"Sometimes digging deep into old classic texts is the most contemporary, and necessary kind of mental and moral activity one can muster." Yes. Absolutely. Shelly Kraicer @skraicer • 5h Today's #ReadingTheStone (Chapters 86-90) was even richer and more heart-warming than ever. Sometimes digging deep into old classic texts is the most contemporary, and necessary kind of mental and moral activity one can muster. 1/x 1:55 PM • 1/28/23 A rich HLM conversation today - listen on your favorite platform (search for #ReadingTheStone in your podcast player!). #紅樓夢

"Sometimes digging deep into old classic texts is the most contemporary, and necessary kind of mental and moral activity one can muster."

Still true.

This exchange between @shellyk.bsky.social and me from three years ago today popped up - #ReadingTheStone was such a lovely experience.

So many full circles!

Reading your essay made me go look up the senior thesis I wrote in college about Angela Carter's fiction.

I too miss #ReadingTheStone -- that was the best possible introduction anyone could have to Chinese novels!

And I love that you read this old essay of mine! I wrote it in grad school and was excited to see it published in a @dukepress.bsky.social journal (SAQ). A bit of a full circle moment : )
Love that it spurred on your own thoughts on Stan Lai's film. I miss #ReadingTheStone together!

Just saw @shellyk.bsky.social also asked too! Time for a movie chat revival of #Readingthestone :)

This post brings back fond memories of #readingthestone during the pandemic.

Yes, for me as well! I did ask Waiyee if she’d be game for #readingthestone part 2 - #readingthefan (#readingthepeach?)

Unburied Books tweet text reads: Shortly we'll be posting part two of our journey into Dream of the Red Chamber with literary luminaries @chowleen and Wai-yee Li. We discuss love triangle partisanship, the limits of fan fiction, and the novel's ongoing cultural impact. Tweet accompanied by photo image of Volumes IV and V of The Story of the Stone (Penguin Classics translation).

I don't think @nyrb-imprints.bsky.social podcast #UnburiedBooks, hosted by fabulous duo Kassia Oset & Dylan Cuellar, is on Bluesky?
Waiyee and I had a great time revisiting our #readingthestone days when we spoke with them last month! Part I of their convo: unburied-books.castos.com/episodes/tea...

have a lovely time home Rachel! The Shipping Forecast always reminds me of my friend Kate, who was a ship captain (she was the #readingthestone participant who would dial in via satellite phone when she was at sea)

Yay! Actually Waiyee and I are recording a new episode soon, for NYRB's podcast - will keep everyone posted.
It just might be time to start the #readingthestone cycle again! (Though I am currently in a Proust reading group, and there is a limit to concurrent-big fat books-reading in one's life)

I’m starting Story of the Stone in one of my classes tomorrow and just finished happily immersing myself in Ch 1 again. It’s always time for #readingthestone!!

I just miss shitposting about Jia Zheng. Maybe it’s time for another cycle of #readingthestone

I will be in Princeton next week for the public defense of Tsz-kit Yim's fine dissertation on "Classical Chinese Novels and Global Media Climate: Ecological Form, Affective World-Making, and Infrastructural Network" - join us if you happen to be on campus!
#readingthestone

Teaching it… filled with fear and anxiety! But encouraged by the #readingthestone ethos, and letting students guide the way. (Have you written anything on #RtS yet??)

Inspired by @chowleen.bsky.social's #readingthestone and @bokane.org's incredible Zotero bibliography, getting ready to start my Honglou meng seminar this semester!

I wish a great 2024 for you both... and I hope it does include a new reading project. #readingthestone was the the internet at its best. Thank you.

Thank you for your kind words, Brendan! you were such an integral part of our group, and got us all started in the right, nerdy ways. I have a new idea for the new year, will run it by you soon! #readingthestone

Happy new year, Eileen! I don’t think I ever thanked you - adequately, at least - for putting together #ReadingTheStone. It was a model of what scholarship should and still could be.

I forgot I had these. Until 15 minutes ago! Grandma’s attic is the best source of Christmas surprises. Happy reunion! #hlm #readingthestone #红楼梦

Fabulous first day of the Dream of the Red Chamber symposium - especially the wonderful @BU_Tweets student panel! And tomorrow- a conversation with David Henry Hwang 💙
#ReadingTheStone

(Third weekend in a row of conferencing - and one more next weekend - but happy not to be hosting or organizing! Grateful to BU colleagues for planning this whole event and having me along for the ride ❤️) #readingthestone

#ReadingTheStone friends!
Back in Boston today - for the Fifth "Big Fat Books" Symposium - this time on #紅樓夢 The Story of the Stone.
On Saturday, Cathy Yeh and I will be in conversation with a longtime hero of mine - the playwright...

Not to play #ReadingTheStone favorites but I loved seeing a particular ship's captain at ungodly Alaska hours on Sat mornings to share her wit and fun on everything from Kdrama to Austen to sea otter pelt prices. Happy Bday to beloved college roommate Kate aka @ShortNoticeRom!

Proof of my commitment to the #EEAAO and #ReadingTheStone crossover project - me presenting at “The Story Of The Stone: Afterlives, Legacies, Reinventions” #AAS2023 panel!

(📷 thx to beloved former grad student - and Laurence’s current student! @chuxulv)

We are beyond full house for our Story Of The Stone #AAS2023 panel! Giving me faith, y’all, in continued love for Hongloumeng 紅樓夢 and #ReadingTheStone 🥹

Campus grounds after a bout of spring rain, and trying to resist cosplaying Daiyu
#readingthestone

Belatedly checked my office mailbox today and received the kindest words from one of our #readingthestone readers - thank you thank you - it means so much for me, too, to read alongside you. ❤️

Waiyee and I of course invited Professor Durrant to join us in a future #readingthestone chat - turns out he has been listening and taking notes(!) of our ramblings, for teaching inspiration for his prison students. cc @iasann

In a world of sound and fury, be a Steve Durrant.

Despite (or because of?) dismal goings-on here, I've had a series of inspiring encounters and conversations. Today: w Prof. Stephen Durrant, who since retirement has been teaching Chinese literature/philosophy at the Oregon Penitentiary. He tackles 紅樓夢 next! #ReadingTheStone

September goals: to be whelmed rather than over.

-a bunch of talks, and continuing our #readingthestone project ❤️
-am new Director of Graduate Studies for @DukeU @DukeAsia - just met our wonderful cohort, happy to chat about the program!
-that parental bentō life

happy fall -

#readingthestone en Barcelona