Ecce Sigum

Immanentize the Empathy

Tag: Tobias S. Buckell

October 2025 Books and Reading Notes

John Winkelman

October was a fantastic month both for reading and for acquiring new books. I had more quiet time than I have in any other month this year, and I also know that November will be exceptionally busy, due to it being the Month of Writing (formerly NaNoWriMo).

And this year has been very stressful, so I indulged in some retail therapy.

And finally, the Grand River Poetry Collective held an event on October 30 at The Lit (formerly the Ladies’ Literary Club), where I picked up all of the Collective’s books which I had not yet purchased.

So yeah, a good month to be a reader and collector of books.

Acquisitions

Books and journals which arrived in October 2025
Books and journals which arrived in October 2025
  1. Jeff Chang, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America [2025.10.02]
  2. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies (And Other Stories) [2025.10.06]
  3. Shrikant Verma (Rahul Soni, translator), Magadh (And Other Stories) [2025.10.06]
  4. Efraín Kristal, Invisible Works: Borges and Translation (Vanderbilt University Press) [2025.10.09]
  5. Peninsula Poets, Spring 2025 [2025.10.15]
  6. Tim Hawkins, West of the Backstory (Fernwood Press) [2025.10.18]
  7. Peninsula Poets, Fall 2025 [2025.10.20]
  8. David T. Courtwright, The Age of Addiction: How Bad Habits Became Big Business (Harvard University Press) [2025.10.27]
  9. Barbara Saunier, There is Room in a Horse For the Whole Boy (Grand River Poetry Press) [2025.10.30]
  10. Christine Stephens-Krieger, Love Garden at the End of the World (Grand River Poetry Press) [2025.10.30]
  11. David Cope, Moonlight Rose in Blue: Collected Poems 1971 – 2024 (Grand River Poetry Press) [2025.10.30]

Reading List

Books, journals, and magazines which I read in October 2025
Books, journals, and magazines which I read in October 2025

Books

  1. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.03]
  2. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.10]
  3. Peninsula Poets, Spring 2025 [2025.10.19]
  4. New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1 [2025.10.19]
  5. Peninsula Poets, Fall 2025 [2025.10.20]
  6. New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #2 [2025.10.22]
  7. Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.26]
  8. Dreamforge #6 [202510.28]
  9. New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #3 [2025.10.31]

