mo
LeahBergen Hi, Scott! Miss you! 2mo
Reggie Hope you‘re doing ok, Scott. We miss you. 2mo
Ruthiella Hey! Miss seeing you around. Wishing you well. 😊 2mo
BarbaraBB I am reading Notes on Grief and am thinking of you. I hope all is well. Missing you. 2mo
TrishB Ditto above. Hope you‘re ok. 2mo
Reggie Hey, so the Critters franchise is on Tubi. 1 is wonderful, 2 is ok and then I couldn‘t finish 3. Funny enough, Leonardo DiCaprio is in 3. Billy Zane is in 1 and Angela Bassett is in the one where they‘re in space. Also, have you ever seen Comet with Justin Long and Emily Rossum? It‘s also on Tubi. It‘s as if someone couldn‘t write past the five different pivotal scenes of a relationship and mashed them all together in a fever dream. I loved it. 2mo
youneverarrived Noticed you hadn‘t posted in a while so echoing the above comments - hope you‘re ok! And missing your posts. (edited) 2mo
sarahbarnes Was also just thinking about you and hadn‘t seen a post in awhile. I hope all is well. 2mo
CBee Hey Scott - checking on you 💚 Hope you‘re okay!! 2mo
Aimeesue Hope you‘re out watching plays and enjoying the spring - I‘ve missed seeing your posts 2mo
rohit-sawant Hope you're doing all right, Scott! 2mo
Cinfhen Hi Scott! Missing your posts and thinking about you 🫶🏼 2mo
DGRachel Checking in on you. I hope you are okay. 1mo
merelybookish Hi Scott! I see I'm not alone in missing you.🧡 1mo
TheBookHippie Checking in as well. 1mo
CBee @TheBookHippie no response to email yet? 🙁 1mo
CBee @TheBookHippie 🙁🙁🙁🙁 1mo
Reggie Hey Scott, just wanted to say I went to go see The Evil Dead Rise. Meh, heavy on the gore, light on the story. Hope you‘re doing well. 1mo
Branwen Really really worried about you, Scott! Please can you let us know if you're okay? 💕 1mo
Suet624 I keep checking to see how you are, where you are. We miss you. 1mo
CBee @Branwen @Suet624 Christine emailed him and we both sent him a letter in the mail but still haven‘t heard anything 🙁🙁 So worried! @TheBookHippie 4w
TheBookHippie @CBee nothing yet.. 4w
CBee @TheBookHippie 🙁😢 4w
Branwen @CBee @TheBookHippie I'm glad you were able to try and attempt to reach him in other ways as well as through Litsy, though I'm still so worried that no one has heard back yet. I can't stop thinking about this. I really hope he's okay. 4w
CBee @Branwen it‘s times like these that I wish we had a way to list some sort of emergency contact! This has happened before where someone disappears for a while and we have no idea if they‘re okay 🙁 4w
TheBookHippie @Branwen me too. And yes I‘ve long said I wish we had a list. 4w
Suet624 @CBee I was hoping someone had his address. Thanks for reaching out to him. 4w
CBee @TheBookHippie let‘s put our heads together and figure something out! I‘ll email you tomorrow? 4w
CBee @Suet624 just wish we‘d hear something. He‘s very much missed by so many of us 🙁 4w
Cinfhen Was just thinking about you… hope life is keeping you busy and all is well. @CBee @TheBookHippie @Branwen @Suet624 please keep me in the loop as well - 4w
CBee @Cinfhen ❤️ 4w
Hooked_on_books Joining the chorus in hoping that you‘re ok, Scott. I miss seeing your posts! 4w
Hooked_on_books @Cinfhen @CBee @TheBookHippie @Branwen @Suet624 I just searched for him on Goodreads using his email and found his profile. He posted a review there on May 6, so he must at least be ok enough to do that. Hopefully he‘ll reach out soon. 4w
Suet624 @Hooked_on_books that‘s really helpful. Thank you. 4w
Cinfhen Oh that was brilliant @Hooked_on_books thank you for letting us know. 😁 4w
CBee @Hooked_on_books oh my goodness, that‘s amazing news 😊 Thank you! 4w
Branwen @Hooked_on_books This is wonderful news! 🥰 Thank you so much! 🩷 4w
Bookwomble Hi, Scott. Missing your posts and hoping you're ok 💖 3w
sarahbarnes Thanks so much for that, @Hooked_on_books, that‘s a relief to hear. 3w
Aimeesue @Hooked_on_books Ditto @sarahbarnes comment. Thanks. 3w
Leftcoastzen I looked at Goodreads he gave this book 4 stars on the 10th . 3w
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vivastory
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Eggs Perfect 🤩 📚🤗 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🧡🧡🧡 3mo
Branwen So beautiful and true! 💕📚 3mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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I don't particularly remember the GR nominees for last year, however I do recall the continuing trend of posting the first round earlier and earlier. Almost as if GR wasn't so much interested in acknowledging literary merit across genres as they were in using it as a marketing tool for increased holiday sales.
#marchmagic @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

