The Onyx Glossary

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

2025 Creative Writing Productivity Report

Writing-wise, 2025 was a very productive year (especially in contrast to 2024, where I did almost no creative writing to speak of at all). Aside from finishing off my French-Decadent short novel PULP FIN DE SIÈCLE (which would later on in the year be published by Purple Bearded Uncle, and thus making my first truly substantial publication since 2019), I also wrote two short stories, one for PLEASANT TALES III entitled "The False Pomp of Quantum Physics" and one for COMETH DARKNESS entitled "Last Dark Ride." In September I also began work on a college basketball novel, of which I've thus far written around 30 pages (so, assuming the book will be 300 pages, it's around 10% done). I also wrote over 50 pages of content for the Neo-Passéism Substack. I also had a poem published in a Danish Neo-Decadent magazine. If you add all that up, I probably wrote close to 150 pages of material combined this year.

My writing plans for 2026 are primarily: try to finish the college basketball novel (which is really just practice for when I'm ready to begin the long-gestating medieval fantasy project), and continue seeking out a publisher for COMETH DARKNESS and PLEASANT TALES III. I don't really see myself working on many more short stories for the foreseeable future, as I try to shift my focus back to novel mode: as it is, over a period of 18 years I've written well over 50 short stories and 4 short story collections, which is more than enough.

Sunday, November 30, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: November

Books read in November of 2025:

"The Decadent Bestiary: Fin-de-Siècle Poetry & Prose" (Various Authors/Edited by Sam Kunkel + Jessica Gossling) 11-6-25

"Pulp fin de Siècle" (James Champagne) 11-14-25

"The Absence: Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer" (Budgie) 11-19-25

"The History of the Conquest of New Spain" (Bernal Díaz del Castillo/Edited by David Carrasco) 11-21-25

-
2025 Reading List Total:
-
1. "The Medieval Scriptorium: Making Books in the Middle Ages" (Sara J. Charles) 1-5-25
2. "Strange Pictures" (Uketsu) 1-10-25
3. "Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions" (Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi) 1-11-25
4. "The Violin with Human Strings and Other Tales of Musical Madness" (Antonio Ghislanzoni) 1-14-25
5. "Anuarí" (Teresa Wilms Montt) 1-16-25
6. "Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories" (Yukio Mishima) 1-20-25
7. "When I Think of My Missing Head" (Adolfo Couve) 1-20-25
8. "Medieval Woodcut Illustrations: City Views and Decorations from the Nuremberg Chronicle" (Carol Belanger Grafton) 1-20-25
9. "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused" (Melissa Maerz) 1-22-25
10. "The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne" (Anonymous) 1-29-25
11. "The Illustrated History of the Popes" (Charles Phillips) 2-7-25
12. "The Prince" (Niccolo Machiavelli) 2-16-25
13. "The Complete Canterbury Tales" (Geoffrey Chaucer) 2-17-25
14. "A Perfect Day to Be Alone" (Nanae Aoyama) 2-20-25
15. "Upuaut" (Brendan Connell) 2-23-25
16. "The Aristocracy of Nerves (and One Other)" (Justin Isis) 2-24-25
17. "Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth" (David Browne) 2-24-25
18. "El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary" (Nora Berend) 2-28-25
19. "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film" (William Preston Robertson + Tricia Cooke) 3-4-25
20. "Six Histories: King John, Richard II, King Henry IV Pts. 1 & 2, Henry V, Richard III" (William Shakespeare) 3-14-25
21. "Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore" (Catherine Nappington) 3-16-25
22. "Orbital" (Samantha Harvey) 3-19-25
23. "The Liminal Zone 2" (Junji Ito) 3-20-25
24. "Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre" (Jacqueline Morley/John James) 3-21-25
25. "Vladivostok Circus" (Elisa Shua Dusapin) 3-27-25
26. "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything" (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong) 3-29-25
27. "En Route" (J.-K. Huysmans/Brendan King translation) 4-6-25 +
28. "10,000 Light-Years From Home" (James Tiptree Jr.) 4-15-25
29. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (J.R.R. Tolkien) 4-25-25
30. "The Rainbow" (Yasunari Kawabata) 4-30-25
31. "Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25
32. "Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25
33. "Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +
34. "Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25
35. "Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25
36. "The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25
37. "The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25
38. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25
39. "The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25
40. "Thought Forms" (Annie Besant + C.W. Leadbeater) 6-10-25
41. "Shark Girl" (Kate Beaton) 6-11-25
42. "Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion" (Richard Wagner/translated by Stewart Spencer) 6-12-25
43. "The Madman's Library" (Edward Brooke-Hitching) 6-12-25
44. "The Wholeness of Nature" (Moina MacGregor) 6-13-25
45. "Black Altars" (Mark Samuels) 6-19-25
46. "Midnight in Chernobyl" (Adam Higginbotham) 6-24-25
47. "Cataclysm Moves Me I Regret To Say" (Stephanie Yue Duhem) 6-26-25
48. "A Locket of Jade and Silver" (Tom Champagne) 6-27-25
49. "The Pepsi-Cola Addict" (June-Alison Gibbons) 7-5-25
50. "The Worm Ouroboros" (E. R. Eddison) 7-10-25
51. "Eye Contact Chimera" (Fergus Nm) 7-11-25
52. "Out There" (Quentin S. Crisp) 7-14-25
53. "The Ideal Candidate" (Damian Murphy) 7-20-25
54. "Riddley Walker" (Russell Hoban) 7-24-25
55. "Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars" (Edward Gross + Mark A. Altman) 7-28-25
56. "Tyger" (SF Said + Dave McKean: Illustrator) 7-31-25
57. "No Moon" (Colby Smith) 8-2-25
58. "Nutt #1" (Dan Heyer) 8-3-25
59. "The Spice Must Flow: The Story of DUNE, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies" (Ryan Britt) 8-3-25
60. "Chappell Roan: A Little Golden Book Biography" (Cat Reynolds/Illustrated by Maria Lia Malandrino) 8-10-25
61. "Fear and Trembling" (Søren Kierkegaard/Translator: Alastair Hannay) 8-12-25
62. "The King of Elfland's Daughter" (Lord Dunsany/Illustrated by K.L. Turner) 8-13-25
63. "The Waning of the Middle Ages" (Johan Huizinga) 8-27-25
64. "The Cathedral" (J.-K. Huysmans) 8-28-25 +
65. "Jump Tribe" (Clive Barker) 8-29-25

