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I will read any book that presents either one specific story or consolidates a broad historical subject into roughly 300 pages and is presented in a paperback measuring like 8.25”x5.5”. Sometimes these become best sellers so you know the type: Devil in the White City. Killers of the Flower Moon. Things like that. But I’ve started branching out into even more culturally irrelevant subjects that I want to learn about and will probably never find occasion to discuss with anybody else. Two recent hits were Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands (Dan Jones) and Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe (Laurence Bergeren). Please alert me to any recommendations as I am always on the lookout for more!
Apr 26, 2022
Related Recs
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The 90s and what if we’re wrong are like easy reads general knowledge learn a bit about everything
When we cease to understand the world touches on four major discoveries kind of you learn a lot about a couple of things
The next American essay is a good collection / anthology of mostly non fiction I believe but I’m not positive
Non fiction like essay memoir type stuff I like
NB (nightmare brunette) by charlotte shane
The Richard hell memoir
Jul 5, 2024
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ok I love nonfiction (love to learn) some of my favorites are:
- anything by mary roach — she writes books on different niche science fields & her books are so informative in an approachable way that doesn't feel condescending and her books are just so fun! and interesting! I don’t think I can pick a favorite
- marilyn johnson — she writes books about different careers, my favorite of hers is dead beat (about obituary writers) but I also love this book is overdue! (about librarians)
- mediocre by ijeoma oluo — looks at the historical patterns of white men grasping onto their power in american culture ,, truly incredible read
- white trash by nancy isenberg — this one is DENSE but it looks at the history of white poor people and pulls back the curtain of classism in america and how it ties into racism, sexism, etc etc,, if you wanted more reasons to hate any historical american heroes this one is for you !
- odd girls and twilight lovers by lillian faderman — lillian faderman is an incredible lesbian historian and this book is such a beautiful humanizing ode to lesbian history in the US with a lot of interviews of older queer women and it holds suuuch an important place in my heart
Jan 22, 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
Top Recs from @alex-ross-perry
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This is hard to explain because it requires the understanding of what is was like for me to make several feature films for next to no money with a crew of friends who were being paid nothing, but it has become important to me to sometimes create work devoid of any financial consideration. I get asked to make music videos every so often and have not been paid for one in over four years. Which is fine. Doing something with the understanding that it is not a financial transaction, and thus ought to be categorized as “for the art” forces me to remind myself why I even ostensibly enjoy creating anything in the first place, which is increasingly easy to lose sight of considering the rotten and broken state of the industry in which I have chosen to work.
Apr 26, 2022
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I try to enjoy some junk food and drink soda every day, albeit in small quantities. Junk food and especially soda are wonderful treats, and the cultural drubbing they have taken in recent years really is a shame because there’s nothing more rewarding than a daily potato chip snack or perhaps a cold can of Dr. Pepper. They make these little cans of soda that are perfect for this. Herrs potato chips are of course the best, and I have made sure to feature them in many of my movies. I’ve also become fond of these Chippea puffs that are sort of like cheese balls.
Apr 26, 2022
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After rehabilitating my backyard a few summers ago, I wanted to reward myself by purchasing some unique and frightening statuary to decorate it with: durable, stone pieces that would thrive outside permanently and look peculiar to neighbors. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is not an especially robust market. The overlap between people who want a Hellraiser Cube made of stone and people who covet investment-piece outdoor décor is apparently me and me alone. However there are a few great etsy stores where I have bought a Cthulhu, a Pazuzu and a Baphomet made of very heavy stone that are still thriving outside among the ivy.
Apr 26, 2022