Happy Friday Links

10-6-23

Hi readers,

Yay!! Cooler weather in North Texas, finally. We had a couple of days of off-and-on rain, and now the temperature is in the mid-70s, and so welcome after the long, hot summer. I’m looking forward to a weekend of grandkids’ soccer games, a birthday celebration, and lots of reading. I’m in the middle of a couple of books that are so good; I can’t wait to tell you about both of them.

So many good links found their way into my inbox over the last couple of weeks; I can’t wait to share them with you, so let’s get started.

• I’m a fan of book clubs, both in person and online. This BookRiot article about the “best online book clubs” has a variety of free and paid book clubs to satisfy most readers. My long-time favorite online book club, Modern Mrs. Darcy, is listed here, and I can’t imagine my reading life without it.

• Keep this handy for your travels when you are looking for an independent bookstore; in fact, you don’t have to wait until you travel; you can order from these bookstores online. This AFAR article lists twenty-seven indies across the US and a small blurb about what each bookstore has to offer.

• Most readers can read anywhere, but having a dedicated, cozy, and comfortable place to read is also a dream of many readers. You don’t need a farmhouse to benefit from these cozy book nook ideas. I’m working on my own reading nook in my new apartment. If it ever comes to fruition, I’ll do a post about it in the future.

• One of my favorite Substack newsletters for news and politics has a post about book bans targeting public libraries. This article is worth reading to close out Banned Books Week. There are a couple of other articles posted after the date of this one related to book bans if you’d like to check them out also.

• Fans of Anthony Bourdain have probably heard most of these quotes about travel, food, and life before, but seeing them all together in one article, they seem more profound.

• I saw this link from a couple of newsletters last week. Instead of the romanticized version of what working in a library would be like, it gives a perspective on what librarians face daily while trying to do their jobs. There are also links to several other articles that are worth a read. Save this one for when you have some time to peruse all of the links.

• Brooklyn Public Library has had a podcast since 2019, and in September, Season 7 begins an eight-episode series called Borrowed and Banned that takes a look at the story of America’s ideological war with bookshelves. The first episode, All for a Library Card, looks at two people affected in different ways by the bans and the steps each took to make a difference in their communities.

• Next week, October 10-11, is Prime Day, and if you are looking for a Kindle, be sure to check Amazon for sales pricing on the different Kindle models. Pro tip: the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is EXACTLY the same as the regular Paperwhite, and it comes with a case, a 2-year warranty (longer than regular Kindle warranty), and a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. While it’s set to restrict activity for children, it can be set up for an adult, and you can then use it as a regular Kindle. The sales price is usually $20-$30 less than the normal Paperwhite sales price.

• How have I missed this for all these years? Check out Fat Bear Week in Katmai National Park, and follow along with cameras, and watch the bears at the falls catch salmon and get fat for hibernation.

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What exciting fun stuff do you have waiting for you this weekend? What books are you reading? Are you a “spooky” season reader? You can tell me about it in the comments below.

Have a wonderful relaxing weekend, and read a book or two just for the heck of it. 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.