Welcome to Litsy!

I‘m not 100% sure what I just read, but I enjoyed it anyway...somehow...? It‘s a series of linked monologues/short stories told by superheroes on their lunch break. There‘s cultural critique and some satire, I just went with the flow!

I‘ve read this twice now. (Rereading stuff: sure it takes time, but it is so worth it.) Loved it initially, but with the second go-through I find myself appreciating it even more. It‘s written with a cutting sense of humor and a sharp intelligence, in this exploration of how to reconcile ourselves and our humanity amidst the relentless and forceful system we have no option but to navigate within.

In fact, all the comic-book shops in the world are really just one essential place, and their entrances but doors to a single coincidence. That‘s why you always see there, no matter where you are, the same dreamy, awkward clientele.

Hard to keep track of what is exactly going on; so instead what I did is not bother trying and let the scenes wash over me.

Loved it. I got so much out of it; especially, for some reason, the smaller sidebar sentences.

It‘s definitely postmodern (or something) progressive not really aiming to crowd please. I‘ll probably read it again eventually.

“Take your breaks and do your sketches and read poetry chapbooks at Wendy‘s, Burger King, and McDonald‘s, especially.”

Me...

#BookHaul

The last Hamid for me from his backlist and a book brought to my attention by this year‘s Tournament of Books #BookHaul #TOB2018

Today it is Manhattan Beach versus Dear Cyborgs in the #ToB.
I have only read the latter and bailed on it. Other people seem to love it though. About the Egan I have heard mixed reviews as well. So I have no clue who is going to be today‘s winner, especially not as the judges are so unpredictable this year. Looking forward to their thoughts!

Loving this year‘s Tournament of Books so far!!! #TOB2018 #TOB #TOB18

Here‘s tomorrow‘s matchup. Will they keep on keeping on with the shakeups?

I‘m betting on it. And, although I think the cover is a yawn, my pick is Dear Cyborgs.

This is a fragmented, sometimes confusing, but always compelling novel that is impossible to summarize here. Lim raises important questions about the nature and purpose of art and protest, but doesn‘t try to answer those questions, because of course no one can. I‘ll spoiler tag in the comments a section that I‘m not clear on so hopefully some of you can help me out! #TOB2018 #TOB18

I'm not sure how to review this. An anti-novel that fuses genre tropes from SF & mysteries with philosophy? A novel in essays? I think @Reggie 's review succinctly summarises the novels main concerns about protest, capitalism, & art in these shitty times. In terms of its tone, it perfectly captures our internet addled era. I think it's an attempt to write a political novel in a way that is relevant to how information is disseminated now. ⬇️

This is a weird book I thought I would hate, but I'm loving it in all its weirdness and I'm highlighting huge chunks. All the feels for this section on what the marketplace expects from its writers of colour and certain sellable patterns in "immigrant fiction."

#mood #QuotsyFeb18 @TK-421

Tournament of Books book #3 was a success! "Dear Cyborgs" is unlike any other book you've read. It's got a unique structure with alternating chapters between parallel universes (or maybe past and future?) and a team of superheroes detailing their covert missions but also drinking lemonade and pondering existence in a very "Republic"-esque way. It's weird and confusing, but amazing.
Check out my full review here: lyssamariereads.wordpress.com

Hmm. I don‘t quite know what to make of this. For such a short book, it took me several days to read. It felt incoherent much of the time, which generally annoys me. And I WAS annoyed much of the time, but I also found particular passages to be so full of truth and insight. The book didn‘t come together for me as a novel, but I can see a glimpse of why some might love it. #tob18

A little school pickup line reading. Almost done!!

Oh yeah. I‘m constantly, distractedly “multi-tasking” on my phone. It needs to stop. Or, well, at least decrease. 😉

Basically this is just a story about some people telling each other unbelievable stories. Then again, they are superheroes, of course... Not for me though. I didn‘t care about them and found the writing style so far-fetching. Maybe there‘ll be an interesting discussion about it during the #ToB18 but until then I don‘t think it‘s worth my time.

(pic: hiking weekend with my bff‘s, the Netherlands from North to South, part 4!)

I absolutely hated this book. I didn‘t “get” it. Not for me.

It‘s a shame since there are several excellent talking points and yet as a whole it‘s loathsome because of the random, unknowable people presenting their opinions or absurd experiences before the scene ends suddenly sans resolution, explanation, or counter arguments. I guess it was trying something similar to Sellout by Paul Beatty— but not in a cohesive way.

My bath is my escape from daily life. It is also the perfect place to start a new book - undisturbed.
Starting this one, the bath comes in handy: I have no idea what it is happening in this book and need to focus 😀!
It will be my sixth of the #ToB shortlist and I am really looking forward to it, thanks to the reviews of @Reggie and @vivastory !

#TournamentOfBooks

Ms. Mistleto, the villain of Agents of Chaos, demands Robert Rauschenberg's "Canyon" as a down payment until her other demands, nuclear disarmament & single payer healthcare among them, are met. Rauschenberg's work, a painting with sculptural elements is the perfect metaphor for Lim's book. Hybrid of graphic novel action, political & economical criticism, forms of resistance & monologues about solitude & art. It all strangely works.

My Favorite Books of 2017

11. Dear Cyborgs by Eugene Lin. I would have loved this book if it were simply its story of two Asian-American boys and their coming of age in the Midwest, but we get to discuss philosophy, race, and resistance using superheroes and comics on top of that.

#KennyCobleBookAwards

Shoutout to whoever posted the Tournament of Books list the other day because that‘s where I got this gem from. My advice, don‘t read the blurb, just dive in. It‘s short. When I finished with it today, I wanted to smoke a cigarette (I don‘t smoke), and have a drink (I don‘t drink) and then I wanted to crash my car over the bridge into a river. Lololol maybe not that last one. This is different perspectives about protest, the many demon-👇🏼

The kids in the first chapter do acid, and after I finished reading this chapter, which happens way later, I wondered if I also took acid. This whole book has been quite the trip. The chapter is about Frank who dreams about his son who morphs into his dead childhood friend, Vu, who walks then flies with him while telling him about how he worked for an artist who only allowed 12 paintings of hers to exist at a time, then fired him.

I've been hearing great things about Dear Cyborgs for months now, but about a quarter of the way in, I pulled the #Overdrive plug. More than anything I was confused, not able to keep track of when/where scenes were taking place. I get the impression that this one works far better as a physical--rather than audio--read, & I plan to try again when a physical library copy is available. #DNF #tryagainlater #audiobook #greatexpectations

2017 #126 short story audio that was the weirdest trip on a bad tab of acid into extensional humanitarian introspection that I have ever experienced. All the while constantly feeling like this had to be translated poorly from a culture with a much deeper love of philosophy than here in the US. I get it I think but all I can think to say is Dave's not here man.

I can't wait to read this I can't wait to read this I can't wait to read this

(In bookstores tomorrow)

Not sci-fi... Not polemic... But super smart and fun and strange. It's an exploration of art and creativity and activism, and how these interact with technology in the Internet age.

YASSSSSSSSSSSSS. 💗🤘🏻📚