Hello, folks! This is my first post here (and in the great, wide, still-confusing world of Lemmy). So stoked to find a new book community!
To answer the question, mine is “The Future of Nostalgia” by Svetlana Boym. I stumbled upon this book when I read a quote from it in a different book and I immediately went to track down a copy. A truly happy accident.
The most fascinating thing about this book was how universal it felt. Here was someone writing about post-Soviet Russia in the nineties, yet it felt strangely familiar. The commercialization of nostalgia, the unchecked rewriting of history, and the rose-tinted delusion of “The Golden Age”; it felt like she was talking about my own country. I’m a Lebanese expat, so nostalgia is a big part of my life and my relationship with my country (which is very much a love/hate relationshit), and this book completely redefined my understanding of nostalgia, nationality and collective identity, heritage, and even food. It helped me understand the survivor’s guilt, the PTSD, the resentment, and the stubborn fondness. It’s been so long since a book scooped out my soul and shook off the dust like this.
So, yeah. What’s the last book that made you go, “Holy shit, I think that just rewired my brain”?
Contact by Carl Sagan. I bought it on a whim after a visit to Areciebo Observatory, having never seen the movie, and was completely blown away. One of those books that I definitely I wish I could reread it for the first time again.
Ugh, SUCH a good book. I wish I could read it for the first time again, too. I fucking love Carl Sagan.
Have you seen the movie? I am in the opposite situation having seen and loved the movie and am debating reading the book. I’d be interested to hear if it’s a significantly improved experience either way.
I love the concept and the story/characters regardless, I’m mostly just curious.
Negative. Rather I might’ve seen it when I was a kid, but it was so long ago I might as well not have. Either way, I’ve heard the book is leaps and bounds better, and it’s easily one of my favorites.