Sanjay Sipahimalani
@sansip.bsky.social
Books, etc.
“Sometimes, I, too, sought expression. I know now that my gods grant me no more than allusion or mention”: Borges
“Sometimes, I, too, sought expression. I know now that my gods grant me no more than allusion or mention”: Borges
Welcome to the Dumb-bro Doctrine.
January 4, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Welcome to the Dumb-bro Doctrine.
“Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the prosperity of others—the empires and their native overseers.”
January 3, 2026 at 9:30 AM
“Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the prosperity of others—the empires and their native overseers.”
Don't make reading resolutions. Just read.
(Tom Gauld in the Guardian.)
(Tom Gauld in the Guardian.)
January 3, 2026 at 4:45 AM
Don't make reading resolutions. Just read.
(Tom Gauld in the Guardian.)
(Tom Gauld in the Guardian.)
“The only remnants of our love were all his lessons in how to lie.” Quite enjoyed this twisty thriller of social intrigue in 18th century London, featuring a con man, a widow, Henry Fielding – and ice cream.
January 3, 2026 at 4:20 AM
“The only remnants of our love were all his lessons in how to lie.” Quite enjoyed this twisty thriller of social intrigue in 18th century London, featuring a con man, a widow, Henry Fielding – and ice cream.
A list of 108 Indian language books translated into English and published in 2025, by @cjmitra.bsky.social
scroll.in/article/1089...
scroll.in/article/1089...
A reader compiled a list of 108 Indian language books translated into English and published in 2025
A compelling spread of fiction and nonfiction in translation.
scroll.in
January 2, 2026 at 3:04 AM
A list of 108 Indian language books translated into English and published in 2025, by @cjmitra.bsky.social
scroll.in/article/1089...
scroll.in/article/1089...
January 1st.
(Via progintl/Insta)
(Via progintl/Insta)
January 1, 2026 at 10:04 AM
January 1st.
(Via progintl/Insta)
(Via progintl/Insta)
Just read about a book that has "a simple premise, executed perfectly: Wuthering Heights, but make it Olympic figure skaters!" Publishing remains deeply committed to innovation.
December 31, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Just read about a book that has "a simple premise, executed perfectly: Wuthering Heights, but make it Olympic figure skaters!" Publishing remains deeply committed to innovation.
“Increasingly sophisticated AI might allow for far-right propaganda to achieve what they have always aimed for – the creation of the synthetic unity of an imagined people.”
novaramedia.com/2025/12/29/t...
novaramedia.com/2025/12/29/t...
The Far Right Likes to Hallucinate Threats. So Does AI | Novara Media
With its ability to conjure imaginary crowds of fake people out of thin air, AI could give the far right what it has always wanted, argues Richard Hames.
novaramedia.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:32 AM
“Increasingly sophisticated AI might allow for far-right propaganda to achieve what they have always aimed for – the creation of the synthetic unity of an imagined people.”
novaramedia.com/2025/12/29/t...
novaramedia.com/2025/12/29/t...
I don’t read to meet goals or track objectives, but I think I need to read more novellas in 2026. The ability to say much with little often reflects whether a writer is truly talented or not.
December 30, 2025 at 5:29 AM
I don’t read to meet goals or track objectives, but I think I need to read more novellas in 2026. The ability to say much with little often reflects whether a writer is truly talented or not.
In an age of AI, "even what may be called ‘bad writing’ or ‘poor English’ has its place: At least it is a person’s voice."
December 30, 2025 at 5:02 AM
In an age of AI, "even what may be called ‘bad writing’ or ‘poor English’ has its place: At least it is a person’s voice."
All I read in 2025.
December 30, 2025 at 3:54 AM
All I read in 2025.
“Regardless of genre, ‘strange’ and ‘quirky’ permeate all the breakout titles of 2025.” A round up of this year’s Japanese literature in English translation.
(Via the Literary Saloon.)
www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025...
(Via the Literary Saloon.)
www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025...
In 2025, Japanese literature took a turn for the weird
As expected, women writers raked in successes and cozy cat fiction kept its popularity, with two big surprises from male authors — Uketsu and Osamu Dazai.
www.japantimes.co.jp
December 30, 2025 at 3:54 AM
“Regardless of genre, ‘strange’ and ‘quirky’ permeate all the breakout titles of 2025.” A round up of this year’s Japanese literature in English translation.
