Happy Friday Links

5-24-24

In honor of Grizzly 399, see more about her below

Hi readers,

It’s Memorial Day weekend in the US—the official start of summer. I hope you have fun plans for the weekend, even if it’s not a holiday for you, and some relaxation and reading, too. School just ended here for the year, and my granddaughter had her 5th-grade graduation yesterday. Time flies by so fast, and it seems to be going even faster since I retired. I wish the last few years of my job had gone as fast as time goes now.

It’s Friday, and it's time for the links. This week’s fun includes stories about books, food, fun and games, old TV shows, a new to Substack newsletter, and a not-to-miss story about bears, so let’s get started:

• I like going to chain restaurants occasionally, but I don’t think I’d ever call myself a “chain groupie.” After reading this article, it does sound like a wild world. To each their own, as the saying goes.

• I love reading articles about people who put books on a reader’s radar. One of the best at doing this is Reese Witherspoon. I really enjoyed this look at the progression of her literary empire from books to film and more. Here is a listing of all the books she’s recommended since 2017.

• Are you a fan of Wordle? Do you do the daily puzzle with your morning coffee? The CBS Sunday Morning show did a quick segment on the director and producer of the daily NY Times game.

• It makes me sad that it came to this. I guess the only thing worse than this would be having to close the library altogether.

• I read for pleasure, to escape, and to learn something new, and I’m always looking for ways to read “better.” Pulitzer prize winner and Washington Post literary critic Michael Dirda gives the reader 10 Rules for Reading.

• Overdrive, the owner of Libby, provides training for libraries and end users. I discovered a website with short training videos you can check out if you have problems with the Libby app.

• Readers chimed in with nineteen of their favorite features in the Libby app. Clicking through each one takes you to the Libby help page with a more detailed explanation of each feature.

• If you are my age or have watched shows from my era on TV Land or other channels that showed reruns of all the old shows, you’ve probably heard of and watched I Dream of Jeannie. What a fun look back at a show I loved watching as a kid.

• Older protagonists are “having a moment,” and I’m here for it. This BookRiot article tells us why older people can solve crimes, fall in love, and still be interesting to read about.

• I’ve been following one of my favorite creators on Instagram, @loswhit, for quite some time. This weekend, his oldest daughter is getting married in Jackson, WY, which is also the home of Grizzly 399 and her cubs. He shared this PBS link, and I was equally shedding buckets of tears and smiling while watching it. Give it a watch and tell me what you think.

• I get so excited when I see my favorite bookish creators bring their newsletters to Substack because it means a better opportunity for “creating community” with their newsletter readers.

  Mel Joulwan & Dave Humphreys
  from
  Strong Sense of Place
  has done just that. Today is the premier of Season 6 of their podcast Strong Sense of Place and the first official newsletter on Substack. Go check out their newsletter and read some of the Tuesday Tea issues, and join in on the fun of getting to know other readers.

• It’s “summer reading guide” time, and they arrive in newsletters every day. Many are for paid subscribers, but a few are free and just waiting for you to discover. There are new releases and backlist books galore, as well as some middle-grade books. Here are some of my favorite “free” guides: Everyday Reading, Bibliolifestyle, Modern Mrs. Darcy Minimalist, Mom Advice Book Club, Mollie Reads, Sarah’s Bookshelves, Thoughts From A Page Preview, and Reading Middle Grade Abridged.

• If you are really into summer reading and want to splurge on paid summer reading guides, here are my favorites: MMD Summer Reading Guide, Literary Leanings, FictionMatters, and Non-Fiction Reading Guide. This one isn’t a summer reading guide—it’s a Summer Reading Program to help you design your perfect summer reading experience.

I’ve never met a summer reading guide I didn’t like, and I always find at least one book to add to my already toppling TBR. I’m excited to peruse the ones I received this week, find books to put on hold (or tag since I’m now a “tag” convert), and finish a few books for book club meetings next week. What are your plans for the holiday weekend? Do you have any special traditions for the weekend? Does reading fit into your holiday plans? I’d love to know more about your plans and what you are reading; you can tell me about it in the comments below!

My daughter and grandkids are moving this weekend (just a mile away from where they currently live) to a really cute house that has recently been redone, so I’m excited for them. I’ve blocked out the entire weekend to be available to help if needed, but hopefully, in between that, I’ll have plenty of time to read. Have a great weekend and happy reading!