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DarkMatterZine

@DarkMatterZine@mastodon.social

DMZ interviews authors, actors, musicians and SFX people between reviews. Darkmatterzine on Threads.

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CultureDesk , to bookstodon
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When the Western world talks about World War II, it mostly means the European conflict. "Present-day American public debates remain largely ill-informed about Asian politics and history," author Gary J. Bass says. For LitHub, he created a reading list of well-researched, fair-minded books that center the Asian experience, including "Hiroshima Notes" by Kenzaburo Oe and "Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II" by Rana Mitter.

https://flip.it/XBR1Xg

@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@CultureDesk @bookstodon Tbh I don’t think I ever knew China was involved but I grew up in the shadow of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we had to study the impact of a nuclear bomb on the human body etc for grade 10. Gave me nightmares for years. Plus there were all those movies.

julieofthespirits , to bookstodon Spanish
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Season of the Witch: The Book of Goth - Cathi Unsworth

SPOOKY RECOMMENDATION

This new book traces the history of goth (primarily in the UK, with some detours into Australia and the US) against the backdrop of the social history of the Thatcher years, intertwining the history of Marc Almond and Soft Cell with that of the HIV epidemic and Section 28, recalling the roots of the Sisters of Mercy in the more politically-committed scene that gave the world Gang of Four and the Mekons, or the story of the miners' union running through the whole narrative

One of the things I liked about this book was also that it incorporates a lot of bands that aren't really considered goth per se, from The Mob to the Cardiacs. I don't really see it with the Cardiacs, but I love the idea of thinking of The Mob as a goth band - I had always seen them as "depressive anarchopunk" - they're one of my favorite bands, and there is definitely a certain something there that's kind of gothy

One weakness I'd say is that, in its zeal to present goth as a sort of resistance to Thatcherism, it avoids exploring neofolk, because that would trouble the narrative. And while not all neofolk is fascist (Legendary Pink Dots are lefties), a lot of the founding bands either are (Di6, Sol Invictus) or flirted with certain fascist ideas at one point, even if they later abandoned them (C93). A lot of bands that are very very close to this scene but just outside of it, such as the Lemon Kittens, Nurse With Wound, or Theatre of Hate, are profiled here, so the avoidance feels intentional. And sure, I can understand why someone would not want to profile Death in June out of personal distate or to not give them oxygen, but it is still part of the story of goth, the subculture has its dark side and it's worth acknowledging

At the end of the day, a music book is worth reading if it gets you to revisit records you haven't listened to in a while and hear them with new ears, or turn you on to new music. And I had never really gotten into New Model Army before, and now I love them

@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@julieofthespirits @bookstodon That’s fascinating. Would you say Garbage is goth then?

DarkMatterZine ,
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@julieofthespirits @bookstodon Interesting. I like them too, but I’m fairly oblivious to genre classifications so I wondered.

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Horror fans! George Romero’s “apprentice” John Harrison is not only still working in TV and movies but he’s written a book. with John talking to DMZ here https://www.darkmatterzine.com/john-harrison/ @bookstodon

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Are you into fairy tales for adults? What about this Hansel and Gretel grown up After The Forest, dealing with PTSD and other issues?
I chatted to author Kell Woods. https://www.darkmatterzine.com/kell-woods/ @bookstodon

ronsboy67 , to bookstodon
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OK, it's official - 37% in and I love @scalzi KPS. Even if the last 2/3 is worse than anything Dan Brown ever inflicted on the world, the sheer delight of seeing a Māori character using the Māori name for his homeland in a book written by someone neither tangata whenua nor tangata Tiriti guarantees KPS a whole heap of aroha from me. @bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@ronsboy67 @scalzi @bookstodon Sounds good but I recommend caution. I would have given Locked In 5 stars except Scalzi ended with “and all the disabled could have been ‘cured’ and made ‘normal’ if they wanted” that, as a person with disability who’s suffered from that trope my whole fucking life I would like to burn in the deepest hottest fires of hell.
Compromise: I gave it 4 stars with a caveat.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@ronsboy67 @scalzi @bookstodon Oh I’d accept a fix stat, although I have a story idea about that which is quite counter. OMG if I could have accepted a fix at birth my life would have been COMPLETELY different. The problem is “You wear glasses so obvs medicine fixed your eyes” “but medicine fixes vision problems SO YOU’RE FAKING or IT’S BY CHOICE” etc. I’ve had EVERY version of that you can imagine.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@ronsboy67 @scalzi @bookstodon Which is WHY that trope is so problematic: it enforces the idea that disability is faked or by choice. Instead, to be truly disabled it’s permanent and not by choice. Don’t know how you deal with eg beggars who (not sure if true) had multiple amputations to improve begging prospects in developing countries. Now I suspect probably landmines or disease but there are these persisting myths.

