Posts

1) Dystopian Fiction Global pandemics, resource shortages, shuttered businesses, and government actions (and inactions) that reinforce massive social divides—dystopian fiction feels more relevant than ever at times like this. If you’re a bit of a masochist like me, then that’s the exact kind of fiction you’re seeking out. I just finished Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, a brilliant, unsettling novel about a group of musicians and actors navigating a desolate, post-pandemic world, clinging to the idea that there’s more to life than mere survival....

Although I regularly read AAPI authors and stories, I haven’t yet explored stories from all of the many, many AAPI communities out there — even all of the ones within my own Chinese American one. So this year, starting in May — AAPI Heritage Month — I decided to give myself an AAPI reading challenge, and to invite all the other curious readers out there to join me. Consider purchasing titles from an AAPI-owned bookstore....

This led to quite a backlog of ebooks. And, even though they were ebooks, it was still overwhelming. Did I stop downloading though? No, I did not. Rather than take the logical route and work on the list, I went on merrily increasing my digital library. I repeatedly told myself I would make time to read these books “soon.” A few years ago, the urge to weed out my books hit me hard....

They can also make you feel less alone on your writing journey. After I graduated from my MFA program, I turned to podcasts to stay connected to the writing community. I’ve learned so many things from listening to these hosts and their many, many guests. From what a revise and resubmit means to advice about how to get unstuck when writer’s block hits. And really, the most important thing I’ve learned is that there is no one way to be a writer....

Despite how some may see the romance genre as just smutty bodice rippers, it includes, more than any other, consent. How did romance novels get this reputation when the community as a whole is so outspoken about people’s happiness, agency, and right to say no? We have to go back to the archives to understand the progression of a genre, and a movement over time, for the answer. Where did this idea come from?...

My maternal grandfather passed away a year before I was born. I still feel like I know him, from the stories of my mother and grandmother, and from his bookshelves. He had a voracious appetite for books, which he tried to inculcate in his children by buying them beautifully illustrated Bengali translations of Russian children’s books. These have been some of my most prized possessions since childhood. They bear the marks of two generations of little readers, pencil marks left by my mother as she traced the drawings, and markings scribbled by me to indicate the day’s progress as I used them as textbooks for my classroom of dolls....

When Betty White died on her 100th birthday (we all agree that the announcement of her death on December 31, 2021, was premature by 18 days, right?) the world mourned, but we also celebrated the storied and bookish life she led. She was not only an actress, but one of the first female television producers: her show Life With Elizabeth came on the air the year after I Love Lucy, which was also produced by its (female) star....

“If there’s anything my friends have learned from helping me move, it’s that I have a lot of books. They come prepared to move about 30 book boxes—and I come prepared to repay them with entire pizzas for the hard work. Although books might be a pain to move, they’re a fairly straightforward packing job. Here, moving professionals share their top five tips for properly packing books.” This is super solid advice that I wish I’d followed sooner....

The first year Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice was the winner. In 2021, the winner of the prize was Roy Schwartz’s Is Superman Circumcised?: The Complete Jewish History of the World’s Greatest Hero. Other gems include Managing a Dental Practice: The Genghis Khan Way by Michael Young, 2010 winner; People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead: How They Attach Themselves To Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It by Gary Leon Hill, 2005 winner; and Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes by Daina Taimina, 2009 winner....

If you’re a big reader, and if you spend a lot of time on the bookish internet, you’ve probably seen a lot of tips on reading more. You know about keeping a book with you at all time, ideally in multiple formats. You know about putting your phone in another room, building a reading routine, and finding the books you love. What you may not know, though, is that’s just one category of reading advice....

Creators are stuck at home, too, and that means we’re experiencing a bounty of art to enjoy. Comic artists, picture book illustrators, and more are using their skills and talent to provide everyone an opportunity to stave off boredom. Want to pull out your beloved crayons, markers, and colored pencils? Give them some exercise with these incredible free coloring pages by a number of beloved artists. Susie Ghahremani The beloved illustrator and artist behind the adorable animal goodies at boygirlparty, as well as author and illustrator of children’s books Stack The Cats and Balance the Birds, has put together a daily animal coloring pages on her Instagram stories....

I don’t know how many years ago now, my parents discovered Louisa May Alcott’s short story An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving. There’s a surprising dearth of good Thanksgiving short stories out there – but this one is a staple for my family. Somewhere in the middle of the car ride, my mom will take out her Nook and read it to us. We used to borrow a copy from the library....

Additionally, the 2021 budget calls for elimination of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). All three have been subject to elimination in the administration’s prior budget proposals. “As the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries, IMLS invests in communities of all sizes, from rural to urban, in every U.S. state and territory,” reads a statement from IMLS. “IMLS ensures public library services for all Americans, helps preserve the heritage of our nation, and provides critical funding for literacy and workforce development programs....

My son is two and a half years old. He’s not exactly able to expound on his feelings yet. Sure, I generally know the riots and whims of his little (but oh-so-enormous) heart and mind. But it wasn’t until after a difficult vacation that I noticed how my son dictates his needs through books. I have of course observed distinct reading patterns and themes in his favorite books. It’s not hard to catch on to the constant stream of cars, trucks, trains, and the like....

With art by Donato Giancola and art direction from Antonio Alcalá, this is the 33rd stamp in the USPS Literary Arts series. The stamp features a portrait of the author and a scene from The Left Hand of Darkness. The stamp will be issued in Portland, Oregon, the city Le Guin called home, where a First-Day-of-Issue Dedication Ceremony will be held. Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books....

I love those flightless fluffs as much as the next person, but the Penguin mugs I’m talking about have more to do with books and less to do with aquatic birds. I’m talking classic Penguin, the publisher started in the 1930s and the iconic orange and white cover design by Edward Young. You know the ones. There have been variations over the years, including some modern updates on the classics, but the original designs are just so iconic and eye-catching....

Ready to brave a full day of vampires? Jump in here:

A friend recently asked me if I thought my favorite movies revealed anything about me. She’d seen a discussion about this on Twitter and found it revealing for herself. For me, this question crystallized my love for very cinematic cinema. Music, visuals, and dialogue all contribute in equal measure in personal faves of mine like Jurassic Park and The Third Man. It was tougher to come up with thematic connections in the storytelling, however....

I primarily use the site for cataloging—it’s my method for keeping track of the books I want to read and the books I have read. That, and the handy reading challenge counter, help me track my progress toward my yearly reading goal. But that’s about it. For book discovery, community, tailored reading recommendations, I tend to look outside Goodreads because I’ve found there are places that serve these needs better....