
litzomania TBR'd a book
1d

The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
A fresh, charming, socially conscious tour of the mysteries of space-time, from the award-winning author of The Disordered CosmosIn her highly acclaimed debut, distinguished cosmologist and particle physicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shed light on the entrenched injustices plaguing her field, while at the same time sharing with her audience her abiding sense of wonder at the cosmos from a Black feminist perspective. Now, in The Edge of Space-Time, she leans into that wonder, taking readers on a mind-altering journey to the boundaries of the universe, inviting us to spend time at the edge of what we know about space-time and about ourselves.Guided by her conviction that science is for everybody, Prescod-Weinstein renders accessible some of the most abstract concepts of theoretical physics and draws on poetry and popular culture—from Queen Latifah to Lewis Carroll to Big K.R.I.T. to Sun Ra and Star Trek— to tell fascinating stories about the fundamental quantum nature of space-time and everything inside of it. Here we meet the quantum cat that is both dead and alive, learn the difference between dark matter and dark energy, explore the inner workings of black holes, investigate the possibility of a unified theory of quantum gravity, and map out the meeting place of the unimaginably vast with the confoundingly small, following our guide out to the far reaches of the particle horizon and down to the tiniest (and queerest) neutrino. Prescod-Weinstein shows us how spending time with the cosmos is a vital human activity that enriches all our lives. Along the way, she calls on us to resist colonial approaches to space exploration and instead imagine a better path forward in our pursuit of humanity’s undeniable connection with the stars.Through Prescod-Weinstein’s clear-eyed and unique perspective, and informed by her deep knowledge of post-colonial history and Black feminist thought, The Edge of Space-Time argues that physics is an essential way for everyone to look at the universe and presents a compelling case that “the edge” is a powerful vantage point from which to see the big picture.

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)
Maggie Stiefvater
The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)
Maggie Stiefvater
I like how this book is adapted to Ronan's vibes! The first book had more "small town mystery" style while this has more action and magic!

litzomania started reading...
2w

The Dream Thieves
Maggie Stiefvater
Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…

litzomania started reading...
2w

The Dream Thieves
Maggie Stiefvater
Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…

litzomania TBR'd a book
2w

Phoenix Extravagant
Yoon Ha Lee
Dragons. Art. Revolution. Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter or a subversive. They just want to paint. One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers. But when Jebi discovers the depths of the Razanei government’s horrifying crimes—and the awful source of the magical pigments they use—they find they can no longer stay out of politics. What they can do is steal Arazi, the ministry’s mighty dragon automaton, and find a way to fight…

Admittedly, this is the first actual book (essay) I've read on the genocide in Palestine. I'm nervous to review this, let alone rate it.
The book provides some basic historical context, but is far more concerned with the current Western response. It highlights why the language we use while discussing humanitarian devastation is vital, and how so much of it is rooted in colonial standards of peace and who carries the burden of upholding it. In that vein, it touches on the politics of terrorism and violent resistance, again focusing on who gets anchored to those labels. One discussion I found particularly interesting was the role played by 'visibility' when it came to perpetrators of violence, and how that has guided different perspectives. It's also exceptionally disheartening to see the extent to which Palestinians have been dehumanised systematically.
One of the quotes that really stuck with me was: Palestinian life is only conceived in terms of its elimination. Yet, the deepest inequality is the lives as they are lived.

litzomania paused reading...
3w

Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England. Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780679783268