appassionato , to bookstodon
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The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging

What happens to all of us when 65 is merely a life half-lived?By 2050, the world’s centenarian population—those aged 100 or more—will increase eightfold. Half of today’s 5-year-olds can expect to reach the same heights.

The Big 100 confronts readers with both the brightness and potential bleakness of a fate few of us thought possible.

@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@appassionato @bookstodon For the last few years the average life expectancy has gone DOWN in many/most countries. I don’t think you need to worry about an average age of 100.

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Horror creator John Harrison used to work with Romero. Now he’s a solo author with an epic CV in TV and movies. https://www.darkmatterzine.com/john-harrison/ @bookstodon

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Former Romero apprentice John Harrison talks about his journey from Romero to solo author in this @bookstodon https://www.darkmatterzine.com/john-harrison/

MarianHellema , to bookstodon Dutch
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@bookstodon

The Man Who Died Twice
by
Richard Osman

This book is so much fun, just like Osman's first one about a group of elderly people solving murders.

The plot is nicely surprising. But just like all good detectives/thrillers it's not really about the plot. It's the wonderful characters and dialogues that make it so good.

Looking forward to the third and fourth of the Thursday Murder Club series.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@MarianHellema @bookstodon I listened to that on audiobook and loved it. Not sure about getting the next one though: apparently the narrator is a man instead of the perfect (woman) narrator who did the first 2. I don’t think I can switch.

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Reeling after a member of Israel’s Defense Force effectively labelled Greta Thunberg a terrorist. This reaction is why I think books like The Sword Catcher are problematic: we need nuance and realistic complications not “Israel as innocent victim”. https://www.darkmatterzine.com/sword-catcher/ @bookstodon

Narayoni , to bookstodon
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Now that's exactly what I have always believed... My moral code in a nutshell, simple and to the point,with religion having nothing to do with it:
"What have I always believed?
That on the whole, and by and large, if a man lived properly, not according to what any priests said, but according to what seemed decent and honest inside, then it would, at the end, more or less, turn out all right."
by @bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@Narayoni @bookstodon IMO every religious person should read Small Gods. And it should be compulsory reading for every single person employed by a religious organisation to “do religion”. The world would be a better place.

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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I wrote a of a written by a Jew and a Muslim. The Promise.

https://www.darkmatterzine.com/the-promise/

@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Starling House by Alix E Harrow is out and I wrote a . https://www.darkmatterzine.com/starling-house/
@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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If you go down to the woods today, be sure to listen to Kell Woods talk about her Hansel and Gretel all grown up dark fairytale for adults in this https://www.darkmatterzine.com/kell-woods/
@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon It is indeed! So glad others share my love of this book

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@kimlockhartga @bookstodon Don’t just hope, go and talk to them. Often libraries are influenced by requests. The more requests for a specific book, the more likely they are to buy it.
Also cough it’s possible it will become a banned book, which may mean it’ll be available electronically via certain libraries working to subvert book bans.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon Oh the woes of insufficient bookshelf space!

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon I never thought there was any such thing as “too many books” until I started reviewing. Since then I’ve given away a few thousand $ of books at least, in many directions. However, I keep the ones I absolutely love or those I consider “significant” for some reason. And those I’m trying to force myself to read to eviscerate in a blog about ableist authors. That’s my “yuck” pile.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon I get both. I never even try with Edelweiss because in my experience it doesn’t work. I hate Netgalley because it’s too much effort then they remove the books at arbitrary deadlines while demanding reviews before I’ve finished. For ebooks, I want them emailed to me. I can read paper but not how you think. So it’s complicated.