thegirlwiththelibrarybag Literary merit 😂 good one 3mo
vivastory @thegirlwiththelibrarybag There have been some great nominees, the winners on the other hand 😬 3mo
Eggs Agree - it‘s all subjective anyway. Too many variables 👍🏼 3mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @vivastory, the main issue with goodreads is that it inevitably ends up being a popularity contest - more about author name recognition than if it‘s actually a great read. I‘m also not entirely sure how books are put forward for the first round of voting either… so there is definitely room for improvement. 3mo
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vivastory
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Pictured are my #favoritebookishpodcast There's almost always one that fits my mood, increases my TBR & in the case of Mallory & Brea provides a chuckle with the slide whistle. @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

Hooked_on_books One of my favorites was For Real, exclusively about nonfiction reads. But it ended at the end of last year! 😫 I‘m still very sad that it‘s over and haven‘t found a replacement. 3mo
Mitch @Hooked_on_books me too! It came as a bit of a shock ! 3mo
Eggs Well done 👍🏼 Like your choices! 3mo
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vivastory @Hooked_on_books @mitch I have noticed several defunct podcasts on BR over the past few years 3mo
Suet624 Awww, this makes me think of Jenny of Reading Envy. I miss her. 2mo
Aimeesue Backlisted is my absolute favorite ❤️ 2mo
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vivastory
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A selection of #truecrime high on my TBR. I only recently found out about the PR Keefe. For some reason I thought that Say Nothing was his debut. #marchmagic @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

Eggs These look good 👍🏼📚🤩 3mo
Megabooks Just checked the Egan out of the library today. Are you okay? Miss you. Also you must read this 2mo
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vivastory
Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies | Andrew DeGraff, A.D. Jameson
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Reposting this year old post for good reasons (Headline cut off at top said "Time has named Michelle Yeoh as one of the 100 most influential people")
?????

BarbaraBB You were right! I still need to see it 3mo
fredamans I couldn't get through it all. Maybe I should try again. 3mo
Bookwomble I really liked this film - glad it's getting recognition 😊 3mo
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vivastory
The Fifth Child | Doris Lessing
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#weeklyreport
Three books finished this week. I loved all 3, but the tagged one was my favorite. I just know that it will make my best of the year list. Also dipping into other books that I've been making my way through for a bit: Ray Bradbury's 100 Stories & The Complete Poetry of Dickinson. Don't have a deadline for either but I will probably finish both in the next couple of months.
@cinfhen

Cinfhen Gorgeous illustration 🤩I still haven‘t read any Doris Lessing 🙈 3mo
jlhammar Have you tried Lessing‘s short story To Room Nineteen yet? One of my favorites. 3mo
vivastory @Cinfhen This was my first one. It's only around 130 pages but it feels like a 300 page book because of how carefully constructed it is & the arc of the story. 3mo
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vivastory @jlhammar Thanks for the recommendation! 3mo
LeahBergen Yeah, The Fifth Child is a weird one, isn‘t it? 3mo
BarbaraBB I found a cheap copy Scott. Will read it soon! 3mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB Looking forward to your thoughts! I will definitely be reading more of her work in the next couple of months 3mo
sisilia I have the Dickinson… untouched 🫣 I was planning to bring it to the office and to read piece every day before I start the day, but somehow I forgot about this plan 😅 3mo
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vivastory
Paris Stories | Theodore Zeldin, Shaun Whiteside
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Pickpick

