An irregular hodgepodge of links beyond the library curated together from @OmniumGatherum at Hrmtc I∴O∴ and more … Omnium Gatherum for May 18, 2022.

Here’s a selection of notable things I’ve recently found that you may also be interested in checking out:

• “‘Goddesses, I yield to you!’ Marina Warner on the volcanic power of witches, she-devils and divinities. The writer has always resisted deity worship but she found her senses sparking at the British Museum’s gripping show about female superbeings – one wearing a necklace of severed heads.” About “Feminine power: the divine to the demonic“—”The first exhibition of its kind, Feminine power takes a cross-cultural look at the profound influence of female spiritual beings within global religion and faith.” British Museum, London, through September. Also “An introduction to Feminine power. Get a sneak peek into Feminine power with exhibition curators, Lucy Dahlsen and Belinda Crerar. In this blog post, they take us through some of the key stories explored within the show and a few of the most exciting pieces within the collection.”
• “TTRPGs for Reproductive Rights. A bundle hosted by Roll for Romance with content from 201 creators. Buy 291 items for $5 Regularly ~$1,399 Save 99%!” Ends in 25 days.
• “Bundle for Reproductive Rights. This jam will be converted into a bundle for easy purchasing once submissions are in!” “All proceeds from this bundle will be donated to nonprofits that protect the right of people to choose what happens to their own bodies, such as Planned Parenthood.” Submissions closed, with 464 entries, and the bundle is being converted right now.
• “One Week Left! Pre-Order Hellebore 7 ?“—”The Peculiar Parish Bookshop is offering a two-week pre-order period for The Ritual Issue and other Hellebore zines and books. Pre-orders close Tuesday, May 24 and will ship in June.” Hellebore #7
• “Bringing The Believer home. In 2003, McSweeney’s launched The Believer. Now we’re fundraising to continue publishing it and carry on its essential literary legacy.” Crowdfunding with 44 days to go, and a long way to go to fund. You can read a review of The Believer by T Polyphilus on the blog.
• “Where Exactly Did John the Baptist Baptize Jesus?. If Jesus was indeed baptized, then where? Biblical scholar Shimon Gibson reviews the geo-historical and archaeological evidence, or lack thereof, and presents a new theory.”
• “Stolen Nostradamus manuscript is returned to library in Rome. Book thought to have been taken 15 years ago was rediscovered when it went up for auction in Germany.”
• Writing His Way to Spiritual Freedom: The Life and Works of Omar ibn Said [Amazon, Bookshop] by Muhammed Abdullah Al-Ahari, Omar Ibn Said, and cover by Hermetic Library Anthology Artist Mustafa al-Laylah—”Omar ibn Said (ca. 1770-1864) was a Fula Islamic scholar from Futa Toro in West Africa, who was enslaved and transported to the United States in 1807. There, while enslaved for the remainder of his life, he wrote a series of Arabic-language works on history and theology, including a posthumously famous autobiography. This is a collection of all known writings from his pen with complete translation and commentary. It includes all 40 plus annotations from his personal copy of an Arabic Bible and related texts related to prior translators. Additionally, sources of quotes in Omar’s texts and given. Omar’s associate Lamen Kebe, who was addressed in Omar’s autobiography and later repatriated to Liberia after 40 years in slavery in the United States, is also studied in detail as are Kebe’s pedagogic theories and list of texts used in his home country’s madrasa.”