66. "Lud-in-the-Mist" (Hope Mirrlees) 9-9-25

67. "The Selling of the Green: The Financial Rise and Moral Decline of the Boston Celtics" (Harvey Araton + Filip Bondy) 9-11-25

68. "The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works" (Anonymous/Translated by Clifton Wolters) 9-12-25

69. "The Summer House" (Masashi Matsuie) 9-22-25

70. "Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions" (Peter May) 9-23-25

71. "Alchemy: An Illustrated History of the Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science" (Philip Ball) 9-26-25

72. "Red and Me: My Coach, my Lifelong Friend" (Bill Russell + Alan Steinberg) 9-29-25

73. "Moan" (Junji Ito) 10-6-25

74. "Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Buddy Levy) 10-10-25

75. "My Friend Hitler and Other Plays of Yukio Mishima" (Yukio Mishima) 10-13-25

76. "Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs" (Camilla Townsend) 10-24-25

77. "Shadow Ticket" (Thomas Pynchon) 10-26-25

78. "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" (Tom King + Illustrator: Bilquis Evely) 10-28-25

79. "The Decadent Bestiary: Fin-de-Siècle Poetry & Prose" (Various Authors/Edited by Sam Kunkel + Jessica Gossling) 11-6-25

80. "Pulp fin de Siècle" (James Champagne) 11-14-25

81. "The Absence: Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer" (Budgie) 11-19-25

82. "The History of the Conquest of New Spain" (Bernal Díaz del Castillo/Edited by David Carrasco) 11-21-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

"The Oblate" (J.-K. Huysmans/Translated by Brendan King)
"The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico" (Various/Edited by Miguel León-Portilla)

Friday, October 31, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: October

Books read in October of 2025:

"Moan" (Junji Ito) 10-6-25

"Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Buddy Levy) 10-10-25

"My Friend Hitler and Other Plays of Yukio Mishima" (Yukio Mishima) 10-13-25

"Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs" (Camilla Townsend) 10-24-25

"Shadow Ticket" (Thomas Pynchon) 10-26-25

"Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" (Tom King + Illustrator: Bilquis Evely) 10-28-25

66. "Lud-in-the-Mist" (Hope Mirrlees) 9-9-25

67. "The Selling of the Green: The Financial Rise and Moral Decline of the Boston Celtics" (Harvey Araton + Filip Bondy) 9-11-25

68. "The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works" (Anonymous/Translated by Clifton Wolters) 9-12-25

69. "The Summer House" (Masashi Matsuie) 9-22-25

70. "Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions" (Peter May) 9-23-25

71. "Alchemy: An Illustrated History of the Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science" (Philip Ball) 9-26-25

72. "Red and Me: My Coach, my Lifelong Friend" (Bill Russell + Alan Steinberg) 9-29-25

