Bookshelf

What can I say, legendary for a reason. If you haven't read it, it's not very long. I'm always surprised by pieces of beautiful prose between the humour writing: "a dark and sullen sky hung heavy with the ancient light of livid swollen stars". I prefer this series as a 'trilogy in four parts' because I think the books kind of drop off after that.

THE coming of age lesbian novel. It's been a while since I read this so i can't say anything too precise, but it definitely left a big impact on me. My A-Level English lecturer said she thinks every woman should read it... so take it from her.

Shaun Tan was 100% my favourite artist as a teenager. This is a collection of surreal and fantastical illustrated short stories/comics(?) which I need to read again!!!

It's been a while since I've read it and I've been meaning to read more Vonnegut in general, he's such a kind writer. The main thing I took away from this was how gentle and kind he is to the reader. Something special about this book is how everything you read he's already told you, it's a really interesting experience. Kurt Vonnegut hold me in the palm of your hand and tell me a story...

I looove Terry Pratchett!!! Mort was the first Discworld novel I read, and I think the Death series is a really good entrypoint to Discworld. Funny and human and beautifully written, always.

Children's series that everyone's heard of, but I think they have such a special and interesting atmosphere. Stylistically was anyone doing it like Daniel Handler? I'd love to read more books with the same feeling but I just don't think they exist.

I'm well aware that this is a pretentious book to like but when I read it at 17 I became so obsessed I centred my A-Level art project around analysing its symbology. IT CHANGED ME. Experimental architectural horror.

Someone on Goodreads described this (derisively) as a book that would really impress arts graduates. You know what Brian you're right!! I read it as an arts student and cried 3 separate times because the world is so beautiful!!

20+ translations of a single 4-line poem, really interesting and fun to read, I think it builds you up well to make your own opinions of each one even if you don't know much about the subject. A fun game to play is to read this with someone else and guess what Weinberger is going to think about each translation, sometimes he just hates a poem with so much unexpected fury. Also the more ways version is so essential for the insight into catty translator drama.

I would call this an experimental multimedia webcomic. Speculative fiction which looks at humanity through the lense of sports - which doesn't even begin to describe it. Funny, interesting, very cool use of media, and really touching. If you were ever a Homestuck enjoyer you will find some of the best aspects of it in this story (in my opinion). You can read it here.

Maybe controversial to put a card game first in my boardgame section but cribbage is truely the game of all time. Good to play on the train if you have a cribbage board app on your phone or something. I don't know why it's so addictive but I'm in a 40+ game heated battle with Alex rn.

Mostly play this in the unrecommended 2-player mode on boardgamearena but I LOVE it. Lots of different 'types' of games come out each time because of the variety of ways to win.

Very fun and replayable 2 player deck building game! Pretty small as games go, it's a fat wodge of cards but nothing too crazy. We bought some expansions but never comprehended them.

AKA Tok (kind of). One of those Ludo-type games but you play in a pair and moves are more strategic - rather than random dice rolls you are dealt a hand of cards and use them to move. Very simple and creates lots of fun situations and dynamics. Played this (as Tok) on boardgamearena with friends countless times.

Collaborative trick taking card game. You work through a narrative with the challenge of the games increasing as you go. Played this one with the lockdown 2021 gang so it has a place in my heart as something which we desperately clung to for sanity. It's also just really good.

Another game for a standard deck of cards. This was the game of lockdown 2020 - I was studying abroad and our block of erasmus students played it constantly. It was also during games of this I learnt how to riffle shuffle - the most useful thing I learnt abroad. But anyway. I strongly insist that this is the best member of the Gin family despite not really playing many of them. Also I think a Gin Rummy sports anime would be sick.