some reading updates
Feb. 24th, 2025 09:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
queenslayerbeeOne of my goals for this year was to read more non-fiction, in general -for enjoyment, and not just academic purposes as I've done some past years lol. This past week I finished two non-fiction books, and started another, so I thought I'd post about it a little.
The first of them was "City of Corpses" by Ōta Yōko, recently translated to Spanish. The author, already an established writer by then, was one of the survivors of Hiroshima's bombing, and wrote this book in the immediate months afterwards, convinced she was inevitably going to die from "atomic bomb syndrome", as many others did even when the danger had seemingly passed. She also wrote a short article that avoided the censorship from one or other side by being published at just the right time, "A light as if from the depths", included at the end of my copy. The book itself was censored, and even its first edition omitted some parts as well, which lead to the author publishing a second one later on, aka the one I read. This edition comes with a prologue that really gets into the history of the time: the literature of the atomic bomb and how it was received, Ōta Yōko's complicated journey as an author, etc., which paint a very interesting context. And the novel itself is harrowing, very descriptive, painting a very vivid picture of her mental state as she lived through this. I definitely recommend it.
The other one was "Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World's Most Famous Heroine" by Tim Hanley. It's by the same author as "Investigating Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily Planet's Ace Reporter". That book analysed the complete journey of the heroine, while this one focuses almost exclusively on the pre-crisis time, particularly on Marston (with a full-on psychological profile of the guy LOL). It talks a lot about how "Corruption of the Innocent" and the Comics Code of Conduct shaped comics, of the Golden/Silver/Bronze era of the character, of the Women's Liberation movement and how it intersected (and didn't) with Wonder Woman's development, comparison with other heroines, public perception of the character... Another recommended read if this kind of thing interests you. I'm definitely going to hunt down his other books on DC/comics history.
The one I just started yesterday is "The Feminist Killjoy Handbook" by Sarah Ahmed. I anticipate finishing it this week, because it's quite an engaging read.
On non-fiction news, today my hardcover copies of "Harrow the Ninth" and "Nona the Ninth" arrive! I tried to start HtN on epub format but it's. Probably not a good idea LOL. I got my copies in Spanish as well, because that's how I read the first and eventually I might try to push these books on other people IRL who aren't fluent in English, so.
Lastly, comic-wise I'm keeping up with a few things (what little Jason is doing, Absolute Wonder Woman, Saga, Monstress, The New Gods...) I just started Zatanna's new run, and the first issue looks promising and came with great art. Next thing on the list is to finish reading through the main appearances of Duke Thomas and New Earth!Talia, before I really get on with Wonder Woman comics from all over the place. Recently I read Wonder Woman Historia by Kelly Sue DeConnick, which I loved, and Wonder Woman: The Once and Future Story by Trina Robbins (another author who entered my list thanks to Wonder Woman Unbound), a heavy one-shot about domestic violence. 2025 is going to be Diana's year for me, surely.
After that... we'll see. I've been eyeing Kate Spencer's Manhunter for a while, but there are a few comics I left half-finished that I want to complete, as well (Young Justice '98 and some of its characters' history, the original Suicide Squad, Gotham Central...). The love-hate affair with detective comics comics will continue for a while, suffice to say xD
The first of them was "City of Corpses" by Ōta Yōko, recently translated to Spanish. The author, already an established writer by then, was one of the survivors of Hiroshima's bombing, and wrote this book in the immediate months afterwards, convinced she was inevitably going to die from "atomic bomb syndrome", as many others did even when the danger had seemingly passed. She also wrote a short article that avoided the censorship from one or other side by being published at just the right time, "A light as if from the depths", included at the end of my copy. The book itself was censored, and even its first edition omitted some parts as well, which lead to the author publishing a second one later on, aka the one I read. This edition comes with a prologue that really gets into the history of the time: the literature of the atomic bomb and how it was received, Ōta Yōko's complicated journey as an author, etc., which paint a very interesting context. And the novel itself is harrowing, very descriptive, painting a very vivid picture of her mental state as she lived through this. I definitely recommend it.
The other one was "Wonder Woman Unbound: The Curious History of the World's Most Famous Heroine" by Tim Hanley. It's by the same author as "Investigating Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily Planet's Ace Reporter". That book analysed the complete journey of the heroine, while this one focuses almost exclusively on the pre-crisis time, particularly on Marston (with a full-on psychological profile of the guy LOL). It talks a lot about how "Corruption of the Innocent" and the Comics Code of Conduct shaped comics, of the Golden/Silver/Bronze era of the character, of the Women's Liberation movement and how it intersected (and didn't) with Wonder Woman's development, comparison with other heroines, public perception of the character... Another recommended read if this kind of thing interests you. I'm definitely going to hunt down his other books on DC/comics history.
The one I just started yesterday is "The Feminist Killjoy Handbook" by Sarah Ahmed. I anticipate finishing it this week, because it's quite an engaging read.
On non-fiction news, today my hardcover copies of "Harrow the Ninth" and "Nona the Ninth" arrive! I tried to start HtN on epub format but it's. Probably not a good idea LOL. I got my copies in Spanish as well, because that's how I read the first and eventually I might try to push these books on other people IRL who aren't fluent in English, so.
Lastly, comic-wise I'm keeping up with a few things (what little Jason is doing, Absolute Wonder Woman, Saga, Monstress, The New Gods...) I just started Zatanna's new run, and the first issue looks promising and came with great art. Next thing on the list is to finish reading through the main appearances of Duke Thomas and New Earth!Talia, before I really get on with Wonder Woman comics from all over the place. Recently I read Wonder Woman Historia by Kelly Sue DeConnick, which I loved, and Wonder Woman: The Once and Future Story by Trina Robbins (another author who entered my list thanks to Wonder Woman Unbound), a heavy one-shot about domestic violence. 2025 is going to be Diana's year for me, surely.
After that... we'll see. I've been eyeing Kate Spencer's Manhunter for a while, but there are a few comics I left half-finished that I want to complete, as well (Young Justice '98 and some of its characters' history, the original Suicide Squad, Gotham Central...). The love-hate affair with detective comics comics will continue for a while, suffice to say xD
