Books we read

Below I have categorised the books we have reviewed thus far, divided by genre. If the book fits multiple genres, then it will feature in the top two genres to which I feel it belongs to (more details thereof undoubtedly explored in the review!).


Science-Fiction

Climate Fiction

Essays and Anthologies

Casual Fridays

Contemporary Fiction

Poetry

Films

What is the best way to procure books to read?

  • The library. Signing up for local libraries is usually fast and easy, and lets politicians know that these spaces—which often provide excellent support for their local communities, including for families and those seeking employment or to build their own businesses; which are places you do not need to pay anything in order to enjoy—are in demand and needed. If you can’t find a book you want to read, you can often request them from other nearby branches for free or for a low fee. There are also usually clubs you can join—everything from learning how to use different pieces of technology, from Facebook to 3D printers, to kids clubs with free childcare.
  • Local charity shops.
  • For US and UK readers: Bookshop.org, a site that connects you seamlessly to independent bookshops so you can order books from them online. You can choose a specific bookshop to support, which means they’ll receive 30% of the cover price (almost all the profit) on your orders; otherwise, 10% of the cover price gets contributed to an earnings pool that gets distributed among participating independent bookshops every month. This is my preferred site for ordering books; they’ve got excellent customer support and lovely recommendations. I do have a storefront on bookshop.org that collates all the books covered here.
  • Your local bookshop—you can find them just by going to your area on Google Maps and searching the term, “independent bookshop” or simply, “bookshop.”
  • For UK readers: Waterstones. I do use Waterstones if I’m starting a long series, simply because they offer a student discount and also feature a fantastic loyalty card—probably the high-street store with the best value loyalty card, as you get £10 credit for every £100 you spend.

Is there a Goodreads account for 3DReading?

Please note that I do not have a Goodreads account. There are multiple layers to my decision for this: the fact that Amazon owns Goodreads is one, and I morally try to avoid using anything from Amazon services if I can help it. The more personal layer is because I don’t want to game-ify my reading. I read for myself, as a hobby, and feel strongly that we don’t always need to quantify our hobbies so much. Analytics are often sold to the highest bidder to pay for the technology behind it and further manipulate us through algorithms; meanwhile, we are too often left only with the feeling that something that was once purely for pleasure, is now part of a competition, against ourselves and our friends. Additionally, part of the joy of reading is that it’s something entirely analog (even my Kindle, which features an ink-screen, and is not connected to the Wi-Fi, feels analog); and adding constantly what I have read, categorising and dissecting it through numbers (how many stars would I give this? With no further context or explanation thereof?) turns it in to yet another digital chore. It’s another highlight reel where, I feel, the cons have not yet outweighed the pros.


I have considered supporting Storygraph, an independent small business, if only for the recommendations and the excellent categorisations, which I am curious to try out. (They also have significantly less privacy concerns, as they are not owned by Amazon.) If you are on Storygraph and would like to see 3Degrees on there, please reach out and let me know.