73. "Moan" (Junji Ito) 10-6-25

74. "Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Buddy Levy) 10-10-25

75. "My Friend Hitler and Other Plays of Yukio Mishima" (Yukio Mishima) 10-13-25

76. "Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs" (Camilla Townsend) 10-24-25

77. "Shadow Ticket" (Thomas Pynchon) 10-26-25

78. "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" (Tom King + Illustrator: Bilquis Evely) 10-28-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

"The Decadent Bestiary: Fin-de-siècle Animal Poems & Prose" (Various Authors/Edited by Sam Kunkel + Jessica Gossling)

"The History of the Conquest of New Spain" (Bernal Díaz del Castillo/Edited by David Carrasco)

Friday, October 17, 2025

OUT NOW: PULP FIN DE SIÈCLE (new novel)

So here's one of the mystery projects I've very vaguely hinted at over the last few months: the powers that be behind Snuggly Books and Occult Press have today announced the launch of a new imprint, Purple Bearded Uncle, and they've selected my short novel, PULP FIN DE SIÈCLE, as one of their two launch titles (the other being RUINATION IN BLOOM by Charles Schneider).

"Over the course of 24 hours, on a Spring day in Paris in 1893, seven archetypal figures of the “Yellow Nineties”—a priest, a Symbolist, a dandy, an actress, a whore, a diabolist, and a Decadent—drift into and out of each other’s lives, sometimes taking center stage, other times assuming bit parts. The resulting narrative mosaic created by these seven interwoven tales can thus be described as both the summation and the reflection of late 19th-century Parisian Decadentism re-mannered as a Neo-Decadent novel."

Written on-and-off over a long period (from 2019 to this year), this is the book I've sometimes in the past tongue-in-cheek referred to as being like MONSIEUR DE PHOCAS meets THE CANTERBURY TALES. It's target audience would be either people who are really into the writers of the 19th-century French Decadence, or those who might be curious about what that milieu was all about, in that I hope my book is a reasonable facsimile of the tropes and styles of the writers of that era (warts and all), while at the same time also being a reflection of my own aesthetics and interests.

Designed by Brendan Connell (and featuring sumptuous cover art by Aaron Lange), this is quite a fancy item: this hardcover edition is "thread-stitched and lithographically printed in Italy on rough-textured 140 g/m Italian paper, with 120 g/m Terra Rossa endpapers (made from 10% cotton fibres, virgin fibres and recycled fibres)." The cover, meanwhile, is "printed on white Fedrigoni Imitlin, with a similarly illustrated dustjacket printed on a 180 g/m clay-colored version of the same paper as the endpapers." Do we have a dustjacket? Yes, we have a dustjacket!

This edition is limited to 75 copies, so get it while it lasts!

https://purplebeardeduncle.com/pulp-fin-de-siecle/

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: September

Books read in September of 2025:

"Lud-in-the-Mist" (Hope Mirrlees) 9-9-25

"The Selling of the Green: The Financial Rise and Moral Decline of the Boston Celtics" (Harvey Araton + Filip Bondy) 9-11-25

"The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works" (Anonymous/Translated by Clifton Wolters) 9-12-25

"The Summer House" (Masashi Matsuie) 9-22-25

"Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions" (Peter May) 9-23-25

"Alchemy: An Illustrated History of the Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science" (Philip Ball) 9-26-25

