Civilian Reader
@civilianreader.com
Reader of books (biblio-Sisyphus), listener of music, watcher of movies, drinker of coffee & wine. (Same handle on Insta.) I also like basketball. Basically just ricocheting my way through life.
http://civilianreader.com
http://civilianreader.com
Nope
Trump: “People are doing very well. They’re very happy with me.”
January 21, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Nope
Ah. “The leaders don’t even understand what is happening.” Yes. Everyone can see that in real-time *right now* for one in particular…
Trump: “Quite frankly, many parts of our world are being destroyed before our very eyes, and the leaders don’t even understand what is happening—and those who do understand aren’t doing anything about it.”
January 21, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Ah. “The leaders don’t even understand what is happening.” Yes. Everyone can see that in real-time *right now* for one in particular…
January 21, 2026 at 2:05 PM
At what point does all the people around continuously him lying to him become treason (or something)?
He’s got to be getting this BS from somewhere, right? It’s becoming easier to believe the admin hacks are just lying so they can go off and do their own fascist pet-projects (in addition to his).
He’s got to be getting this BS from somewhere, right? It’s becoming easier to believe the admin hacks are just lying so they can go off and do their own fascist pet-projects (in addition to his).
Trump, making stuff up: "We have steel plants being built all over the country. Nobody thought they'd see that."
January 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM
At what point does all the people around continuously him lying to him become treason (or something)?
He’s got to be getting this BS from somewhere, right? It’s becoming easier to believe the admin hacks are just lying so they can go off and do their own fascist pet-projects (in addition to his).
He’s got to be getting this BS from somewhere, right? It’s becoming easier to believe the admin hacks are just lying so they can go off and do their own fascist pet-projects (in addition to his).
Blitzing through MY NAME WAS GERRY SASS by Tiffany Hanssen — very well-written, engaging characters. Should finish it later today.
groveatlantic.com/book/my-name...
Due out May 12th, via @atlanticcrime.bsky.social.
groveatlantic.com/book/my-name...
Due out May 12th, via @atlanticcrime.bsky.social.
My Name Was Gerry Sass | Grove Atlantic
The Sopranos meets Six Feet Under in this thrilling debut crime novel about the killing of a hitman-for-hire, his daughter who wants revenge, and...
groveatlantic.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:55 PM
Blitzing through MY NAME WAS GERRY SASS by Tiffany Hanssen — very well-written, engaging characters. Should finish it later today.
groveatlantic.com/book/my-name...
Due out May 12th, via @atlanticcrime.bsky.social.
groveatlantic.com/book/my-name...
Due out May 12th, via @atlanticcrime.bsky.social.
Just over halfway through, and it’s very good. Some very interesting discussion of the politics around TikTok, and also security, etc.
Recommended.
Recommended.
Current audiobook “read” is EVERY SCREEN ON THE PLANET by Emily Baker-White. Don’t (and won’t) use the app, but it’s still very interesting.
wwnorton.com/books/978132...
Published by @wwnorton.com & @recordedbooks.bsky.social (North America) and @panmacmillan.bsky.social (UK).
wwnorton.com/books/978132...
Published by @wwnorton.com & @recordedbooks.bsky.social (North America) and @panmacmillan.bsky.social (UK).
Every Screen on the Planet
The story of the most effective attention algorithm ever invented, and the superpower struggle to control it., Every Screen on the Planet, The War Over Tiktok, Emily Baker-White, 9781324086666
wwnorton.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Just over halfway through, and it’s very good. Some very interesting discussion of the politics around TikTok, and also security, etc.
Recommended.
Recommended.
Reposted by Civilian Reader
The irony of course is that MAGA presents itself as the antidote to decline when, in reality, with its moral laziness and crude worship of power, it’s a symptom of decline - and an accelerant.
January 21, 2026 at 1:36 PM
The irony of course is that MAGA presents itself as the antidote to decline when, in reality, with its moral laziness and crude worship of power, it’s a symptom of decline - and an accelerant.
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Carney “You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration, when integration becomes the source of your subordination.”
January 21, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Carney “You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration, when integration becomes the source of your subordination.”
Superb title…
BDP Hanna Pickard published a new book that utilizes both her experience in academic philosophy and her clinical work. The book is called What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine? and is available through @princetonupress.bsky.social:
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine?
