Arts & Culture

A Review of Local Bookstores in Ithaca

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As the weather has gotten chillier, I have been spending more time inside, finishing most of the novels I brought with me to college. This meant I was in need of some new books, so I went on a mission to explore the local bookstores of Ithaca. While researching options near campus, I found three interesting shops down by Ithaca Commons that piqued my interest. 

First, I visited the Odyssey Bookstore, situated in the basement of a quaint stone building. As my friends and I entered the small space, we immediately fell in love with the cozy atmosphere. The store is packed with books from floor to ceiling, providing plenty of selections for readers of all genres.

Arts & Culture

Hater Tuesday: My Biggest Book Pet Peeves

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As someone who reads at least three novels a week, I consider myself a bit of a book connoisseur. I have devoured a number of excellent books, and I have also slogged through quite a few that were not my favorite. The sheer volume of literature I’ve consumed has allowed me to hone my list of dislikes, from physical flaws in a paperback or  boring storylines. 

Arts & Culture

The Newest Percy Jackson Book is An Ode to College-Age Fans

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On Tuesday, Sept. 26, an event occurred which many had long deemed impossible: Bestselling  author Rick Riordan released a brand new book featuring his beloved protagonist Percy Jackson.  Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods marks the first book with Percy as a main character, along with his two best friends Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood, since the release of The Heroes of Olympus: The Blood of Olympus in 2014. It is clear from the mass excitement about Percy’s return after almost ten years that loyal Percy Jackson fans never have, and never will, forget their childhood hero. 

Columns

SWASING | The Novelty of Reading for Pleasure

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When I’m asked about my hobbies, I often respond that I enjoy reading (which is true, for the record). Then when the inevitable question, “What’s the last good book you read?” follows, my mind goes blank; the titles of every book I’ve ever read disappear into thin air. It disappoints me that the last time I had time to read a good book was so long ago that I can’t even remember what book it was. My pile of “to be read” books grows larger by the day, while my “finished reading” list remains stagnant. 

Reading for pleasure while in college is a topic that has been discussed again, and again and again by Sun columnists. As students pursuing a vast array of academically intense interests, many of us find that we spend so much time on reading assignments and other mentally taxing work that by the time we get a chance to relax, reading for fun sounds like a hill we can’t even begin to climb. Instead, we opt for a mind-numbing Netflix show that we can watch passively while we disengage our brains and scroll through social media.

Arts & Culture

KOSEMATOGLU | Recommendations of the Week

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Are you tired of reading about the French Revolution for the 18th time since high school for your classes? Or perhaps you are in a Spotify slump, where all your songs seem a little overplayed? I want to provide a few recommendations that may give you some hope and happiness after the rough couple of weeks we’ve had.

Columns

PLOWE | Bipolar Blues and Books

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Every time I have sat down to write or do homework over the past two weeks, it has felt like trying to swallow a potato whole. I have been up, agitated and down, frozen, in spin cycles lasting days. I have felt stuck in myself, filled with fluttering bats. I get frustrated when I cannot think, ashamed of the brick walls between each neuron.