a lifestyle blog for book lovers

Links I love and what’s on my nightstand.

My favorite finds from around the web: 

The pressure to look good. “It used to be that, generally speaking, we all knew the occasions that required us to look good. Now? Every day is Class Picture Day. Every phone is a camera. Every picture, or video, ends up on the Internet.”

Are you reading the wrong books? What science is saying about fiction readers. “Reading in general helps with empathy, but literary reading amplifies this effect. By reading a challenging book, you’re not only becoming a smarter person, you’re also become more empathetic.”

8 essential lessons in creative discipline. “Stephen King writes 2,000 words a day, every day, including his birthday. Here’s how to train yourself to be that disciplined.”

The art of neighboring. “This remarkable community of neighbors is partly a stroke of luck (or providence, depending on your worldview). But it isn’t all mere serendipity. There are a few key practices that have nurtured our neighborliness.”

What’s on my nightstand: 

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson. I need to finish this fast, because this is the scariest thing I’ve read in a good long while. No joke.

• Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time by Jeff Speck. I am loving this. (Even if it does make me want to move to Manhattan, or San Francisco, or Portland, immediately.)

On the blog: 

• 3 books every woman should read. I use the word “should” very, very sparingly when I talk about reading, but these books deserve it.

What avid readers do differently and why 80% of books are bought by women. (It’s not what you think.) “You’ve probably read the apocalyptic stats: 24% of Americans will not read a book this year. 42% of college grads never read another book after college. It’s not as dire as all that ….”

Put yourself on the clock. Less “wasted” time, better decisions, and more accurate planning: the unexpected benefits of tracking my work time.

The beginner’s great big guide to audiobooks. Sharing this from the archives because Audible has a terrific sale going on right now (dozens of favorites for $4.95 each), and I explain how to take advantage of those in that post.

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NOTE: ePantry hasn’t closed the deal out yet: you can still get $10 off your first order plus a FREE Grove soy candle (worth $12.95). They also just added Dr. Bronner’s to their inventory.

You can refill any foaming hand soap container with a few squirts of Dr Bronner’s and water and have hand soap for pennies for years. If that appeals to you I’d recommend ordering a big bottle of Dr Bronner’s and one or two Method foaming hand soaps (their reusable bottles are the best) while this deal is still on. Get it here.

Also you can learn more about the great photography bundle (available now through Monday) here.

7 comments

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  1. Heather says:

    I just moved to the Portland area and I have to say that this city is wonderful and we are so happy that we moved here (we moved from LA). You should come visit the city :). I put a request for that book and the other one at my library.

    • Heather says:

      I had never heard of the book Walkable City until your post and I put a hold on it at my local library and I just received it yesterday. Then today I went onto FB and the town that I live in (just outside of Portland) posted a video of Jeff Speck giving a talk to people in our community a couple of weeks ago (too bad I missed it in person, but I can watch it online)! Our city is trying to become one of the most walkable cities in the NW and they’ve enlisted Jeff Speck’s help :). Funny to me how all of sudden Jeff Speck is popping up in my life and previously I had never heard of him.

  2. There are so many embers in this post, I feel like the campfire that will still be glowing tomorrow morning.

    I loved the 8 essential lessons – I already do so many of them – especially using my Voice Memo. Says my brain from having to try to remember that great idea later, and when it’s time to write, I press play, listen, and type happily – getting hundreds of words down from a few simple spoke thoughts.

    And the pressure to look good. Oh wow. I just recently listened to a talk by Dr. Kathy Koch who wrote “Screens and Teens” and she said that kids are growing up with the “is this Facebook worthy” mentality. She heard a little boy ask his mom at the park, “Mommy, watch this!” And then after his performance he asked, “Was that good enough to put on Facebook? Do you want me to do it again?” Wow.

  3. 'Becca says:

    Thanks for spreading the word about Dr. Bronner’s! I’m glad ePantry is carrying it now.

    I recently tried Mrs. Meyer’s laundry detergent on your recommendation, and I love the fragrance (lavender) but the bottle is driving me nuts! It pours all over my hand and down the side, every time! What am I doing wrong?

    • Anne says:

      The bottle drives me nuts too on the Mrs Meyers. I adore the basil scent so sometimes I’ll put up with it. I’m happier when I squirt it out and guesstimate the quantity as opposed to unscrewing the lid and measuring it into the cap.

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