#52 Books

[catsbooksandbees]

Book 13 of 2022!

Maus by Art Spiegelman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist struggling to come to terms with his fathers story.

Content Warnings: violence, war, anti-semitism, child abuse, racism, police violence and police brutality, genocide, death, suicide, mental illness

What Did I Think?

Honestly, it feels strange to talk about a book like this the way I would with any others. It was powerful and at several times throughout I had to put the book down just to gather myself together and give myself a breather. It was intensely dark, raw, real and honest. The choice to make the Nazis cats and Jewish people mice was amazing. This was by far one of the most difficult and challenging things I’ve ever read but I think everyone should. It absolutely should be required school reading.

Prompts:

Popsugar - “A Social Horror Book”

52 Book Club Challenge - “A Non-Fiction Bestseller”

[ahobbitreads]

My 7 January reads!

[buried-in-stardust]

Buying Emperor's Smile (from Mo Dao Zu Shi) in the Gusu district of Suzhou, Jiangsu province. OP bought a jar of both 12% and 38%, and according to others who also bought it, it is a sour fruity wine, and because of the low alcohol content, the flavour of the baijiu is overpowered by the fruit flavour.

The shop is on Pingjiang Road (平江路), a historic district in Gusu. The street also has many other shops selling Emperor's Smile. Another street with shops selling Emperor's Smile is Shantang Street (山塘街), also in Gusu.

[eng by me]

One of the other shops (?) on Pingjiang Road offers both white and black jars

Copied from my reblog: I hear that there's a shop on Shantang Street that sells a 52% ABV Emperor's Smile and is a spicy baijiu, which would be far more accurate to the type of wine Wei Wuxian would have been drinking.

[dailydccomics]

Batwoman by J.H. Williams III

[oldfilmsflicker]

Y’all I’m so excited to reveal the cover of my book CINEMA HER WAY: VISIONARY FEMALE DIRECTORS IN THEIR OWN WORDS. I’ve been working on this project for three years now — which includes career-spanning interviews with 19 filmmakers — and we’re so close! It’s out in March, 2025 from Rizzoli Books and you can pre-order it here: https://bit.ly/CinemaHerWay

I’m so tired, but I’m also so hyped to share this beautiful book and the amazing stories these women shared with me with all of you.

[catastrophicalcat]

Bat-fam looking identical is one of my favorite genres

One element of Bat-lore which I adore is having the boys all looking identical. Bruce subconsciously imprints on kids who look like him, leading to great moments like this. Who is this? Thomas & Bruce? Bruce & Dick?

(Answer - Bruce & Tim, from Batman (2016) #147)

And who is this adorable scamp, running around exploring Gotham? Tim? Jason?

(Answer - Bruce! From Batman (2011) #11)

And who is this? Jason? Ric Grayson?

(Nope, it's Bruce with a shaved head from Batman (2011) #24

And then, of course, I love the notion of Damian - the lost little guy he is - realizing that he looks different from his brothers and dad, and trying to find his place....

(From Boy Wonder #1)

[shyjusticewarrior]

Hey, look at this panel

[deoidesign]

My comic is so pretty...

The hiatus is letting me take a little extra time on these episodes, and I'm definitely putting it to good use!!!

[michaeljoncarter]

the absolute state of dc right now is soooo funny but in like the bleakest way possible. feel like i'm watching a loved one die but in a really stupid loony tunes way that involves a giant mallet and like a falling piano or something

[hoopaworshiperlol]

NOOOOOOOO

[reedreadsbooks]

leave a more specific number in the tags if you want!

Update! i’ve made a version of this poll with smaller categories. you can vote on that here.

[catsbooksandbees]

Book 16 of 2022!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Doll Factory by Elisabeth Macneal

In 1850’s London, the Great Exhibition is being held in Hyde Park and, among the crowd, two people meet by happenstance. For Iris, it is a brief and forgettable moment. For Silas, a collected enchanted by things strange and beautiful, this marks a new beginning. When Iris is asked to model for Louis Frost, she agreed on the condition that he will also teach her to paint. Her world begins to expand beyond her wildest dreams, but she has no idea the dangers awaiting for her in the shadows.

Content Warnings: animal cruelty, kidnapping, animal death, murder, child death, death, excrement and cancer

What Did I Think?

This is not at all what I expected. I think what I wanted and expected from this was a Victorian London thriller but this focused a lot more on art and animal cruelty. I ended up finding it quite hard to enjoy. Also, the title is quite misleading, in my opinion. It was dark and pretty gross but if that’s your thing then you will love this!

Prompts

Popsugar - “A Book Set in Victorian Times”

52 Book Club Challenge - “From the Villain’s Perspective”

[astrobei]

on june 11th 1993, mike wheeler drags his vaguely amused (and highly endeared) boyfriend will byers to the movie theater, shells out for the largest size popcorn they have available, and gets 2 premium, middle-row seats to watch steven spielberg’s jurassic park

(he’s been vibrating with anticipation ever since the first trailer came out. he makes will go see it with him another five times before it leaves theaters.)

[pastlivesandpurplepuppets]

“That was the essence of the good feeling: to be able to remain calm and relax while he was keyed up and confident. Never panic. Never run. Face whatever had to be faced. Be practical, reasonable, up to a point. And if reason doesn’t work, get up and kick it in the teeth. Whatever the problem is.” (52 Pickup, by Elmore Leonard)

[dailydccomics]

Batwoman by J.H. Williams III

[oldfilmsflicker]

A collection of profiles, interviews, and definitive cinematic images, Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors in Their Own Words by Marya E. Gates, due for publication in 2025 by Rizzoli, shines a light on female filmmakers who have made an indelible impact on the landscape of contemporary film, from art house and independent award-winners to Hollywood blockbusters and beyond.

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