"Red and Me: My Coach, my Lifelong Friend" (Bill Russell + Alan Steinberg) 9-29-25
-
2025 Reading List Total:
-
1. "The Medieval Scriptorium: Making Books in the Middle Ages" (Sara J. Charles) 1-5-25
2. "Strange Pictures" (Uketsu) 1-10-25
3. "Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions" (Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi) 1-11-25
4. "The Violin with Human Strings and Other Tales of Musical Madness" (Antonio Ghislanzoni) 1-14-25
5. "Anuarí" (Teresa Wilms Montt) 1-16-25
6. "Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories" (Yukio Mishima) 1-20-25
7. "When I Think of My Missing Head" (Adolfo Couve) 1-20-25
8. "Medieval Woodcut Illustrations: City Views and Decorations from the Nuremberg Chronicle" (Carol Belanger Grafton) 1-20-25
9. "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused" (Melissa Maerz) 1-22-25
10. "The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne" (Anonymous) 1-29-25
11. "The Illustrated History of the Popes" (Charles Phillips) 2-7-25
12. "The Prince" (Niccolo Machiavelli) 2-16-25
13. "The Complete Canterbury Tales" (Geoffrey Chaucer) 2-17-25
14. "A Perfect Day to Be Alone" (Nanae Aoyama) 2-20-25
15. "Upuaut" (Brendan Connell) 2-23-25
16. "The Aristocracy of Nerves (and One Other)" (Justin Isis) 2-24-25
17. "Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth" (David Browne) 2-24-25
18. "El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary" (Nora Berend) 2-28-25
19. "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film" (William Preston Robertson + Tricia Cooke) 3-4-25
20. "Six Histories: King John, Richard II, King Henry IV Pts. 1 & 2, Henry V, Richard III" (William Shakespeare) 3-14-25
21. "Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore" (Catherine Nappington) 3-16-25
22. "Orbital" (Samantha Harvey) 3-19-25
23. "The Liminal Zone 2" (Junji Ito) 3-20-25
24. "Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre" (Jacqueline Morley/John James) 3-21-25
25. "Vladivostok Circus" (Elisa Shua Dusapin) 3-27-25
26. "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything" (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong) 3-29-25
27. "En Route" (J.-K. Huysmans/Brendan King translation) 4-6-25 +
28. "10,000 Light-Years From Home" (James Tiptree Jr.) 4-15-25
29. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (J.R.R. Tolkien) 4-25-25
30. "The Rainbow" (Yasunari Kawabata) 4-30-25
31. "Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25
32. "Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25
33. "Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +
34. "Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25
35. "Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25
36. "The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25
37. "The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25
38. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25
39. "The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25
40. "Thought Forms" (Annie Besant + C.W. Leadbeater) 6-10-25
41. "Shark Girl" (Kate Beaton) 6-11-25
42. "Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion" (Richard Wagner/translated by Stewart Spencer) 6-12-25
43. "The Madman's Library" (Edward Brooke-Hitching) 6-12-25
44. "The Wholeness of Nature" (Moina MacGregor) 6-13-25
45. "Black Altars" (Mark Samuels) 6-19-25
46. "Midnight in Chernobyl" (Adam Higginbotham) 6-24-25
47. "Cataclysm Moves Me I Regret To Say" (Stephanie Yue Duhem) 6-26-25
48. "A Locket of Jade and Silver" (Tom Champagne) 6-27-25
49. "The Pepsi-Cola Addict" (June-Alison Gibbons) 7-5-25
50. "The Worm Ouroboros" (E. R. Eddison) 7-10-25
51. "Eye Contact Chimera" (Fergus Nm) 7-11-25
52. "Out There" (Quentin S. Crisp) 7-14-25
53. "The Ideal Candidate" (Damian Murphy) 7-20-25
54. "Riddley Walker" (Russell Hoban) 7-24-25
55. "Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars" (Edward Gross + Mark A. Altman) 7-28-25
56. "Tyger" (SF Said + Dave McKean: Illustrator) 7-31-25
57. "No Moon" (Colby Smith) 8-2-25
58. "Nutt #1" (Dan Heyer) 8-3-25
59. "The Spice Must Flow: The Story of DUNE, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies" (Ryan Britt) 8-3-25
60. "Chappell Roan: A Little Golden Book Biography" (Cat Reynolds/Illustrated by Maria Lia Malandrino) 8-10-25
61. "Fear and Trembling" (Søren Kierkegaard/Translator: Alastair Hannay) 8-12-25
62. "The King of Elfland's Daughter" (Lord Dunsany/Illustrated by K.L. Turner) 8-13-25
63. "The Waning of the Middle Ages" (Johan Huizinga) 8-27-25
64. "The Cathedral" (J.-K. Huysmans) 8-28-25 +
65. "Jump Tribe" (Clive Barker) 8-29-25

66. "Lud-in-the-Mist" (Hope Mirrlees) 9-9-25

67. "The Selling of the Green: The Financial Rise and Moral Decline of the Boston Celtics" (Harvey Araton + Filip Bondy) 9-11-25

68. "The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works" (Anonymous/Translated by Clifton Wolters) 9-12-25

69. "The Summer House" (Masashi Matsuie) 9-22-25

70. "Top of the World: The Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to Become NBA Champions" (Peter May) 9-23-25

71. "Alchemy: An Illustrated History of the Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science" (Philip Ball) 9-26-25

72. "Red and Me: My Coach, my Lifelong Friend" (Bill Russell + Alan Steinberg) 9-29-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

"Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Buddy Levy)
"My Friend Hitler and Other Plays of Yukio Mishima" (Yukio Mishima)

Saturday, August 30, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: August

Books read in August of 2025:

