Book Recommendations – Modcast — Accessibility, Literature, and Mustachios

(We’ve moved!!) Ranked: Deaf Characters in Fiction

When it comes to representation in literature, deafness is very rare. So I decided to go on a quest to find as many fiction books as possible portraying deaf characters, and rank these representations from best to not-best by genre.

Hypocriticisms: Double Standards in Literature No. 7

Clipart depicting two women. Left, a woman is bent double and struggling under a huge stack of books. Right, a woman stands on her tiptoes to add another book to the top of the stack.

Welcome back to Hypocritisms, the series in which we list a few double standards we find in literature! If you’ve ever read a book, you might have noticed that sometimes there are some double standards. All kinds. It’s not limited to gender roles or sexuality. Just like in real life, you see discrimination for aspectsContinue reading “Hypocriticisms: Double Standards in Literature No. 7”

On My Bookshelf: Community Recs No. 9

Against a gradient black background is the orange cover for the book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck." The letter u in the word Fuck has been censored with a black splatter of ink. Subtitle in white text below reads, A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life. Author's name in black text at the bottom: Mark Manson.

I just finished reading the book, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” written by Mark Manson. The book was a fantastic read! I appreciate that it took a new perspective to self-help. As a college student reading self-help books and learning the habits of successful individuals has been critical in helping me understandContinue reading “On My Bookshelf: Community Recs No. 9”

Leigh Ann’s Recs No. 10 – The Year of the Beasts

Book cover for "The Year of the Beasts" by Cecil Castellucci & Nate Powell. Background is a row of pale blue school lockers, in front of which stands a black-and-white drawing of the main character, who is scowling at the viewer. Her hair is snakes, which hover around her head, escaping from the scarf she has tied over them. Text on the cover is bright yellow.

Without including spoilers or giving too much away, I’m going to be honest. I did not find that The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci and Nate Powell really ticked the boxes of elements of a great book, if you understand my meaning. If you check out the Goodreads reviews, you’ll find that someContinue reading “Leigh Ann’s Recs No. 10 – The Year of the Beasts”

Book Bundles: Where We Were and How We Got Here

Drawing of books, open and closed and lined up in a row. A glass inkwell, calligraphy pen, old timey spectacles.

Welcome to the Modcast’s blog series, Book Bundles. This is where we recommend two or more books based around a topic or theme. So you’ve got options! I think the title really says it all: We can’t know where we’re going until we know where we’ve been. If you’re interested in origins, check these out:Continue reading “Book Bundles: Where We Were and How We Got Here”

Hypocriticisms: Double Standards in Literature No. 6

Leigh Ann’s Recs No. 9 – The Other Slavery

Book cover for The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America by Andres Resendez. Image is a photograph of the western desert, specked by small bushes, a winding road traversing the small hills, and in the distance, towering rocky plateaus. Source: https://www.npr.org/2016/04/17/471622218/horrors-pile-up-quietly-in-the-other-slavery

Something’s got to change, and it starts with learning how to break this historical cycle of the other slavery.

Book Bundles: The Exploitation of Africa

Welcome to the Modcast’s blog series, Book Bundles. This is where we recommend two or more books based around a topic or theme. So you’ve got options! You’ve seen the humanitarian organization’s ads begging for money, and you’ve seen the viral videos of missionary workers giving them tools and chocolate. Now get ready to confrontContinue reading “Book Bundles: The Exploitation of Africa”

Hypocriticisms: Double Standards in Literature No. 5

Leigh Ann’s Recs No. 8 – The Wild Irish

Book cover for The Wild Irish by Robin Maxwell, Author of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn. The quote at the bottom in the tan border reads, "Compelling, exhilarating, and thought-provoking." according to the Boston Irish Reporter. At the top half of the cover are two portraits mashed together. Grace O'Malley, a middle-aged white woman wearing a fur coat and a gold chain, is left and foregrounded. Elizabeth is slightly behind and to the right, egregiously decorated with pearls and gold, and wearing a white ruffle around her throat. She is sideglancing towards the left, while Grace seems to be looking towards the viewer. In a red Irish-knot border between the portraits and title is the text A Novel of Elizabeth I and the Pirate O'Malley. Source: amazon.com/Wild-Irish-Elizabeth-Pirate-OMalley/dp/0060091436

When it comes to reading (or writing!) historical fictions, historical accuracy is a must!