Book blogging and “bookstagrams” are an emerging online trend to keep literary lovers connected and interested in the world of books. Joshua Mangle is a Winthrop alumnus who graduated in May with a master’s degree in English. Inspired by his life experiences and passion for representation, he takes to his blog, Nerd Life, to speak about what he learns from the books and video games he consumes.
Below is his interview:
1) Why do you follow book blogs? What fascinates you about them?
Books are an integral part of the human experience. A book can teach you science, math, reading, writing. It can show you how to find adventure, love, mystery. I love books and I love reading. Following people who have a similar passion just seemed like the natural thing to do.
As a society, we have slowly moved away from books. I think book blogs are helpings us get back to place where reading is “cool” again. Plus, book blogs combine aesthetics with reading, thus appealing to a wider audience base.
2) What got you into blogging about books? What was your inspiration?
I guess the simplest answer is that I wanted to put my opinions out there. Further than that, I really enjoyed my discussions in class about books, so I wanted to take that to a social media platform.
3) What subjects do you explore when you blog about books? Reviews, analyses, other?
Lately, I’ve been exploring queer theory and LGBT representation in books. Much of my blog is dedicated to showcasing books with diverse characters. I also do reviews and recommendations.
4) What is your motivation behind blogging about books?
My motivation is to get more people to read, especially from diverse backgrounds. Growing up gay and biracial in the South, I did not see many books with characters like me. Now, there’s a ton of young adult novels that feature black, biracial and gay characters. I could only imagine how crucial that would have been to me as I was growing up. That motivated me to make a blog showcasing these books so that other gay and diverse people can see that there are books that represent us out there.
You can check out Mangle’s blog at steamhunk.wordpress.com/nerd-life/.