This Everyman's Library anthology mostly consists of excerpts from full-length books, mostly novels. Looking through the table of contents there are only 6 selections that are not excerpts. This didn't bother me, but I can understand why it might deter some from picking it up. The selections span 4 centuries (from the ribald humor of Rabelais to the gossipy account of the Beats meeting the French Surrealists to the lyrical desperation of Jean

vivastory Rhys) this is a nice sampler of different writers & how they thought of & portrayed Paris. In no way meant to be an exhaustive survey of French literature, such an endeavour would take multiple volumes as shown by the recent Penguin pub of 2 volume set of French short stories. To say nothing of poetry, essays, drama. (edited) 3mo
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vivastory
Ray Bradbury Stories | Ray Bradbury
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I mean, he's not wrong...

kyraleseberg 😆 3mo
Branwen 😂🤣😂🤣 3mo
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vivastory
Monday Starts on Saturday | Arkady Strugatsky
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I have read Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky siblings, but not the tagged book. I have to say that this might very well have the most terrifying title I have heard in quite awhile.

Bookwomble That's an amazing cover design! 3mo
vivastory @Bookwomble The SF Masterworks covers seem divisive. Personally I really like these editions! 3mo
Bookwomble @vivastory The earlier editions had covers by Chris Moore, which I usually liked, then later they solarised his artwork, which I didn't like at all. If the newest editions are in this style, then I like them again 😊 3mo
LeahBergen That title! 😆 3mo
vivastory @LeahBergen Seems especially relevant with Daylight Savings this weekend 😒 3mo
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vivastory
Seven Novels | Jules Verne
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I received the Jules Verne volume Christine. Thanks again for the generous gift. It'll look great with my other special editions. 📚📚
@TheBookHippie

TheBookHippie Yay!!!! It made it!!! How wonderful! 3mo
vivastory @TheBookHippie Three of the books are ones that I haven't read yet. Really looking forward to it! 3mo
TheBookHippie @vivastory Bonus!!! It‘s so fun to read new stories from a favourite! (edited) 3mo
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CSeydel Gorgeous! 3mo
Branwen This is utterly gorgeous! 3mo
JazzFeathers OMG! What beautiful editions!!!!! 3mo
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vivastory
Lambda | David Musgrave
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Found this fascinating book in the Sci Fi section while browsing B&N after leaving the movie theater. Published by Europa Editions, an epistolary lit sf it sounds fascinating! Of course it followed me home.

Reggie What did you watch? 3mo
Sapphire Europa never lets me down. And the books themselves (paper) are beautifully made. 3mo
Aimeesue Europa!Europa!Europa! (I may or may not have a collection of these. @Sapphire is right - they‘re just beautiful things.) 3mo
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vivastory @Reggie Cocaine Bear. Have you seen it? 3mo
vivastory @Sapphire Agreed! I have a few editions & I love them 💙 3mo
vivastory @Aimeesue They are fantastic! 3mo
Reggie I have not, but my parents did and they were like 0 out of 10. Horrible! I‘m gonna see Scream 6 tonight. 3mo
vivastory @Reggie 😂 😂 Was it an enlightening cinematic experience? No. Did I chuckle a few times & enjoy the creative kills? Absolutely! I'm planning on seeing Scream 6 next weekend. Lots of great horror films out in the next month or so. (edited) 3mo
Reggie I thought Scream 6 was alright. I just…. This movie just tells you you can get stabbed infinity times and still live. Lol 3mo
vivastory @Reggie Is Samara Weaving in it much? I loved her in The Babysitter & Ready or Not. I'm also excited to see Kirby again! 3mo
Reggie Maybe 5 minutes. Also, have you seen that movie with her and Steve Yuen, Mayhem. It‘s so effing good! It‘s on Tubi if you haven‘t. And Kirby!!!❤️ 3mo
vivastory @Reggie 5 minutes?!! I was expecting so much more!! 😭 😥Mayhem sounds great. I will check it out. I love Steve Yuen. 3mo
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vivastory
Little Sister Death | William Gay
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Rather than post a book that has been #onTBRlistfor1year I checked my Litsy TBR for the book that has been on there the longest. I don't recall where I heard about this book or William Gay from, but I suspect that his name popped up when I read Donald Ray Pollock around the same time I added it. #marchmagic @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

batsy This has also been on my TBR for way too long! 3mo
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vivastory
The Fifth Child | Doris Lessing
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Pickpick