A revolutionary new paradigm for understanding addiction
press.princeton.edu
January 21, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Superb title…
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Some of the awesome books on The 49th Shelf’s Spring Fiction Preview! 📚
You can request review copies of all of them through us.
www.riverstreetwriting.com/join-river-s...
Not shown here (cover reveal pending!) but still on the list is David Ly’s Not All Dragons!
#litfic #books
You can request review copies of all of them through us.
www.riverstreetwriting.com/join-river-s...
Not shown here (cover reveal pending!) but still on the list is David Ly’s Not All Dragons!
#litfic #books
January 20, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Some of the awesome books on The 49th Shelf’s Spring Fiction Preview! 📚
You can request review copies of all of them through us.
www.riverstreetwriting.com/join-river-s...
Not shown here (cover reveal pending!) but still on the list is David Ly’s Not All Dragons!
#litfic #books
You can request review copies of all of them through us.
www.riverstreetwriting.com/join-river-s...
Not shown here (cover reveal pending!) but still on the list is David Ly’s Not All Dragons!
#litfic #books
Reposted by Civilian Reader
I hope one of the models is us offering to “remodel” the White House a second time.
January 20, 2026 at 1:06 PM
I hope one of the models is us offering to “remodel” the White House a second time.
Reposted by Civilian Reader
“What tyrants hate.” Roy Justus, October 1963.
January 20, 2026 at 1:33 PM
“What tyrants hate.” Roy Justus, October 1963.
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Profits go down: We regret to announce that we have to destroy the world.
Profits go up: We're delighted to announce that we have to destroy the world.
Profits go up: We're delighted to announce that we have to destroy the world.
January 19, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Profits go down: We regret to announce that we have to destroy the world.
Profits go up: We're delighted to announce that we have to destroy the world.
Profits go up: We're delighted to announce that we have to destroy the world.
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Now we begin the familiar ritual where 95% of the Republicans in Congress claim they are completely unaware of Trump’s deranged letter to the PM of Norway so they are unable to comment on it.
January 19, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Now we begin the familiar ritual where 95% of the Republicans in Congress claim they are completely unaware of Trump’s deranged letter to the PM of Norway so they are unable to comment on it.
“… five sides of the same star…”
Yeah, that’s going to bug me.
(Spotted in a book synopsis.)
Yeah, that’s going to bug me.
(Spotted in a book synopsis.)
January 19, 2026 at 4:48 PM
“… five sides of the same star…”
Yeah, that’s going to bug me.
(Spotted in a book synopsis.)
Yeah, that’s going to bug me.
(Spotted in a book synopsis.)
Interesting article over on @crimereads.bsky.social, by Van Jensen, author of GODFALL (which I'll be reading very soon... hopefully):
crimereads.com/novelist-van...
crimereads.com/novelist-van...
Novelist Van Jensen Talks with His Mother, Acclaimed Painter Jean Jensen, About Art, Literature, and Family
When novelist Van Jensen decided to do a special art print to celebrate the hardcover release of his book Godfall, he had an ace up his sleeve. Jensen’s mother, Jean Jensen, is an acclaimed painter…
crimereads.com
January 19, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Interesting article over on @crimereads.bsky.social, by Van Jensen, author of GODFALL (which I'll be reading very soon... hopefully):
crimereads.com/novelist-van...
crimereads.com/novelist-van...
Anyone else noticing glitches with Safari?
Kobo, for example, loads absolutely fine on Chrome, but "Sorry, something went wrong / Cannot create url, missing value for host" on Safari.
The latest OS is having Microsoft-/Windows-style problems...
Kobo, for example, loads absolutely fine on Chrome, but "Sorry, something went wrong / Cannot create url, missing value for host" on Safari.
The latest OS is having Microsoft-/Windows-style problems...
January 19, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Anyone else noticing glitches with Safari?
Kobo, for example, loads absolutely fine on Chrome, but "Sorry, something went wrong / Cannot create url, missing value for host" on Safari.
The latest OS is having Microsoft-/Windows-style problems...
Kobo, for example, loads absolutely fine on Chrome, but "Sorry, something went wrong / Cannot create url, missing value for host" on Safari.
The latest OS is having Microsoft-/Windows-style problems...