• Peacock Angel: The Esoteric Tradition of the Yezidis [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Hermetic Library Fellow Peter Lamborn Wilson—”An examination of the beliefs and history of the secretive Yezidi sect. Explains how the Yezidis worship Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as ‘the devil’ or Satan, yet who has been redeemed by God to rule a world of beauty and spiritual realization. Examines Yezidi antinomian doctrines of opposition, their cosmogony, their magical lore and taboos, the role of angels, ritual, and symbology, and how the Yezidi faith relates to other occult traditions such as alchemy. Presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi. The Yezidis are an ancient people who live in the mountainous regions on the borders of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. This secretive culture worships Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as ‘the devil’ or Satan, hence the sect is known as devil-worshippers and has long been persecuted. Presenting a study of the interior, esoteric dimensions of Yezidism, Peter Lamborn Wilson examines the sect’s antinomian doctrines of opposition, its magical lore and taboos, and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He explains how the historical founder of this sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent, Sheik Adi ibn Musafir, who settled in this remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. Sheik Adi was so influenced by the original sect that he departed from orthodox Islam, and by the 15th century the sect was known to worship the Peacock Angel, Melek Ta’us, with all its ‘Satanic’ connotations. Revealing the spiritual flowering that occurs in an oral culture, the author examines Yezidi cosmogony, how they are descended from the androgynous Adam–before Eve was created–as well as the role of angels, ritual, alchemy, symbology, and color in Yezidi religion. He also presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi.Showing the Yezidi sect to be a syncretic faith of pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian, Christian, Pagan, Sufi, and other influences, Wilson reveals how these worshippers of the Peacock Angel do indeed worship ‘the Devil’–but the devil is not ‘evil.’ God has redeemed him, and he rules a world of beauty and spiritual realization.”
• “Review: ‘River of the Gods,’ by Candice Millard.” About River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Candice Millard—The harrowing story of one of the great feats of exploration of all time and its complicated legacy—from the New York Times bestselling author of The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic. For millennia the location of the Nile River’s headwaters was shrouded in mystery. In the 19th century, there was a frenzy of interest in ancient Egypt. At the same time, European powers sent off waves of explorations intended to map the unknown corners of the globe – and extend their colonial empires. Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke were sent by the Royal Geographical Society to claim the prize for England. Burton spoke twenty-nine languages, and was a decorated soldier. He was also mercurial, subtle, and an iconoclastic atheist. Speke was a young aristocrat and Army officer determined to make his mark, passionate about hunting, Burton’s opposite in temperament and beliefs. From the start the two men clashed. They would endure tremendous hardships, illness, and constant setbacks. Two years in, deep in the African interior, Burton became too sick to press on, but Speke did, and claimed he found the source in a great lake that he christened Lake Victoria. When they returned to England, Speke rushed to take credit, disparaging Burton. Burton disputed his claim, and Speke launched another expedition to Africa to prove it. The two became venomous enemies, with the public siding with the more charismatic Burton, to Speke’s great envy. The day before they were to publicly debate,Speke shot himself. Yet there was a third man on both expeditions, his name obscured by imperial annals, whose exploits were even more extraordinary. This was Sidi Mubarak Bombay, who was enslaved and shipped from his home village in East Africa to India. When the man who purchased him died, he made his way into the local Sultan’s army, and eventually traveled back to Africa, where he used his resourcefulness, linguistic prowess and raw courage to forge a living as a guide. Without Bombay and men like him, who led, carried, and protected the expedition, neither Englishman would have come close to the headwaters of the Nile, or perhaps even survived. In River of the Gods Candice Millard has written another peerless story of courage and adventure, set against the backdrop of the race to exploit Africa by the colonial powers.”
• “There Is Grace in Patience: On the Writing Lessons of Tarot. Abbigail Nguyen Rosewood Considers Trust, Discovery, and Dreaming While Awake.” About Constellations of Eve [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Abbigail Nguyen Rosewood—”Eve is a reluctant mother; Eve is a famous phenomenon; Eve is a quiet country teacher. Liam is a successful artist; Liam is a scheming husband; Liam is a gentle partner. Pari is a leading scientific researcher; Pari is a recognized model; Pari is a picture of declining mental states. Constellations of Eve weaves together three deviations of one love story. In each variation, the narrative changes slightly, with life-altering impacts. Against a backdrop of difficult people finding their place in a constantly shifting universe, the novel manipulates the variables leading to their fraught romantic entanglements, tearing through a host of lifetimes in search of the one in which all the brightest stars align. In this philosophical fable of art and fate, Abbigail Nguyen Rosewood paints a world that floats above our own and contours the infinitesimal moments that shape who we love, over whom we obsess, and how we decide what to live for. Each reality allows Eve another chance at finding her true destiny and personal and professional fulfilment—but can she get it right? Is there even such a thing as right? Constellations of Eve wrestles with the most intimate betrayals and the staggering personal costs of stifling artistic ambition, pursuing it to the exclusion of family, or letting it disperse in favor of an all-consuming love.”
• Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide to Magical Activism [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Sarah Lyons, from 2019—”A fiery, inclusive guide for activists and witches alike, Revolutionary Witchcraft is an empowered introduction to the history and practice of politically-motivated magic. From the politically charged origins of the word ‘witch’ to the present-day magical resistance, this bold handbook explores the role of witchcraft in our modern world. Author, activist, and practicing witch Sarah Lyons takes readers on a journey through a leftist history of magic — from the witch hunts of early modern England, through the Salem Witch Trials, and up to our present moment. Pairing mystical acts, including sigil magic and soul flight, with core organizing tactics, like power mapping and protests, Revolutionary Witchcraft offers a blueprint for building a politically grounded magical praxis. From social justice to environmental activism, this radical reimagining of political activism addresses today’s most pressing problems with empowering, inclusive rituals and magical actions. Each chapter introduces a key concept, like dreaming big, experiencing magical initiation, and joining the revolution, supported by a galvanizing historical case study on the power of mystical action. Full of actionable ideas for magical organizing, and an appendix packed with customizable spells, Revolutionary Witchcraft is the perfect companion for the magical uprising.”
• The Serpent Ikons: A Sorcerous Distortion of the Tarot de Marseille Major Arcana by Helena van El & Shandi AzK Bouscatier, now in pre-order—”a card deck, philosophical commentary, and grimoire; combining at the very heart of its creation primal art, writing, and magickal practice.”
• “The Diabolical Devilries of Eugène Lepoittevin. The outrageous and provocatively sexual Devilries of the famed French artist. Be warned: this is still eye-popping stuff.” About Bawdy Tales and Trifles of Devilries for Ladies and Gentlemen of Experience [Amazon, Bookshop, Local Library] by Eugène Lepoittevin, intro by Sarah Burns, afterword by Fanny Woodcock—”Commissioned by and for wealthy aristocrats for their private amusements, we introduce you to a selection of stories, poems, limericks, and bon mots assured to delight the most refined of connoisseurs. Complimented by rare erotic lithographs by renowned illustrator Eugene Lepoittevin. Lepoittevin’s Devils first appeared to acclaim in 1832. Originally, his devil was an impish troublemaker. At the behest of his publisher, he created a new series of lithographs featuring his devils ala erotique. The drawings are more humorous than titillating and reflect the sense of absurdity prevalent in European eroticism. Even so, the drawings were long banned in Europe and the United States, with the government going so far as to confiscate copies intended for the Kinsey Institute in 1956.
  The selection of writings is culled from humorous erotic pastiches and rare writing privately printed for exclusive collectors by underground publishers that have long been hidden in the Private Case of the British Library and the L’Enfer of the Biblioteque nationale du France. Bawdy Tales is designed with the collector in mind, utilizing vegan leather and gold embossing to simulate period morocco binding. Art Historian Sarah Burns introduces Lepoittevin’s work and career. Expert collector of written erotica, “Lady Fanny Woodcock” contributes a short history of the erotic book in Western culture.”

