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waywordsstudio.bsky.social
Steve @ Waywords
@waywordsstudio.bsky.social
Steve Chisnell - Educator, writer, podcaster, book critic, democracy advocate,
Creator of Waywords Studio - Wanderings on Literature and Language
WaywordsStudio.com
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔: 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂, 𝑷𝒕. 2: 𝑺𝒐𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒂'𝒔 𝑻𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓 & 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑱𝒆𝒓𝒐 -

Why have so few read Soyinka? And can we find hope through his cynical dramas?

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #literature #books #booksky #thetrialsofbrotherjero #drama #nigerianliterature
waywordsstudio.com
January 24, 2026 at 2:00 AM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲" 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗲-𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 -

Graphic novel of indigenous youth caught in choices between gang violence and tradition. Promises to be a rough read!

#books #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #reading #graphicnovel #indigenouswriters #booksky #edusky
January 22, 2026 at 3:04 PM
𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔: "𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒕" -

A good day, he decided. A shift, a movement. He could not possibly predict, only that his thumb pressed across that stray glop of Gillette, revealed a little more . . . .

waywordsstudio.com/fiction/ever...

#fiction #prosepoem #writingcommunity #writingsky
January 21, 2026 at 3:05 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆" 𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 -

Mullen's poetry is at first playful, full or puns and puzzles: wordplay. But then, along the way, somewhere between reference books, other patterns emerge!

#books #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #poetry #booksky
January 19, 2026 at 3:03 PM
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔: 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝑷𝒕 1: 𝑨𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐 -

Some approaches to Nigerian literature, a bevy of African writers, and one of Nigeria's most powerful authors.

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #literature #books #booksky #writingcommunity #edusky
January 17, 2026 at 1:00 AM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱" 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗼 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗲 -

Might be the 4th time I've read Freire through, but every re-visit re-invigorates. This time I'll read a series of his works in preparation for my next book. Heavy lift here, but worth it.

#books #literacy #pedagogy #booksky #edusky
January 15, 2026 at 3:04 PM
𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔: "𝑵𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑹𝒉𝒚𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 5-𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓-𝑶𝒍𝒅𝒔" -

"London Bridge" and "Ring Around the Rosie" had their day, too.

waywordsstudio.com/verse/nurser...

#poetry #nurseryrhyme #originalpoetry #archaeology #culturecriticism #writingsky
January 14, 2026 at 3:02 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀' 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀" 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘅𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗻𝗯𝗮𝗿-𝗢𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘇 -

Award-winning history and call to re-frame our understanding of history through the framework of settler colonialism. So far necessarily pulls no punches.

#books #history #indigenoushistory #booksky
January 12, 2026 at 3:03 PM
𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐬 "𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝" 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 - 𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 -

Just started up again in 2025, so 1000% listener increase doesn't surprise! But if you haven't listened & want to make that number happen again in 2026, I won't complain!

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #booksky #edusky
January 11, 2026 at 3:00 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗡𝗴𝗼𝘇𝗶 𝗔𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲 - "𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗜𝗷𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗲"

Thought it would be a quick aside to the larger Adichie canon, but compels with its local/universal appeals, and straightforward observations which ground theory into choices mothers must make. Adaptable for boys!

#books #tbr #booksky
January 10, 2026 at 9:00 PM
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔: 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂: 𝑼𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒔 -

And what if nobody listens?
Yes, entering our calls for justice into public space carries no small amount of anxiety. Can Cassandra help?

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #books #greekmythology #writing #booksky #edusky #writingsky
waywordsstudio.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:01 PM
𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔: "(𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆)" -

an image. an act. without comment.

waywordsstudio.com/verse/no-poe...

#originalverse #refrigerator #act #resistance #aging #freeverse #grief #writingsky
waywordsstudio.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:04 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗼: 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆" (𝗦. 𝗠. 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁, 𝗲𝗱.) -

I don't know why so many of these stories I've accepted as told to me in summary. Told through a white translator, its publication is also fascinating.

#books #bookreviews #bookworm #memoir #apache #booksky #memoir #autobiography
January 5, 2026 at 3:01 PM
𝗧𝗕𝗥 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗲: 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 -

A few to kick off the new year. I think this is my 4th time through Freire--I always miss him. And Ortiz-Dunbar will become a longer project!

#books #literature #bookreviews #roxannedunbarortiz #paulofreire #chimamandangoziadichie #geronimo #samuelrdelany #booksky
January 2, 2026 at 9:00 PM
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆: 𝑾𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌: 𝑳𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 -

A different sort of New Year Resolution, moving us from personal improvement to public advocacy!

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #literature #books #bookpodcast #writing #writingstrategies #booksky #edusky
December 27, 2025 at 1:00 AM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆" 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗭𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 -

Never been big on self-help & "life project" books, but this--recommended many times --and a gift copy has been on my shelf, so this old curmudgeon will give it a go . . . .

#books #nonfiction #inspiration #creativity #booksky
December 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗵𝗮'𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸" 𝗯𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 -

This cute little book of koan and contemplations may be a bit derivative, but at this point, I'll embrace it!

#books #bookreviews #reading #religion #buddhism #inspiration #spirituality #booksky
December 20, 2025 at 3:03 PM
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑳𝒐𝒘𝒓𝒚'𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓 -

A thorny utopia, Lowry's Community practices a strategy of ethical evasion to the Hideous Bargain, too tempting for all of us.

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #literature #books #ya #booksky #edusky
December 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲" 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘇 -

Someone threw this chapbook in my lap and said "Here, read this. It's amazing." Okay, then.

#books #bookreviews #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #quotes #reading #danielriddlerodriguez #lowvillage #chapbook #shortstories #booksky
December 16, 2025 at 8:14 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮: 𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻" 𝗯𝘆 𝗩. 𝗦. 𝗡𝗮𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘂𝗹 -

Another too long on the TBR, but Naipaul is nothing if not absorbing!

#books #bookreviews #bookworm #readreadread #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #quotes #reading #vsnaipaul #indiaawoundedcivilization #history #indiahistory #booksky
December 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝑷𝒕 2: 𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒔 & 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈

We finish the film Metropolis & answer our question of art and politics by looking at text, context, & reader meaning-making.

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #literature #books #booksky #edusky
December 12, 2025 at 9:01 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿" 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗮́𝗯𝗶𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗮́ -

A literary and adult reflection on time and death and writing. Sounds . . . possibly humbling.

#books #bookreviews #readreadread #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #reading #fabiomoon #gabrieldba #daytripper #graphicnovel #booksky
December 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲" 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗵 -

Existentialist "socialist" Christian philosopher Tillich in his classic 1952 book on meeting uncertainty and anxiety.

#books #bookreviews #reading #paultillich #thecouragetobe #existentialism #christianity #faith #philosophy #booksky
December 6, 2025 at 3:02 PM
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆: 𝑰𝒔 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑨𝒓𝒕 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍? 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝑷𝒕. 1: 𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒔 -

At least can't we keep art for art's sake? My thoughts & the classic silent film, 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴 (1927).

waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/way...

#podcast #literature #books #booksky #edusky
December 5, 2025 at 9:02 PM
𝗧𝗕𝗥 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗲: 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 -

It's Spiritual Literacy Month! And some other titles I haven't gotten to this year. . .

#books #literature #tbrpile #tbrlist #paultillich #thecouragetobe #buddhaslittleinstructionbook #theartofpossibility #hermannhesse #daytripper #vsnaipaul #booksky
December 1, 2025 at 3:04 PM