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19th-century America has captivated me in the last couple of years. Most recently I read, Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne. It’s about the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. It also tells the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was kidnapped by Comanches as a nine-year-old girl, and her mixed-blood son Quannah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches.Also just finished, Nothing Like It In the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869. By Stephen Ambrose.
May 30, 2023
Related Recs
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I'd like to recommend that you do not read these books:
— Betty Zane
— Spirit of the Border
— The Last Trail
Written over a hundred years about the early American frontier in 1780s Ohio, they contain unpleasant stereotypes about native peoples and lots of other problematic content.
But for those who disregard my recommendation against them: you may find these to be thrilling stories of courage, romance, and pioneering adventure. Or you may find them to dry, narrow, and bland.
Jan 29, 2025
Some faves:
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib. He's one of my absolute favorite writers. I'm listening to his new book, There's Always This Year, and I swear he just gets better.
I also liked The Pink Line: The World's Queer Frontiers by Mark Gevisser. Though I think it gets into a little appropriation from the author towards the end, it was an incredibly eye-opening book for me about the rich world of queerness and gender beyond the Western binary around the world.
Trouble Boys by Bob Mehr is THE account of The Replacements, and Mehr pulls no punches with recounting the band members' lowest points, even as it's clear how much he admires their artistry.
Feb 20, 2025
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Partially adhd, partially the fact that all the library holds have a habit of coming in at the same time.
Loved and Missed - Susie Boyt. Short British novel with a strange and sardonic voice unlike anything I’ve read before.
What will the world look like whwn all the water leaves us - Laura van den Berg. Ethereal short stories with a running thread of the monstrous. Pretty sure I got that rec here so thank you if you’re responsible for this!
Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver. Was super skeptical about this but so many people have recommended it at this point I gotta start.
Hella Town - Mitchell Schwarzer. Recent history of the planning and development of Oakland. I whip this out every time I’m over there, but can really only get into the groove in situ, so probably won’t crack it again until I’m back.
Jul 17, 2024
Top Recs from @jeff-kite
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French Prog Rock from 1979. Are you naked yet? Very little is written about this extremely weird and cool record. I randomly got this on vinyl a long time ago, not knowing what it was, and it has become impossible to find anywhere except of course— someone loaded it onto YouTube a while ago. The magic comes from the DIY nerd-flow of melodic ideas, the bedroom-album ambition, the tactile energy of the tones, and BONUS: there is limited Muso-Overplaying that so much Prog Music gets defined by. It sounds like 1779 had sex with 1979 on a bed of Parisian cassettes.
May 30, 2023
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Scrolling through some of my recently watched…Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)16th century conquistadores driven to madness in the Andes. You can tell that these dudes were in the shit while filming. Always thought of this film as the original Apocalypse Now. Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski. Good stuff.Badlands (1973)Seen It many times. Timeless visual beauty and performance chemistry between Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Terrence Malick’s directorial debut. Love it.Network (1976)This screened the other night in LA while I was out of town so I rented it for the twentieth time. As relevant now as it was then. A stone-cold masterpiece. Paddy Chayefsky won an Oscar for screenplay, but it lost best picture to Rocky. Taxi Driver was also nominated. What a year!Tess (1979)Just saw this for the first time. One of Polanski’s best. Feel like he was inspired by Barry Lyndon.Year of the Jellyfish (1984)A French friend recommended this one. I think it’s kind of cherished by some as a trashy cult classic. But if you’re looking for a film full of gorgeous, topless French women on vacation in San Tropez in the 1980s, this is for you!The West (miniseries) (1996)I rewatch Ken Burns documentaries all the time. Jazz, Country Music, Baseball, Lewis & Clark, all of them. I’ve seen each one multiple times. The West is remarkable. A comprehensive deep dive into 19th century American history. 20-hours replete with unmistakable, soothing Burns-esque narration and somber songs of the old American frontier. Fascinating, harsh and profoundly sad.
May 30, 2023
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This trilogy is one of the most interesting and ambitious things I’ve ever read. The scale of the story consistently expands, and there is unique profundity to the concepts that the author introduces. It leaves you contemplating the depth of our place in the universe, and the philosophies upon which we entrust ourselves to evolve further into the unknown. It's going to be a Netflix series soon, so read it before it gets ruined by Corporate Money Goblins!
May 30, 2023