This week’s articles cover topics including: the novel in the age of Obama, a taxidermy library, a Harry-Potter themed pasta restaurant, classic literary obituaries, and more!
My favorite bookish links from the week of January 9 – 13:
Considering the Novel in the Age of Obama
“What will we mean when someday we refer to Obama Lit? I think we’ll be discussing novels about authenticity, or about “problems of authenticity.” What does that mean? After the Bush years, sheer knowingness and artifice that called attention to itself had come to seem flimsy foundations for the novel. Authenticity succeeded storytelling abundance as the prime value of fiction, which meant that artifice now required plausible deniability.”
This May Be the Only Taxidermy Library in the Country
“Did you know there’s a library in Alaska that allows you to borrow a wide array of taxidermy animals? That’s right, this library is unlike any other. Sure you can check out books on nature and animals, but why only read about them when you could bring them home with you and observe them as you read.”
Ring In ‘Lemony Snicket’ On Netflix With A Series Of Unfortunate Recipes
“If you are interested in food stories accompanied by overhead videos showcasing recipes involving just three ingredients, you would be better off reading something else. This is because when preparing dishes to accompany the new Netflix adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premieres Jan. 13, the more complex the recipe, the more you’ll identify with the many trials and tribulations of the orphaned Baudelaire children as they try to unravel the mysteries surrounding them.”
There’s Now A Harry Potter-Themed Pasta Restaurant In Williamsburg
“Take 2016’s biggest dining trend, add one part burgeoning food technology integration, and shake together with a giant scoop of Harry Potter—conveniently celebrating 20 years since the first book’s release—and you’ll get an idea of what to expect at Pasta Wiz. Or maybe you won’t, because this place looks pretty bonkers.”
Classic Literary Obituaries, From Virginia Woolf To Marcel Proust
“Many of the obituaries [of famous literary figures] are flattering, some are reserving judgement … some, particularly the older ones, go so deep into detail of the moments of death that I gasped, and some, like Sylvia Plath’s, are essentially nonexistent. So whether you’re contemplating your inevitable death or trying to avoid it by reading articles on the internet on this luckiest of days, I present to you this collection of literary obituaries.”
Meryl Streep’s 10 Best Book-Based Movie Adaptation Roles
“Like many other great actors, Streep’s career has a strong literary underpinning. Adaptations make up a significant portion of her cinematic output. To celebrate her Cecil B. DeMille Award for Outstanding Contributions to the World of Entertainment at last night’s Golden Globe Awards, we’ve pulled together her ten best adaptation roles.”
Ask a Librarian: What’s the Strangest Thing You’ve Found in a Library Book?
“…we went to the experts in unexpected ephemera and well-loved books—librarians—and asked them to tell us the most interesting thing they’d found in a library book. Their answers delighted, disgusted, and exceeded our wildest expectations. It was hard to pick our favorites, but here they are.”
Leave a Reply