(Via the Literary Saloon.)
www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025...
(Via the Literary Saloon.)
www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025...
Rather nice metaphor: “…rimless oval spectacles that flashed briefly – silver coins in the angled sunshine…”
From William Boyd’s ‘The Predicament’
From William Boyd’s ‘The Predicament’
December 29, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Rather nice metaphor: “…rimless oval spectacles that flashed briefly – silver coins in the angled sunshine…”
From William Boyd’s ‘The Predicament’
From William Boyd’s ‘The Predicament’
Striking placard by a Tate gallery worker. The staff at the British galleries were protesting for fairer pay and improved working conditions. (Pic: Socialist Workers Party on Insta.)
December 29, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Striking placard by a Tate gallery worker. The staff at the British galleries were protesting for fairer pay and improved working conditions. (Pic: Socialist Workers Party on Insta.)
Where breathing is unhealthy and protesting is a crime.
December 27, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Where breathing is unhealthy and protesting is a crime.
"Here, the line between fiction and nonfiction has only just begun to vanish in the minds of authors and their editors." A survey of French literature's focus on family-driven memoirs and autofiction in 2025.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
How the French fell in love with family-driven memoirs and autofiction | Anne-Laure Pineau
Matriarchs, absent fathers and troubled childhoods: 2025 was the year French literature focused on family, says writer Anne-Laure Pineau
www.theguardian.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:43 AM
"Here, the line between fiction and nonfiction has only just begun to vanish in the minds of authors and their editors." A survey of French literature's focus on family-driven memoirs and autofiction in 2025.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Inflated statistics, selective narratives, and weakened institutions: Christopher de Bellaigue in @nybooks.com on "hype and fraud" in Modi's India.
www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
Hype and Fraud in India | Christopher de Bellaigue
Little known today, Fitz-James O’Brien deserves serious attention for developing some of science fiction’s most familiar tropes—among them microcosmic worlds, invisible monsters, time slips, and robot...
www.nybooks.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Inflated statistics, selective narratives, and weakened institutions: Christopher de Bellaigue in @nybooks.com on "hype and fraud" in Modi's India.
www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
Reposted by Sanjay Sipahimalani
“there are only 7 full-time book critics left in the US: three at NYT ( Jacobs, Garner, Szalai), 2 at WaPo(Rothfeld, Charles), 1 each at WSJ (Sacks), NY mag (Chu), Slate (Miller)
more people have walked on the moon than write book reviews for a living”
worldliteraturetoday.org/2025/septemb...
more people have walked on the moon than write book reviews for a living”
worldliteraturetoday.org/2025/septemb...
Criticism Is Literature. Why Is It Vanishing?, by Adam Morgan
What do the best book reviews do? What is the current state of the critical ecosystem? Chicago Review of Books founder Adam Morgan takes stock of book reviewing in the US.
worldliteraturetoday.org
December 23, 2025 at 4:53 PM
“there are only 7 full-time book critics left in the US: three at NYT ( Jacobs, Garner, Szalai), 2 at WaPo(Rothfeld, Charles), 1 each at WSJ (Sacks), NY mag (Chu), Slate (Miller)
more people have walked on the moon than write book reviews for a living”
worldliteraturetoday.org/2025/septemb...
more people have walked on the moon than write book reviews for a living”
worldliteraturetoday.org/2025/septemb...
Once more, with feeling.
December 24, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Once more, with feeling.
Since everyone is going to be commenting on those quotes from Nabokov's 'Lolita', a reminder that this is the one that matters.
December 20, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Since everyone is going to be commenting on those quotes from Nabokov's 'Lolita', a reminder that this is the one that matters.
The 52 most banned books of the last four years in US schools, including works by Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, and Judy Blume.
pen.org/top-52-banne...
pen.org/top-52-banne...
Top 52 Banned Books: The Most Banned Books in U.S. Schools
The 52 most banned books of the last four school years include National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winners.
pen.org
December 18, 2025 at 4:19 AM
The 52 most banned books of the last four years in US schools, including works by Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, and Judy Blume.
pen.org/top-52-banne...
pen.org/top-52-banne...