I love a well told story about children behaving badly. William March's Bad Seed & Zoje Stage's Baby Teeth come to mind. Even more, I like an atypical, complicated evil children story such as Tryon's The Other, or Highsmith's Edith's Diary. Lessing's The Fifth Child firmly falls into the latter category. Lessing's book charts the meeting & subsequent marriage of David & Harriet Lovatt, their purchase of a large house outside of London, an (cont)

vivastory unorthodox plan to have at least 6 children. Despite financial constraints everything is going well until the titular child, Ben, is born. Clocking in around 130 pages Lessing's book is packed with both incident & reflection as she masterfully portrays the flourishing & destruction of a loving family. The NY Times blurb on the back reads, “A moral fable of the genre that includes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein & George Orwell's 1984.“ (cont) (edited) 3mo
vivastory There is one scene in particular that, although not graphic, is the most harrowing scene that I have read all year. 3mo
sarahbarnes Oh this sounds very intriguing. 3mo
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Aimeesue Great review! 3mo
BarbaraBB Such a creepy book. 3mo
vivastory @sarahbarnes I think at the end of the year it will be on my best of list. 3mo
vivastory @Aimeesue Thanks! I have been meaning to read Lessing for awhile now & this was the perfect entry point. 3mo
vivastory @BarbaraBB I noticed that there is a sequel which follows Ben later on. Have you read it? 3mo
batsy Great review. I'm super intrigued, especially with the other books you referenced. The only Lessing I've read is this one and it was excellent 3mo
BarbaraBB No! And I didn‘t know. Yet I‘d like to know more about Ben! 3mo
Aimeesue @vivastory Same. I have several of her books on my shelves. Maybe this year? 😋 3mo
vivastory @batsy That's on my TBR shelf. I'm really looking forward to it. I know that it has been an important book for many. 3mo
BarbaraBB Oooh. Must have!! 3mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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I stumbled across the above over the weekend, which led me to other ghost words. According to wikipedia, “A ghost word is a word published in a dictionary or similarly authoritative reference work even though it had not previously had any meaning or been used intentionally. A ghost word generally originates from a typographical or linguistic error...“ #weirdwords @cbee

Reggie Ooooooh, fascinating. I wonder if there is a world where all those words hang out drinking coffee or beers together talking about that time they were real. 3mo
vivastory @Reggie Lol I can def see it 3mo
Bookwomble But what was "dord" purported to mean? All words are "made up", so perhaps "dord" can be resurrected if we all start using it! 3mo
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Sapphire I thought dictionary publishers intentionally included ghost words to be able to combat copyright infringement. Maybe I am thinking of including weird alternate definitions for existing words or something 3mo
CBee @Reggie 😂😂😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3mo
Branwen Let's bring dord back! 😂🤘🏻 3mo
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vivastory
The Best of Richard Matheson | Richard Matheson
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I have heard lit fiction referred to as a genre. I don't nec agree with this, for various reasons. I will say that I personally think that there are few (minor) differences between lit fiction & genre fiction, but there are genre writers who are as talented as those who have been widely acknowledged in literary fiction & deserve to be recognized as such. As I read across several genres, there are several that are close to my heart, but if (cont)

vivastory pressed I would say that my #favoritegenre is horror. Pictured are my favorite horror books I have read the past 4 years. #marchmagic @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs Linked is the recent Reading Glasses episode, the first part of which is about genre & how it often boils down to marketing. A very interesting episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KmYnAEpEUWbMoMH3zIIom
3mo
Reggie The Between 🖤🖤🖤 3mo
Eggs Beautiful covers 🖤💙🖤 3mo
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vivastory
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe | Carson McCullers
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Although I wrote an enthusiastic review upon finishing McCullers' book a little over a year ago, I haven't posted about it since. Since the title work struck a chord with me, it is perfect for #titlethatstartswithb Adapted into a film in '91, it seems to be McCuller's second most well known work. Although I am not yet a completionist, it is not really hard to see why. I read many novellas last year & this was one of the best. In my original (cont)