DarkMatterZine , to bookstodon
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Bookish people: I’m making bookmarks as a kind of business card that hopefully people will keep.
What are your favourite dimensions for a bookmark?
Do you like ribbon or thread from a circle cut in the top or do you prefer bookmarks that are just a rectangle of eg paper?
Would you use a handmade one-of-a-kind bookmark? (Website details in a small space on one side, the rest would be pretty, have anything from pop culture icons to scenes or florals.)
@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@AaronDavid @bookstodon Thanks. I find regular business cards are easy to lose and forget about, when I receive them. I enjoy making cards, have long thought that the best use for a card is as a bookmark (longer life than as only a shelf decoration). So I’m thinking about possibilities.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@peachfront @bookstodon Interesting. Thanks for your feedback. I’m getting a vibe that some should have tassels and some shouldn’t so people can choose according to their preference.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@BaconSmith @bookstodon Oh yes. A lot of people who do cardmaking add a lot of “bling”, which I think renders their creations as “not bookmarks”. I’ve made business card sizes that are a few sheets of cardstock thick, substantial enough to last but I’m not sure about them in bookmark sizes though. I guess it depends if you want to wedge it RIGHT in to the gutter or if you’re ok sliding it in near the gutter. I’ll have to ponder that.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@BaconSmith @bookstodon It’s a shame that they closed. Lovely that you still have the bookmarks. Do you have any idea how thick they are? gsm guess or anything?

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@AaronDavid @bookstodon Yes! I still have bookmarks from decades ago. Some got really tatty, some got lost but generally I’ve kept them.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@anabana @bookstodon Your feedback is really specific, which is great. I’m really surprised at the size you like though. Not critical but surprised. That’s smaller than an ATC card (ATCs are roughly business card size). But that has possibilities. Like a single flower, a dog “peeking” over the edge, that kind of thing.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@anabana @bookstodon I enjoy humorous bookish quotes too. Your comment about threads: I bought a metal bookmark (kind of thought it was too thick but it’s been ok) and it had ribbon, thread and beads hanging off the end so it tucks in neatly with lots of external “spill”. Although I love that bookmark (think it’s in the boxes I haven’t unpacked), it’s also very irritating. Back when I could read paper books without disability access, I couldn’t use that bookmark when out & about.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@diazona @bookstodon Interesting thought re the “knob” or handle. Very interesting. I’ll have to ponder that. I agree regarding the height: any size bookmark is fine if the book just sits on the bedside table but if you’re carting it around it needs more height, which also means the closed book “grabs” it more, preventing it from falling out.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@diazona @bookstodon what about a bookmark with another smaller piece of paper partially glued on so a page/few pages of the book can slide between the bookmark proper and the added paper? Not explaining it well, sorry.

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@anabana @bookstodon A few years ago I made a Christmas card you would have enjoyed. Tree lying on its side, wrecked, paw prints leading to a dog half off the card (he was leaving the scene of the crime).

DarkMatterZine OP ,
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@anabana @bookstodon IMO cats destroying Christmas trees would be another good one. Thanks for the feedback. I have lots of ideas for bookmarks.

kimlockhartga , to bookstodon
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@bookstodon Tomorrow (today in Australia and New Zealand) is Awareness Day. What really good novels have you read that feature older protagonists?

These come to my mind:

Remnant Population, Elizabeth Moon

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, Olga Tokarczuk

Deacon King Kong, James McBride

We Spread, Iain Reid

Old God's Time, Sebastian Barry

DarkMatterZine ,
@DarkMatterZine@mastodon.social avatar

@kimlockhartga @bookstodon
The Change by Kirsten Miller. Menopause is a SUPERPOWER in this magical realism revenge fic vigilante justice novel. here https://www.darkmatterzine.com/the-change-by-kirsten-miller/ and I talked to the author in this https://www.darkmatterzine.com/kirsten-miller-on-witches-women-and-justice/

DarkMatterZine ,
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@kimlockhartga @bookstodon
Blackthorn and Grim trilogy by Juliet Marillier. they read as if they’re at least in their 40s until the end when the publisher canceled the series because “older protags aren’t popular”. here https://www.darkmatterzine.com/dreamers-pool/
interview of author here https://www.darkmatterzine.com/juliet-marillier/

DarkMatterZine ,
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@kimlockhartga @bookstodon Me too! I received the paper book free as a review copy then bought the audiobook, listened to it twice back to back then had to force myself to move on. Time for a re-listen I think!