• “Freemasons: The life and times of a men’s cult. ‘How the Freemasons made the Modern World,’ explains how the secret society has persisted through the ages.” About The Craft: How the Freemasons Made the Modern World [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by John Dickie—”Insiders call it the Craft. Discover the fascinating true story of one of the most influential and misunderstood secret brotherhoods in modern society. Founded in London in 1717 as a way of binding men in fellowship, Freemasonry proved so addictive that within two decades it had spread across the globe. Masonic influence became pervasive. Under George Washington, the Craft became a creed for the new American nation. Masonic networks held the British empire together. Under Napoleon, the Craft became a tool of authoritarianism and then a cover for revolutionary conspiracy. Both the Mormon Church and the Sicilian mafia owe their origins to Freemasonry. Yet the Masons were as feared as they were influential. In the eyes of the Catholic Church, Freemasonry has always been a den of devil-worshippers. For Hitler, Mussolini and Franco, the Lodges spread the diseases of pacifism, socialism and Jewish influence, so had to be crushed. Freemasonry’s story yokes together Winston Churchill and Walt Disney; Wolfgang Mozart and Shaquille O’Neal; Benjamin Franklin and Buzz Aldrin; Rudyard Kipling and ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody; Duke Ellington and the Duke of Wellington. John Dickie’s The Craft is an enthralling exploration of a the world’s most famous and misunderstood secret brotherhood, a movement that not only helped to forge modern society, but has substantial contemporary influence, with 400,000 members in Britain, over a million in the USA, and around six million across the world.”
• “‘The Wordhord’ Review: Here Be Dragons. Old English words can be vaguely familiar and strangely evocative. They conjure a long-ago world of mundane worries and wild imaginings.” About The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Hana Videen—”An entertaining and illuminating collection of weird, wonderful, and downright baffling words from the origins of English—and what they reveal about the lives of the earliest English speakers. Old English is the language you think you know until you actually hear or see it. Unlike Shakespearean English or even Chaucer’s Middle English, Old English—the language of Beowulf—defies comprehension by untrained modern readers. Used throughout much of Britain more than a thousand years ago, it is rich with words that haven’t changed (like word), others that are unrecognizable (such as neorxnawang, or paradise), and some that are mystifying even in translation (gafol-fisc, or tax-fish). In this delightful book, Hana Videen gathers a glorious trove of these gems and uses them to illuminate the lives of the earliest English speakers. We discover a world where choking on a bit of bread might prove your guilt, where fiend-ship was as likely as friendship, and where you might grow up to be a laughter-smith. The Wordhord takes readers on a journey through Old English words and customs related to practical daily activities (eating, drinking, learning, working); relationships and entertainment; health and the body, mind, and soul; the natural world (animals, plants, and weather); locations and travel (the source of some of the most evocative words in Old English); mortality, religion, and fate; and the imagination and storytelling. Each chapter ends with its own “wordhord”—a list of its Old English terms, with definitions and pronunciations. Entertaining and enlightening, The Wordhord reveals the magical roots of the language you’re reading right now: you’ll never look at—or speak—English in the same way again.”
• “2,000 Years Old and Still Going Strong: Aristotle’s Lessons in Storytelling. Philip Freeman on What We Can Learn From the Poetics.” Excerpt from How to Tell a Story: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Storytelling for Writers and Readers [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Philip Freeman—”An inviting and highly readable new translation of Aristotle’s complete Poetics—the first and best introduction to the art of writing and understanding stories. Aristotle’s Poetics is the most important book ever written for writers and readers of stories—whether novels, short fiction, plays, screenplays, or nonfiction. Aristotle was the first to identify the keys to plot, character, audience perception, tragic pleasure, and dozens of other critical points of good storytelling. Despite being written more than 2,000 years ago, the Poetics remains essential reading for anyone who wants to learn how to write a captivating story—or understand how such stories work and achieve their psychological effects. Yet for all its influence, the Poetics is too little read because it comes down to us in a form that is often difficult to follow, and even the best translations are geared more to specialists than to general readers who simply want to grasp Aristotle’s profound and practical insights. In How to Tell a Story, Philip Freeman presents the most readable translation of the Poetics yet produced, making this indispensable handbook more accessible, engaging, and useful than ever before. In addition to its inviting and reliable translation, a commentary on each section, and the original Greek on facing pages, this edition of the Poetics features unique bullet points, chapter headings, and section numbers to help guide readers through Aristotle’s unmatched introduction to the art of writing and reading stories.”