vivastory review posted on Litsy I wrote, “Ballad is a heartbreaking, outstanding work that has several characteristics in common with Heart is a Lonely Hunter while remaining distinct..“ I stand behind this completely. #marchmagic @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great review!! 📚🖤 3mo
Eggs Well done! 3mo
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vivastory
Good Behaviour | Molly Keane
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I have very very few books with #heartsoncover but the one I do is fantastic. Keane's Good Behaviour is a dark comedy of a character who very well might have killed with kindness. Aroon St. Charles is a fascinating complex character & despite the vitriol of her mother much is left unsaid in this chilling, effective novel. #NYRBBookClub for the win #marchmagic @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

jlhammar This is in my to-read stack for the month. Can‘t wait! 3mo
batsy Oh, what a book. Aroon is unforgettable. Hope you enjoy it @jlhammar ! 3mo
Eggs Great review👏🏻 3mo
LeahBergen Such a good read! 👍 3mo
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vivastory
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#weeklyreport
I had 1 DNF & 2 books read this week. I finally finished the audio of Born A Crime. Completely fantastic. Also read the tagged book. A graphic novel about 2 rats wandering through a labyrinth which is also a metaphorical labyrinth as it explores the philosophies of Sartre. Amusing & more informative than I expected. @cinfhen

Suet624 Trevor‘s mother. 💕💕💕 3mo
vivastory @Suet624 Absolutely agree. 💙 3mo
Bookzombie Born A Crime was excellent. I also love your picture/painting. 🙂 3mo
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Leftcoastzen I listened to Born a Crime on audio as well . Amazing story! 3mo
Cinfhen Born a Crime was my first audio and man did Trevor set the bar HIGH!!!!! Still my absolute FAVORITE AUDIOBOOK 3mo
vivastory @Bookzombie I found the painting in Google 📚☕ 3mo
vivastory @Leftcoastzen Hilarious and very moving book! 3mo
vivastory @Cinfhen I wish I listened to audio more than I do but it's only certain times while driving. Definitely glad that I went that route for this one, despite taking several weeks to finish 3mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown

Might fuck around & change my Litsy user name to Dr. Zeus. Thoughts? 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNT8IKr9mhM

JamieArc 🤣🤣. I‘d support that decision. Just make sure to carry around bags of kale with your books. 🙄 3mo
vivastory @JamieArc I'll need the energy! 🤣 3mo
merelybookish That's Zeuss with two Ss. 😜 3mo
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vivastory @merelybookish Clearly I'm high IQ stupid 😂 3mo
sarahbarnes He might be getting confused with Popeye. 💪🏼😂 3mo
vivastory @sarahbarnes I can see that 🤣 3mo
batsy I cannot believe this is real! 3mo
batsy (Woke High IQ Stupid is a great album name, though.) 3mo
vivastory @batsy That is a good album name. I think Bags of Kale would be a good name for an indie band. 3mo
batsy @vivastory Yes! (The Energy song off of Beyoncé's latest album started playing in my head while he ranted about kale 😂) 3mo
Bookwomble After watching that I felt I became slightly more Low IQ Stupid 🤤 3mo
The_Book_Ninja My stepdad asked me what “woke” was last year. I said, In a nutshell, when someone says it to your, they‘re about to say something racist, sexist or homophobic. I need to add Kale to that list. 3mo
Pikathulhu Aw beans, I forgot my Ziploc baggie of kale this morning! I knew something was off... 3mo
Branwen PLEASE do it! And don't forget your bag of kale! 😉 3mo
Leftcoastzen 😂🙄 3mo
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vivastory
Mousetrap | Agatha Christie
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1) After a recent discussion on Litsy my order of the tagged play arrived. I am very excited, esp as I have managed to avoid spoilers!
2) David Mitchell's “Slade House“ (A great design for a wonderful book)
3) Born A Crime, which I have managed to finish after 2 months on audio. Loved it. It's just that all of my audio was in snippets so it took forever. Still, I have been meaning to read forever & am so glad I did!
@rachelsbrittain
#weekendreads

