Lauren Simcic
https://www.goodreads.com/laur8217
to-read
(604)
currently-reading (4)
read (71)
did-not-finish (0)
i-stanbul (0)
booksiown-tbr (28)
ethnicity-region (27)
currently-reading (4)
read (71)
did-not-finish (0)
i-stanbul (0)
booksiown-tbr (28)
ethnicity-region (27)
geo
(23)
toptbr (23)
politics (22)
history (19)
before-travel (18)
come-back-later (13)
feminism (6)
toptbr (23)
politics (22)
history (19)
before-travel (18)
come-back-later (13)
feminism (6)
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
― Meditations
― Meditations
“They might be talking in perfect latin tongue and without warning begin to talk in perfect anglo tongue and keep it up like that, alternating between a thing that believes itself to be perfect and a thing that believes itself to be perfect, morphing back and forth between two beasts until out of carelessness or clear intent they suddenly stop switching tongues and start speaking that other one. In it brims nostalgia for the land they left or never knew when they use the words with which they name objects; while actions are alluded to with an anglo verb conjugated latin-style, pinning on a sonorous tail from back there. Using in one tongue the word for a thing in the other makes the attributes of both resound: if you say Give me fire when they say Give me a light, what is not to be learned about fire, light and the act of giving? It’s not another way of saying things: these are new things”
― Signs Preceding the End of the World
― Signs Preceding the End of the World
“Their musings about how and why people stayed in a country under such terrible conditions were what I hated most. I knew it was ignorance, not insight that prompted these questions. they asked because they hadn't smelled the air raid smoke or the scent of singed flesh on their own balconies; they couldn't fathom that such a dangerous place could still harbor all the feelings of home.”
― Girl at War
― Girl at War
“I'm a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.”
― Antonio Gramsci: Prison Letters
― Antonio Gramsci: Prison Letters
“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to.”
―
―
Great African Reads
— 4214 members
— last activity Apr 15, 2026 01:51PM
Here is an overview of the group reads & activities: Regional reads Nominations and Book discussions. Buddy Reads Find someone to read along with!. Sh ...more
PAWI Reads
— 37 members
— last activity Sep 03, 2018 08:37AM
A group for members of the Professional American Women of Istanbul (PAWI)
Our Shared Shelf
— 222861 members
— last activity Apr 18, 2026 05:11AM
OUR SHARED SHELF IS CURRENTLY DORMANT AND NOT MANAGED BY EMMA AND HER TEAM. Dear Readers, As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading ...more
The Feminist Orchestra Bookclub
— 4575 members
— last activity Mar 11, 2026 05:04AM
Discover and recommend more feminist reads here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/96419.The_Feminist_Orchestra_Potential_Reading_List We're also o ...more
Lauren’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Lauren’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Lauren
Lists liked by Lauren
















