DarkMatterZine ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon The narrator, January Mcavoy (? Might not be 100% correct re name) is SO KICK ASS that it’s almost at the level of a dramatisation. SHE IS BRILLIANT.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon Yes! What amazes me is she doesn’t confuse her voices, EVER, unlike other narrators. Current listen is a good narrator but sometimes he confuses the voices. Lavoy is EXCELLENT.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon Isn’t Harriet just FABULOUS? I want to be like her but know I will never get there. But oh, what a role model.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@jillrhudy @kimlockhartga @bookstodon Haven’t read it, suspect I should!

DocCarms , to bookstodon
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There was a poll that stated—Rowling’s opening line in the HP series is one of best in the world. Someone posted about how there are a bunch of other opening statements that are better.

Here’s one of my personal favorites, from Gabriel Garcia Marquez (English translated):
“It is inevitable. The scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.”

What are some of your favorite opening lines in literature? 😊
@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@Montaagge @bookstodon I have a couple of thoughts.
One of my fave opening lines is “The building was on fire but it wasn’t his fault”. Not the best literature but fun IMO. Also I don’t care what gets you reading, anything is a “real” book even comics, just read. And keep reading.
Also kids who grew up with HP are, according to research, more accepting. Definitely more accepting than the author. I guess they missed her promotion of bigotry in the books. .

DarkMatterZine ,
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@Montaagge Goblet saw the end of Rowling being edited IMO. However, research shows the kids who love the books weren’t brainwashed by the author’s bad ideology. And I didn’t say “keep reading rowling”, I said “keep reading”.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@Montaagge @bookstodon Fifty shades of excrement, yeah I get it. I think you’re underestimating people though. Sure, some are too fixated to broaden their horizons but try going to a cosplay event eg supanova, see the HP cosplayers asking different authors to sign other books.

DarkMatterZine ,
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@mojala @Montaagge @bookstodon I’ve read a few Iain Banks but pretty sure not that one. Now I need to.

templetongate , to bookstodon
@templetongate@mastodonbooks.net avatar

My latest review is for the fourth novella in Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle, but since I wasn't on Mastodon last year, this link covers the series to date, and there will be another one out next May. Highly recommended.

http://templetongate.net/singing-hills.htm

@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@templetongate @bookstodon tried to read that review. Not happening. Wow that page is busy and hard to read. Glad you enjoy the books

gabriel , to bookstodon
@gabriel@col.social avatar

@bookstodon

I've just finished "all the light we cannot see". It follows two kids, german orphan, and a blind french girl, in parallel, while their lives get derrailed by the war. Somehow they manage to be true to themselves among the mayhem. Starts slow, but picks up speed. I loved It.

¿How did you liked it?

DarkMatterZine ,
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@jiujensu @gabriel @bookstodon You’re welcome. I loathe that book SO MUCH. Speaking as a person with albinism that was not as “severe” as the nazi had, but which fked my life due to the vision impairment that is part of it. And O.M.G. that poor blind girl, how her father abused her, and no one taught her how to cook or fend for herself. Somehow she magically knew - saw it while being blind? - how to cook etc when she was abandoned. So much hatred for a bigoted ableist story reenforcing bigotry.

thevglibrary , to bookstodon
@thevglibrary@mstdn.social avatar

No matter what language you speak, you'll find something to enjoy in !

🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 🇫🇮 🇩🇪 🇮🇹 🇳🇱 🇹🇷

👉 https://www.thevideogamelibrary.org/book/guinness-world-records-2018-gamer-s-edition

@bookstodon

DarkMatterZine ,
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@bunny @wendymetcalfe @l0ve30 @EclecticLee @negative12dollarbill @thevglibrary @bookstodon Are you saying “I need to read bad books so I can figure out why they’re bad”? because I’m down with that. I’ve learnt more about writing comparing good books with bad than just reading what I enjoy. (And sometimes I enjoy a trashy read.)

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