Happy Friday Links
8-23-24
Hi readers,
What a week this has been! I was without my computer for several days as the battery decided to give up/out, and way too many $$ later, it’s fixed, and I can do all the things on my computer again. Not having a computer left me with more time to read, so I guess it was a good trade-off.
I’ve been a fan of the podcast From the Front Porch for years and was happy to receive an early ARC of Annie B. Jones’ first book, Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put. What a delightful book! In it, she tells the story of how she came to own The Bookshelf in downtown Thomasville, GA, how her life didn’t turn out to be what she thought it would be (it is so much more), how the bookstore pivoted during Covid, and lessons she’s learned throughout her life. She says she has more books to write, and I can’t wait. Now, on to the links!
I am still having so much fun watching videos of the Savannah Bananas I covered in this newsletter last week. This WaPo article tells how a major league hopeful became a star for the zany Bananas and is thrilling fans everywhere.
As with most “behind the scenes” things that fascinate me, feeding all the Olympic athletes is just one more to add to that fascination. This Eater interview barely scratches the surface of what it takes to feed 15,000 athletes, but it was fun to read.
As a rule, I dislike when things change unless they change for the better. Even when things change for the better, sometimes it takes a while to get used to the change. All that being said, I’m loving the latest Libby update!
There is a museum for everything, and in this Discoverer article, you can find museums for mustard, Spam, Jello, and more. I seem to find some of the strangest things!
Some of the first books I read as a young adult were by authors Jacqueline Susann and, later, Jackie Collins. This LitHub article from author Gill Paul sheds light on how both authors changed the publishing landscape and wrote the books that so many women my age loved to read.
I don’t go to Las Vegas much anymore, but when I did, I had to eat at a few buffets while there. I can’t imagine eating at every buffet on the Strip in one week. This Eater article was a fun read, and I’ve made note of a couple of new buffets I’d like to check out the next time I travel there.
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In this LitHub article, travel across the US on a literary road trip and check out “what to read, where to read, visit literary landmarks and much more.” Each state includes a link to check out more literary articles about each state. Bookmark this list for your future travels or your armchair travels now.
Whenever I read an article like this one, I wish I lived in NYC and could visit them all. Between all the independent bookstores in the greater NYC area and now all the “book bars,” the literary scene is one most readers wish they had in their neighborhoods.
One of my favorite newsletters to read is
written by . This weekly+ newsletter shares book lists, bookish links, deeper dives into bookish topics such as this, and more. Give it a subscribe and check out the archive for more reading fun.I’m always on the lookout for “literary” movies and TV shows, and this LitHub article talks about many upcoming shows. I was aware of a few of these already, but this list has many more that I’m interested in, and you might be interested, too.
Summer is winding down, and for some, the weather is changing enough to make it feel like fall might be on its way. It’s still hotter than you know what here in North Texas, but it will eventually cool down, and we’ll get the first inklings of fall, too. What are your plans for the weekend? I hope you have something to look forward to, maybe a good book to read, and some relaxation ahead of you. Happy reading!
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I always appreciate your links. This time I clicked through to Literary Merits and subscribed. I look forward to reading those posts as well as yours. Thanks.
I love the idea of a book bar! I'm starting bookshop in small-town Italy, and I feel like this is the kind of social component that would really fly in a country so tuned into the importance of good wine and good company. Book bars are the kind of thing that pops up in cities, but that might even be more vital for smaller places as a way to connect the community and get people together.