Short Prose

  1. Kameron Hurley, “Living the Old Stories” (Patreon supporter reward) [2025.10.01]
  2. Tobias Buckell, “The Grove’s Lament” (Patreon supporter reward) [2025.10.01]
  3. Sarah Langan, “You Have the Prettiest Mask”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.02]
  4. Nicole Kimberling, “Nostalgia in a Box”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.03]
  5. Vandana Singh, “Sticky Man”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.03]
  6. Stewart Moore, “Madeline’s Wings”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.03]
  7. Jack Larsen, “Bright and Shabby Buses”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.03]
  8. Kristin Yuan Roybal, “Separation Theory”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #42 [2025.10.03]
  9. Alisa Alering, “The Night Farmers’ Museum”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.05]
  10. Ayşe Papatya Bucak, “Half-Papatya”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.05]
  11. Erica Clashe, “The Shine of Green Floors”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.06]
  12. Leah Bobet, “The Mysteries”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.07]
  13. Joanne Rixon, “Wires from the Same Spool”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.07]
  14. Quinn Ramsay, “The House of the Gutter-Prince”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.07]
  15. Kirk A. Johnson, “Carnivora”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.08]
  16. Jim Marino, “Acting Tips for Remaining Unknown”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.09]
  17. Zack Moss, “If You Had Been Me Then What Would I Have Been?”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.10]
  18. Kathleen Jennings, “Gisla and the Three Favours”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.10]
  19. Nicole Kimberling, “Time Travel Self-Care System”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.10]
  20. Gillian Daniels, “King Moon’s Tithe to Hell”, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #43 [2025.10.10]
  21. Margaret Killjoy, “Come Lay the Crone to Rest”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.11]
  22. Bryn Hammond, “Sister Chaos”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.16]
  23. Jesús Montalvo (Gonzalo Baezra, translator), “Chak Muuch”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.19]
  24. Sarah A. Macklin, “Tears of Eb”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.19]
  25. Prashanth Srivatsa, “The Pillars of Silence”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.19]
  26. Michael Moorcock, “The Folk of the Forest”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.1 [2025.10.19]
  27. Daniel Quiogue, “The Demon of Tashi Tzang”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.19]
  28. Jacquie Kawaja, “Fang”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.20]
  29. Gemma Files, “Revelstroke”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.21]
  30. Jeremy Pak Nelson, “A Debt Forgotten, A Debt Unpaid”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.21]
  31. J.M. Clarke, “The Eyes of the Demon”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.22]
  32. T.K. Rex & L. Ann Kinyon, “Water, Which Laughs At All Things”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.22]
  33. David C. Smith, “Atonement for a Resurrected God”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.22]
  34. June Orchid Parker, “How Many Deaths Till Vengeance?”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine #1.2 [2025.10.22]
  35. Scott Edelman, “Answered Prayers”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.22]
  36. Deborah L. Davitt, “Pterrors of the Caribbean, part 1”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.23]
  37. Henry Szabranski, “Climbing the Motherman”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.23]
  38. Jamie Munro, “Counterclockwise”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.23]
  39. Floris M. Kleijne, “Summit Attempt”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.24]
  40. M. T. Reiten, “Robot Princess”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.24]
  41. H. Orion Kim, “The Dryad’s Smile”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.25]
  42. Robert Silverberg, “House of Bones”, Dreamforge #5 [2025.10.26]
  43. Deborah L. Davitt, “Pterrors of the Caribbean, part 2” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.26]
  44. Nyla Bright, “Mothers Know Buttons” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.26]
  45. Ronald D. Ferguson, “Never the Twain” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.27]
  46. Scot Noel, “Pangenesis” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.27]
  47. Alexandra Seidel, “The Shepherdess, the Roc, and One Errant Sheep” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.27]
  48. James Verran, “Silent Partnership, part 1” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.27]
  49. Jane Linskold, “The Problem with Magic Rings” Dreamforge #6 [2025.10.28]
  50. Matt John, “Beating Stars, Dying Hearts”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery #3 [2025.10.28]
  51. Premee Mohamed, “The Betrayal of the Rhinoceros”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery #3 [2025.10.29]
  52. Thomas Ha, “St. Fario’s Feast”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery #3 [2025.10.30]
  53. John R. Fultz, “Gravediggers of Carsonne”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery #3 [2025.10.30]
  54. Oliver Brackenbury, “Something Oathlike”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery #3 [2025.10.30]
  55. Molly Tanzer, “Jirel and the Mirror of Truth”, New Edge Sword & Sorcery #3 [2025.10.31]

September 2025 Books and Reading Notes

John Winkelman

Summer was frustrating and hellish so I indulged in a little retail therapy. Poetry and philosophy help me settle my nerves.

Acquisitions

  1. Salvage #15 [2025.09.07]
  2. Jonathan M. Metzl, Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland [2025.09.07] – Purchased from Books & Mortar.
  3. Mike Davis, Planet of Slums (Verso Books) [2025.09.20]  – Purchased from Black Dog Books and Records.
  4. Alex Brostoff and Vilashini Cooppan (editors), Autotheories (MIT Press) [2025.09.26] – Purchased on a whim.
  5. Camille Newsom, Purgatory Junkie (Main Street Rag Enterprises) [2025.09.26] – Purchased from the author.
  6. Guy Debord, The Society of the Spectacle (Critical Editions) [2025.09.27] – Purchased on a whim.
  7. Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil [2025.09.29] – Purchased after watching Hannah Arendt.
  8. Mmeory (Air and Nothingness Press) [2025.09.29] – Reward from a recent Kickstarter campaign

Reading

Books

  1. Jim Harrison, Returning to Earth (re-read) [2025.09.14]
  2. Juan Felipe Herrera, Notes on the Assemblage [2025.09.18]
  3. Yuri Herrera (Lisa Dillman, translator), Season of the Swamp [2025.09.26]
  4. Camille Newsom, Purgatory Junkie [2025.09.28]

Short Prose

  1. Kameron Hurley, “Traveling Light, In Love” [2025.09.07]
  2. Jim C. Hines, “No Such Thing as a Free Twinkie” [2025.09.21]

 

October 2024 Books and Reading Notes

John Winkelman

October was quite busy so I didn’t read as much as I would have liked. But what I did read was most excellent!

