Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 44m

Not naming the store, because I don’t want people to get the probably wrong impression. Definitely an old fashioned estate fair heavy old-style used selection. Great SF and mystery pulp selection.

But yeah … that was definitely and an “Oh, my …” moment.

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 57m

Ehhh. That’s a lot of Hitler.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 2h

Cincinnati downtown library, I barely recognize you … but damn, the facelift looks nice.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3h

This latest isn’t the worst place to start, honestly.

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 12h

One of my favorite things that he does so incredibly well still is blend, abruptly and without apology, present tense and narration of past.

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 13h

Read most of the new Pynchon on the plane to Ohio today. My very technical review: it is a hoot!

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 20h

Somebody, for the love of all that’s good and holy, bring Liz a coffee! I mean … she could just run next door, but it’d sure be friendly.

Also… figures Laszlo K would win the Nobel on the day I’m not in the store to geek out properly.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

Seiobo marks a pretty definitive turning point for me when my professional academic aspirations receded & whatever replaced it took stage. For me, it remains a special book in a stellar oeuvre.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe this will finally get us a reprint of Seiobo There Below.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

László Krasznahorkai wins the Nobel prize in literature 2025

The author was announced as winner at a ceremony in Stockholm • Nobel prize in literature 2025 live: László Krasznahorkai wins ‘for his compelling and visionary oeuvre’ The Nobel prize in literature for 2025 has been awarded to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, the Swedish Academy has announced. The Academy cited the 71-year-old’s “compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

Canned cocktails are a not-great-but-good-enough convenience.

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

I want to believe this is just airlines being fucking incompetent. And yet … fucking hell.

Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 1d

“Someone” cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second.

We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

They were playing this channel the dentist today, and I think I’m hooked.

m.youtube.com/@FarawayVill...

Faraway Village

Welcome to our rural Azerbaijani village, nestled in the heart of the majestic Caucasus Mountains. Join us as we explore the authentic flavors of Azerbaijani home cooking, featuring fresh, locally-sou...

m.youtube.com

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

Book-shaped object

Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

Did Steph Curry even try to promote his $50 book? ‘Cause mine are gathering dust.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 1d

I don't think Bill Burr understands that his angry guy schtick works only to the extent that the audience can identify with it.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 2d

Go on & have yourself a huge launch day, Thomas Pynchon! Even Ingram is out now.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 2d

I just ordered a stack of Mark’s book to give away at the store.

ebbooksellers.com/item/9JsuMsJ...

Would be a shame if others did the same and landed it at least on regional bestseller lists.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3d

Of course, it’s not just the book business that can’t sort out sustainable models that aren’t complete consolidation. & none of it is leading anywhere especially good.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3d

I've said it before on Twitter, and will say it here: we possibly need as many nerds obsessed w/ the logistical ins and outs of sustainable book distribution as we do nerds obsessed with publishing them.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3d

Every photo of Bari Weiss that I see looks like she’s farting.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3d

I'm thinking about writing a very boring, somewhat embarassing book. Which is to say, I'm not writing it.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3d

Famously, many chose irony -- equally famous for being flimsy. & others actually poured themselves into alternative forms. Some proved more toxic; others a tonic.

That doing so never scaled with the various necessity of age or couldn't resist consolidation is an enduring problem.

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 3d

My generation has a lot of sins to answer for, but I don't think it was especially wrong to try & shield itself from a corporate media designed to make you meaner and/or dumber.

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Reposted by Brad Johnson

East Bay Booksellers @ebbooksellers.bsky.social · 3d

This is of niche industry interest, but here goes:

The digital catalog platform most independent bookstores use to peruse and order new books for their stores (called Edelweiss) has jacked up their prices on publishers to catalog new titles 200-300%.

Why does this matter?

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Brad Johnson @ahablives.bsky.social · 6d

I like a good number of the books reflecting on “deep time” that have come out in recent years, but I have to believe their relative popularity owes much to despair about “right now time.”

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