I like the distinction made between non and fiction a lot. It's taught me to think a bit deeper about non-fiction rather than blindly accepting it. It's interesting that "facts" today are constantly retold stories that we can only hope to be truths. #realityhunger

I would argue that they are fiction. An altered or partial truth isn't true nonfiction, after all. Everyone's had that moment where you're recounting a memory with a group and everyone's version of the story varies just a bit. Usually changing favorably for them. #realityhunger

Got it, so pictures only. #realityhunger

I feel like I've finally started to piece together what's happening in this chapter and make sense of the connection between fragments. Every fragment points to a similar theme that life should be lived in the moment. Reality is made up of lived experiences. #realityhunger

Drinking rollercoasters while eating air humidifiers with baked ketchup. I'm the first to say that. Now what Terence? #realityhunger

I just realized I've been misunderstanding the entire book. I'm now realizing that a huge portion of the numbered bits are just stolen quotes from various media. I also just found the quote at the very start: "Art is Theft"- Picasso. Made me chuckle. #realityhunger

I'm a fan of this quote. I take it as: our life is only given meaning by the experiences we go through. Maybe a message not to live a boring life. I also think it's kinda funny that when I looked this quote up, Shields didn't even write it. Where is Frank O'Hara's credit?? #realityhunger

I'm liking chapter E a lot better so far. Shields took this to heart for sure. I can appreciate the raw, unfiltered language. Unfortunately, the first couple of chapters felt, to me, like the word slop he abhors. #realityhunger

all the split up parts in chapter b feels really inviting to read. It feels so much less overwhelming and lowkey comforting, is that weird to say? #realityhunger

But to also critique my last post, is showing something actually enough, or does the author still control how we understand it? Makes me think how easy it might be to trick people into thinking they came up with answers on their own 😅🫨scary to think about #realityhunger

I'm confused by this oddly, maybe condescending tone? I assume he is referencing democracy when talking about the trivial people on the throne. Just not exactly sure what his angle is or how he views people. #realityhunger

It's when things aren't attached with an answer that feel the realest or deepest. Coming up with answer from the things being presented to you rather than being given the answer is when it feels the most true. #realityhunger

Interesting that the "defense" of fiction came so late in history relative to the invention of writing. I'd have to imagine that fictional storytelling existed far before and was very prominent. Maybe back then it wasn't entirely understood that the stories were made up completely. #realityhunger

This quote makes me realize how much can be written in books, giving the feel that the narrator is some objective window into reality. But at the end of the day, it's a human author deciding what we see and how we see it. #realityhunger

I'm personally not a fan of how it feels like each numbered paragraph jumps into a new topic without properly concluding the previous one. This reading sometimes feels like a compilation of unfinished thoughts collected onto one page. #realityhunger

Yeah, as I'm reading it, it definitely feels like Shields is attempting to reflect past styles of writings. He mentions Plutarch's style of many bulleted lists rather than a cohesive narrative. Just like how this chapter is structured so far. #realityhunger

I wonder if this structural style of paragraphing is meant to reflect the "earliest uses of writing" Shields mentions. It feels like the information is presented as an account of the timeline of writing. Maybe the style will continue to evolve to reflect historical change. #realityhunger

So many references, half the text is citing them. All these jumps make me feel a little lost and overwhelmed 😭 #realityhunger

A lot of these sections feel a lot like word salad. It's a slew of heavy adjectives that, at least to me, don't contribute much to the overall message. It's only serving to confuse and distract. #realityhunger

The first sentence of the book, and I already want to disagree. I feel like in recent times, the popularization of abstract and modern art has done the opposite of this. If it is actually hiding more meaning that I don't see, it is certainly more cryptic than art from the past. #realityhunger