The rise of authoritarianism and nationalism is happening in multiple countries like Hungary, Russia, China, and the U.S. Parties like AfD have grown in strength in the last 20 years, thanks in part to the ability of social media companies to prioritize “engagement” to enable them to make more money over societal health.

I was surprised how poorly they still did as a chatbot vs ELIZA over after 50 years of potential progress and how revered they are in certain contexts.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375117569_Does_GPT-4_Pass_the_Turing_Test

Thanks! I knew I was missing some update somewhere. Should be fixed now.

The final book of the Fred the Vampire Accountant series by Drew Hayes was supposed to come out last year but was delayed so I’m looking forward to reading that

I would not have considered fermenting acorns. Time to run out and buy a new book…

The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik is a bunch of fun if you’re attracted to the idea of what if they had an air force in the Napoleonic Wars, and oh yeah, they are dragons.

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton was a fun take on an apocalypse book, from the perspective of the animals that are left behind. So my plan is to slot the sequel Feral Creatures in here.

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is a fun murder mystery with a groundhog’s day aspect

My plan for this one is to go hard mode and read 11/22/63 by Steven King. I’ve heard it’s good. It’s also a crossover with Motion Picture.

I like crossovers where I can find them because it lets me reshuffle them.

I looked at this book before, what did you think of it? My brother in law makes wine, and I’ve considered doing it, but I’m more interested in fermentation for foods.

Because you haven’t fully embraced your book-dragonhood? Build that hoard! :)

In showing that this game is about the spirit of the challenge not the letter, I’m announcing up front that this year I am putting less emphasis on the different authors encouragement. I also typically go for blackout.

I have discovered a ton of great series in the last few years by various authors but resisted binging series because they didn’t count for cards I was doing. This year I’m going to try and catch up on a bunch of those series and as they fit the squares and feel more free to count them and be less concerned about making sure each author is unique. (I’m still going to push to add unique authors as well, I’ll just be more open to same authors as fallbacks)

I’m super excited to dig in.

Glad you can join us, @misericordiae@literature.cafe does a great job on the cards. I’ve been so happy to have their help since we started.

Questions, Complaints, Whines, General Commentary, Shitposting…

5E Jerk with a Heart of Gold: A significant figure may be rude, gruff, or even insufferable; however, beneath all that, a surprising kindness shows in the right moments. Maybe they are bad at the whole feelings thing, are doing it to hide a deep pain or maintain a position of responsibility, or maybe it’s just all a façade, but their actions ultimately reveal a core of genuine caring. HARD MODE: Not A Man Called Ove/Otto.

5D Cozy Read: Cozies generally feature a smaller cast of characters in a smaller location, emphasize community, highlight successes and inspirational moments, and have a more optimistic and upbeat tone. Above all, they have to have a satisfyingly happy ending. They offer comfort to their readers and a safe escape from the realities of daily life. HARD MODE: There is no hard mode, hard mode defeats the purpose of the cozy task.

5C Late to the Party: Apparently this is a really popular work, you just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Read a book that you have seen recommended over and over. HARD MODE: Not Harry Potter.

5B Political: Political movements are a major driver of the work. HARD MODE: From the perspective of machinations in the background, outside the typical positions of power or major government.

5A Steppin’ Up!: Challenges can come at you quickly, especially for those least prepared. Whether it’s a major leadership position or suddenly being gifted a baby dragon, life is about to get a whole lot harder and more complicated. HARD MODE: The primary PoV does not assume the throne of a monarchy/empire.

4E Gamble, Game, or Contest: Features an organized gamble, game, or contest (life-and-death or otherwise). HARD MODE: Take a gamble on a style or genre of work you don’t typically read, as well.

4D Award Winner: Has won a notable and widely regarded literature award. HARD MODE: More than one award.