The Biblio-Anarchist:  Book Blogging in 2024

In 2018, I decided to create a new book blog,  Thornfield Hall. I planned to do  “alternative” writing about books, but sometimes on personal subjects.

Blogging was not always so tranquil as it is at Thornfield Hall. Dear Reader, how was I to know that grammar was a political issue? At my old blog I wrote a piece about the habit of using the third-person plural pronoun, “they,” where the singular pronoun, “he” or “she,” was correct. There was indignation:  I was told about the “singular they.” I had never head of the word non-binary, and had no idea that trans people often prefer to use plural pronoun, “they.”  

This Is What Comes of Not Keeping Up.

The form of the blog, or weblog, dates back to the late ‘90s, when I did not properly have the internet.  My modem took ten minutes to power up – one drank coffee or took a short walk while it struggled and made an eerie buzzing noise  – and it was could not upload pages with too many images. But I enjoyed simple book boards where people discussed books. 

There were many enthusiastic readers online. There were gatherings in New York, California, and the South.  I was impressed with the kindness and intelligence of the online community. I enjoyed having coffee with them in person, shopping for books, and going to readings.

After we got Wifi,  I began to read blogs.  I enjoyed the informal writing more than traditional reviews. 

I tend to read old books and classics. Occasionally I write about new books, but only when I admire them.

Far better to stick to the classics.  Is this biblio-anarchy?  It doesn’t seem radical, but perhaps it is.  I try to limit screen time, too, because I get so many recommendations at blogs and Bookstagram that I become a super-consumer.

That’s why I want to become a biblio-anarchist. I don’t want to destroy anything, but I want to stop my “production-consumer” cycle.

Happy reading!