Hi guys! I’m feeling nostalgic today and am curious what everyone’s first experience with queer books was! What was the first queer book you read? How did it make you feel? Scared? Seen?

I personally don’t remember the first queer book I read but i would love to hear everyone’s answers!

On that note, does anyone have queer middle grade recommendations? Books that make you wish you had them when you were younger ☺️

hello everyone!

something I've been musing on lately as I read a lot of books about perennial issues such as racism, misogyny, genocide, etc is whether books are capable of reaching everyone. I guess I'm wondering what everyone else's take on this is and whether there could be a model of the right ingredients for people in different groups (i.e. those who have simply never interacted with the group of people they're prejudiced against vs those who grew up in a diverse community, but have been brainwashed to hate everyone who looks differently, etc).

this has been swimming in my brain because I recently read Kindred by Octavia Butler and one of the blurbs said that it should be handed to everyone who thought slavery was actually not that bad. Don't get me wrong, I agree with this. At the same time, I think there might be people who would truly never embrace anti-racism and accept that racialized communities are telling the truth about their experiences unless they experienced structural racism first hand. Some people have their brain closed off to certain perspectives and refuse to be changed.

Do you agree with this? Do you think there is a magical formula of the right books for every person to be radicalized?

Editing to clarify: I’m asking if there might be a unique magical formula for every single individual, not one that would work on everyone! Like some people might just need 3 or 4 specific books and some people might need a hundred to accept that racism = bad

Also editing to add that I’m literally pitching a philosophical/psychological discussion about books and i genuinely don’t understand why it’s being downvoted. If anyone could shed some light on that I’d appreciate it!

As I was reading this, I thought I had never heard of anti-sex work activists calling themselves abolitionists. But then I just saw a (positive!) review here on PB of a (recent!) book, where anti-brothel activists are called abolitionists in the blurb. Is it just because I haven’t read a lot about sex work that I feel like I haven’t come across that use of the term before? Or (more disturbingly) have I always just assumed that anyone calling themselves or others “abolitionist” meant either chattel slavery or prisons/police, when actually the anti-sex work use is much more common?

Gift link here: 🔗 Our Insatiable Appetite for Stories About Cannibalism

Recently, the New York Times published an article about the rising trend of cannibalism in contemporary fiction and how it's been used as a metaphor to express desire, obsession, female rage, and a ton of other human experiences. It has also coincided with the horror renaissance that's been happening, exploring new and innovative ways to unpack social issues that make the act of cannibalism into political commentary. And like most horror, it reflects the current societal fears and how we're coping with them. Some key quotes:

"Lately, cannibalism has become a popular and potent trope in contemporary fiction, where it has cropped up as a metaphor for contentious issues: misogyny, social inequality, our cultural obsession with body image, rampant consumerism and the ways social media drives overconsumption and, in turn, consumes us."

"This new breed of fictional cannibals feels different from its predecessors, less monstrous and more sympathetic. Often, these cannibals eat people to protest or weather systemic injustice or in response to trauma, violence and discrimination."

Cannibalism is one of my favorite things to read about in fiction (I literally have A Certain Hunger in My Taste section), so this was a fascinating article to read. This new iteration in modern novels also feels like a different flavor than previous versions, which usually accompanied more straightforward horror villains or sometimes on shipwreck stories. It offers such a visceral way to depict complete and total consumption, whether that be of a person or an idea (often both). It often accompanies themes of female rage and revenge against systemic injustice in a way that resonates with me, and even when it doesn't, it's just plain fun! The act of eating can be simultaneously sensual and disgusting, and even doubly so when the thing you're eating is a human body. The utterly violent and invasive nature of it also can make it a really satisfying form of ultimate revenge.

It made me wonder: What draws you to cannibalism in books and what aspects of its use as a metaphor excites you the most? The intimacy of the act? The exploration of social issues? The pure gore factor? And if it doesn't interest you at all, why?

Also, if you are new to the cannibalism trend, here are some great lists to start with that might inspire you! 🔗 hungy women 🔗 Women Hungering: Appetite, Horror, and Consumption 🔗 Unusual Cravings: Cannibalism in Fiction 🔗 The Monstrous Feminine (Quest)

Is there something you do on PB that’s a little quirky? Maybe you use a certain feature in a unique way or have a ritual/habit?

