Happy Friday Links
12-6-24
Happy Friday, friends!
One of the best things about being retired is being able to shop in the stores during the day while many people are at work. I enjoyed going to the stores and looking at the Christmas displays, but I didn’t have the patience to deal with all the people after working all day and shopping in the evening. Shopping during this time of year is still not one of my most favorite things to do, but not working certainly helps keep a good attitude while shopping.
Every other Friday (most of the time), I share links I’ve come across in all the reading I do, and since I didn’t share any during November because of my move, I’ve gathered so many that I can’t wait to share with you. There’s something for everyone in the links below, so let’s get started:
I’m not the target customer of Costco, but I do have a membership, and I shop there occasionally. I found this NY Times (gift link) article about the history of Costco fascinating.
If I didn’t listen to so many podcasts, I might be a better audiobook listener. This Libby Life article describes how you can go about your day listening to audiobooks.
NPR has updated its “Books We Love” website with 2024 books. This is such an awesome resource. You can search books from 2013 forward by genre and other filters to find books that interest you. Give it a try.
I’m not sure I agree with my quiz result, but the Booker Prize book quiz was fun, and by answering the questions, you can find out which book might be an excellent read for you.
Barbara Taylor Bradford was one of the first authors I discovered when I started reading again as a young adult. I lost myself in her Emma Harte series and read many of her other novels, too. Sadly, she passed away recently at 91 after a life well lived. Bradford’s long-time publicist wrote this Guardian article about her years with her and
wrote a wonderful remembrance of her from a reader’s perspective.Libraries typically make people happy. Librarians are a wealth of knowledge about so many things, and most people hold them in high esteem. Why, then, are they struggling with their mental health and feeling burned out? This NY Times (gift link) article examines why so much of their stress relates to societal problems.
I was too old in 1984 to participate in the Pizza Hut Book It! literary program, but my daughter participated in it as a young reader and loved it, both the reading and the pizza. I’m so happy the program is still alive and delighting young readers everywhere!
If visiting a Christmas Market is your dream but a trip to Europe isn’t within your budget, several markets in the US take their inspiration from European markets. Matador Network put together this list of twelve Christmas Markets across the US that are worth checking out until you can cross the ocean.
You can start planning next summer’s vacation with this Discoverer article about ten US towns that take you back in time and, in some cases, let you experience what it was like living a century or more in the past.
A couple of months ago, my movie and dinner group saw the movie Lee. I had never heard of the WWII reporter Lee Miller, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I left the movie wanting to know more about this fascinating woman and her life. 60 Minutes recently interviewed Kate Winslet, who played Lee, and she discussed her career and a little about playing Lee in the movie. Lee’s son, Antony Penrose, also wrote a book about his mother that I want to read.
If your inbox looks anything like mine, you’ve received at least a few newsletters featuring “gift guides” for the holiday season. Most of the ones I’ve received are a dime a dozen, but there are a few that I thought were pretty good and might actually be useful. Since I don’t create a gift guide on SoNovelicious, I’ll share some of the best I’ve received—bookish things, cozy bookish, clutter-free, food and travel, niche, for yourself, and when all else fails, absolutely everyone.
I had many more links to share, but I’ll save them for the next newsletter in a couple of weeks! Have you received any gift guide links that you thought were worthwhile? What made them stand out to you? In the comments below, share your favorite links and why you liked them.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead of you filled with fun, joy, peace, and as little stress as possible. The book gods tell me that reading is the best way to relax after a hectic day in December; try it and tell me if it worked. 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.
Thanks for the links. I hadn't heard of the movie, Lee, but I'm definitely going to see it.
I had no idea the Book It program was still around!