User Profile

battlepoet Locked account

battlepoet@millefeuilles.cloud

Joined 2 years, 5 months ago

they/he pronouns

I like haiku, sci-fi, and fantasy.

This link opens in a pop-up window

Cedar McCloud: The Thread That Binds (EBook, 2021, Numinous Spirit Press) 5 stars

The books are restless.

At the Eternal Library, books are more than the paper, ink, …

Review of 'The Thread That Binds' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I couldn’t put this book down! If you want to read about queer magical librarians who are often asexual, this is for you. I loved the themes in this book: chosen family, healing from abuse, and unlearning perfectionism. I wanted to join this fam. Ugh. Looking forward to the prequel.

The Four Profound Weaves (2020, Tachyon Publications) 5 stars

Wind: To match one's body with one's heart

Sand: To take the bearer where they …

Review of 'The Four Profound Weaves' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Wow! I read this in one day--my day off. What a stunning read.

Update, 2021: What a delight. If you wanna read about platonic-friends! trans elders going on a fantastical adventure to accidentally-on-purpose fight against tyranny, read this. (I got an impulsive tattoo featuring the number 4 for this book!)

Ursula K. Le Guin: The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin (Hardcover, 2016, Gallery / Saga Press) 5 stars

Review of 'The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I was so glad to be exposed to so many short stories by such a beloved author of mine. I’ll admit, having read it, I need a break from reading LeGuin. It’ll be awhile before I pick up another one by her! Still, I was very thrilled to read her scifi stories, and realize more stories in the world of the Ekumen. This made me happy.

Paulo Freire: Pedagogy of the oppressed (2000, Continuum) 5 stars

Review of 'Pedagogy of the oppressed' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I got my own copy so I could scribble in it to my heart’s content. This is my second stab at reading this book. I feel more ready for it this time. For a year or more now, I’ve been feeling a profound urge to transform my teaching practice and I think critical pedagogy is going to point me in the right direction. So I am pretty excited. I am even managed to read this on my breaks at work! Actually reading the book was tough. I am not used to reading philosophy. I wish there were more examples, comments from peasants (his term, not mine), templates, or lesson plans. Friends have suggested reading works by Freirean scholars to get what I am looking for.

Nicholas Christopher: The bestiary (2007, Dial Press) 3 stars

A tale that is at once a fantastical historical mystery, a haunting love story, and …

Review of 'The bestiary' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A surreal adventure into the world of ancient animal bestiaries. I found it a bit slow at times, as the main character info-dumps a lot. He’s often on his own doing research, which frankly, did not make the book more exciting for me, no matter how excited the main character is about his research. Still, I am glad I finished this.

Blair Braverman: Welcome to the goddamn ice cube (2016) 4 stars

"A revelatory memoir of the author's efforts to develop the strength and resilience to survive …

Review of 'Welcome to the goddamn ice cube' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This was a great read! If you wanna read an engaging autobiography, pick this up! Braverman talks about her first few years of experience dogsledding. (!!!) Content warning: sexual violence, dudes being assholes.

Christine Wunnicke: The Fox and Dr. Shimamura (Paperback, 2019, New Directions) 3 stars

Review of 'The Fox and Dr. Shimamura' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I read this for the August Japanese Book Club at the Argo Bookshop. This was an interesting story about a doctor sent abroad after Japan opened itself up to the world. It was an odd tale about aging, folklore, and death. It’ll be worth a reread in the future to look for all the little nuggets left by the multiple unreliable narrators.