"No Moon" (Colby Smith) 8-2-25
"Nutt #1" (Dan Heyer) 8-3-25
"The Spice Must Flow: The Story of DUNE, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies" (Ryan Britt) 8-3-25
"Chappell Roan: A Little Golden Book Biography" (Cat Reynolds/Illustrated by Maria Lia Malandrino) 8-10-25
"Fear and Trembling" (Søren Kierkegaard/Translator: Alastair Hannay) 8-12-25
"The King of Elfland's Daughter" (Lord Dunsany/Illustrated by K.L. Turner) 8-13-25
"The Waning of the Middle Ages" (Johan Huizinga) 8-27-25
"The Cathedral" (J.-K. Huysmans) 8-28-25 +
"Jump Tribe" (Clive Barker) 8-29-25
-
2025 Reading List Total:
-
1. "The Medieval Scriptorium: Making Books in the Middle Ages" (Sara J. Charles) 1-5-25
2. "Strange Pictures" (Uketsu) 1-10-25
3. "Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions" (Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi) 1-11-25
4. "The Violin with Human Strings and Other Tales of Musical Madness" (Antonio Ghislanzoni) 1-14-25
5. "Anuarí" (Teresa Wilms Montt) 1-16-25
6. "Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories" (Yukio Mishima) 1-20-25
7. "When I Think of My Missing Head" (Adolfo Couve) 1-20-25
8. "Medieval Woodcut Illustrations: City Views and Decorations from the Nuremberg Chronicle" (Carol Belanger Grafton) 1-20-25
9. "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused" (Melissa Maerz) 1-22-25
10. "The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne" (Anonymous) 1-29-25
11. "The Illustrated History of the Popes" (Charles Phillips) 2-7-25
12. "The Prince" (Niccolo Machiavelli) 2-16-25
13. "The Complete Canterbury Tales" (Geoffrey Chaucer) 2-17-25
14. "A Perfect Day to Be Alone" (Nanae Aoyama) 2-20-25
15. "Upuaut" (Brendan Connell) 2-23-25
16. "The Aristocracy of Nerves (and One Other)" (Justin Isis) 2-24-25
17. "Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth" (David Browne) 2-24-25
18. "El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary" (Nora Berend) 2-28-25
19. "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film" (William Preston Robertson + Tricia Cooke) 3-4-25
20. "Six Histories: King John, Richard II, King Henry IV Pts. 1 & 2, Henry V, Richard III" (William Shakespeare) 3-14-25
21. "Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore" (Catherine Nappington) 3-16-25
22. "Orbital" (Samantha Harvey) 3-19-25
23. "The Liminal Zone 2" (Junji Ito) 3-20-25
24. "Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre" (Jacqueline Morley/John James) 3-21-25
25. "Vladivostok Circus" (Elisa Shua Dusapin) 3-27-25
26. "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything" (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong) 3-29-25
27. "En Route" (J.-K. Huysmans/Brendan King translation) 4-6-25 +
28. "10,000 Light-Years From Home" (James Tiptree Jr.) 4-15-25
29. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (J.R.R. Tolkien) 4-25-25
30. "The Rainbow" (Yasunari Kawabata) 4-30-25
31. "Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25
32. "Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25
33. "Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +
34. "Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25
35. "Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25
36. "The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25
37. "The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25
38. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25
39. "The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25
40. "Thought Forms" (Annie Besant + C.W. Leadbeater) 6-10-25
41. "Shark Girl" (Kate Beaton) 6-11-25
42. "Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion" (Richard Wagner/translated by Stewart Spencer) 6-12-25
43. "The Madman's Library" (Edward Brooke-Hitching) 6-12-25
44. "The Wholeness of Nature" (Moina MacGregor) 6-13-25
45. "Black Altars" (Mark Samuels) 6-19-25
46. "Midnight in Chernobyl" (Adam Higginbotham) 6-24-25
47. "Cataclysm Moves Me I Regret To Say" (Stephanie Yue Duhem) 6-26-25
48. "A Locket of Jade and Silver" (Tom Champagne) 6-27-25
49. "The Pepsi-Cola Addict" (June-Alison Gibbons) 7-5-25
50. "The Worm Ouroboros" (E. R. Eddison) 7-10-25
51. "Eye Contact Chimera" (Fergus Nm) 7-11-25
52. "Out There" (Quentin S. Crisp) 7-14-25
53. "The Ideal Candidate" (Damian Murphy) 7-20-25
54. "Riddley Walker" (Russell Hoban) 7-24-25
55. "Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars" (Edward Gross + Mark A. Altman) 7-28-25
56. "Tyger" (SF Said + Dave McKean: Illustrator) 7-31-25
57. "No Moon" (Colby Smith) 8-2-25
58. "Nutt #1" (Dan Heyer) 8-3-25
59. "The Spice Must Flow: The Story of DUNE, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies" (Ryan Britt) 8-3-25
60. "Chappell Roan: A Little Golden Book Biography" (Cat Reynolds/Illustrated by Maria Lia Malandrino) 8-10-25
61. "Fear and Trembling" (Søren Kierkegaard/Translator: Alastair Hannay) 8-12-25
62. "The King of Elfland's Daughter" (Lord Dunsany/Illustrated by K.L. Turner) 8-13-25
63. "The Waning of the Middle Ages" (Johan Huizinga) 8-27-25
64. "The Cathedral" (J.-K. Huysmans) 8-28-25 +
65. "Jump Tribe" (Clive Barker) 8-29-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

"Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Buddy Levy)
"Lud-In-The-Mist" (Hope Mirrlees)

Thursday, July 31, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: July

Books read in July of 2025:

"The Pepsi-Cola Addict" (June-Alison Gibbons) 7-5-25

"The Worm Ouroboros" (E. R. Eddison) 7-10-25

"Eye Contact Chimera" (Fergus Nm) 7-11-25

"Out There" (Quentin S. Crisp) 7-14-25

"The Ideal Candidate" (Damian Murphy) 7-20-25

"Riddley Walker" (Russell Hoban) 7-24-25

"Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars" (Edward Gross + Mark A. Altman) 7-28-25

"Tyger" (SF Said + Dave McKean: Illustrator) 7-31-25

2025 Reading List Total:

1. "The Medieval Scriptorium: Making Books in the Middle Ages" (Sara J. Charles) 1-5-25

2. "Strange Pictures" (Uketsu) 1-10-25

3. "Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions" (Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi) 1-11-25

4. "The Violin with Human Strings and Other Tales of Musical Madness" (Antonio Ghislanzoni) 1-14-25

5. "Anuarí" (Teresa Wilms Montt) 1-16-25

6. "Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories" (Yukio Mishima) 1-20-25

7. "When I Think of My Missing Head" (Adolfo Couve) 1-20-25

8. "Medieval Woodcut Illustrations: City Views and Decorations from the Nuremberg Chronicle" (Carol Belanger Grafton) 1-20-25

9. "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused" (Melissa Maerz) 1-22-25

10. "The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne" (Anonymous) 1-29-25

11. "The Illustrated History of the Popes" (Charles Phillips) 2-7-25

12. "The Prince" (Niccolo Machiavelli) 2-16-25

13. "The Complete Canterbury Tales" (Geoffrey Chaucer) 2-17-25

14. "A Perfect Day to Be Alone" (Nanae Aoyama) 2-20-25

15. "Upuaut" (Brendan Connell) 2-23-25

16. "The Aristocracy of Nerves (and One Other)" (Justin Isis) 2-24-25

17. "Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth" (David Browne) 2-24-25

18. "El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary" (Nora Berend) 2-28-25

19. "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film" (William Preston Robertson + Tricia Cooke) 3-4-25

20. "Six Histories: King John, Richard II, King Henry IV Pts. 1 & 2, Henry V, Richard III" (William Shakespeare) 3-14-25

21. "Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore" (Catherine Nappington) 3-16-25

22. "Orbital" (Samantha Harvey) 3-19-25

23. "The Liminal Zone 2" (Junji Ito) 3-20-25

24. "Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre" (Jacqueline Morley/John James) 3-21-25

25. "Vladivostok Circus" (Elisa Shua Dusapin) 3-27-25

26. "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything" (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong) 3-29-25

27. "En Route" (J.-K. Huysmans/Brendan King translation) 4-6-25 +

28. "10,000 Light-Years From Home" (James Tiptree Jr.) 4-15-25

29. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (J.R.R. Tolkien) 4-25-25

30. "The Rainbow" (Yasunari Kawabata) 4-30-25

31. "Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25

32. "Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25

33. "Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +

34. "Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25

35. "Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25

36. "The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25

37. "The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25

38. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25

39. "The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25

40. "Thought Forms" (Annie Besant + C.W. Leadbeater) 6-10-25

41. "Shark Girl" (Kate Beaton) 6-11-25

42. "Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion" (Richard Wagner/translated by Stewart Spencer) 6-12-25