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Reminder: My #MarcDane serial novalla MOSCOW RULES is now available in a complete, full-length novella edition, as a free download - follow the link below for a chilly thriller gift... 🎁
jswallow.com/the-complete...
jswallow.com/the-complete...
January 19, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Reminder: My #MarcDane serial novalla MOSCOW RULES is now available in a complete, full-length novella edition, as a free download - follow the link below for a chilly thriller gift... 🎁
jswallow.com/the-complete...
jswallow.com/the-complete...
Reposted by Civilian Reader
If you're looking for a sign to switch careers: this is the sign.
January 18, 2026 at 12:44 AM
If you're looking for a sign to switch careers: this is the sign.
Reposted by Civilian Reader
Ed Zitron on big tech, backlash, boom and bust: ‘AI has taught us that people are excited to replace human beings’
Ed Zitron on big tech, backlash, boom and bust: ‘AI has taught us that people are excited to replace human beings’
His blunt, brash scepticism has made the podcaster and writer something of a cult figure. But as concern over large language models builds, he’s no longer the outsider he once was
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:11 AM
Ed Zitron on big tech, backlash, boom and bust: ‘AI has taught us that people are excited to replace human beings’
Refreshing for him to state this. Think it’s good for him to state his preference, too.
If there hadn’t been a “plan”, I thought a particular author (or author duo, actually) would have been picked to finish it.
(The financial incentives to get an ending would have been considerable.)
If there hadn’t been a “plan”, I thought a particular author (or author duo, actually) would have been picked to finish it.
(The financial incentives to get an ending would have been considerable.)
George R.R. Martin has said that if he never completes Game of Thrones sequel Winds of Winter (or the book after that), there's no plan for anyone else to step in. Instead, his Song of Ice and Fire series simply "won't be finished."
Game of Thrones Writer George R.R. Martin Says There's No Plan if He Dies Before Completing Winds of Winter, and the Series Simply 'Won't Be Finished'
bit.ly
January 18, 2026 at 11:34 PM
Refreshing for him to state this. Think it’s good for him to state his preference, too.
If there hadn’t been a “plan”, I thought a particular author (or author duo, actually) would have been picked to finish it.
(The financial incentives to get an ending would have been considerable.)
If there hadn’t been a “plan”, I thought a particular author (or author duo, actually) would have been picked to finish it.
(The financial incentives to get an ending would have been considerable.)
Ok. Bad Omens, Wind Walkers, Dayseeker, Memphis May Fire, Sleep Token(?)…
What sub-genre are these bands collected into? I’ve seen so many, all of which are quite different, and apply to different collections of bands from decades ago… Post-hardcore? Metalcore? Post-metalcore?
What’re we thinking?
What sub-genre are these bands collected into? I’ve seen so many, all of which are quite different, and apply to different collections of bands from decades ago… Post-hardcore? Metalcore? Post-metalcore?
What’re we thinking?
January 18, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Ok. Bad Omens, Wind Walkers, Dayseeker, Memphis May Fire, Sleep Token(?)…
What sub-genre are these bands collected into? I’ve seen so many, all of which are quite different, and apply to different collections of bands from decades ago… Post-hardcore? Metalcore? Post-metalcore?
What’re we thinking?
What sub-genre are these bands collected into? I’ve seen so many, all of which are quite different, and apply to different collections of bands from decades ago… Post-hardcore? Metalcore? Post-metalcore?
What’re we thinking?
Still struggling to pick a novel, but my next non-fiction read will be MISUNDERSTOOD by Allen Iverson…
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Misund...
Sadly, never saw him play (save for clips), so most of this will be new to me.
Out now, published by @atriabooks.bsky.social
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Misund...
Sadly, never saw him play (save for clips), so most of this will be new to me.
Out now, published by @atriabooks.bsky.social
Misunderstood
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A compelling and candid memoir from Allen Iverson, the NBA’s most misunderstood Hall of Famer, detailing his tough chil...
www.simonandschuster.com
January 18, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Still struggling to pick a novel, but my next non-fiction read will be MISUNDERSTOOD by Allen Iverson…
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Misund...
Sadly, never saw him play (save for clips), so most of this will be new to me.
Out now, published by @atriabooks.bsky.social
www.simonandschuster.com/books/Misund...
Sadly, never saw him play (save for clips), so most of this will be new to me.
Out now, published by @atriabooks.bsky.social