Why the Beach Boys Matter
Book
via Edelweiss "The musical, historical, and cultural argument for the centrality of the Beach...
Music criticism music history surf rock surf music pop music
Selfish Space edition
Tabletop Game
Only one astronaut can get home on the remaining oxygen supplies and you must battle against...
Veiled Planet (Hidden World Trilogy #1)
Book
She comes from a spacefaring race. His culture is bound to the earth. Is conflict inevitable or can...
Science Fiction Romantic Elements
China Room
Book
Longlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize, the breathtaking story of a woman and a man in pursuit of...
Historical fiction Literary fiction India
ClareR (5674 KP) rated Deacon King Kong in Books
Oct 27, 2021
They’re all such well-rounded, well-written, real characters, and it all played out in my head like a film (has this been optioned yet?!). I love it when a book does that.
They all seemed to be genuinely nice characters who are getting by as best they can in a culture where drugs are King and poor boys and men of colour are rarely given a chance in life.
Honestly, you should read it. Highly recommended.
ClareR (5674 KP) rated Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? in Books
Dec 17, 2022
I loved all the Nigerian culture, and I feel as though I’ve learnt a lot.
The relationship between Yinka and her friends was a bit puzzling at times, and she seemed to struggle to relate to them - and I think that may have been because she was struggling with her mental health, as well as the cultural expectations. Hence Yinka’s pressing need to find a date for her friends wedding (which sounds spectacular, by the way!).
I loved how Yinka grew up as a person as this book went on, and how the ending showed that this was a long term process.
Recommended!
Cozy Up to Blood
Book
Welcome to Belfry, Oregon—the home of Evenfall! Years ago, a series of sparkly vampire movies...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Christmas Past in Books
Dec 15, 2022 (Updated Dec 15, 2022)
This book is purely looking at the secular, pop culture celebration of Christmas, although the religious aspect does pop up occasionally, most noticeably in the chapter on “Silent Night.” A couple of chapters seem a bit vague, and the writing can be dry at times, but those are minor complaints. On the whole, this was a fascinating look at where our traditions came from, both those we still use today and those that have faded over time. I am not familiar with the author’s pod cast, but my understanding is much of this material first appeared there. As a Christmas lover, I enjoyed learning more about the holiday. If that’s you, you’ll enjoy this book as well.
The Garden Gnome (Theory of Magic #1)
Book
Where did magic go? Our world is defined by science, but history tells us that the world was once...
Contemporary Fantasy
The Sight of Heather
Book
For centuries, the fae folk and spae women of Scotland were feared – and persecuted. Life in...
Historical Fiction Women's Fiction Scottish Folklore