literature – 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”

Book I’d Like to Forget No. 1

Against a red background, a person with short black and a black shirt and pants scratches their head as they look at a sheet of paper they are holding. A white dialog box shows the viewer what is on the paper. Three emoticons from left to right are frowny, smiley, and neutral. Each face has an empty red checkbox beneath it. Source: http://www.digital-web.com/articles/accountability_of_accessibility_and_usability/

Unfortunately, we can’t like every single book we read.

The Socialist Hero: The Chronotope of E.L. Voynich’s ‘The Gadfly’

Black and white scribble art depicting a hand holding a calligraphy pen, scratching on a sheet of paper. Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/735634920356474407/

by Ryan Cooper The Gadfly, a novel by Ethel Lilian Voynich published in 1897 marked the birth of the paramount socialist hero for the coming century. Not only would the novel go on to be one of the most popular novels in the Soviet Union, selling over two and a half million copies; it wouldContinue reading “The Socialist Hero: The Chronotope of E.L. Voynich’s ‘The Gadfly’”

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

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”

Silent Storytellers: Mime Performance vs. Signed Literature

By S. Leigh Ann Cowan Contrary to some assumptions, mime and sign language are not the same. Perhaps what people are noticing is one major similarity between mime performances and signed languages such as American Sign Language (ASL): Both are visual methods of communicating ideas. That’s about all they have in common. The key difference?Continue reading “Silent Storytellers: Mime Performance vs. Signed Literature”

Hypocriticisms: Double Standards in Literature No. 5

Book Bundles: Sex Sells

Welcome to the Modcast’s newest 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’ll admit that my title for this one is a little misleading, but it’s undeniable: just the word “sex” can pique one’s interest. After all, you’re here,Continue reading “Book Bundles: Sex Sells”