READ ALL ABOUT IT
Since 2012, I’ve been writing about books. And the act of reading. And the importance of story and narrative. But, mostly, the underlying theme of all I write is how taking a moment to stop and digest some longform text — instead of scrolling, instead of watching a video, instead of multitasking — can be one of the most grounding things we can do for ourselves. Here’s the one-stop online home for all this writing.
You can read more about me and my work by moseying over here. Want to peruse periodic “essay drops” — excerpts from my work-in-progress essay collection about Homesickness? Here ya go.
The Snowy Day is Now an Opera
Oh, I love this! The Snowy Day — that ubiquitous 1962 picture book by Ezra Jack Keats — has been transformed into an opera, now at the Houston Grand Opera. The Snowy Day is the most-checked-out book in the history of the New York Public Library, btw.
Mr. Men and Little Miss Turn 50
Raise your hand if you had these books as a child and/or read them to a child in your life. (🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️) Happy 50th Birthday to all the Mr. Men and Little Misses to have graced your bookshelves.
It’s All in the Framing
It’s all in the framing…
Malcolm X’s Former Prison Cell is a Library, Thanks to Reginald Dwayne Betts
I’ve posted about prisons and libraries/books before, including the Mellon Foundation’s “Freedom Libraries” initiative that ties in to this full-circle story.
Libraries are Benevolent
The two books I’ve read by Richard Powers — The Overstory and Bewilderment — are so full of profound nuggets of wisdom about, well, life. And you can probably find many of them aggregated on sites like Goodreads. This one isn’t really “life wisdom,” but it really is a nice way to describe a library, isn’t it?
What Happened to Amazon’s Bookstore?
I just finished Bewilderment by Richard Powers. (Really great!)
I have way too many books out from the library at the moment, including A Calling for Charlie Barnes by Joshua Ferris, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, and Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun (that’s funny). Plus 3 others. Like a kid in a candy shop…
Just a Pic of a Little Free Library
I just finished Bewilderment by Richard Powers. (Really great!)
I have way too many books out from the library at the moment, including A Calling for Charlie Barnes by Joshua Ferris, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, and Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun (that’s funny). Plus 3 others. Like a kid in a candy shop…
How to Recommend a Book
Ha. The “Tip” column in the New York Times Magazine from Oct. 24 is “How to Recommend a Book.”
City of Asylum in Pittsburgh
I learned about an incredibly interesting organization today. It’s called City of Asylum, and it’s a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit; I’m just going to copy their mission directly:
‘The Clique’ Books Taught Hate (?): Books Are Not the Problem
If you’re a parent, you are already well attuned to how television and film affect your offspring. (Or at least how we think they affect them.) Let’s rewind to me appalled at the iCarly episode my daughter was glued to in a Montana emergency room when she was six.
Goncourt Scandal and Drama
SCANDAL & DRAMA!
In case you didn’t know, French literary culture is Serious Business. Très sérieux.
Netflix (Bandwagon) Book Club
Once again, in case you haven’t noticed, books are #Trending. Books are cool!
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Main Branch.
The Most Carol Shields Day Ever?
Dublin Book Festival shared a fun blog post earlier this week as a lead-up to one of their events with an Irish musician who just published a book. (No, not that one — geez.) It was just a quick, whimsical read about five songs that were inspired by books, and of course one of them was Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush. I hadn’t heard that song in a while, so pulled it up on Spotify, and then spent the next 10 minutes Googling Kate Bush. And then I learned that there is a “holiday” called The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, wherein people around the world reenact Bush’s video. WHAT! (Check out this Guardian pic of this day in 2018 in Sydney.)
Brontë Manuscripts
The artifacts are old…but this type of story may be old as well.
We Miss the Din: Jennifer De Leon at MetroWest Readers Fest
Got to pretend to be a talk show host last night with Jennifer De Leon. This was the culminating event of MetroWest Readers Fest and it was great.
Jack Murphy Memorial Stephen King Fest
I really love this idea: A woman posted in our town’s Facebook “Book Group” (mostly swaps/recommendations) about something called the Jack Murphy Memorial Stephen King Fest.
Behold, the Book Blob
Nothing new here: The publishing industry likes the “blob.”
First Edition of Frankenstein
I had to read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley in 7th grade English with Mrs. Zarter. (I think…anyone familiar care to confirm?) Great reminder that I’d like to read it again.
Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir
Earlier in the summer, my parents recommended the documentary Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir (currently on Netflix). It is excellent.