• “When Iris Murdoch Met Jean-Paul Sartre. Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman on a Chance Encounter Between a Young Novelist and an Aging Philosopher.” Excerpt from Metaphysical Animals: How Four Women Brought Philosophy Back to Life [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman—”A vibrant portrait of four college friends—Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, Elizabeth Anscombe, and Mary Midgley—who formed a new philosophical tradition while Oxford’s men were away fighting World War II. The history of European philosophy is usually constructed from the work of men. In Metaphysical Animals, a pioneering group biography, Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman offer a compelling alternative. In the mid-twentieth century Elizabeth Anscombe, Mary Midgley, Philippa Foot, and Iris Murdoch were philosophy students at Oxford when most male undergraduates and many tutors were conscripted away to fight in the Second World War. Together, these young women, all friends, developed a philosophy that could respond to the war’s darkest revelations. Neither the great Enlightenment thinkers of the past, the logical innovators of the early twentieth century, or the new Existentialist philosophy trickling across the Channel, could make sense of this new human reality of limitless depravity and destructive power, the women felt. Their answer was to bring philosophy back to life. We are metaphysical animals, they realized, creatures that can question their very being. Who am I? What is freedom? What is human goodness? The answers we give, they believed, shape what we will become. Written with expertise and flair, Metaphysical Animals is a lively portrait of women who shared ideas, but also apartments, clothes and even lovers. Mac Cumhaill and Wiseman show how from the disorder and despair of the war, four brilliant friends created a way of ethical thinking that is there for us today.”
• “‘I’m Tired Of Being Accepted’: John Waters Is Only Getting Grosser. He turned 76, released his first work of literary fiction, Liarmouth, and continues to tour the country with his one-man show. What will we ever do without him?” More about Liarmouth: A feel-bad romance [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by John Waters—”A hilariously filthy tale of sex, crime, and family dysfunction from the brilliantly twisted mind of John Waters, the legendary filmmaker and bestselling author of Mr. Know-It-All.”
• “Seema Reza on the Joy of Being (Completely) Alone. ‘Uncontrollable. They meant the word as a criticism; I wore it as a badge.'” “Apartment” by Seema Reza, from Sex and the Single Woman: 24 Writers Reimagine Helen Gurley Brown’s Cult Classic [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] eds Eliza M Smith and Haley Swanson—”A feminist anthology inspired by legendary Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl, featuring twenty-four new essays on the triumphs and heartbreaks of modern singlehood from acclaimed and bestselling authors, including Kristen Arnett, Morgan Parker, Evette Dionne, and Melissa Febos. Sixty years ago, Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl sent shockwaves through the United States, selling more than two million copies in three weeks. Helen’s message was radical for its time: marriage wasn’t essential for women to lead rich, fulfilling lives. Now, in these critical, wry, and expansive essays, twenty-four writers reconsider Helen’s advice and how it applies to their own paths, fielding topics that she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—conceive of in 1962: contraception and abortion (an omission demanded by her publisher), queer and trans womanhood, polyamory, celibacy, interracial dating, bodies of all kinds, consent, sex work, IVF, and the pop culture that both saves and fails us. Eliza Smith and Haley Swanson’s revisionist anthology honors Brown’s irreverent spirit while also validating our modern experiences of singlehood, encouraging us all to reclaim joy where it’s so often been denied.”
