I lived there and still go back and love TC–well, more the surrounding areas of M-22 and such. I read some of your comments on here, I really don’t know where people your age would meet there, I am much older and know plenty of gay women there. Side Traxx is horrific from what I remember. I think I read you are going to Grand Rapids? A…[Read more]

I am!

I’ve heard of it! I remember that when I went to Blue Lake there were always lots of campers from Traverse City. And this one guy in my committee for a Model UN conference. He was a douche, though.

I have Surpassing the Love of Men! I just haven’t made the time to start reading it yet.

I’ve just ordered Landing online and highly looking forward to it. My first Donoghue book was ‘The Sealed Letter’ – which I thought was just great.

Wish I could as I am only 150 miles from Grand Rapids.

also, i would totally recommend still life! it has a respectful view on taxidermy from a person who is initially an outsider to the field. it covers the history and present of taxidermy concisely but thoroughly. i’m definitely biased towards it because i appreciate taxidermy but even if you aren’t the author breaks down stereotypes and gives a…[Read more]

I am glad that you want to spotlight women in literature. here is a web sight by women about women in literature. http://vidaweb.org/

when people tell me that they read twilight, i usually try to get them to check out “better” vampire books. three quick favorites (and this is from someone who really doesn’t enjoy vampires – but these are well written/hilarious):
Evernight series by Claudia Gray
Boys that Bite by Mari Mancusi
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

ooo, I would recommend ‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’ by Joan Didion. It’s a beautifully varied collection of essays about California in the sixties. If anything, I’d say read the essay on San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury culture during the Summer of Love is most definitely worth a look. :]

I would definitely read Atlas Shrugged instead of The fountain head if you are going to do Ayn Rand. I mean though you have to take a step back and try realllllly hard not to get sucked up in the fantasy world she weaves and realize that it cannot work and that she left out major major points. But it is a fantastic novel =]

Geek Love fucked with my head so hard omg, I’m jealous that you get to take that trip.

I generally strongly recommend against reading anything by Ayn Rand but like Angela said at least Atlas Shrugged is a better(ish – it’s still really bad) story.

Jack the Ripper – Case Closed is a compelling argument but not really case closed. It’s awesome…[Read more]

thanks for all the suggestions, these are definitely getting added to my list! i’m also putting ‘tipping the velvet’ and ‘orlando’ on and probably some sylvia plath (but not the bell jar, i read that right before a semi-recent break up and it was a baaaad idea)
ie. ayn rand: it’s too late for me, i’ve already read and reread the fountainhead and…[Read more]

I like the idea of reading only female writers. I’ve spoken with a lot of friends (male and female) who seem to dismiss them. I’ve been keeping a list of all the books I’ve read this year, so far I’ve read 31 of which (unintentionally) 20 were women. I think my favourites probably were by women as well.
Can I recommend Margaret Atwood (Oryx and…[Read more]

You said you wanted to read graphic novels – my favorite graphic novel by a lady is Alison Bechdel’s FUN HOME. Not only is the art fantastic but it’s an amazing literary coming-of-age / coming out story.

I’ve been pimping Catherynne Valente like there’s no tomorrow, but she’s so awesome and I love every word she writes.
‘Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang’ by Joyce Carole Oates is a really great story, as well as a scathing critique of the treatment of gender, class, and race. With bonus lesbosexy subtext!

If you like urban fantasy, Dianne…[Read more]

If you read YA or fantasy, Malinda Lo’s “Ash” and “Huntress” (especially Huntress) are quite great and easy read.
Virginia Woolf’s “To the light house”, anything by Jane Austen and Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters’s “Fingersmith” are also brilliant..

the name of the star, by maureen johnson #jacktheripper #contemporary

I agree. Let’s plan something!

Lets do it!

I say everyone come up to Traverse City for the next roller derby bout :) But that’s just my opinion.

sweet :) jenna, i’ll be up north for fourth of july weekend, any derbies going on then?

i’m near novi/pontiac/northville/livonia (hopefully one of these will ring a bell? suburbs are awful creatures). maybe we could all go for lunch or coffee somewhere in between everyone.

I’m interested.

someone with a cabin or a house up north should throw a party! a weekend long party. gays only

i just read “Five Flavors of Dumb” by Antony John. Piper, the main character, is going to school one day and she and her classmates are confronted by a guerilla performance by her high school’s resident rock band. she gets cocky and bets them that she can get them a paying gig in a month as their manager. are they any good? she has no idea. Piper…[Read more]

Hmm. Geoff Dyer’s ‘But Beautiful’…