I’ll go first: I like going to the Discovery tab and checking the “Today’s Featured Emoji” section to see if I have none of the featured books read. I have no idea why, it just gives me little thrill to think I somehow dodged all the listed books 🤣

hello everyone!

something I've been musing on lately as I read a lot of books about perennial issues such as racism, misogyny, genocide, etc is whether books are capable of reaching everyone. I guess I'm wondering what everyone else's take on this is and whether there could be a model of the right ingredients for people in different groups (i.e. those who have simply never interacted with the group of people they're prejudiced against vs those who grew up in a diverse community, but have been brainwashed to hate everyone who looks differently, etc).

this has been swimming in my brain because I recently read Kindred by Octavia Butler and one of the blurbs said that it should be handed to everyone who thought slavery was actually not that bad. Don't get me wrong, I agree with this. At the same time, I think there might be people who would truly never embrace anti-racism and accept that racialized communities are telling the truth about their experiences unless they experienced structural racism first hand. Some people have their brain closed off to certain perspectives and refuse to be changed.

Do you agree with this? Do you think there is a magical formula of the right books for every person to be radicalized?

Editing to clarify: I’m asking if there might be a unique magical formula for every single individual, not one that would work on everyone! Like some people might just need 3 or 4 specific books and some people might need a hundred to accept that racism = bad

Also editing to add that I’m literally pitching a philosophical/psychological discussion about books and i genuinely don’t understand why it’s being downvoted. If anyone could shed some light on that I’d appreciate it!

I can't believe we lost Dolly and Tim in the same day (he passed late last night apparently).

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tell me your favourite Tim Curry show/movie/musical/game, and give a book rec based on that piece of media.

I also read Tim's memoir, Vagabond earlier this year, and definitely recommend it.

if pagebound had emojis for users profiles like they do for books, which three emojis would you choose for yourself and why?

mine would be 🐝 because i like honey or ⭐️ because i like stars (duh!) 🍊 my favorite fruit 🧵 because i like to crochet but i don't like the emoji 🧶 lol

(i already have them in my bio because no way i would not have them)

Not sure if anyone’s asked this, but what are people’s thoughts about commenting on the forum when reading ARCs of the book? Because on one hand, I need to express my thoughts about the book and just want to fangirl (or hate). On the other hand, the book isn’t out yet, so I don’t know if it’s “right” to talk about a book that isn’t publically available yet.

But if anyone else are ARC readers, I’d love to know your thoughts about this!

I'm sorry Lizzie having the only normal name but being the one that is "crazy" is so funny

"during the pandemic,"

I AM SO TIRED OF LEFTISTS IGNORING DISABLED PEOPLE WHEN WE SAY COVID NEVER ENDED. covid is still here, mass disabling on a wide scale. covid is now the number one chronic illness in children. long covid sufferers are in the millions, and mask bans are on the rise. i am begging you all to go read up on the damage covid does to your bodies, and to PLEASE start adopting masking in your organizing work. because i'm tired of seeing "masks encouraged" instead of masks required. it's like you're telling disabled people to get fucked when all we want is to not die of long covid maybe idk. AND IT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE. healthy people can and WILL get long covid if they get recurring COVID infections over and over and over.

sorry for this rant; I'm just sick and tired of hearing during the pandemic as if it was a past thing. no, it's still here, leftists! start adopting disability justice NOW!

please read THIS ZINE and look into medical studies and the sources provided!!!!! covid SUCKSSSS and you don't want it! adopt masking! please!

I am giddy with excitement, I was casually browsing my local board game store when I stumbled upon a card game inspired by the Elfhame by Holly Black. I read those when I was a teenager and absolutely loved them, and had no idea it was turned into a game. The owner told me it came out a week or two ago, and I'm now the very happy owner of a card game I know nothing about but the design is gorgeous. I love board games, so if you have any other gem you can think of, please drop the names, I want everyday to feel like Christmas like this !

In case anyone hasn't heard, Dolly Parton passed away today, and because of this I wanted to make a post about the imagination library.

"dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland."

Dolly Parton created the imagination library because she was inspired by "her father’s inability to read and write Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts millions of free books each month to children around the world."

Here's the website (Imagination library) In case anyone wants more information on it.