Taking the Lane is a feminist bike zine. #15 is all about bicycles and being trans, two of my hobbies. Good stuff.
User Profile
Black lives matter Be gay do crimes ACAB
Pronouns: she/they
Living in occupied ancestral lands of the Osage nation (St. Louis, Missouri)
This link opens in a pop-up window
User Activity
Goblin rated True Trans Bike Rebel: 3 stars
True Trans Bike Rebel by Elly Blue
A woman sets off on a long-distance tour across the desert, where she finds the courage she needs to continue …
Goblin finished reading True Trans Bike Rebel by Elly Blue
Goblin reviewed How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney
an excellent history lesson
4 stars
Walter Rodney's book is dense but very readable. It's an excellent education for someone who may not have learned much about the history of Africa. It makes a strong case that the problems of development that face the people of Africa were created by foreign imperialism and exploitation, not something fundamentally wrong or backward in Africa.
The African people were doing just fine before Europeans arrived with ships and guns and proceeded to extract African wealth, goods, mineral resources, and people for hundreds of years. In the 20th century the people of Africa managed to educate and organize themselves and push out colonial governments, but there's a lot to recover from and still much work to do.
Some things to be aware of: The book was first published in 1972, so it's somewhat dated. The history is still relevant of course, but I do wonder what more the author would …
Walter Rodney's book is dense but very readable. It's an excellent education for someone who may not have learned much about the history of Africa. It makes a strong case that the problems of development that face the people of Africa were created by foreign imperialism and exploitation, not something fundamentally wrong or backward in Africa.
The African people were doing just fine before Europeans arrived with ships and guns and proceeded to extract African wealth, goods, mineral resources, and people for hundreds of years. In the 20th century the people of Africa managed to educate and organize themselves and push out colonial governments, but there's a lot to recover from and still much work to do.
Some things to be aware of: The book was first published in 1972, so it's somewhat dated. The history is still relevant of course, but I do wonder what more the author would have had to say later if he hadn't been assassinated. Also the book is written from a Marxist perspective, and so throughout the book there is an implication that socialist states are the solution. A whole lot less capitalism would almost certainly be an improvement, but depending on how you feel about the history of socialist states, the enthusiasm for the state might seem excessive. I could not agree with the author's assertion that only capitalist states engage in imperialism.
In summary, it's an excellent history lesson, and I suggest reading with a filter for "written from a Marxist perspective from over 50 years ago."
Goblin finished reading How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney
Reflecting on How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney is a little discouraging. The book was first published in 1972. Here we are over 50 years later, and most of the people of Africa are still experiencing economic imperialism and exploitation.
Goblin rated How Europe Underdeveloped Africa: 4 stars
How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney, Angela Davis
Work of political economy, detailing the impact of slavery and colonialism on the history of international capitalism. Rodney makes the …
queerer than I expected
4 stars
Becky Chambers shows us a hopeful future. Sure, the world she creates still has familiar problems like bigotry, exploitation, and war. But most of the characters we see are fairly open minded, diverse, emotionally intelligent, and culturally sensitive.
I really started to appreciate the book more about 2/3 of the way through. All the world building and character development of the beginning finally led up to some interesting social commentary and ethical questions, as well as some queer bits. At one point we meet a character who had to pretend to be something they weren't to survive in their society, until they were able to escape to get treatment to fully become what they knew they were inside. Which seemed like an obvious trans metaphor to me.
I love how the book ends with an open ethical question that the author doesn't resolve for us. We only get to see …
Becky Chambers shows us a hopeful future. Sure, the world she creates still has familiar problems like bigotry, exploitation, and war. But most of the characters we see are fairly open minded, diverse, emotionally intelligent, and culturally sensitive.
I really started to appreciate the book more about 2/3 of the way through. All the world building and character development of the beginning finally led up to some interesting social commentary and ethical questions, as well as some queer bits. At one point we meet a character who had to pretend to be something they weren't to survive in their society, until they were able to escape to get treatment to fully become what they knew they were inside. Which seemed like an obvious trans metaphor to me.
I love how the book ends with an open ethical question that the author doesn't resolve for us. We only get to see a bit of the aftermath, but she leaves it to the reader to decide what was right.
A warning, this book is primarily driven by character interaction and world building, not narrative and plot. From what I've heard that turned some people off. I loved it though.
Goblin <p>finished reading</p>
The long way to a small, angry planet by Becky Chambers
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen …
Goblin <p>set a goal to read 18 books in 2024</p>
Goblin <p>wants to read</p>
Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky
From the award-winning cartoonist and editor at The Nib, a hilarious trans-“final girl” horror graphic novel about a bachelor party …
Goblin <p>wants to read</p>
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
In the stories of Adjei-Brenyah’s debut, an amusement park lets players enter augmented reality to hunt terrorists or shoot intruders …
Goblin rated Any Other City: 4 stars
Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante
Any Other City is a two-sided fictional memoir by Tracy St. Cyr, who helms the beloved indie rock band Static …
Goblin <p>finished reading</p>
Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante
Any Other City is a two-sided fictional memoir by Tracy St. Cyr, who helms the beloved indie rock band Static …
Goblin rated Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: 4 stars
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
In this exhilarating novel, two friends--often in love, but never lovers--come together as creative partners in the world of video …
Goblin <p>finished reading</p>
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
In this exhilarating novel, two friends--often in love, but never lovers--come together as creative partners in the world of video …