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Laine Dirnberger (@leftielaine) - Collective Profile | New York, US Interior Horticulturalist. 🕺🚲 📖 🥾🏕️ Follow @leftielaine on Instagram. Recent posts: a man in a silver thong takes a mirror selfie in a room with plants and artwork on the walls., a man in red swimwear poses shirtless by a pool. he has tattoos and a muscular physique., a vibrant bowl of beet soup is topped with a perfectly sliced egg and fresh dill. several plates of pierogi are also visible., a man smiles while holding a mug in a forest setting. tents are visible in the background, suggesting a camping trip., a person's hand holds a copy of "the employees" by olga ravn. the book's cover features a surreal image against a dark background., a hand holds up a copy of "china mountain zhang" by maureen f. mchugh. the book's red cover is visible against a backdrop of trees., a man smiles at the camera, holding a drink. he wears a colorful shirt and has a tattoo on his chest., a colorful party scene with a mermaid piñata hanging on the wall. the image is lit with string lights and features a ladder and potted plants., a hand holds a copy of william gibson's "neuromancer" with a bright green cover. the book's title and author are prominently displayed., a man in black underwear and a black hoodie pulled up to his chest smiles at the camera in a bathroom selfie. he has short dark hair, a moustache, and stubble., a close-up shot of vibrant pink morning glory flowers blooming on a black fence. lush green vines and leaves surround the flowers, creating a beautiful contrast., a person holds a book titled "washington bullets" by vijay prashad. the book's cover is visible, along with the person's hand and a blurred background of trees., a person is lying inside a tent, wrapped in a blanket. the scene evokes a sense of comfort and relaxation., a man smiles while holding two beers, standing in front of a group of people. the photo appears to be taken at an outdoor event., a drag queen performs on stage, arching their back dramatically. they wear a black dress and have long, dark hair., .
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Laine Dirnberger @leftielaine

🕺🚲 📖 🥾🏕️
New York, US
anime
reading
nature
A man in a silver thong takes a mirror selfie in a room with plants and artwork on the walls.
I promise I still read 📖
A man in red swimwear poses shirtless by a pool. He has tattoos and a muscular physique.
Come to my [jungle] cottage 🌴
A vibrant bowl of beet soup is topped with a perfectly sliced egg and fresh dill. Several plates of pierogi are also visible.
📌 Pierogi Boys Market
Photo by leftielaine
Rat Bohemia by Sarah Schulman ⭐️ 5 Having been submerged in the NYC AIDS crisis, Schulman delivers a queer, witty, raw, sexy, sad, and hilarious experience that’s less than 230 pages. Read it!
A man smiles while holding a mug in a forest setting. Tents are visible in the background, suggesting a camping trip.
Camp coffee before the rave🕺
Photo by leftielaine
Rat Bohemia by Sarah Schulman 🐀 📖 🔥 🏝️ 🌲
Photo by leftielaine
Dawn by Octavia Butler ⭐️ 3 The world destroys itself & advanced technological aliens save the vestiges of humanity, but humans will never be the same. The first book in the Xenomorph series shows humans will always be stubborn and (un)predictable in their ways. Oh, and there is alien tentacle smut 🐙
A person's hand holds a copy of "The Employees" by Olga Ravn. The book's cover features a surreal image against a dark background.
The Employees by Olga Ravn ⭐️ 3 I felt there was not much substance until the end, & it never really pulled me in. That being said, it is a great short intermission between books when you don’t want to think too hard.
Photo by leftielaine
Big Joe by Samuel R. Delany ⭐️ 4 NSFW. Short & sweet. Sexy & perverted. Delany describes a piggy polycule and their raunchy way of life (with illustrations). Was I turned on, of course. Was I also turned off at some points, yes. This book is an experience of radical acceptance and radical love.
A hand holds up a copy of "China Mountain Zhang" by Maureen F. McHugh. The book's red cover is visible against a backdrop of trees.
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen McHugh ⭐️ 4 CMZ primarily follows Zhang, a young gay man, as he navigates social and bureaucratic challenges in a future where China is the superpower and humans have begun to colonize Mars - illustrating the struggles & silver linings of getting through life.
Photo by leftielaine
Need to grow out my hair again 💈
A man smiles at the camera, holding a drink. He wears a colorful shirt and has a tattoo on his chest.
💜 💙 💚
A colorful party scene with a mermaid piñata hanging on the wall. The image is lit with string lights and features a ladder and potted plants.
Got her ass
Photo by leftielaine
Fort Tilden with the boys 🏖️
A hand holds a copy of William Gibson's "Neuromancer" with a bright green cover. The book's title and author are prominently displayed.
Neuromancer by William Gibson ⭐️ 4/5 I love sci-fi published before the advent of major technology & I wish I’d read this before Diaspora by Egan. Gibson hadn’t touched a computer and wrote this with a typewriter. The only detraction is the pace. The beginning was good, but the end was a snowball.
Photo by leftielaine
X by Davey Davis ⭐️ 5/5 XXX, queer, contemporary, subversive, noir, not for the faint of heart. Fitting read for Pride month and the times we find ourselves in!
Photo by leftielaine
Nostalgia by Mircea Cărtărescu ⭐️ 2.5/5 This is a novel for people truly into literature. I was able to enjoy parts, but definitely didn’t get everything out of it I know I could have. It would have been nice to analyze in a class or group setting, but alas, t’was just I.
