In the Margins

Written Beside the Book

Every note a curator has left beside a book. The shortest reviews on IBDB, and often the most useful.

Showing 97 to 120 of 172 notes

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“The one that taught the rest of them how to do it.”
on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacksin Nonfiction That Reads Like A Novel @w_okonkwo
“For later. Not the first week.”
on Gileadin For The Week After @an_ordinary_tuesday
“eight stories, eight ideas, no filler. the best entry point in the genre.”
on Stories of Your Life and Othersin Hard SF That Respects Your Time @kepler22b
“The blueprint. Whatever walked there, walked alone.”
on The Haunting of Hill Housein Houses That Are The Villain @bleakhouse_bex
“He is the detective and he is also the reason it fails.”
on In the Woodsin Detectives Who Are No Help At All @verity_lane
“The one that does the most difficult thing.”
on Educatedin Women Writing Their Own Lives @plainjaneausten
“Would wait six months.”
on Educatedin Worth The Hold Queue @libbyoverdrive
“The best marriage plot ever written and it is about money.”
on Middlemarchin Nineteenth Century, Twenty-First Century Feelings @plainjaneausten
“The exception that proves it. There is one candle at the end and it is not much.”
on The Roadin Nobody Gets Out @grimdarkgareth
“Marlowe gets one friend in seven books and look what happens.”
on The Long Goodbyein Detectives Who Are No Help At All @verity_lane
“Gentler night. Sometimes you need one.”
on Cheer Up Lovein Book Club Bangers @bookclubdropout
“Bought 2022.”
on Thinking, Fast and Slowin The Pile (2026)@tinyapartmentbigtbr
“Perfect. Designed for it, arguably.”
on Meditationsin Four Pages A Night @thebigsleepy
“Long. Not a page of it wasted.”
on The Making of the Atomic Bombin Nonfiction That Reads Like A Novel @w_okonkwo
“Not for everyone at eighteen. For one or two of them, exactly the thing.”
on Stonerin The Shelf By The Door @margaretreads
“The reliable derailer. Bring snacks.”
on Sapiensin Book Club Bangers @bookclubdropout
“A thriller where you already know the ending and it still grips.”
on Bad Bloodin Nonfiction That Reads Like A Novel @w_okonkwo
“Guaranteed two hours. Somebody will get personal.”
on Educatedin Book Club Bangers @bookclubdropout
“A page at a time. Nothing more was possible.”
on Devotionsin For The Week After @an_ordinary_tuesday
“Start here, not with Pride and Prejudice. Fight me.”
on Persuasionin Nineteenth Century, Twenty-First Century Feelings @plainjaneausten
“The best of them. Three lives, one great migration.”
on The Warmth of Other Sunsin Nonfiction That Reads Like A Novel @w_okonkwo
“Finished. Leaving it here for the achievement.”
on The Way of Kingsin The Pile (2026)@tinyapartmentbigtbr
“For when you want to feel small in a cheerful way.”
on An Immense Worldin Read With The Window Open @mossandink
“The best of these by a distance.”
on Odd Thomasin Plots That Actually Land @verity_lane