literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
A Lifetime of Magic
The year is 1997. The first Harry Potter book comes out and the world has no idea that it is about to be taken by storm. No one yet knows that J.K Rowling, a young woman from the United Kingdom, has just given life to one of the greatest literary phenomenons in history. That magic is yet to be discovered. Especially for three children all the way across the world in the small town of Englewood, Ohio. I was only four when that book was released. I have very little memory of it. I do, however, have memories of the way my brother's room smelled when I snuck into it. The way that the pictures on his walls—not at all appropriate for a child—made me giggle. I remember the way his blankets felt so much warmer than mine when I would snuggle up underneath them, and I remember the sound of him coming home, and trying to put everything back the way I found it before he could realize I had been there. My first emotional connection to the famous series lies here. In the shelved of my big brother's bunk bed. Years would come and this would continue, until I was finally caught pulling Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire down from those shelves in the year 2000. I was caught by my sister, with a wide smile on her face. The look of a big sister who knew undoubtedly that they had just caught their younger sibling red handed. She laughed and asked what I was doing and I sheepishly explained to her that I was here in our brothers room to sneak a peek at books. It was hardly the worst crime in history.
By Rachel Estep7 years ago in Geeks
An Open Love Letter to Holden Caulfield and 'The Catcher in the Rye'
When it isn’t busy being banned, The Catcher in the Rye is a novel that is commonly read in high school English classes, and for a good reason; it’s a literary masterpiece. But to teenagers, Holden Caulfield is like a familiar stranger caught up in the world of adolescence. His angst, which J.D. Salinger managed to capture so perfectly, is relatable between generations. We’re all restless, we’re all dissatisfied, and as Holden would say, we’re all tired of phonies. There comes a point in our lives where, suddenly, we are stuck in a purgatory between childhood and adulthood, but we aren’t craving the adult life; we’re craving the choice to be who we want to be and to escape it all.
By Victoria Brown7 years ago in Geeks
'Nothing to See Here' by Gabriel Hart
There’s a timbre that kicks and spits throughout Gabe Hart’s city-boy-death-knell, Nothing to See Here, his new "novelette" (chapbook?). It rumbles in a plaintive prose akin to the mid-tempo reflections of the outlaw country music of yesteryear. Similarly, he's gifted with an almost unnerving plain-speak, wrought with the rough and tumble of crooked Americana. And like all good country music, NTSH yearns for some sort of redemptive resolve. It’s fitting, then, that this testimonial rhythm would birth from a crooner-come-author such as Hart.
By Keats Ross7 years ago in Geeks
Marjorie Maddox Tunes in to Tragedy
Marjorie Maddox's 2013 publication Local News from Someplace Else, published through Wipf and Stock, examines wanton destruction and new life as it tries to shoulder its way around old disasters. Through her precise, investigative language, (which will cause readers to imagine a reporter is diligently sharing tragic details with them) Maddox provides a chronicle of history. At the same time her work realizes that the past must be moved aside in order to gain access to the rewards of the future.
By Laura DiNovis Berry8 years ago in Geeks
John Green Brings a Sense of Reality to Fictional Novels
The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, and Turtles All the Way Down are among my favorite books, all written by John Green. My first introduction to John Green was through my history class while watching his crash course videos. The way he would explain things was so compelling and intriguing. Later, after doing some research I read these three books and was amazed, each written with a truly different kind of love story that immediately drew me in. (Beware this post does contain a few spoilers*)
By Olivianna Angulo8 years ago in Geeks
Rick Riordan: God of Representation
Since the age of 12 I have been obsessed with the Percy Jackson series, and every other mythology series Riordan has released since. Not only does this author’s books have gripping storylines that are entertaining for children (and adults alike), the characters involved in these stories also educate the readers about different cultures, sexualities, genders and races. Riordan’s work has become so important to some readers that in social media sites such as Instagram there are pages dedicated to readers cosplaying his characters as they identify with them so much.
By Leigh Hooper8 years ago in Geeks
Why Are You Ranking: Most Stirring Ideas from the Novel 'Invisible Man' Listed from Pensive to Reflective ***(Spoilers Abound)***
There is no such thing as black excellence. There is only excellence found in an individual who just might have a darker pigment than someone else. Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man (1952) strikes some of the right chords as far as novels go. No, that’s an understatement. The novel is a marvelous piece of imagination and spirit. Each scene delves deeper into the marrow of race and racism in the United States of America. With stellar prose, Ellison weaves a tapestry of confusion, identity, collectivism, individuality, and surrender. Though seen as a work for advancing the ideals of Marxism, the book shows the disillusionment which follows when one joins tribalist gangs. Blackness is used as an extended metaphor throughout the work. It represents the narrator’s susceptibility, bewilderment, and sadly, a sort of sustained defeat. The talk today about privilege and excellence fails to show how there is only American exceptionalism. Mr. Ellison downplays the grandeur and glory of America and reduces the nation to a pressure cooker that blows its lid and illustrates whether the narrator can (or should) clean up the mess. Now, over half a century later, this novel still resonates for its poetic force and indelible substance and style, Ellison’s luminous tome outlining the aspects of what it means to (happen to) be black, gifted, and undercover. So, get your boxing gloves and pure white paint for, Why Are You Ranking: Most Stirring Ideas from the Novel 'Invisible Man' Listed from Pensive to Reflective.
By Skyler Saunders8 years ago in Geeks
'As You Wish'
What makes a tale timeless? What makes a book or a movie or any other work of heart so special that it bridges any an all generation gaps? The answer is, that there is no answer. However, the untold adventures and memories of such epic moments in our lives help to make it so important. They are stories that need to be told, stories that deserved to be told.
By Erika Farrah8 years ago in Geeks
We Need to Talk About Daisy Buchanan and Why She’s the Worst
Let me start this off with a quick disclaimer: I know I’m going to get hate for making such a bold statement. I know this because nearly everyone, nay—every female I’ve ever come across who has read or seen The Great Gatsby LOVES Daisy—whether it’s for her fashion, speech pattern, or simply because Carey Mulligan’s performance was so convincing. With that said, if you like Daisy, then you like Daisy. That’s awesome. Cool. Great. I used to like Daisy Buchanan, but the more I fell in love with her the more I began to realize that she’s a trash human.
By dorothy callahan8 years ago in Geeks
'Ash Princess'
"I will not anger the Kaiser and he will keep me alive." Imagine if the greatest thing you could do with your life is to survive, to live. Imagine if in order to do that you had to hide your true self and take on the identity and persona forced upon you. For 6-year-old Princess Theodosia of the island nation Astrea, this is what she must do. At age 6, a warrior race known as the Kalovaxians have invaded her home, killed her mother, the fire queen, and forced young Theodosia to take on the name of Lady Thora, the Ash Princess.
By Erika Farrah8 years ago in Geeks
10 Underrated Fantasy Books for Children and Young Adults
Is that young person in your life suffering from post-Harry Potter reading blues? Do they want something to read that's just as magical and fantastic as The Chronicles of Narnia or Alice in Wonderland? I've got the fix for you. These are all books I read and loved growing up, and you might not have heard of them. From youngest to oldest in reading level, here are ten underrated fantasy books for children and young adults.
By Tonya Hunt8 years ago in Geeks
