Related Recs

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Best american essays

I love essays! I also collect the Best American Essays Anthology. It is a yearly release with a new guest editor every year. Amazing way to hear so many new voices you may never have heard. Also check out all of the other “best American” collections as well!

@ugliestbinch

Feb 2, 2025

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A few ideas

there are some books out there that try to do a good job of giving an over of everything. Bill Bryson’s SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING comes to mind. I’ve heard lots of people enjoy SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari too. However, I’d be more inclined to go in a different direction and read essay collections by a few prominent writers. I’d start with Christopher Hitchen’s LOVE, POVERTY AND WAR. Which covers a wide range of topics from war and politics to social commentary and art. Whilst I don’t agree with all his opinions, he is a great writer and draws in allusions from a broad range of domains. if nothing else, it will at least spark curiosity and further research. I’m also very fond of the VERY SHORT INTRODUCTIONS series from the OUP which mostly do a good job of providing a broad overview a wide range of topics. I often see some in second hand book stores: https://global.oup.com/academic/content/series/v/very-short-introductions-vsi/?type=listing&lang=en&cc=us

@marts

Feb 1, 2025

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non Fiction starting places

The 90s and what if we’re wrong are like easy reads general knowledge learn a bit about everything When we cease to understand the world touches on four major discoveries kind of you learn a lot about a couple of things The next American essay is a good collection / anthology of mostly non fiction I believe but I’m not positive Non fiction like essay memoir type stuff I like NB (nightmare brunette) by charlotte shane The Richard hell memoir

@pissbowling

Jul 5, 2024

Top Recs from @taterhole

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Never changing

My dad teases me about how when I was a little kid, my favorite thing to do when I was on the landline phone with somebody—be it a relative or one of my best friends—was to breathlessly describe the things that were in my bedroom so that they could have a mental picture of everything I loved and chose to surround myself with, and where I sat at that moment in time. Perfectly Imperfect reminds me of that so thanks for always listening and for sharing with me too 💌

@taterhole

Feb 23, 2025

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SURFING THE TIDES OF THE EVERYONE TAB

I am a woman of the people

@taterhole

May 28, 2025

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Rejecting the Commodification of the Self

I’ve been thinking about how much of social media is centered around curating our self-image. When selfies first became popular, they were dismissed as vain and vapid—a critique often rooted in misogyny—but now, the way we craft our online selves feels more like creating monuments. We try to signal our individuality, hoping to be seen and understood, but ironically, I think this widens the gap between how others perceive us and who we really are. Instead of fostering connection, it can invite projection and misinterpretation—preconceived notions, prefab labels, and stereotypes. Worse, individuality has become branded and commodified, reducing our identities to products for others to consume. On most platforms, validation often comes from how well you can curate and present your image—selfies, aesthetic branding, and lifestyle content tend to dominate. High engagement is tied to visibility, not necessarily depth or substance. But I think spaces like PI.FYI show that there’s another way: where connection is built on shared ideas, tastes, and interests rather than surface-level content. It’s refreshing to be part of a community that values thoughts over optics. By sharing so few images of myself, I’ve found that it gives others room to focus on my ideas and voice. When I do share an image, it feels intentional—something that contributes to the story I want to tell rather than defining it. Sharing less allows me to express who I am beyond appearance. For women, especially, sharing less can be a radical act in a world where the default is to objectify ourselves. It resists the pressure to center appearance, focusing instead on what truly matters: our thoughts, voices, and authenticity. I’ve posted a handful of pictures of myself in 2,500 posts because I care more about showing who I am than how I look. In trying to be seen, are we making it harder for others to truly know us? It’s a question worth considering.

@taterhole

Dec 27, 2024