• “The Story That Saved Me: On Writing My Way Out of a Life That No Longer Felt Like Mine. Lauren McBrayer’s Novel Showed up Exactly When She Needed It.” About Like a House on Fire [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Lauren McBrayer—”What would you do if you found the spark that made you feel whole again? After twelve years of marriage and two kids, Merit has begun to feel like a stranger in her own life. She loves her husband and sons, but she desperately needs something more than sippy cups and monthly sex. So, she returns to her career at Jager + Brandt, where a brilliant and beautiful Danish architect named Jane decides to overlook the “break” in Merit’s résumé and give her a shot. Jane is a supernova—witty and dazzling and unapologetically herself—and as the two work closely together, their relationship becomes a true friendship. In Jane, Merit sees the possibility of what a woman could be. And Jane sees Merit exactly for who she is. Not the wife and mother dutifully performing the roles expected of her, but a whole person. Their relationship quickly becomes a cornerstone in Merit’s life. And as Merit starts to open her mind to the idea of more—more of a partner, more of a match, more out of love—she begins to question: What if the love of her life isn’t the man she married. What if it’s Jane?”
• “Empires and emperors are things of the past—in theory. In his new book, Dominic Lieven says understanding them remains important.” About In the Shadow of the Gods: The Emperor in World History [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Dominic Lieven—”A dazzling account of the men (and occasional woman) who led the world’s empires, a book that probes the essence of leadership and power through the centuries and around the world. From the rise of Sargon of Akkad, who in the third millennium BCE ruled what is now Iraq and Syria, to the collapse of the great European empires in the twentieth century, the empire has been the dominant form of power in history. Dominic Lieven’s expansive book explores strengths and failings of the human beings who held those empires together (or let them crumble). He projects the power, terror, magnificence, and confidence of imperial monarchy, tracking what they had in common as well as what made some rise to glory and others fail spectacularly, and at what price each destiny was reached. Lieven’s characters—Constantine, Chinggis Khan, Trajan, Suleyman, Hadrian, Louis XIV, Maria Theresa, Peter the Great, Queen Victoria, and dozens more—come alive with color, energy, and detail: their upbringings, their loves, their crucial spouses, their dreadful children. They illustrate how politics and government are a gruelling business: a ruler needed stamina, mental and physical toughness, and self-confidence. He or she needed the sound judgement of problems and people which is partly innate but also the product of education and experience. A good brain was essential for setting priorities, weighing conflicting advice, and matching ends to needs. A diplomatically astute marriage was often even more essential. Emperors (and the rare empresses) could be sacred symbols, warrior kings, political leaders, chief executive officers of the government machine, heads of a family, and impresarios directing the many elements of “soft power” essential to any regime’s survival. What was it like to live and work in such an extraordinary role? What qualities did it take to perform this role successfully? Lieven traces the shifting balance among these elements across eras that encompass a staggering array of events from the rise of the world’s great religions to the scientific revolution, the expansion of European empires across oceans, the great twentieth century conflicts, and the triumph of nationalism over imperialism. The rule of the emperor may be over, but Lieven shows us how we live with its political and cultural legacies today.”
• “‘Trust’ explores the power of money, and of storytelling. Hernan Diaz’s new book is a matryoshka doll of a novel.” More on this: Trust by Hernan Diaz.