Photo by leftielaine
Feast of the Unseen by Lyndon Sullivan Spicer ⭐️ 2.5/5 I enjoyed the buildup and tensions Spicer created in his debut novel(la) because they do feel real and compelling. However, the story itself lacked a certain oomph, leaving me slightly unfulfilled.
Photo by leftielaine
The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany ⭐️ 3/5 This mythological mash project piece gave an insight to Delany’s writing where you can feel him reaching a milestone in his storytelling approach. I’d recommend if you love Delany as an author.
Photo by leftielaine
Diaspora by Greg Egan ⭐️ 5/5 A wonderfully executed hard sci-fi that honestly was not long enough 🥲 if you are a fan of technical sci-if, this book is a must read. I’ll certainly be checking out his other works in the future.
Photo by leftielaine
The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber ⭐️ 3/5 The plot itself has potential and it comes close to being a great read, but it fell short in a few ways.
A man in black underwear and a black hoodie pulled up to his chest smiles at the camera in a bathroom selfie. He has short dark hair, a moustache, and stubble.
Friday Friday Friday Friday!
A close-up shot of vibrant pink morning glory flowers blooming on a black fence. Lush green vines and leaves surround the flowers, creating a beautiful contrast.
Morning glory 💐
A person holds a book titled "Washington Bullets" by Vijay Prashad. The book's cover is visible, along with the person's hand and a blurred background of trees.
Washington Bullets by Vijay Prashad ⭐️ 5 A must read. The USA will apathetically perpetuate terror, destruction, and confusion for special interests to maintain power and accrue wealth. It will not stand an economic democracy who refuses to prostrate itself to USA capitalist-imperialist interests.
A person is lying inside a tent, wrapped in a blanket. The scene evokes a sense of comfort and relaxation.
Comfy cozy ⛺️
A man smiles while holding two beers, standing in front of a group of people. The photo appears to be taken at an outdoor event.
Happy Friday 🍻
A drag queen performs on stage, arching their back dramatically. They wear a black dress and have long, dark hair.
👄 🎤
A person's hand holds a copy of "The Demolished Man" by Alfred Bester. The book's cover is black with the title in orange text.
The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester ⭐️ 4 The winner of the first Hugo Award was such a fun read. Fast paced and action packed. My main gripe is that Bester’s depiction of women is clearly a vision of the past, not all that surprising as it was published in 1952, though that itself is no excuse.
A hand holds a well-worn copy of Arthur C. Clarke's 'Rendezvous with Rama'. The book's cover features a spaceship illustration.
Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke ⭐️ 4 The first of a series, Clarke is back at it with some good ol’ sci-fi. He keeps enough in the dark, and brings just enough to light to keep you wondering.
Photo by leftielaine
City of Night by John Rechy ⭐️ 4 There are many books in this vein, though this provides a perspective of the gay male scene across the USA in the 60’s and brings to light a diverse set of characters who’ll pull your heart in many directions. This book has sexual themes, but isn’t sexually explicit.
A person wearing ripped jeans and a purple top stands on a beach. The ocean is visible in the background.
🏝️ 🍑
A man stands near a red canoe in a forest, shielding his eyes from the sun. The photo captures a serene weekend getaway in nature.
Weekend in the woods 🏕️
A couple shares a tender kiss outdoors. One man wears a suit and hat, while the other smiles.
Smoooooch 💋
A drag queen performs in a boxing ring, arms raised to the crowd. The audience is visible in the background, with a colorful fan in the foreground.
Twinks vs Dolls IV
A hand holds a copy of "The Ministry for the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson. The book's cover features a futuristic design with a person silhouetted against a blue sky.
The Ministry for the Future by Kim S. Robinson ⭐️ 4/5 One of the most captivating first chapters. I enjoyed the main plots / exposition. A few chapters were tedious, but I empathize with the perspectives Robinson forces on the reader. Provides hopeful insight into climate strategies and policy.
A book cover of "Beloved" by Toni Morrison is displayed on a colorful patterned blanket.
Beloved by Toni Morrison ⭐️ 4.5/5 Took around 50 pages to really get into it, but then I was hooked. This is a haunting ghost story about slavery, morality, community, love, and loss. The closing dialogue in the second to last chapter is among the most emotionally impactful reading I have done.
Photo by leftielaine
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke ⭐️ 5/5 I mean, it’s a classic. The pacing is great, the story is intriguing. Very digestible, and definitely recommend.
Photo by leftielaine
Playing with flowers 💐
Photo by leftielaine
Vox by Nicholson Baker ⭐️ 3/5 Silly, lighthearted, erotic (straight). Vox is a book of dialogue where two strangers connect on an adult chat line in the era before internet. This could be transformative for a vanilla hetero, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend to a seasoned homo.
Photo by leftielaine
Bush light
Photo by leftielaine
🌚🌞
Photo by leftielaine
The Jewels of Aptor by Samuel R. Delany ⭐️ 3/5 The full version of Delany’s first book was a classic sci-fi treat. It was a cute / quick / easy little read and reminded me of LeGuin’s Earthsea. Good option if you want to dip a toe into sci-fi or need something to read on a plane, beach, or park.
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