I’m sorry this is going to be pretentious because i didn’t read anything that wasn’t pretentious :‘(
But I read Lolita multiple times as a teen—the first time being in middle school—so that I could know the sexual predator (the natural enemy of the teenage girl) and see into their twisted delusions and justifications/learn to recognize their manipulation tactics. I truly think this paid off. But it was also my first Nabokov read and I fell in love with his beautiful prose—nobody does it like him! 🥲
Apr 27, 2024
Related Recs
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Obviously. Irrepressible in its lavishness…a novel of true decadence and maximalism. Featuring breathless, flushed sexuality, it is a revelation of the aesthetic charge of our bodies. I could list some quotes but the point is that reading it is an electrifying experience and if you feel it needs defending I point you towards Becca Rothfeld’s article ‘the Real Lolita’ in issue 20 of The Point.
Jan 28, 2024
Feb 19, 2025
- metafiction with a twist: the book presents as if it was a serious literary commentary (with footnotes and everything) of the last poem of a recently-murdered poet. but oh... never trust a nabokov narrator...
- perfect for internet sleuths, gossips, and folks who always think their partner is cheating on them and need another outlet for that energy: overthink this. it's how it's meant to be read. decode the footnotes, the glossary, the index, as well as the main text. really take your time with it. go on. you got the time clearly...
- raise eyebrows at the bus but only for good reasons: you can bring this baby outside no problem. get the sophistication of Nabokov without the "hmm reader with critical thinking skills or pedophile with no reading comprehension?" of Lolita.
💳 i'm a Bookshop.org affiliate so if u wanna purchase this book i suggest do it there and thru my affiliate link!
Oct 6, 2024
Top Recs from @taterhole
My dad teases me about how when I was a little kid, my favorite thing to do when I was on the landline phone with somebody—be it a relative or one of my best friends—was to breathlessly describe the things that were in my bedroom so that they could have a mental picture of everything I loved and chose to surround myself with, and where I sat at that moment in time. Perfectly Imperfect reminds me of that so thanks for always listening and for sharing with me too 💌
Feb 23, 2025
Schedule sent my resignation email for the morning, effective immediately ✅💅
Feb 27, 2025
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I’ve been thinking about how much of social media is centered around curating our self-image. When selfies first became popular, they were dismissed as vain and vapid—a critique often rooted in misogyny—but now, the way we craft our online selves feels more like creating monuments.
We try to signal our individuality, hoping to be seen and understood, but ironically, I think this widens the gap between how others perceive us and who we really are. Instead of fostering connection, it can invite projection and misinterpretation—preconceived notions, prefab labels, and stereotypes. Worse, individuality has become branded and commodified, reducing our identities to products for others to consume.
On most platforms, validation often comes from how well you can curate and present your image—selfies, aesthetic branding, and lifestyle content tend to dominate. High engagement is tied to visibility, not necessarily depth or substance. But I think spaces like PI.FYI show that there’s another way: where connection is built on shared ideas, tastes, and interests rather than surface-level content. It’s refreshing to be part of a community that values thoughts over optics.
By sharing so few images of myself, I’ve found that it gives others room to focus on my ideas and voice. When I do share an image, it feels intentional—something that contributes to the story I want to tell rather than defining it. Sharing less allows me to express who I am beyond appearance.
For women, especially, sharing less can be a radical act in a world where the default is to objectify ourselves. It resists the pressure to center appearance, focusing instead on what truly matters: our thoughts, voices, and authenticity. I’ve posted a handful of pictures of myself in 2,500 posts because I care more about showing who I am than how I look.
In trying to be seen, are we making it harder for others to truly know us? It’s a question worth considering.
Dec 27, 2024