Tag:Books
A Short Stay in Hell is a deceptively simple, deeply unsettling novella that lingers long after you’ve finished it. Drawing from a unique blend of existential horror and speculative fiction, the story imagines a version of Hell that is quiet, repetitive, and almost maddeningly mundane—more Kafka than Dante. The book does a masterful job of evoking despair not through gore or torment, but through endless sameness, pointlessness, and the slow erosion of meaning. For fans of liminal spaces—the eerie in-between […]
I didn’t click with this one at first—it was recommended to me after reading “Piranesi” and “A Short Stay in Hell”. I expected a similar atmosphere, but Mount Char opened very differently. As the story progressed, though, the novel’s strange blend of myth and mundane slowly pulled me in. By halfway through, I was fully absorbed in Hawkins’ world, where ancient cosmic forces brush up against everyday reality. The figure of “Father”—obsessed with unlocking universal truths and extending his own […]
Reflections in Stone Piranesi grabbed me right away. As a fan of liminal spaces, I was drawn into Susanna Clarke’s vast, mysterious labyrinth — a House filled with endless halls, shifting tides, and massive statues that invoke both grandeur and unease. The setting is dreamlike and strange, but also richly constructed and oddly comforting. Clarke does a fantastic job of crafting a world that feels ancient and sacred, yet unknowable. The House is odd — both hopeful and hopeless at […]
When I picked up Danny Trejo’s biography, I thought I knew what I was getting into. I knew he had done time in prison, struggled with addiction, and was best known for playing the tough, intimidating — albeit often killed — presence on screen. But the book surprised me at every page turn, revealing the personal life of a complexly flawed, yet deeply compassionate man. I didn’t expect to learn about the deep respect he earned behind bars, or how […]
I’ve been listening to Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood by Danny Trejo on Audible. Among the many stories he shares, one moment in particular stayed with me — a quiet, almost poetic, pivot point. While in prison, Trejo fantasized about hearing ice cubes fall into a crystal glass. He says he had always wanted to drink out of a real crystal glass. He imagined himself pouring whiskey into that glass to celebrate a big score. At the […]
Notes: Extras: Mel made it a point to stress the fact that really nobody could sing “Dancing in the Dark” except Bing Crosby. Inspired by a line in Blazing Saddles, a company in California started producing “Harumph” wine. I need a chance to sample this. AI Inspired:
Quotes: Extras: In an attempt to pay off the loss of a lawsuit filed against the group, Monty Python reunited for a live performance of some of their most hysterical sketches. According to the book, when the tickets when on sale, they sold out in 34 seconds. The show in it’s entirety is available on Youtube: Monty Python: Love Mostly Eric Idle mentioned this skit specifically as one of his favorites that he’s ever written: I never knew that Monty […]
