About the Reading Project

bikerbuddy

I had the idea to start this website because I wanted to learn a bit about website design. I suggested reviews because I've been an avid reader all my life and I knew that reviewing would give us an endless source of new material to post.

I studied English literature and Communications many years ago, now. I worked as an English teacher for 25 years.

I prefer 'literature' rather than genre fiction, and I enjoy reading non-fiction, too. However, I try to read a variety of books. My reviews tend to be favourable since I choose which books I wish to read and review, unlike a professional reviewer.

My site tag is taken from my love of mountain biking. The Blue Mountains west of Sydney is a great place to do this. Unfortunately, as I get older, I've become unfit. I tend to work on this site and read books more these days.

I have occasionally written stories and poetry. Over the past few years Mike V., the creator of the website No Happy Nonsense, has produced EarRat Magazine, a collaboration with contributions from various webmasters from Neocities. I have contributed some of the material for those issues. I decided I would like to house some of those stories on the website, and I may put up more material when I have the time and motivation. Click here to view the Writing contents page.

REAL NAME: Mark

Toriaz

I enjoy reading and thought that reviewing for this website would encourage me to read more often. Bikerbuddy and I came up with the idea while we discussed reading challenges we were seeing on social media.

I studied physics and have taught physics at university. I have worked as a scientist, but in my later career I now work for the government.

I like a range of fiction and non-fiction books, and I think this shows in the books I have reviewed for this site so far.

However, my favourite genre is Crime Fiction. I have read most of the Sherlock Holmes stories and Agatha Christie novels. I prefer the cosy detective branch of Crime Fiction most.

My site tag is based upon my real name.

REAL NAME: Victoria

WaywardWoman

I am a retired teacher who taught Social Sciences in high school, with a focus on Geography and Asian Studies, initially, but Legal Studies and Business Studies later on. I still work a day a week in a Blue Mountains school.

Now, I like spending my time with family, friends and Lucy, our wonder dog, watching movies and TV series, traveling as much as possible and getting out geocaching (a worldwide treasure hunt using a GPS to find things).

When I get time (though I’m mostly retired, there often isn’t a lot of it) I like to read books that are funny, especially those aimed at women. I also like crime thrillers and more recently, biographies. I also keep my brain active with my daily dose of word games.

My site tag is abased on a joke name I was given years ago. It is based on my love of chocolate rather than anything nefarious.

REAL NAME: Jenny

Michael Duffy

Michael has worked as a presenter on ABC Radio National and an editor and journalist for newspapers including the Sydney Morning Herald. With his wife Alex he ran the publishing company Duffy & Snellgrove. He now writes the Bella Greaves series of crime novels set in the Blue Mountains, which began with The Problem with Murder.

He is the contributor for the special project, Michael Duffy Interviews The Great Writers.

Bojan the Librarian

Bojan the Librarian is the creator of the Neocities site Beau Jean, which hosts a number of pages devoted to a variety of topics, from books, gardening, horror films, and includes a personal blog.

Skep

Well, if I’m already taking the time to read this stuff, I might as well write some reviews.

I recently discovered that I actually really enjoy reading so-called “classic” literature. To be more precise, I enjoy reading it through a modern lens, and then poking fun at it the whole way like the entitled ass I am.

More generally and less interestingly, I’m in my mid-thirties, I’m an American with an addiction to tea, and I teach folks how to use a software application you’ve never heard of. And mostly, I’m just sitting back and enjoying the ride.

If you want to follow along with what I’m reading, head on over to https://skep.place. I’ve been having a heck of a fun time summarizing these works chapter by chapter, so if you’ve ever told yourself you’d like to read more older literature but knew it was a bold-faced lie, it might be your jam.

umbritzer

In Amritsar, dwells he who is known as umbritzer, webmaster of the Neocities website, umbritzer. He reads all that is right and writes all that is read, whenever he can find the time between being recently married and finding a better job. He is extremely handsome but is too shy to flaunt his picture on the Internet.

Gigzymandias

I have a degree in Graphic Arts and I spend most of my free time on the Net playing video games.

I've taken my reviewer name from the username I use on gaming sites.

‘Gigzymandias’ is a combination of computer terminology (eg ‘gigabytes’) and ‘Ozymandias’, the title of the poem by Percy Shelley, which was a large inspiration for my final year art major work in high school.

Gigzymandias reached world number 1 rank for Doom Eternal in November 2021. On 27 November 2021 he competed in Friday Night Fights: Battlemode which is available to see on YouTube. He is interviewed after his win. If you're interested to watch it, follow this link, then skip 8 minutes and 12 seconds from the beginning in, to get past the wait screen.

Gigzymandias also has his own YouTube channel.

REAL NAME: Lachlan

Hasty

I am an entity who enjoys reading and writing words, occasionally pictures. I used to pay a big organization to read and write words for four years. Later, I was paid to write words by a smaller organization. Now I have a strictly sexual relationship with words and the writing of them, no organizations allowed.

I was originally born as a Ford 3910 Tractor but thanks to hard work, the socioeconomic status of my family, and the gift of a multi-directional energy stone from a mysterious stranger who simply addressed himself as "M. Jordan," I was able to transmogrify into a mostly human looking male, though my features are distinctly more abstract and "alarming" than the current pinnacle of human male desirability, one Mr. John Stamos.

I'm hoping that reviewing books for this webterzone will be my ticket to strike it rich. I've packed up all my belongings into my wagon and set my compass westward, with nothing else but the dream of gold in my eyes and a song in my heart. Surely a book review at no more than one per month is a fool-proof way to become rich and famous, right?

Hasty is the designer and author of No Happy Nonsense (formerly Hastiest Handiworks - also Shiitake Worsthand - also Strange Crust) another website hosted here on Neocities. It includes essays and opinions, podcasts and fiction. He also writes the weekly fictional newspaper, the Weirdy Word, occasionally publishes Ear Rat Magazine and has started his own book review website, Books in a Dumpster.

REAL NAME: Mike

incessantpain

I'm a former child from California living in Yokohama, Japan. I mainly read historical non-fiction and post-war Japanese novels. Sewing and taking photos on a film camera take up most of my free time. My username is from a sound clip of a friend saying "exceptional pain" later used as a ringtone.

incessantpain is the creator of the Neocities site incessantpain, chock full of personal writing and thoughts.

NickoHeap

I like reading, although music and video games take up most of my free time.

I've recently graduated from the University of Sydney and am now a Speech Pathologist working in Dubbo Base Hospital.

I plan to write more, but other interests usually take up my time.

My site tag is based upon a character in a book I liked when I was a kid.

NickoHeap is the designer and author of Latest Spin, a music review website, and also a YouTube channel of the same name.

REAL NAME: Layton

Raven

I live in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.

I have only written one short review for this website. I might write more sometime in the future.

REAL NAME: Niamh (pronounced Neev (an Irish name))

Seppy

No one has seen the mysterious Seppy since he posted his one review and then went into hiding from the government.

REAL NAME: Seppy