Happy Friday Links
11-17-23
Happy Friday!
My sister-in-law visited for almost a week, and we had such a good time. We did several touristy things like the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Southfork Ranch, and we ate our way around the “square” in McKinney and had a great time. We have decided that since there are only thirteen presidential libraries/museums, we are going to travel and see them all. We are both long-time Dallas series fans, so seeing Southfork Ranch was fun and brought back many memories of the show that captured the nation when JR was shot. The “square” in McKinney is the old county courthouse and shopping area, and there are so many good restaurants and shops; we just had a blast the entire time she was here.
Back to reality now, and my “introverted” self was ready for some alone time. I love being around people (a few at a time), but I also need my "alone” time to recharge. It took several days of reading, catching up on TV, and just “vegging” before I felt like rejoining the world again. I was so far behind on my bookish emails, but throughout my “catch-up,” I found so many great links for this week’s newsletter. Let’s get started!
An ode to paperback books
I had Barbie’s as a kid, but I haven’t watched the movie yet, even though people tell me I’ll love it. This is an interesting article on how Greta Gerwig got to know the creator of Barbie to help her bring life to a lifeless doll.
Book clubs are not for everyone; if you've tried several and they haven’t been a good fit, maybe this is the one you need to try next.
Librarians are quitting in record numbers for different reasons, but most are related to state laws and book bans. This Florida librarian tells why she’s leaving the job she loved and thought she’d never leave.
One of my favorite bookish bloggers has released their 2023 holiday gift lists to help readers find bookish (and a few non-bookish) gifts for everyone in their lives. Three lists have been released so far (#1, #2, and #3), and be sure to subscribe to the blog to receive the remaining gift lists.
I’m not much for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (I know, I’m weird), but the desserts are my jam. This Camille Styles article with seventeen desserts to make for your holiday dinner will leave your mouth watering for at least a few of them.
LeVar Burton has worn many hats during his life, but his most important hat is the one he wears related to reading. In this Esquire article, Burton tells why he’s fighting for the right to read and against book bans.
The sixth and final season of The Crown has begun, and I’m sad to see it ending. I love reading books about the monarchy, and if you do too, here is a list of several books to put you in the mood to watch the show.
Finding good books to read may include learning who the publisher is on a book you enjoyed reading and then read more from that publisher. In this BookRiot article, you learn about ten indie publishers and a little about the books they specialize in publishing.
I don’t usually read Christmas-themed books, so I defer to others who do. Beyond the Bookends has compiled this list of Christmas books full of romance and mystery, books perfect for book clubs, and one might be right for you. There’s also a gift listing here with gifts for all the book lovers in your life.
I love all the pretty gift wrapping you see on the internet, but my creative abilities can barely fill a thimble. If you are crafty or want to be crafty, check out this list of gift-wrapping ideas for Christmas.
Several creators in the Substack bookish community (and a few outside the community) have created gift guides for bookish (and non-bookish) gifts for all ages and reader types. In the coming weeks, I’ll link to a few gift guides each week from other newsletters that I’m always happy to see in my inbox.
Adri from
has so many bookish gifts that you are sure to find a few for the readers in your life. If the children in your life enjoy reading, Sarah from has a book gift guide for kiddo readers ages ten and under. from Books Are My People has a gift guide that features several bookish gifts along with her “upcycled journals.”What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Do you travel to see friends and family, or do they travel to see you? Do you have any traditions that make the holiday season special to you? I’d love to hear about all of this and what you are currently reading in the comments below.
It will be a quiet Thanksgiving around here this year. I have no special plans other than our traditional Thanksgiving breakfast that I make for everyone. None of us like many traditional holiday foods, so we always make a mishmash of our favorite foods for dinner and then head off to our corner of the world for reading and other alone-type activities. I didn’t get much “book” reading done with company in town, so I’m looking forward to finishing several books I’ve started. Have a wonderful holiday, and happy reading!
Thanks for sharing all the gift guide roundups, Gayla! So many delightful bookish gifts ☺️
Yet another reason to love LeVar Burton! Thanks for the links 🥰