Right now I'm reading:

Bullshit Jobs (2018) by David Graeber - I loved Debt but had low expectations for this one and was reluctant to read it (I expected it would just be an extremely padded out version of the essay, which I liked). I'm enjoying it a lot more than I expected, and I'm reminded how skillful graeber was at gently taking a reader along and path that is unambiguously radical, yet each individual step on the path seems casual and reasonable.

Western Marxism (2017) by Domenico Losurdo - it's good. It's Losurdo, if you've read him before this is about the same - very rigorous and orderly arguments that lead to some very powerful insights. I'm only 100 pages in so far but liking it and feel that this new English text might become a vital text once it gets read more widely

Exhalation (2019) by Ted Chiang. Science fiction short stories by one of the best to do it rn. I'm about halfway through, so far I enjoyed his first collection more (Story of Your Life and Others). I liked the first story quite a lot (The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate) but most of the rest of what I've read so has been dominated by one 100 page novella that felt kind of weak for the amount of real estate it takes up. I've heard a few of the later stories are real bangers though so maybe it will balance out.

As for what I'm excited to read next, I'm kind of spinning my wheels a bit. Might do Washington Bullets by Vijay Prishad, or maybe some Strugatsky Brothers. Open to suggestions!

  • SpiderFarmer [he/him]
    ·
    1 month ago

    Still making slow work on Wretched of the Earth. It's a good read, but my energy levels are not friendly with something that high-minded and flowery right now. But I also can't focus on something more snacky because then I'll remember Wretched of the Earth is gathering dust.

    • MF_COOM [he/him]
      ·
      1 month ago

      I really struggle with Fanon. I'm not sure if it's the translator or if he's really just a better thinker than writer but I find his prose requires a lot of attention to sort through.

      As a great companion piece, I'd highly recommend the documentary Concerning Violence: 9 Scenes from the Anti-Imperialist Defense (2014).. It's based on the first essay On Violence and has Lauryn Hill read you excerpts over some incredible footage from different African decolonial struggles. It's available to stream for free on Kanopy if you have a library card