Share: What does it mean to be authentic in a time where individuality is diluted by ever-changing social media trends? The question of authenticity isn’t anything new—humans have always struggled with how we fit in the spaces that surround us. In the short stories of “Franny and Zooey” author J.D. Salinger explores what it means to participate in society, whether we do so willingly or not. Both short stories are set in 1955 New York City and begin with Franny Glass, the youngest of the …
BookTok’s smut obsession encourages overconsumption of mediocre literature
Share: BookTok’s infatuation with mediocre writing padded by spicy, sexy romance has resulted in a surge of “fast fashion books” to capitalize on this demand. You’ll find the latest celebrity author obsession or one of those samey flowery, pastel-covered romance novels under the #BookTok shelf. Modern literature has decreased in quality after BookTok began promoting anything with a hint of digestible smut, oversaturating the publishing industry and burying genuinely well-crafted novels with the same spin of fantasy and romance. BookTok doesn’t hide their love for …
‘One Last Stop’ is one stop away from perfect representation
Share: After looking for a read for myself, a 21-year-old sapphic, I found Casey McQuston’s most popular work, “Red White and Royal Blue”, and after further digging it led me to “One Last Stop”. In “One Last Stop”, McQuiston delivers a brilliant and beautiful take on a romance, mystery novel that is built on endearing characters and a great pillar of LGBTQ representation. In all honesty, I rarely read in my spare time, however, this book really drew me in and at times it was …
What does baseball have to do with punk rock and politics?
Share: The punk rock scene of the Dead Kennedys, the assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone and the shocking successful season that saved the Giants from leaving San Francisco; these events and more are essential to understanding the complex San Francisco we know today. Follow:
How to be brave
Share: While studying at the University of Illinois, E. Katherine Kottaras, English professor here at Pasadena City College, began as a Bio-Triple-E major—ecology, ethology, and evolution—so that she could one day frolic with the seals as a marine biologist. Follow: