150+ USUK Fic Recs
Hi, new followers! I’ve finally decided to compile my favorite USUK stories into a master post. Every story on this list is well written, more than 1k words, and (in case you’re worried about abandoned fics) COMPLETE. I’ve tried to limit myself to no more than 3-4 stories per author for variety’s sake.
Modern AUs
High School
1. And All That Jazz (by hoshiko2kokoro) – Alfred and Arthur start a band.
2. Breathless (by OrangePlum) – “Arthur Kirkland never thought that golden boy Alfred Jones would ever have a reason to attempt suicide. Then again, how much did he really know about the oh-so-popular blonde?”
3. Hero Frequency (by EverythingIsMagic) – America will definitely win the band competition if he can just convince England to help out.
4. Mercutio and Juliet (by Trumpet-Geek) – “It’s bad enough that they chose Romeo and Juliet for their senior showcase, but it’s even worse that Erzsebet insisted on an all-male cast.”
5. School Play (by three-days-late) – Student council president Arthur Kirkland convinces Alfred to play Romeo.
6. The Gentleman and The Hero (by Teenage Mouse) – Alfred and Arthur discuss their mutual relationship angst as part of an anonymous email program.
7. The Invitational Year (by Demand Truth) – Alfred is an awkward dork, Arthur is a member of British royalty. “Both boys are given an invitation to attend the prestigious World Academy and, naturally, they’re roomies.”
8. Think We Are (by Gecko Osco) - A hetalia version of the Breakfast Club.
9. Unexpected (by Kishiro Kitsune) – Arthur starts to tutor Alfred and finds himself reclaiming their friendship.
10. United Again (by MourningPluto) – Alfred and Arthur meet up again at their 10th year High School Reunion.
Recommended Photography Blogs
I wanted to do my part in sharing the work of some of the talented and inspiring people that I follow here on tumblr and whose posts I really look forward to. These are arranged in no particular order.
jzaphotography.tumblr.com - James’ cityscape and architectural images are stunning.
backpackerchronicles.tumblr.com - Richard has a nice collection of landscape, nature and travel photos.
njwight.tumblr.com - NJ has a diverse collection of interesting wildlife photos.
nicholasdyee.tumblr.com - Nicholas has nature and architectural shots which are absolutely captivating.
jordanvoth.tumblr.com - Jordan’s portraits always seem to effortlessly convey the emotions of his subjects.
nosamk.tumblr.com - Keith takes impressive landscapes.
reneelouiseanderson.tumblr.com - Renee takes photos of various subjects; I love the tone of her images and she has really creative self-portraits.
youmebookbednow.tumblr.com - Jash’s fashion and portrait work never ceases to amaze.
kyokphotography.tumblr.com - Kyo’s nightscapes and images of Japan are brilliant.
amchphotography.tumblr.com - Alejandro always seems to find the most interesting scenes which are hidden in plain sight for most of us.
nickgerber.tumblr.com - Nick always takes wonderful photos of all his travels.
palawanrepublik.tumblr.com - He has always produced the best macro work!
rcwgrey.tumblr.com - Rob’s black and white and minimalist photos are always inspiring.
theedricchen.com - Edric’s fashion shots inspire me to learn portraiture and fashion in the future.
Lensblr (http://lensblr.com/members)
Lastly, if you’re looking for original photo blogs to follow then this would be a great place to start. Simply browse through their members page or the submissions page.
Finally done reading these. Thought I’d mention them in case some of you are interested in studying postcolonial theory and related gender issues. My brain feels beaten to pulp - the arguments and analyses present in these books and articles were intense, to say the least. Here’s a short list.
- Grace Poore. “The Language of Identity.”
- Naheed Hasnat. “Being ‘Amreekan’: Fried Chicken versus Chicken Tikka.”
- Lubna Chaudhry. “’We Are Graceful Swans Who Can Also Be Crows’: Hybrid Identities of Pakistani Muslim Women.”
- Surina Khan. “Sexual Exiles.”
- Naheed Islam. “Naming Desire, Shaping Identity: Tracing the Experiences of Indian Lesbians in the United States.”
- Manisha Roy. “Mothers and Daughters in Indian-American Families: A Failed Communication?”
- Sayantani DasGupta and Shamita Das Dasgupta. “Sex, Lies, and Women’s Lives: An Intergenerational Dialogue.”
- Rinita Mazamdur. “Marital Rape: Some Ethical and Cultural Consideration.”
- Satya P. Krishnan, Malahal Baig-Amin, Louisa Gilbert, Nabila El-Bassel, and Anne Waters. “Lifting the Veil of Secrecy: Domestic Violence Against South Asian Women in the United States.”
- Anannya Bhattacharjee. “The Habit of Ex-Nomination: Nation, Woman, and the Indian Immigrant Bourgeoisie.”
- Sunita Sunder Mukhi. “’Underneath My Blouse Beats My Indian Heart’: Sexuality, Nationalism, and Indian Womanhood in the United States.”
- Sonia Shah. “Three Hot Meals and a Full Day at Work: South Asian Women’s Labor in the United States.”
Four of my favorite links on South Asian history, issues and debates
I often receive questions from you lovely folks about how should one start reading up on issues and intellectual discourse related to South Asian affairs of all sorts including our history, politics, ideology(s), economy, rift(s) and a lot more. Since it’s an extremely rich history, it can get (quite naturally) tough to know where to start from. You don’t need to worry for now because I’ve brought four of my personal favorite South Asian history/information links. Let’s see what we got:
- Columbia’s archive of South Asian history under the title of Indian Routes consists of a timeline of events throughout the region with interesting commentary and analysis. Just ignore the horrible font chosen: Comic Sans.
- Another great link is offered by Berkeley under the title of Colonial India. This is one aspect of South Asian history that is constantly discussed by those attempting to instill stability in a post-colonial region. Offered in the form of extensive chapters, this website has been a great source of knowledge for me and the students I’ve taught. Best part? It’s not in Comic Sans.
- Then we have - oh, this is a great treat for righteously angry brown discourse - Sepia Mutiny. Recently ended, SM still maintains an active Twitter account where you can send questions and comments regarding contemporary South Asian political, cultural, social debates. Sepia Mutiny offers one of the best slam downs on racism, discrimination, immigrant issues among other important issues.
- Last but certainly not the least, Chapati Mystery. Maintained by Manan Ahmed (whom I’ve met off Twitter and become friends with - thanks for the book by Frantz Fanon, Manan!) who “holds a Ph.D in the history of Islam in South Asia from the University of Chicago, blogs under the sobriquet sepoy. He can also be found hanging out at Juan Cole’s Informed Comment: Global Affairs.” Chapati Mystery tackles the subjects of neo-orientalism, Islamophobia, political ideologies in South Asian history, Jinnah and Gandhi’s swag, Pakistan’s terribly brutal history with Bangladesh and much more. It’s one of the many e-libraries I love spending hours in.
That’s one, two, three and four. Four links on South Asian history, political dynamics, various religions and modern day issues for you to browse through. I’ll share more next time. Till then, happy uncolonized learning!
