5 Science Books For Non-Science Readers6/21/2022 Science can be incredibly boring sometimes. Why does the movement of molecules or the reactivity of ions or if there is no story connected to it, no significance? The story of science is one you most likely won’t hear in class, but there are books to help you understand it and foster a deeper connection with the inner workings of the world around you.
All the following books are written in a beginner-friendly style and connect science to something deeper, such as the experiences we shared during COVID-19, our individual connections with the cosmos, and even social relations in regards to race and gender. Science is more than cramming biological processes or struggling through chemical ratios, and these books are wonderful, engaging, and important explorations of that.
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The Male Gaze and How to Avoid It6/20/2022 Since the phrase’s inception in 1975, people’s awareness of the Male Gaze skyrocketed. Of course, the Male Gaze existed long beforehand, but creating a name for it drew attention to the issue. The Male Gaze concerns the way media, namely literature and film, presents women in objectifying manners, demeaning them into sexual figures for the sake of the male audience. What’s more, the character often comes off as passive, with little to no agency over the events of the story.
It’s an easy thing to spot in film – the camera unnecessarily pans up and down a woman’s body, or a costume piece rips into a sexy, revealing outfit, or the character falls and lands in a promiscuous position. Moments like these get tossed into the story for no reason. This happens in literature, as well. The internet has taken over human-kind, now we cannot escape social media, not even in stories!
And to be honest, I’m quite okay with that. Look, there is no shortage of stories that depict the perils of social media and with reason since these are very real, but sometimes I just wish for a story that treats the internet like we do- as part of everyday life. In which friendships, romance and self-discovery can become. I used to hate talking to my friends online or through texts however, when the COVID 19 attacked I had to quickly assess my assumptions. I started to be more active online, eventually finding the TYWI instagram page that let me become part of this awesome team. Spoilers for Normal People Reading Sally Rooney’s Normal People is like sitting in a waiting room, but the magazine you’re reading is absolutely riveting. That’s probably the best way I can describe this book, and I say it in the best way possible. Normal People has this slow, meandering pace that does not agree with everyone, but that I personally enjoy.
The pacing of the novel is slow yet fast at the same time, it feels like it’s constantly building, despite being interspersed with flashbacks. It creates this strange reading experience, like you’re on a roller coaster that’s only going up – but the view is spectacular. It’s a strange way to tell a story, but for this narrative I don’t think it could have worked any other way. What is the Three Act Structure?6/18/2022 Don’t know where to start when plotting your story? Try Three Act Structure, the simple way to keep your story on track. Or maybe you're more of a plantser who needs guidelines while you’re winging it? If either of these sound like you, read on.
From its name you can probably guess this structure has three acts. In each act, there are three beats you want to include—so nine events total. Beats are turning points, or crucial moments that move the plot along. They help the reader know that the plot is progressing and make a story engaging. The Three Act Structure is taken from filmmaking techniques and is explained through the lens of protagonist vs. antagonist. If your story doesn’t have a clear antagonist, something like death, grief, or a personal challenge can serve as one. Take from this structure what works for you—writing is flexible, and that’s the fun part. Hopefully, now we’re in full swing of summer (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere), you have more time on your hands. Here’s your chance to get back in the practice of writing more. You can dust off that old work in progress, or give yourself a fresh start with a brand new project – especially if you’re in a writing camp.
Both exciting and daunting, starting a new project means endless potential. Here’s a few things to keep in mind when beginning a new work in progress. Taika Waititi has become quite a big name in the filmmaking industry, with almost all the projects he participates in having a “guarantee seal” that is going to be something good or entertaining at least.
He is one of my two favorite directors/scriptwriters and I would admit that I had watched almost all of his filmography; Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Boy, Thor Ragnarok, and What We Do In the Shadows being the works I hold dearest. Who Owns a Story?6/11/2022 Here’s a little behind the scenes for you: the JUVEN Press blog team meets every month to share ideas, updates, and chat about our articles. Often our conversations wander into tangents about books we’re reading, social issues we care about, or hypothetical articles we could write. This, readers, is an article spawned from one of those conversations. This is: Who Owns a Story?
Vita Sackville-West posts a letter from Teheran describing in great detail a game she plays where she ¨[finds and pieces] together all the scattered fragments of Virginia's world.¨ Virginia Woolf states in a two-line letter delivered to the other side of the world only: “Yes yes yes I do like you. I am afraid to write the stronger word.”
Gender in All the Birds in the Sky6/6/2022 First published in 2016, Charlie Jane Anders’ debut novel All the Birds in the Sky presents a perfect marriage of science fiction and fantasy. The book follows two main characters, Patricia and Laurence (not Larry). Both characters embody one of the two genres. Patricia encapsulates fantasy, discovering her magical abilities at a young age through a conversation with a bird. Laurence, a scientific prodigy, represents science fiction, inventing a time machine that allows the user to jump forward in time two seconds.
The depiction of fantasy and science fiction makes for a captivating read. But another fascinating aspect of the novel is the presentation of gender. As a trans woman, Charlie Jane Anders brings a unique perspective to how gender is depicted, providing equal attention and honest descriptions. She then uses this presentation of gender to combat our traditional views of binaries, encouraging us to look beyond the usual presentation. The author’s perspective comes through early on in the novel. The book begins with Patricia and Laurence as middle school outcasts, just learning about their special skills and still navigating their complicated lives. Anders transitioned from male to female, and subtle influences can be found throughout this section of the book. Patricia and her sister, Roberta, both have names derived from traditional masculine names – Patrick and Robert. Their parents originally picked only “boy” names, but switched them to the feminine version. Categories
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