Happy Friday Links
Well, hello there, friends! I’ve not been around here lately; there’s no specific reason other than I just couldn’t make myself open Substack and start writing. I’m not exactly sure why that was so, but I’m back with a renewed desire to put the proverbial “pen to paper” and start talking about bookish goodness again. Thank you to all the excellent bookish newsletters I subscribe to for keeping me in the loop on all things books and putting a smile on my face with every newsletter I read.
Even though I haven’t been writing, I’m still reading. It’s been pretty scattered in genres read and the number of books I’m in the middle of reading. I’ve always thought that having more library cards is a good thing, but the flip side of that is books are always becoming available that I want to read, so I download one and start reading it, and then the next one becomes available, and so on. Soon after, I put my Kindle on airplane mode to finish the books I’m in the middle of so I don’t lose them when the loans expire. Reading all the newsletters and other media I do, I’ve acquired quite a collection of links since August, so let’s get started.
If you are an e-book reader, Amazon has just released its all-new 2024 Kindle e-readers. The Kindle Basic, Paperwhite, and Scribe have new features, and the best news of all is that there is now a “color” e-reader, the Kindle Colorsoft. Do I need another Kindle? NO! However, I think I see a Colorsoft in my future—maybe they will go on sale in the next couple of months.
Louisiana librarian Amanda Jones, author of the book That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, does a By the Book Q & A with The NY Times (gift link). Her book is pretty awesome, too.
Who knew these hospitality jobs existed? Unusual is definitely the right word for them. I would be so happy to be a Smores Butler, as long as I could occasionally eat one. Which of these jobs sounds like fun to you?
I’m still not sure what I think about Southwest Airlines' upcoming changes, but it looks like they will happen in 2025, regardless of whether travelers want them or not.
Related to book censorship, I enjoyed reading this BookRiot “behind the scenes” of how a book makes it on a bookshelf in your library. Maybe those determined to censor books should read this.
For those with dyslexia, Libby has a guide on enabling the OpenDyslexic font to make reading more accessible.
If you missed any of the 2024 Library of Congress National Book Festival events, or maybe you weren’t able to attend, you can see all of the events online, including events from prior years.
- writes one of the more unusual Substack newsletters, and if you are traveling to the New York City area, one of the most useful. In his weekly newsletter, , he takes you into “every neighborhood in New York through photographs, field recordings, and writing.” Be sure to check his newsletter out if you are planning a trip to NYC anytime soon.
Iowa Public Radio highlights how Iowa Public Libraries serve communities and provide needed services and details the costs associated with those services, especially providing e-books to patrons.
In a New Yorker review of two books about bookstores, Louis Menand tried to make a case that “bookstores are a waste of space.” Needless to say, his words didn’t go over very well in the bookish community.
writes the Substack newsletter , and you can read her takedown of Menand and his silly ideas about why bookstores aren’t necessary. Way to go, Nicole!File this one away for your next road trip. This Daily Passport article tells you about eight city libraries across the US that readers should visit. While you are visiting, be sure to check out all the other fun things to see and do in each city.
I’ve seen a few Fall reading guides, but they don’t seem as plentiful across Substack as the Summer reading guides were.
has one that should satisfy readers of all genres—you can check out her Cozy Season Fall reading guide here.
I’m reading a book that isn’t what I thought it would be—it’s so much more. I’m being evasive, I know. I’m not finished reading it yet, but if it continues to hold up, I’ll write about it as I think there might be others who would enjoy it, too. I appreciate it when a book surprises me (in a good way)—those are the best reads. What is the last book you read that surprised you by being so much more than you thought it would be?
When I retired last year, I moved to the next town over, and I’m on the move again. Not far, just to another apartment complex in the same town. I was so excited to move into my apartment, and then I discovered that there was nothing but AIR between the apartment above me and my peace and happiness. No carpeted floors (LVP), no soundproofing, no NOTHING. I hear silverware dropping on the floor in the kitchen and dining room chairs shuffling in and out. I hear people walking across the floor and balls bouncing on the floor above. I hear almost everything except a whisper. In early November, I’m moving to the top floor in a different complex, and I can’t wait for peace again.
Until then, I’m packing and getting ready to move and reading as much as I can in between. Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading!
Some of the links in this newsletter may be affiliate links. That means that if you click through and purchase anything, I may earn a small commission. This costs you nothing and helps me feed my voracious reading habit, and for that, I thank you.
I'll take the chief flamingo officer job, please. Can't be the s'mores butler because I burn the marshmallows every time. I'll be happy to assist you, however, especially with taste testing.
Breaks are good! We don't need any particular reason to need or deserve them. I'm glad you felt able to take one. So many great links here. I especially liked the fall reading list, and I felt so validated by the one about the processes required for a book to reach a library shelf. I used to do collection development for all the schools in my district, and this is so true: "The idea that anyone can publish a book and get it on shelves in the library is absurd, unrealistic, and damning of several professions all at once." It took me so much time to create book orders!