What are you up to this weekend? We have a kid getting their wisdom teeth out (got any tips?) so I foresee lots of soup and mashed potatoes in our weekend plan. I’m also excited to cheer on another kid at a cross country meet and, inspired by the cooler temps headed our way, get my fall closet into shape. (Thankfully that last activity pairs well with audiobook listening! I’m 30% of the way through this one, recommended by Katherine Center at last week’s MMD Book Club about The Bodyguard.)
I hope YOU have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Fall Book Preview
The countdown is on for our sixth annual Fall Book Preview on September 18! We’ve been hosting this live event since 2019: this is where I get to share book recommendations, industry insights, and interesting commentary on the books coming out this fall. Fall is arguably the biggest literary season of the year and undoubtedly the big season for literary fiction and mystery/thrillers, and this fall’s offerings are particularly robust. We have so much good stuff to talk about!
My team and I are always experimenting with new ways that our work can enhance your reading life. To that end, this season we’re offering a print, hold-in-your-hands, delivered-by-snail-mail version of our Fall Book Preview booklet. All our Fall Book Preview participants will receive our 12-page Fall Book Preview digital PDF booklet, but if you would like a print version in addition to the digital booklet so you can hold it in your hands, take it to the library or bookstore, and scrawl your bookish notes all over it—this season, you have that option! Add your booklet for $10 plus shipping (U.S. delivery is easy and inexpensive; please email [email protected] if you’d like it shipped internationally and we can calculate the cost to ship to your location).
If you would like a booklet, great! Please order your booklet now. The lead time on a large print order is substantial, and we need to tell the printer our final quantity today. We will order some extra copies, but we cannot guarantee we will have a booklet for you if you don’t place that order by end of day. All booklets ordered by today will ship on September 18.
I made you this short video to talk a little more about the booklet (and so you can laugh, as I did, at how I apparently always look down and right when thinking about what to say next!). I’m holding up the 2023 booklet in the video, but the 2024 version is similar. Happy viewing!
- Get more details and sign up for Fall Book Preview right here. A la carte purchasers: if you’d like a print booklet, use the dropdown box on the order page to add the print booklet to your order.
- MMD Book Club members: order your print booklet through this link. Patreon members: order your print booklet through this link. Thank you!
- Check out our merch here.
My favorite finds from around the web:
I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.
My Bookshelf, Myself. (NYT gift link) “When I reread a book from my own shelves, I meet my own younger self. Sometimes my younger self underlined a passage that I would have reached for my pencil to underline now. Other times she read right past a line that stuns me with its beauty today.”
The 2024 Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is here! I put my order in the minute I found out it was live. This is my fourth year ordering the calendar: I unquestionably spend many months of my skincare budget all at once with this purchase, but in terms of high-end skincare it’s a great value and tons of (a very specific kind of) fun. I’ve found some favorite brands and products here—everything from lipsticks to serums to candles—and can’t wait to get my hands on the 2024 offerings.
What I’ve been listening to lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) 10 audiobooks I’ve particularly enjoyed lately.
Ina Garten and the Age of Abundance. (The New Yorker) “‘She’s the aunt that everybody wishes they had,” Kerry Diamond, the founder of the food magazine Cherry Bombe, said. ‘She’s funny. She’s rich. She’ll let you eat the chocolate cake your mother said you couldn’t have.'”
Solving Every Travel Problem! (Some Happy Scribbles Substack) A smorgasbord of helpful travel tips.
After enjoying crème brûlée out earlier this summer, we put “make this at home” on our summer bucket list. I’d never tried before, but Mark Bittman’s Vanilla Crème Brûlée (NYT Cooking gift link) was easy enough and a hit with the whole family. I was terrified I was doing it wrong but it turned out great. (With no blowtorch, just the broiler.)
Writing a Different Kind of Crime Novel. (Kirkus Reviews) Great interview with Attica Locke.
Nothing on TV Felt Like My So-Called Life. (Vulture) I loved this show when I was sixteen. A good read for those who have seen it, but also for those interested in the writing process or tv generally. “Every character was in a state of flux. Everyone was trying to figure out who they were. Everyone was trying to figure out their identity. The adults and the children and the kids.”
Startlingly beautiful sentences and perfect last lines. (What Should I Read Next?) This new episode with Hunter of Shelf by Shelf sets a great tone for fall reading and is packed with nerdy goodness: we talk books that are just a little bit weird, writing that’s striking on the sentence level, and the personalities of the major book awards.
“Luften” is the German Fall Ritual You Need to Try ASAP (It Totally Refreshes Your Space!) (Apartment Therapy) Of course there would be a German word for this practice.
I love dresses for the summer-to-fall transition and Target has some great ones right now! I love this Women’s Short Sleeve Belted Midi Shirtdress; I’m a navy dress girl at heart but for some reason am drawn to greens in the fall, as my closet will attest. (Though the yellow is also beautiful.) This Women’s Tiered Maxi A-Line Dress is also available in a beautiful green, and looks fantastic on its own or layered with a denim or leather jacket. And this Women’s Flutter Short Sleeve Maxi A-Line Dress isn’t available in my size but the lemon yellow print is just darling!
The Best Summer Reads for Food-Loving Bookworms. (Bon Appétit) I’ve enjoyed a few of these!