rachelsbrittain Love Born a Crime! 3mo
youneverarrived Born a Crime is amazing on audio! 3mo
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vivastory
Disobedience: A Novel | Naomi Alderman
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A #lovetriangle plays an important role in the pictured books that I have read & loved. Love triangles are often associated with YA & I vaguely recall one somewhere in Shusterman's dark book Unwind, the first in his series. #marchmagic @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks My Sister is on my never ending tbr!! 💚🖤 3mo
vivastory @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It's a quick read but a memorable one! 3mo
Eggs Brilliant 👏🏻👏🏻 3mo
Rileytmurray Absolutely enjoyed the heck out of Unwind and can‘t wait to read the rest of the series!! 3mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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I love creating a playlist! My #independentwomen playlist consists of 35 songs I love by 34 women artists I admire (the list is bookended by one of the patron saints of rock 'n' roll). I aimed for an uptempo feeling for this list:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6DAHWZYUd0mc0sDc3DwIW8

TrishB Great list ♥️ 3mo
BarbaraBB Oh Scott, that list!! All my favorites are there. Kate and Sharon and Patti and Portishead… I can go on and on. Will be listening later this weekend! 3mo
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Cinfhen Patti Smith!!!! How did I leave her off my list?!?!??? Awesome playlist, Scott 3mo
IndoorDame Can‘t wait to listen to all these playlists ❤️ 3mo
TheKidUpstairs Great list 💗💗💗 3mo
Suet624 Fantastic! 3mo
Billypar This has so many favorites of mine - I counted 7 artists I've seen in concert 👩‍🎤 3mo
batsy What a fantastic list... A number of my faves in there but thanks for reminding me of Cibo Matto 💜 3mo
vivastory @Billypar I'm curious to know which ones & if any stood out! 3mo
vivastory @batsy I saw them live years & years ago twice. The first time Sean Lennon was the opening act 🤯 It was a smaller venue too so they were just kinda walking around with the audience beforehand 3mo
CBee LOVE this list 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3mo
CBee And Elastica!! I love them!! 3mo
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vivastory
Chicken with Plums | Marjane Satrapi
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A few books that I have read & loved over the years with musician MCs & music as a major theme, a couple of them with a speculative or paranormal bent. #marchmadness #involvesmusic @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

KathyWheeler I love Joe Hill. I also want to read Chicken With Plums. I may have to buy it though. My library has Persepolis but not this one. 3mo
batsy Loved Chicken with Plums 💜 3mo
vivastory @KathyWheeler I haven't read Hill in awhile now, I should pick up one of the few I have yet to read soon. Chicken & Plums is worth seeking out. I don't know if your library offers interlibrary loan, but you might be able to obtain it through them 3mo
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vivastory @batsy Such a wonderful artist/storyteller 3mo
KathyWheeler @vivastory Yeah, ILL is going to be my next step. 3mo
Eggs Well done💜🎶🤗 3mo
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vivastory
Old Man's War | John Scalzi
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Although I have posted about other scalzi books I have read, I have somehow never posted about this one. According to GR I read it a couple of years ago. I really ought to continue with the series as I did greatly enjoy it, like all other works by Scalzi that I have read. #marchmadness #mcolderthanyou @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

Texreader Love the quote! 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks That‘s my brain 😂😂😂 3mo
vivastory @Texreader @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It's becoming more & more relatable! 3mo
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batsy So true about the quote being increasingly relatable 😆 3mo
vivastory @batsy Fewer & fewer Fs to give 😂 3mo
Tamra Oh my gosh - YES! 😂 3mo
Tamra @vivastory 😆 totally! 3mo
Eggs How else can you have authentic discourse !?!?👏🏻👏🏻 @Texreader @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @batsy @vivastory @Tamra 3mo
Cathythoughts Love it 😳😂 3mo
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vivastory
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My admiration for Manguel is no secret, so when I ordered a previously owned copy it was quite the surprise to receive a signed edition. #marchmadness #specialedition @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @eggs

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awesome 👏🏻 💙 3mo
ozma.of.oz How cool! 💚 3mo
Eggs What a find!! 3mo
LeahBergen Lovely! 🥰 3mo
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vivastory
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A few #independetwomen who were trailblazers: Joan Didion, Tove Jansson, Susan Sontag, Toni Morrison, Kim Gordon, Michelle Yeoh.