• Cimino: The Deer Hunter, Heaven’s Gate, and the Price of a Vision [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library] by Charles Elton—”The first biography of critically acclaimed then critically derided filmmaker Michael Cimino—and a reevaluation of the infamous film that destroyed his career. The director Michael Cimino (1939–2016) is famous for two films: the intense, powerful, and enduring Vietnam movie The Deer Hunter, which won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1979 and also won Cimino Best Director, and Heaven’s Gate, the most notorious bomb of all time. Originally budgeted at $11 million, Cimino’s sprawling western went off the rails in Montana. The picture grew longer and longer, and the budget ballooned to over $40 million. When it was finally released, Heaven’s Gate failed so completely with reviewers and at the box office that it put legendary studio United Artists out of business and marked the end of Hollywood’s auteur era. Or so the conventional wisdom goes. Charles Elton delves deeply into the making and aftermath of the movie and presents a surprisingly different view to that of Steven Bach, one of the executives responsible for Heaven’s Gate, who wrote a scathing book about the film and solidified the widely held view that Cimino wounded the movie industry beyond repair. Elton’s Cimino is a richly detailed biography that offers a revisionist history of a lightning rod filmmaker. Based on extensive interviews with Cimino’s peers and collaborators and enemies and friends, most of whom have never spoken before, it unravels the enigmas and falsehoods, many perpetrated by the director himself, which surround his life, and sheds new light on his extraordinary career. This is a story of the making of art, the business of Hollywood, and the costs of ambition, both financial and personal.” ‘Heartbreaking’: Frightened librarians face ‘hostile’ harassment trying to navigate new book bans. ‘I don’t think there’s been a day that I haven’t been frightened & immobilized by what the future could look like'”

• “The Purpose of Book Bans Is to Make Queer Kids Scared. Lev AC Rosen on Having His Book Banned, and the Repetition of History.” By Lev AC Rosen, author of Lavender House, due October 2022.
• “‘I was sure that now I would die’: read Wittgenstein’s explosive war diaries. Fearing for his life, tormented by sex: the great philosopher bares his soul in his diaries, finally decoded and translated after 100 years.” More about Private Notebooks: 1914-1916 by Ludwig Wittgenstein, trans Marjorie Perloff.
• “Ludwig Wittgenstein’s war on philosophy. He preferred the ‘rough ground’ of everyday existence.”
• “How Queer Was Ludwig Wittgenstein? His work transformed the nature of philosophy and pushed followers toward the edge of comprehension. But his own nature, too, has long challenged comprehension.”
• “Quantum Wittgenstein. Metaphysical debates in quantum physics don’t get at ‘truth’ – they’re nothing but a form of ritual, activity and culture.”
• Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes [Amazon, Publisher] by Tariq Ali—”A critical and radical biography of the last great Imperialist”
• “‘Hello, Bookstore’ Review: A Document of the Independent Bookstore as Oasis. It’s a moving, almost transcendental portrait of a bookstore and its missionary owner-curator.”
• “Robin Hemley on Kafka and Writerly Ambition. From The History of Literature Podcast with Jacke Wilson.”
• “Carlo Rovelli on How Literary Greats Find Inspiration in Scientific Rationality. Considering the Intersections of Literature and Science.” Excerpt from There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness: And Other Thoughts on Physics, Philosophy And the World by Carlo Rovelli.
• “Dear Publishing: I Will Not Be Reading Any ‘Manga-Inspired’ Comics and Here’s Why.”—”Why does U.S. publishing use labels so liberally and inaccurately? What does ‘manga-inspired’ even mean?”
• “On Tolkien, Translation, Linguistics, and the Languages of Middle-earth.”
• “Life As a Book Publisher in Wartime Ukraine. Kateryna Volkova on the Authors and Editors on the Front Lines.”
• “Eight nature books to change your life. Is it possible to reboot or ‘re-wild’ our minds by living a slower, more feral existence in harmony with nature? Lindsay Baker speaks to the authors who think we can.”
• “The Iron Curtain’s border zone has grown into a wild, ecological haven. The iron curtain’s shadow left room for nature to heal.” Excerpt from Wild Places by Sarah Baxter part of the Inspired Traveller’s Guides.
• “A Sci-Fi Writer Returns to Earth: ‘The Real Story is the One Facing Us.’ Kim Stanley Robinson, one of the most acclaimed living science fiction writers, is done with deep space narratives. His focus now is on solving real problems — like climate change.” About, in part, The High Sierra: A Love Story by Kim Stanley Robinson.
• “What It Would Take to See the World Completely Differently. The marine biologist Rachel Carson saw immense value in helping the public cultivate a sense of wonder.”—”Why did Carson feel so strongly the need to proselytize the wonders of wonder? Perhaps she sensed that, without it, an emotional connection with nature would be impossible; without it, the environmental movement had no hope. ‘The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe,’ she once said, ‘the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race.'”
