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A new piece from @ofbooksandbikes.bsky.social! “How does one write a novel about things that are not there? About the missing, the lost, the absent? Or is this the only kind of writing there is? … Issa Quincy’s debut novel, Absence, takes up these questions.” www.full-stop.net/2025/09/17/r...

This machine fights fascists.

Just reread this one, and yep, still brilliant.

We’re recording this morning — quick, someone explain what THE STONE DOOR is all about, please!?

This is going to be an interesting conversation. Chatting on Sunday with @ds228.bsky.social and @ofbooksandbikes.bsky.social. Coming to you sometime next week. Have you read it? How did it strike you? Would love to hear from the #NYRBWomen25 folks who just read it.

Currently reading

NBCC Vice President/Technology and Co-Vice President/Membership Rebecca Hussey reviewed Issa Quincy's novel "Absence" for Full Stop:

My review of ABSENCE by Issa Quincy from @twodollarradio.bsky.social is out at Full Stop! www.full-stop.net/2025/09/17/r...

Big news for the pod!

The One Bright Book crew will be doing the "in conversation" afterword of Sarah Orne Jewett's A MARSH ISLAND, and we are very excited about it! This is a great time to subscribe to the whole line-up.

Save the date! On Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. Pacific/7 p.m. Eastern, please join us on Zoom for "Criticism 101: Book Review Fundamentals," led by Heather Scott Partington, former NBCC president and current treasurer and fiction chair.

Nora makes a great point! Sure, the book of the month is at the heart of the podcast, but our "what we're reading" section is important too! This episode features titles published by @graywolfpress.bsky.social @semiotexte.bsky.social @deepvellum.bsky.social among others!

Invaluable stuff here.

I loved Han Kang's WE DO NOT PART and this was a wonderful episode.

!!! (cc: @nonsuchbook.bsky.social)

Listen to the end because one of the hosts has a new send-off onebrightbook.com/2025/09/07/e...

The latest One Bright Book episode is out!

Almost time to record! Look for our thoughts on Benito Pérez Galdós's novel MAIOW coming soon.

For the next episode of @onebrightbook.bsky.social. Recording in the morning. Not sure why this isn’t getting more attention.

Madrid 1880s, where we lay our scene... in MIAOW, the Benito Pérez Galdós novel we'll be discussing on the next episode. (Is that Canelo in the background?)

So many interesting things here!

Éireann’s account is inspiration and solace.

Recording our conversation about this one next weekend for @onebrightbook.bsky.social. Going back into the book today as I read it a while ago. Making some notes. The team got delayed (because of me,life), but I’m looking forward to chatting w/ @ofbooksandbikes.bsky.social @ds228.bsky.social again.

The new season of The Critic and her Publics podcast is on translation and the first episode is a conversation on translating a sentence from Proust! #AContinuation25 @joiedevivre9.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Barthes on friends.

Um, HELLO! Drivers should drive in such a way that they do not hit cyclists!! Don’t frame this as the cyclists’ fault.

❤️❤️❤️

“In order to destroy, in short, we must be able to overleap. But overleap where? into what language? Into which site of good conscience and bad faith? Whereas by decomposing, I agree to accompany such decomposition, to decompose myself as well, in the process: I scrape, catch, and drag.”

Look what arrived!!!!!!

“And so it is with our own past. It is a labour in vain to attempt to recapture it: all the efforts of our intellect must prove futile. The past is hidden somewhere outside the realm, beyond the reach of intellect, in some material object…of which we have no inkling.” #AContinuation25

I have 9 copies of Human/Animal (@wlupress.bsky.social) & a bunch of the original animal sketches. DM receipt of donation to one of the gazafunds.com/all campaigns+your mailing address & I'll ship (within the US). $25=signed copy $50=signed copy +1 drawing $100=signed copy +2 drawings

Congrats to the new NBCC Emerging Critics!!

I’m enjoying reading Proust very much and also feeling this aspect of the book much more than I did 15 or so years ago when I read it the first time and was not a parent. #AContinuation25

#AContinuation25 #Proust We started week 2 today. There’s still lots of time to catch up! Info & page guide here: www.joiedevivre9.com/katebriggs24...

Earthquake!! A very eerie rumbling noise and some mild shaking. My second in the last year. In Connecticut.

Tossed up a quick blog post with some personal context here: tdaoc.org/2025/08/02/p...

Day 1. #AContinuation25

Another powerful, moving episode. I love this podcast.

#AContinuation25 A reminder that we're beginning our group read of SWANN'S WAY this Saturday, August 2! @insearchofproust.bsky.social kindly provided the page numbers for the Penguin Classics & Oxford editions & I've added them to our page guide. Download here: www.joiedevivre9.com/uploads/1/4/...

“even and especially for your own body, you are condemned to the repertoire of its images.”

All politics is local, yes, and the place we have the most power to change things is our local area, yes, but dealing with local personalities and group dynamics is often absurd and ridiculously hard.

I adore this book. It’s about Erik Satie but also what it’s like to experience art and love it and be obsessed with it. About aesthetic judgments and eccentricity, lightness, humor. It’s anti productivity, pro reverie and dreaming. In the mode of Zambreno on Guibert, with a very different tone.

Yes, yes it does. #AContinuation25

#AContinuation25 Our Proust reading begins in less than a week! I just sent out a newsletter about it. All are welcome to join. readingkatebriggs.substack.com/p/acontinuat...

!!!!!!

YESSSS

Anyone want to read Proust? Info in Kim’s thread!

And here's a link to our web page with information on our 'project' and lots of links. It's never too late to join. Everyone is welcome!!! 💛 (in collaboration with @ofbooksandbikes.bsky.social) www.joiedevivre9.com/katebriggs24...

Here's a link to our page guide. www.joiedevivre9.com/uploads/1/4/...