Suet624 I had no idea that‘s what Tove looked like. 3mo
BarbaraBB Brilliant choices 🫶🏽 3mo
Cinfhen Excellent choices🤩 3mo
Branwen Perfect lineup! 💕 3mo
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vivastory
Wuthering Heights | Emily Brontee
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I noticed that this biopic of my favorite Bronte is playing this weekend. There doesn't seem to be a critical consensus. Any fans of WH or other Bronte novels see it and recommend?

KathyWheeler I haven‘t watched it yet but might eventually. It‘s interesting that there‘s no consensus about it. 3mo
Tamra I‘d love to see it! 3mo
mcctrish I think I remember seeing posts about this in the Fall. I‘m totally intrigued 3mo
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vivastory @KathyWheeler @tamra @mctrish I just bought a ticket for the Sunday matinee. I'll try to post my thoughts afterwards! 3mo
batsy What @Tamra said! I don't know if it'll ever show here unfortunately so I'll have to find some creative ways to watch it. Look forward to your thoughts! 3mo
anatrnd i haven't read her books, but i absolutely LOVED this movie, it was great! 3mo
vivastory @batsy It's so frustrating having to work around issues like that! Fingers crossed you find a way 3mo
vivastory @anatrnd Thanks for the feedback! Looking forward to it 3mo
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Born a Crime | Trevor Noah
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February '23 Wrap-Uo:
31 books read: 7 graphic novels, 5 books of essays, 2 novels, 3 poetry collections, 5 story collections, 1 design book, 6 novellas, 2 memoirs. Highlights are Born A Crime, Notes On Grief, Great Short Books, Stray Dog Cabaret, 97196 Words, In The Pines & Dirty Snow,

LeahBergen Nice! 👏 3mo
batsy That's right, Arthur! 😆 Impressive stats! 3mo
sarahbarnes Yes Arthur!! 😁😁 3mo
Reggie Great job! 3mo
Bookzombie Awesome! 3mo
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vivastory
Untitled | Unknown
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Not miffed, not livid, more along the lines of aggrieved after sitting through several hours of silly meetings today. I repeat the process tomorrow, which very well could result with me leaving the office afterwards in high dudgeon. Pray for me, friends.
#weirdwordswednesday @cbee

DivineDiana 🙏🏻 ☕️ 🙏🏻 (edited) 3mo
CBee My thoughts are with you, my friend 😅 3mo
JamieArc I feel your pain. 3mo
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🙏🏻🙏🏻 3mo
ShelleyBooksie I want a coffee cup that big! 3mo
Ruthiella So sorry! Stay caffeinated! 🙏 ☕️ 3mo
Leftcoastzen Ugggghhhhh! Stay sane & caffeinated my friend. 3mo
Tamra Ugh, meetings are not only exhausting but also unproductive. 😩 3mo
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick As someone whose week is largely about attending meetings that are 3% relevant to me, you have my sympathies. 3mo
LeahBergen Blergh! 3mo
batsy Double blergh! #AbolishWorkMeetings 3mo
Reggie Oh man, Scott. I hope it gets better. 3mo
vivastory @LeahBergen @batsy Blergh is perfect 😂 👏 3mo
vivastory @Reggie After 2 full days in the office I def look forward to being out in the community running appts. Lol. Hope your week is going well. 3mo
Reggie @vivastory so today, my dad and I laughed so hard because he said he had read this pretty good collection of Stephen King stories and then he started to describe one. And I‘m not a King completist but I‘ve read a lot of the short stories. So I asked him to show me the book cause none of it sounded familiar. It was a guy named Stephen R. King. Lol my poor dad, once I looked him up and we realized it wasn‘t the real SK we laughed so hard. 3mo
vivastory @Reggie 🤣😂 That reminds me of when SG Jones first made it big after The Only Good Indian & the confusion for many readers between him & prolific horror anthologist Stephen ones 3mo
vivastory *Jones 3mo
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