43. "The Madman's Library" (Edward Brooke-Hitching) 6-12-25

44. "The Wholeness of Nature" (Moina MacGregor) 6-13-25

45. "Black Altars" (Mark Samuels) 6-19-25

46. "Midnight in Chernobyl" (Adam Higginbotham) 6-24-25

47. "Cataclysm Moves Me I Regret To Say" (Stephanie Yue Duhem) 6-26-25

48. "A Locket of Jade and Silver" (Tom Champagne) 6-27-25

49. "The Pepsi-Cola Addict" (June-Alison Gibbons) 7-5-25

50. "The Worm Ouroboros" (E. R. Eddison) 7-10-25

51. "Eye Contact Chimera" (Fergus Nm) 7-11-25

52. "Out There" (Quentin S. Crisp) 7-14-25

53. "The Ideal Candidate" (Damian Murphy) 7-20-25

54. "Riddley Walker" (Russell Hoban) 7-24-25

55. "Secrets of the Force: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Wars" (Edward Gross + Mark A. Altman) 7-28-25

56. "Tyger" (SF Said + Dave McKean: Illustrator) 7-31-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

"Conquistador: Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Buddy Levy)

"The Spice Must Flow: The Story of DUNE, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies" (Ryan Britt)

Monday, June 30, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: June

Books read in June of 2025:

"Thought Forms" (Annie Besant + C.W. Leadbeater) 6-10-25

"Shark Girl" (Kate Beaton) 6-11-25

"Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion" (Richard Wagner/translated by Stewart Spencer) 6-12-25

"The Madman's Library" (Edward Brooke-Hitching) 6-12-25

"The Wholeness of Nature" (Moina MacGregor) 6-13-25

"Black Altars" (Mark Samuels) 6-19-25

"Midnight in Chernobyl" (Adam Higginbotham) 6-24-25

"Cataclysm Moves Me I Regret To Say" (Stephanie Yue Duhem) 6-26-25

"A Locket of Jade and Silver" (Tom Champagne) 6-27-25

2025 Reading List Total:

1. "The Medieval Scriptorium: Making Books in the Middle Ages" (Sara J. Charles) 1-5-25

2. "Strange Pictures" (Uketsu) 1-10-25

3. "Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions" (Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi) 1-11-25

4. "The Violin with Human Strings and Other Tales of Musical Madness" (Antonio Ghislanzoni) 1-14-25

5. "Anuarí" (Teresa Wilms Montt) 1-16-25

6. "Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories" (Yukio Mishima) 1-20-25

7. "When I Think of My Missing Head" (Adolfo Couve) 1-20-25

8. "Medieval Woodcut Illustrations: City Views and Decorations from the Nuremberg Chronicle" (Carol Belanger Grafton) 1-20-25

9. "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused" (Melissa Maerz) 1-22-25

10. "The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne" (Anonymous) 1-29-25

11. "The Illustrated History of the Popes" (Charles Phillips) 2-7-25

12. "The Prince" (Niccolo Machiavelli) 2-16-25

13. "The Complete Canterbury Tales" (Geoffrey Chaucer) 2-17-25

14. "A Perfect Day to Be Alone" (Nanae Aoyama) 2-20-25

15. "Upuaut" (Brendan Connell) 2-23-25

16. "The Aristocracy of Nerves (and One Other)" (Justin Isis) 2-24-25

17. "Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth" (David Browne) 2-24-25

18. "El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary" (Nora Berend) 2-28-25

19. "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film" (William Preston Robertson + Tricia Cooke) 3-4-25

20. "Six Histories: King John, Richard II, King Henry IV Pts. 1 & 2, Henry V, Richard III" (William Shakespeare) 3-14-25

21. "Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore" (Catherine Nappington) 3-16-25

22. "Orbital" (Samantha Harvey) 3-19-25

23. "The Liminal Zone 2" (Junji Ito) 3-20-25

24. "Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre" (Jacqueline Morley/John James) 3-21-25

25. "Vladivostok Circus" (Elisa Shua Dusapin) 3-27-25

26. "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything" (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong) 3-29-25

27. "En Route" (J.-K. Huysmans/Brendan King translation) 4-6-25 +

28. "10,000 Light-Years From Home" (James Tiptree Jr.) 4-15-25

29. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (J.R.R. Tolkien) 4-25-25

30. "The Rainbow" (Yasunari Kawabata) 4-30-25

31. "Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25

32. "Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25

33. "Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +

34. "Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25

35. "Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25

36. "The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25

37. "The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25

38. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25

39. "The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25

40. "Thought Forms" (Annie Besant + C.W. Leadbeater) 6-10-25

41. "Shark Girl" (Kate Beaton) 6-11-25

42. "Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: A Companion" (Richard Wagner/translated by Stewart Spencer) 6-12-25

43. "The Madman's Library" (Edward Brooke-Hitching) 6-12-25

44. "The Wholeness of Nature" (Moina MacGregor) 6-13-25

45. "Black Altars" (Mark Samuels) 6-19-25

46. "Midnight in Chernobyl" (Adam Higginbotham) 6-24-25

47. "Cataclysm Moves Me I Regret To Say" (Stephanie Yue Duhem) 6-26-25

48. "A Locket of Jade and Silver" (Tom Champagne) 6-27-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