Acquisitions

  1. Morgan Talty, Fire Exit (And Other Stories) [2024.10.02]
  2. Michael J. DeLuca, The Jaguar Mask (Stelliform Press) [2024.10.06]
  3. Dave Klecha and Tobias J. Buckell, The Runes of Engagement (Tachyon Publications) [2024.10.06]

Reading List

Books

  1. Jorge Luis Borges – Conversations [2024.10.10]
  2. Dave Klecha and Tobias J. Buckell, The Runes of Engagement [2024.10.14]
  3. Jack Ridl, All At Once [2024.10.17]
  4. Norah Lange, Notes from Childhood [2024.10.25]

Weekly Round-up, October 19, 2024

John Winkelman

[Painted stones found beside the Dragon Trail at Hardy Dam.]

This past week was hectic. Far more hectic than I would have expected on a week off. But my week off coincided with the kickoff of a new project, which I am leading, so I had to pop in to a couple of meetings when I would much rather have been walking in the woods or otherwise not staring at a computer screen or listening to other people talk.

But I did manage to accomplish some of the things I set out to work on for the week. My house is slightly improved. Our cats are verified healthy. I am too, as of my first physical in over a decade.

Reading

I finished the Borges interviews, and for a change of pace picked up Runes of Engagement by Dave Klecha and Tobias S. Buckell. I know Klecha from the ConFusion science fiction convention, where we are both volunteers and occasional members of the ConCom, and he has been most helpful as I learn the ins and outs of helping to manage a science fiction convention. I met Buckell at ConFusion several years ago. He is a Righteous Dude.

Runes of Engagement was a fun read, and light, and I finished it in a couple of days. Next I read Jack Ridl’s new poetry collection All At Once, which was absolutely beautiful. Some of the poems moved me to tears, which almost never happens. Ridl is a treasure.

Now I am reading Norah Lange‘s Notes from Childhood, which I acquired several years ago from my subscription to And Other Stories. I might have missed this one, except that Lange is mentioned more than once in the Borges interview collection, and so was floating near the surface of my subconscious.

Writing

With my little extra free time I began organizing my notes for the upcoming Month of Writing. Since I am no longer participating in National Novel Writing Month, I am instead participating in “That November Thing”, an event coordinated by the West Michigan Author Alliance, that which used to be the Ottawa County/Grand Rapids region for NaNoWriMo.

Weekly Writing Prompt

Subject: Apocalypse, Precursors
Setting: Battlefield
Genre: Lovecraftian

Listening

Interesting Links

Acquisitions and Losses

John Winkelman

It’s been another quiet week for literature here at the library of Winkelman Abbey. The only book to make its way into my collection is the above, It’s All Just a Draft by Tobias S. Buckell. This book is a Kickstarter reward.

I met Buckell a few years back at the ConFusion science fiction convention. He is a semi-regular guest and panelist, and a fun person to talk to at the bar in between sessions. He writes some excellent books, of which my favorites are his Xenowealth series, Crystal Rain, Ragamuffin, and Sly Mongoose.

In reading news, I am most of the way through Postcards from the Interior by Wyn Cooper, who I almost met a couple of years ago at the Lost Lake Writer’s Retreat. Almost, because though Cooper couldn’t make it to the retreat, his books did, and I bought some of them. I didn’t have much time or brain-space for reading, so my poetry intake is languishing. I should be done with it today, and then on to the next one! I am also almost finished with Laurus, and should be on to the next evening read by the end of the week.

The “loss” referred to in the title of this post is, of course, the legendary Gene Wolfe, who passed away last weekend at the age of 87. I have been an on-again, off-again fan since the mid-1990s, when I first read his superb Shadow of the Torturer. I met Wolfe briefly at a science fiction convention (probably ConFusion but also possibly a different one) back in the early 2000s. I still regret not having got a book signed.

Here is a brief list of remembrances and appreciations of Mr. Wolfe.

Remembering Gene Wolfe, Valya Dudycz Lupescu
Gene Wolfe Was the Proust of Science Fiction, The New Republic
There Are Doors Everywhere, CSE Cooney
Valar Morghulis, George R. R. Martin
The Bureaucrat has Left the Planet, Michael Swanwick