My favorite bookish links from the week of October 10 – 14:
Study Shows Books Can Bring Republicans and Democrats Together
“Political rhetoric has never been so polarized — but getting together to discuss a good book may be the answer, or so research into literary behavior suggests.”
How the Berenstain Bears Found Salvation
“…consistency had always been crucial to the Berenstain Bears’ appeal. So I could practically hear a needle scratch when I opened up some newer editions my son had received as a gift, and I discovered that the Berenstains’ concerns had turned from the mundane to the theological. The new volumes, “The Berenstain Bears: Do Not Fear, God Is Near” and “The Berenstain Bears Go to Sunday School,” had a markedly different cast than my son’s old favorites.”
The Funniest Living Writers Choose the Funniest Books in the World
“With the publication this month of Today Will Be Different, Maria Semple’s follow-up to Where’d You Go, Bernadette, we got to wondering: What’s the funniest book by a living writer? Well, who better to ask than Maria Semple? The Seattle-based novelist told us her three favorite funny books, so then we asked those three authors. Then we kept asking. Our daisy chain of hilarity includes recommendations from more than 30 writers, including David Sedaris, Junot Díaz, Elif Batuman, Paul Beatty, Miranda July, Chris Kraus, and Don Novello.”
Mapping the Imaginary
“Maps of fictional places in life and literature help fuel our imaginations. Among the road maps, topographic maps and country maps in the Library’s Geography and Map Division are maps of intangible places that will set the hearts of fiction and fantasy lovers aflutter.”
Stars of the Spoken Word
“Even in these cynical, ruthlessly pragmatic days, where art has become “content” and many have lost faith in the ability of literature to illuminate our lives, there remains one dogged subculture that believes deeply in the power of the aesthetic. To them, the arts still have something holy about them. These idealists are audiobook narrators.”
Library of Congress Allows Visitors To View Beautiful Ceremonial Room
“Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has opened the stately Ceremonial Room of the Jefferson Building to the public, a symbolic gesture that nonetheless reveals her focusing on connecting the library to everyday Americans.”
Dear Non-Readers: Stop Saying These Things To Us
“Dear non-reader: Readers aren’t unicorns. We don’t require special treatment, nor do we count the minutes until we can ditch you and go back to our books (usually). We would, however, appreciate it if people stopped engaging in, let’s call it annoying non-reader behavior. If you’re a non-reader, this is for you. This is what you shouldn’t do if you want to talk a reader into dating you, being your friend or simply engaging in some harmless small talk.”
Leave a Reply