diff --git a/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py b/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py
index 62e7d9248..13fbe6356 100644
--- a/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py
+++ b/fedireads/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by Django 3.0.2 on 2020-01-28 19:39
+# Generated by Django 3.0.2 on 2020-01-28 23:19
 
 from django.conf import settings
 import django.contrib.auth.models
diff --git a/fedireads/models.py b/fedireads/models.py
index 1b89cff44..e77707e7e 100644
--- a/fedireads/models.py
+++ b/fedireads/models.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ''' database schema for the whole dang thing '''
 from django.db import models
+from model_utils.managers import InheritanceManager
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractUser
 from django.contrib.postgres.fields import JSONField
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ class Activity(models.Model):
     fedireads_type = models.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
     created_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
     updated_date = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
+    objects = InheritanceManager()
 
 
 class ShelveActivity(Activity):
@@ -107,9 +109,8 @@ class ShelveActivity(Activity):
     shelf = models.ForeignKey('Shelf', on_delete=models.PROTECT)
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        if not self.activity_type:
-            self.activity_type = 'Add'
-            shelf.fedireads_type = 'Shelve'
+        self.activity_type = 'Add'
+        self.fedireads_type = 'Shelve'
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
@@ -122,8 +123,7 @@ class FollowActivity(Activity):
     )
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        if not self.activity_type:
-            self.activity_type = 'Follow'
+        self.activity_type = 'Follow'
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
@@ -137,17 +137,15 @@ class Review(Activity):
     review_content = models.TextField()
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        if not self.activity_type:
-            self.activity_type = 'Article'
-            self.fedireads_type = 'Review'
+        self.activity_type = 'Article'
+        self.fedireads_type = 'Review'
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
 class Note(Activity):
     ''' reply to a review, etc '''
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        if not self.activity_type:
-            self.activity_type = 'Note'
+        self.activity_type = 'Note'
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
diff --git a/fedireads/outgoing.py b/fedireads/outgoing.py
index 04458c98a..99c775404 100644
--- a/fedireads/outgoing.py
+++ b/fedireads/outgoing.py
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ def handle_shelve(user, book, shelf):
         uuid=uuid,
         user=user,
         content=activity,
-        activity_type='Add',
         shelf=shelf,
         book=book,
     ).save()
diff --git a/fedireads/templates/feed.html b/fedireads/templates/feed.html
index 55460b8a4..621ddcf54 100644
--- a/fedireads/templates/feed.html
+++ b/fedireads/templates/feed.html
@@ -1,34 +1,43 @@
 {% extends 'layout.html' %}
 {% block content %}
 <div id="sidebar">
+    {# listing books currently on user's shelves #}
+    {# TODO: this should only show currently reading probably #}
     {% for shelf in shelves %}
-    <h1>{{ shelf.name }}</h1>
+    {% if shelf.books.all %}
+    <h2>{{ shelf.name }}</h2>
     {% for book in  shelf.books.all %}
     <div class="book-preview">
         <img class="cover" src="static/images/small.jpg">
         <p class="title"><a href="{{ book.openlibrary_key }}">{{ book.data.title }}</a></p>
         <p>by <a href="" class="author">{{ book.authors.first.data.name }}</a></p>
         {% if shelf.type == 'reading' %}
+        {# TODO: re-shelve a book #}
         <button>done reading</button>
         {% endif %}
     </div>
     {% endfor %}
+    {% endif %}
     {% endfor %}
 </div>
 
 <div id="main">
+
     <div class="carosel">
+        {# a display of books in your local db, so you have somewhere to start #}
         {% for book in recent_books %}
         <div class="book-preview">
             <img class="cover" src="static/images/small.jpg">
             <p class="title">
                 <a href="{{ book.openlibrary_key }}">{{ book.data.title }}</a>
+                by
+                {# TODO: there should be a helper function for listing authors #}
+                <a href="" class="author">{{ book.authors.first.data.name }}</a>
             </p>
-            <p>by <a href="" class="author">{{ book.authors.first.data.name }}</a></p>
             {% if not book.user_shelves %}
             <form name="shelve" action="/shelve/{{ request.user.localname }}_to-read/{{ book.id }}" method="post">
                 <input type="hidden" name="book" value="book.id"></input>
-                <input type="submit" value="want to read"></input>
+                <button type="submit">Want to read</button>
             </form>
             {% endif %}
         </div>
@@ -38,9 +47,50 @@
     <div class="update">
         <div class="user-preview">
             <img class="user-pic" src="static/images/profile.jpg">
+            {# TODO: a helper function for displaying a username #}
             <span><a href="/user/{% if activity.user.localname %}{{ activity.user.localname }}{% else %}{{ activity.user.username }}{% endif %}" class="user">
                     {% if activity.user.localname %}{{ activity.user.localname }}{% else %}{{ activity.user.username }}{% endif %}</a>
-                did {{ activity.activity_type }} </span>
+            {% if activity.fedireads_type == 'Shelve' %}
+                {# display a reading/shelving activity #}
+                {% if activity.shelf.shelf_type == 'to-read' %}
+                    wants to read
+                {% elif activity.shelf.shelf_type == 'read' %}
+                    finished reading
+                {% elif activity.shelf.shelf_type == 'reading' %}
+                    started reading
+                {% else %}
+                    shelved in "{{ activity.shelf.name }}"
+                {% endif %}
+                {# TODO: wouldn't it rule if this was a reusable piece of markup? #}
+                <div class="book-preview">
+                    <img class="cover" src="static/images/med.jpg">
+                    <p class="title">
+                        <a href="{{ activity.book.openlibrary_key }}">{{ activity.book.data.title }}</a>
+                        by
+                        <a href="" class="author">{{ activity.book.authors.first.data.name }}</a>
+                    </p>
+                </div>
+            {% elif activity.fedireads_type == 'Review' %}
+                {# display a review #}
+                reviewed {{ activity.book.data.title }}
+                <div class="book-preview review">
+                    <img class="cover" src="static/images/med.jpg">
+                    <p class="title">
+                        <a href="{{ activity.book.openlibrary_key }}">{{ activity.book.data.title }}</a>
+                        by
+                        <a href="" class="author">{{ activity.book.authors.first.data.name }}</a>
+                    </p>
+
+                    <h3>{{ activity.name }}</h3>
+                    <p>{{ activity.rating }} stars</p>
+                    <p>{{ activity.review_content }}</p>
+                </div>
+            {% elif activity.activity_type == 'Follow' %}
+                started following someone
+            {% else %}
+            {# generic handling for a misc activity, which perhaps should not be displayed at all #}
+                did {{ activity.activity_type }}</span>
+            {% endif %}
         </div>
     </div>
     {% endfor %}
diff --git a/fedireads/views.py b/fedireads/views.py
index a9ccb4aa5..d60b67a8f 100644
--- a/fedireads/views.py
+++ b/fedireads/views.py
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ def home(request):
 
     # TODO: handle post privacy
     activities = models.Activity.objects.filter(
-        user__in=following
-    ).order_by('-created_date')[:10]
+        user__in=following,
+    ).select_subclasses().order_by(
+        '-created_date'
+    )[:10]
 
     data = {
         'user': request.user,
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ def book_page(request, book_identifier):
 @login_required
 def shelve(request, shelf_id, book_id):
     ''' put a book on a user's shelf '''
+    # TODO: handle "reshelving"
     book = models.Book.objects.get(id=book_id)
     shelf = models.Shelf.objects.get(identifier=shelf_id)
     api.handle_shelve(request.user, book, shelf)
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 780229e30..0ab2527ab 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Django==3.0.2
+django-model-utils==4.0.0
 Pillow==7.0.0
 psycopg2==2.8.4
 pycryptodome==3.9.4