https://www.mybookshelf.dev/

Found this the other day - a website that takes a shelf from Goodreads and turns it into a digital bookshelf using images of book spines.

I found this quite cool as a way to display books I've read that might be a mix of digital and physical.

When I first tried it, it was missing quite a few of the book spines. However you can submit your own by finding the spines online and giving the dimensions. At this point I've submitted the majority of my missing ones - the website provides fake covers if you like.

If you give it a go, the shelf name is case sensitive so be careful with that. And the book dimensions are in inches if you decide to submit any.

I'm a bit hesitant to post this, but it comes from a place of genuine curiosity and of wanting a clearer understanding of the situation. Because trying to make sense of things through online resources feels like a minefield. My gut tells me that migration is a good thing, but I want some solid ammunition for when far-right idiots try to argue.

Firstly it seems like there is a large amount of conflation between 'immigration', 'illegal immigration' and 'asylum seekers'. As far as I understand it, asylum seekers are coming into this country legally in order to apply for asylum. However, a lot come in via small boats which is an illegal method of entry. It seems that there are very few legal ways to enter if you're an asylum seeker. Once you're here though, I think it's legal once you're going through the asylum process? Either way as far as I can tell, asylum seekers make for a small portion of the overall number of immigrants. But when you see people protesting, they mainly seem to be concerned by people coming in via boats. Surely it's fair greater number of legal migrants that are the ones more likely to put a strain on infrastructure?

And yes there definitely are strains on the NHS and other public services. The population is growing, and these services need to grow alongside that. But isn't it more sensible to say that the fault lies not with migrants, but the fact that these services are being mismanaged and underfunded?

I've also heard that the UK has an ageing population. Without immigration we soon won't have the workforce necessary to support the non-working portion of the population.

So is there actually an issue with immigration, or do the people that argue that case actually have it backwards? Is the problem actually our underfunded services, and the whole immigration rhetoric purely populist nonsense to get the far-right in power (who in turn, aim to give tax breaks to the rich and exacerbate the issue even further)?

And where exactly can I go to get factual information about this sort of thing?

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This is my PRIVATE content please do not look at this content or engage.

I suppose when I say 'modern' I mean anything from the mid 20th century to the present day.

At some point in years to come, certain books will stand the test of time and continue to be commonly read, held above other novels as the best this century had to offer. What makes a book a classic? My guess would be the impact it has had and the overall quality of its writing. But it's probably quite subjective!

One book that springs to mind is Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. It's just unlike anything else I've read, with some beautiful visions of the American landscape contrasted with brutal depictions of the worst humanity has to offer.

There's a small coffee shop in my city that puts a lot of love into their drinks. They have a couple of seats at the bay window by the entrance, which I always find a relaxing spot to read whilst I'm savouring my coffee. And the best part - the café has a really cute dog that'll occasionally come up to you for some pets :) Just sitting there, with relaxing music playing and the sound of people chatting in the background... I find that to be a charming place to read.

I also have fond memories of sitting by a pool when I was younger whilst on holiday with my parents. I'd devour the latest Alex Rider or Lemony Snicket novel sitting in the shade. Has been a while since I've last had that experience, but it's a sunny day here today, so perhaps I'll sit outside on my lunch under a tree.

Do you have any particular places where you like to read?

Nowadays I don't really have any authors or book series like this. As I kid I used to get really excited for a new Series of Unfortunate Events or Alex Rider book. For a while I kept my eye on Adrian Tchaikovsky, but lately I've found some of his novels to be hit or miss.

The only book release I'm currently looking forward to is Brigands & Breadknives in the Legends & Lattes series by Travis Baldree. The other two books have been cosy and wholesome, and it's become a little tradition of mine to read these books around Christmas.

I've always found the concept of wabi-sabi quite fascinating and I'd love to find out a bit more. Are there any books that explore this concept? Something quite approachable would be good.