"The Worm Ouroboros" (E. R. Eddison)
"The Pepsi-Cola Addict" (June-Alison Gibbons)

Sunday, June 1, 2025

2025 Reading List Monthly Update: May

Books read in May of 2025:

"Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25

"Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25

"Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +

"Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25

"Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25

"The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25

"The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25

"All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25

"The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25

2025 Reading List Total:

1. "The Medieval Scriptorium: Making Books in the Middle Ages" (Sara J. Charles) 1-5-25

2. "Strange Pictures" (Uketsu) 1-10-25

3. "Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions" (Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi) 1-11-25

4. "The Violin with Human Strings and Other Tales of Musical Madness" (Antonio Ghislanzoni) 1-14-25

5. "Anuarí" (Teresa Wilms Montt) 1-16-25

6. "Voices of the Fallen Heroes and Other Stories" (Yukio Mishima) 1-20-25

7. "When I Think of My Missing Head" (Adolfo Couve) 1-20-25

8. "Medieval Woodcut Illustrations: City Views and Decorations from the Nuremberg Chronicle" (Carol Belanger Grafton) 1-20-25

9. "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused" (Melissa Maerz) 1-22-25

10. "The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne" (Anonymous) 1-29-25

11. "The Illustrated History of the Popes" (Charles Phillips) 2-7-25

12. "The Prince" (Niccolo Machiavelli) 2-16-25

13. "The Complete Canterbury Tales" (Geoffrey Chaucer) 2-17-25

14. "A Perfect Day to Be Alone" (Nanae Aoyama) 2-20-25

15. "Upuaut" (Brendan Connell) 2-23-25

16. "The Aristocracy of Nerves (and One Other)" (Justin Isis) 2-24-25

17. "Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth" (David Browne) 2-24-25

18. "El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary" (Nora Berend) 2-28-25

19. "The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film" (William Preston Robertson + Tricia Cooke) 3-4-25

20. "Six Histories: King John, Richard II, King Henry IV Pts. 1 & 2, Henry V, Richard III" (William Shakespeare) 3-14-25

21. "Medieval Cats: Claws, Paws, and Kitties of Yore" (Catherine Nappington) 3-16-25

22. "Orbital" (Samantha Harvey) 3-19-25

23. "The Liminal Zone 2" (Junji Ito) 3-20-25

24. "Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre" (Jacqueline Morley/John James) 3-21-25

25. "Vladivostok Circus" (Elisa Shua Dusapin) 3-27-25

26. "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything" (Jennifer Keishin Armstrong) 3-29-25

27. "En Route" (J.-K. Huysmans/Brendan King translation) 4-6-25 +

28. "10,000 Light-Years From Home" (James Tiptree Jr.) 4-15-25

29. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (J.R.R. Tolkien) 4-25-25

30. "The Rainbow" (Yasunari Kawabata) 4-30-25

31. "Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing" (Lili Taylor) 5-5-25

32. "Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division" (Deborah Curtis) 5-8-25

33. "Six Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar" (William Shakespeare)" 5-16-25 +

34. "Holding Pattern" (Jenny Xie) 5-21-25

35. "Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages" (Umberto Eco) 5-28-25

36. "The True History of the Black Adder" (J.F. Roberts) 5-28-25

37. "The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra" (William Shakespeare) 5-29-25

38. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare) 5-30-25

39. "The Merchant of Venice" (William Shakespeare) 5-31-25

*= book I have read at least once in the past
+= book I have read before, but not this reprint/edition/translation

Currently Reading:

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Neo-Passéism Substack Interview

I keep forgetting to mention this, but over the last few months I've been a frequent contributor to the Neo-Passéism Substack. Here's a link to the Substack's archive, where one can find a number of various articles, some (though not all) of which I contributed to (it's planned to get to 50 or so entries):

https://neopasseism.substack.com/archive?sort=new

Contributors to the Neo-Passéism Substack are also periodically being interviewed, and I was picked as the first subject. Topics covered include virginity, books written by my brothers, my interest in Medievalism, Shakespeare as a fan fiction writer, my long out-of-print debut novel CONFUSION, my forthcoming French Decadent short novel PULP FIN-DE-SIÈCLE, and (most importantly) why Lady Gaga is more important than Rihanna. Thanks to Justin Isis for the questions and Dan Heyer for the artwork (I was happy to see he included the northern boundary line of my chest hair)

https://neopasseism.substack.com/p/james-champagne-interview