VoidPhil

Ingeborg Bachmann's novel Malina is an underappreciated gem of feminist literature. Bachmann's writing is authentic and original and leaves a strong impression. Her writing incorporates elements of stream of consciousness writing, although it's somewhat different from other writers in the genre. A couple of stylistic peculiarities are her method of recounting telephone conversations, sometimes writing only one half of the conversation and sometimes both sides, and her use of musical notation in portions of the text.

Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's history of technology is a fun and reasonably fast read. Wheeler's writing is accessible and often humorous, and Wheeler's appetite for the subject matter is palpable throughout. That being said, the book doesn't break much new ground and doesn't provide much new information to anyone interested in these subjects. However, Wheeler includes many minor but very interesting historical anecdotes that make for very interesting reading.

Alison Bechdel's autobiography Fun Home is a beautiful and poignant story of growing up LGBTQ+ in a repressive and alienating community. The book deals with Bechdel's childhood, her coming out to her parents and friends, her father's death, and the realization that her father had been a closeted gay man. It's a great book for members of the LGBTQ+ community and for anyone interested in gaining an appreciation for the experience of LGBTQ+ persons, or anyone simply interested in a well-told memoir.

Reza Negarestani's only novel is a work unto itself. Negarestani has written something truly weird here, a blending of the genres of horror, fiction, and philosophy so dense and confounding that it leaves one with the impression that you can't have understood it properly. The influence of Deleuze and Guattari is obvious, with some chapter names playing on Deleuzian terms, and at least one chapter beginning with a quote from A Thousand Plateaus.

William Gibson's novel Count Zero, the sequel to Neuromancer and the second book in the Sprawl trilogy, is a thrilling and action-packed work of science fiction. While the action is still very much there, the novel doesn't feel as polished as Neuromancer and seems to have lost a little of that je ne sais quoi that Neuromancer had. The subject matter and plot are still great, but the prose doesn't have quite the same weathered, smooth feel that Gibson so carefully cultivated in his first novel.

Bright Lights, Big City is Jay McInerney's masterpiece about alienation and grief. The plot concerns Michael, a young professional in New York. McInerney's novel set the standard for discussing the phenomenon of yuppie despair and the hollowness of a purely materialistic, drug-fueled life. Along with books like American Psycho and films like Wall Street, the book tackled the apparent soullessness of the 80s. Michael, the protagonist, works in at a famous literary establishment, an unnamed magazine that has instant name recognition with most everyone he meets.

Steve Martin's novel The Pleasure of My Company is an entertaining and poignant story about a California man living with a mental disorder. The book is enjoyable and demonstrates Martin's ability as a writer. If you're looking for a light and enjoyable novel, The Pleasure of My Company is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. The book follows its neurotic protagonist, Daniel Pecan Cambridge, in his regimented and secluded life.

In Bullshit Jobs, anthropologist David Graeber examines the current phenomenon of jobs that seem unnecessary. Why do insurance claims examiners need to exist? Or for that matter, most bankers, financiers, medical administrators, university administrators, and the like. Graeber concludes that most of these jobs exist due to a complex of mutually reinforcing constraints, concerns, and goals to which politicians, liberal elites, and corporations have committed themselves. Graeber bases his book on an essay he wrote in 2013, “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs.

The Name of the Wind is the debut novel of Patrick Rothfuss, and the first in the Kingkiller Chronicle series. It's a great example of the fantasy genre done right, with an involved and interesting magic system, well-developed characters, an intriguing plot that seems to produce levity or gravity in the right situations, and a unique structure that sets it apart from other fantasy novels. Despite some minor imperfections, it's a great and very enjoyable book.

Burning Chrome is an anthology of William Gibson’s short stories. Overall I enjoyed the collection. All of the stories were good, but there were 2 or 3 standouts that seemed exceptional. Johnny Mnemonic is the first and probably most famous of the stories in the collection. The story is a precursor to Neuromancer and the other Sprawl trilogy books. I enjoyed the story, although having read Neuromancer beforehand made is somewhat less interesting.