23 Comments
Jan 2, 2021Liked by Ava

Trancework! by Dr. Yapko - incredible textbook/overview of clinical hypnotherapy. Strange and fascinating, the ins and outs of inducing a state of controlled dissociation for clinical outcomes.

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Just finished “How to Survive in a Science Fictional Universe”, a recommendation I picked up here. It was great. Now starting “Energy and Civilization” by Vaclav Smil and a history of Taiwan by Denny Roy.

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reading The Love Song of Jonny Valentine. highly recommend. bizarre and engrossing novel.

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Jan 5, 2021Liked by Ava

I read “Convenience Store Woman” and “Exhalation”. What is the book from which you shared the excerpt containing the sentence “I’d rather be dead at Dorsia than alive at Burning Man”?

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Crosstalk by Connie Willis

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Can you help me with my college apps 🥺

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I'm binge watching Disenchantment, which has Gravity Falls, Bojack Horseman and Crazy-Ex Girlfriend vibes

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Reading The Count of Monte Cristo ... very long if you are NOT into getting into something long & watching The Expanse

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I am reading "The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life" by Kevin Simler and Robert Hanson -- and I am really enjoying it.

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Just finished The Idiot by Elif Batuman, might check out her other book next

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I’m reading “My Life” by Lyn Hejinian, which feels like entering someone’s mind as they remember moments from their past, leading them to other memories and thoughts in a circular and repetitive manner. Also “We Want It All,” the new anthology of trans poetics. And just started “Three Bags Full,” which is a wacky murder mystery told from the point of view of a flock of sheep!

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"Icarus" (Netflix) is super a riveting documentary about the Russian doping scandal. The main draw is the main character (and whistleblower!) Grigory, the Russian scientist involved in the whole thing and who has a hilariously dad-like demeanor.

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I've been reading A Promised Land and Dragon Ball, both of which I am greatly enjoying lol

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I am reading Where I Was From by Joan Didion. I love all of her books that I’ve read so far.

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"Eye Level" by Jenny Xie :) It's such a lovely poetry collection about wandering and grief! And the first I've read that has attempted word plays with Chinese characters & pays homage to classical Chinese poets. If you have similar recs, please let me know! :)

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The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley. So far it's an inspiring review of all of the tragedy and innovation humans experienced across so many millennia as immediate reciprocity turned into exchange, specialization, and trade networks.

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