• “A psychologist says there are 7 types of ‘office jerks’—here’s how to tell which one you work with“—”1. The Kiss-Up/Kick-Downer … 2. The Gaslighter … 3. The Credit Stealer … 4. The Bulldozer … 5. Micromanagers … 6. The Neglectful Boss … 7. The Free Rider.” About Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them by Tessa West.
• “HarperVoyager launches publishing’s first TikTok creator house“—”HarperVoyager will be partnering with digital influencer agency Rocket to organise its creator house, which it says will be the first influencer activity of its kind in publishing.”
• “The Atlantic Expands Books Coverage and Announces an Imprint With Independent Publisher Zando. Atlantic Editions will publish a series of books by Atlantic writers. Today’s Books relaunch features cover story, ‘Chasing Joan Didion,’ and summer reading guide.”
• “I’m now a full-time author…“—”After eighteen years as a meter reader (gas and electric) for Accuread, G4S, and Morrison Data Services, I decided it was time to give it up and put all of my efforts into writing.” Read an old interview with Steven on the library blog.
• “EXCLUSIVE: Sesame Street Becomes a Twisted, Hyper-Violent Nightmare in New Dark Horse Series. Dark Horse’s Survival Street takes the long-running educational PBS children’s show and turns it into a dark, hyper-violent action satire series.” About Survival Street #1 (of 4) by James Asmus, Jim Festante, Abylay Kussainov, & al., due August 2022.
• “Upset by book bans, teen starts forbidden book club in small Pa. town.”
• Watch “The Orville: New Horizons | Trailer | Hulu“—”Our return is imminent. The Orville New Horizons arrives June 2, only on Hulu.”
• Watch “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Series Premiere | Full Episode | Paramount+”
• Watch “The Man Who Fell To Earth | Series Premiere | Free Full Episode (TVMA)” and “The Man Who Fell To Earth | Season 1 Ep. 2 | Free Full Episode (TVMA).”—”An inspired continuation of the novel by Walter Tevis and the iconic 1976 film starring David Bowie. … Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris.”
• Watch “For All Mankind — Season 3 Official Trailer | Apple TV+“—”Over two decades after the Moon landing, there’s a new battle to face— Mars. For All Mankind Season 3 premieres June 10 on Apple TV+”
• Watch “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law | Disney+“—”You’ll like her when she’s angry. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, an Original series from Marvel Studios, starts streaming August 17 on Disney+.”
• “Conan License To Move On From Marvel Comics“—”Bleeding Cool understands that this company, or new owners, now wish to publish Conan comic books themselves.”
• CANDLE II by Fantasy Audio Magazine—”The sequel to the original OSR adventure-gaming tapezine–once foretold, now loose upon the Earth.”
• “Household. The world’s smallest RPG, from the ENNIE Awards winning authors of Broken Compass.” Upcoming crowdfunding campaign. Also “Household by Two Little Mice“—”Players of Household take on the role of littlings, little beings of the Little Folk from European folklore.”
• “Original Adventures Reincarnated #7: Dark Tower. The classic tabletop RPG adventure returns for the 5E and DCC RPG rules sets!” Crowdfunding with 28 days to go.
• “The playful Playdate gets serious as a personal organizer. Trying to stay organized with a handheld game console.” About Pocket Planner for Panic PlayDate—”Let’s face the truth – you will be carrying your Playdate everywhere with you, so why not use it as a productivity tool?”
• “Teacher finds creepy ragdoll in new home with note saying it KILLED previous owners. Friends told Jonathan Lewis he should put the house in Liverpool back on the market after he discovered the hair-raising toy and its message buried behind a wall.”

This post was possible because of support from generous ongoing Patrons. Patrons get access to Omnium Gatherum immediately. On the blog, this will be exclusive to Patrons for one year, after which I’ll make it publicly available to everyone so they can see what they’ve been missing.