#Read The Perfect Police State by Geoffrey Cain. One of the most terrifying #books I have read. It gives insight into the China's surveillance state and how technology and AI are enabling it to control ethnic minorities.

Started #reading The Death Gate Cycle. It was my favorite fantasy story in elementary school. Haven't read it since. Good to be back with these characters. Limbeck and Alfred still my favorites. Didn't remember how abrupt the ending in the first book is. #reading #fantasy

Read The Emergence of Meiji Japan, edited by M.B. Jansen. Pretty good look on the last years of the Tokugawa era, the events that led to the Restoration, and the birth of Japan's imperialism. Main fault of the book: the 2nd chapter was badly structured. A pretty good read. #reading #history #books.

#read Zhuangzi - The Complete Writings (Chris Fraser translation). Interesting look to Chinese philosophy of the fourth to second centuries BCE with helpful explanatory notes. Most of the content itself didn't resonate with me, though, especially the Laoist "non-action" school. #reading #history

#Read The #Story of China by Michael Wood. Excellent #book about China's #history from ancient dynasties to 2010s. It offers both the big picture and occasional look on lives and thoughts of ordinary people in different eras. I highly recommend this one.

And few more:
1. Wizard by @martinuche.bsky.social
2. The Fox Slayer by @rifuhata.bsky.social
3. Baldur's Gate 3 Battle by @oliviahintz.bsky.social

I saw a lot of cool #art on this platform this year. Here are some of my favorites in no specific order:
1. Sarah by @diaxyz.bsky.social
2. All is not lost by @elif7.bsky.social
3. Burnout by @shade-of-stars.bsky.social
4. Witch by @kimstramat.bsky.social

I #Read The Trouble With Taiwan by Kerry Brown and Kalley Wu Tzu-hui. Good, short introduction to Taiwan's #history and a clear explanation why its position in the international order is so challenging for the world, PRC and for the Taiwanese themselves. Highly recommend it. #politics #asia.

#Read A #History of #Korea by Kyung Moon Hwang. Seemed like a good summary of Korea's history, giving a brief introduction to some key events and a list for further reading. Largest focus on the 19th and 20th centuries. #books

I #read Mary Shelley's #Frankenstein for the first time. It ended up being different than what I thought it would be based on the pop culture references I had seen. But I liked it a lot. How a creation becomes a monster. And it was hard to witness the casualties of hate.

#Read The Slave Trade by Hugh Thomas. A very detailed #history of the Atlantic Slave Trade 1440-1870. Lot of information. Learned new things as well, especially on what went on in African coast and in South America. The amount of detail tends to make it a tedious read though.

Re-read Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams. It was more boring than I remembered (looking at you Simon and Tiamak). Hopefully the next #books will pick up. I remember liking this series a lot when I read it in the middle school. #reading #fantasy

I #read Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, #book about Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. I highly recommend it if you are interested on #history of USA or Native Americans. Fast read.

Started re-reading Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams. #Read this one back in the elementary school. Don't remember much of it, other than that I liked it a lot. Excited to re-experience the adventure.

Are independent authors welcome? :) I have a mystery novel out on Amazon. Cover art by Elif Siebenpfeiffer.
a.co/d/2K7CWcX

If you haven't gotten yourself a book for a Christmas present yet, and are up to supporting an indie author, I have a mystery novel available on Amazon. Kindle Unlimited users read for free.
a.co/d/16QiwRO