Why I Left the Network. (Pro Publica) “The interviews underscore how the nation’s insurers — quietly, and with minimal pushback from lawmakers and regulators — have assumed an outsize role in mental health care. It is often the insurers, not the therapists, that determine who can get treatment, what kind they can get and for how long.” Reminds me of this two-year-old funny-cause-it’s-true tweet that I still reference all the time in conversation with friends.
Don’t miss these posts:
Assigned reading we actually enjoyed. Required reading doesn’t have to be boring!
20 coming-of-age novels for your fall reading. Exactly what I enjoy this time of year: coming-of-age stories feature young protagonists learning big life lessons and finding their place in the world.
15 super short audiobooks you can finish in four hours or less. If you’re testing the audiobook waters or looking for something quick to jazz up your reading life…
Have a great weekend!
25 comments
I will die on the hill that one of the best last lines ever (and tears inducing) is:
She is the Bear. The Bear from Beartown.
The best tip for wisdom teeth is just to ice consistently in the first 24 to 36 hours. It makes all the difference in the world!
I second this advice. Most people do not ICE as much as they are suppose to or follow the eating guidelines. You don’t want to get a dry socket or infection as it is the WORST! Ice, Ice, Ice!
My vague memory of a kid having wisdom teeth removed was no dairy, no straws, and avoid warm/hot foods for a while. Italian ice and applesauce were the main things that were willingly eaten for the first few days.
Tip for wisdom teeth extraction: DO NOT let your child lie down for 30 minutes after taking ibuprofen. My son got esophagitis, which was far more painful than having his teeth removed.
Wisdom tooth tip: Do not use a prescription painkiller (oxy, etc.) – Tylenol works just as well. My best friend is a dentist with 40 years experience and this is her recommendation. Google Sharon Parsons DDS for more on the tragic story of how she lost her son to the disease of addiction and how she’s trying to change how dentists prescribe opioids.
Absolutely agree with this. Avoid narcotics for your kids whenever you can. My wisdom teeth removal, while painful, was no more helped with Percocet than ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
1000% percent agree. There is a time and place for strong pain meds but most things can be handled by OTC.
My son had his wisdom teeth out at the end of July and I told the oral surgeon we didn’t want any narcotics but for some reason he prescribed them anyways. Frustrating. I didn’t even tell my son and being diligent about staying on top of the pain with Tylenol and high-dosage Ibuprofen worked just fine. The swelling was probably more uncomfortable for him than the pain. We were diligent about following the instructions to prevent dry socket and were successful. It took about 10 days for him to feel healed.
My wisdom teeth tips: keep up with ice and anti inflammatories, as swelling will peak on day 2 or 3 . The big thing is DON’T use a drinking straw!!! It can lead to dry sockets.
Ice bags for wisdom teeth removal – they sell ice bags that are just the right size for a swollen cheek – very helpful in recovery.
Wisdom teeth – sleep in a recliner with bags of frozen veggies on the cheeks. Helps with swelling!
Therapist here… I read the article on providing mental health services under health insurance plans. That article is spot on. So sorry. However, if you find a therapist you really want to see, and they are not on your insurance panel, ask if they have a sliding scale or will take a lesser private pay amount for x number of sessions. We got into this business to help people, not to make money necessarily. Also ask for a super bill if possible. And you can try to submit it on your own to your insurance company for some reimbursement. Too many steps…. understand that, but it is worth it to feel better!
Fellow therapist from Canada here (hello!) – I definitely offer a sliding scale for this reason. It’s tough out there.
Egg salad and scrambled eggs were good protein for my daughter when she had her wisdom teeth out. After the first few days when they’re sick of applesauce and pudding and even popsicles/ice cream, my son was also able to slowly “chew” a pancake (he doesn’t like eggs). Full confession, however: neither kid will eat egg salad or pancakes anymore!!! It’s only been 1 and 2 years so maybe down the road??? LOL
Tea bags. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, just stick a regular old Lipton teabag (remove the staple first) on the tooth and bite down. Tea helps with coagulation.
My daughter drank a lot of pineapple juice prior to her wisdom teeth removal and didn’t experience any difficulties. She was ready to go out with friends that same night!
I had really good success with alternating cold and heat. For the heat, fill two tube socks with dry rice and use rubberbands to connect at top and bottom (top of head and under chin). The socks stay in place while walking around—not attractive, but very useful!!
Ice on and off every 20 minutes that first day all day long! Ice is everything! And agree with the others avoid the narcotic pain killers!
I’ve always wanted to try my hand at crème brûlée! Thanks as always for all the links this week.
Go to Amazon wisdom teeth ice bags! They are a life saver!! Ya might need two to keep one cold! We used to use bags of frozen peas wrapped in a scarf around the head, and not that long ago!!!
@anne I got a wisdom tooth removed as an adult (about 2 years ago) and I thought soup was great tooo, but you actually can’t eat anything hot, or spicy or with seeds. At first I just did smoothies and milkshakes. By dinner on the second night I could do mash potato and scrambles eggs with a side of apple sauce. Plain pancakes (nothing baked in) was also a great treat.
So curious about other Advent calendars people love. I’ve enjoyed Trader Joe’s beauty one in the past but looking for something new this year.
I love advent calendars! I prefer the beauty ones. This year I bought Liberty London, Space NK, Cult Beauty and Stylevana. You can find videos of people opening these calendars and/or discussing the contents and value on YouTube. My tween and I spend most of our gift budget on these so we can spread out our holiday fun all month. The products we don’t think we’ll use are regifted, as there’s always things that would be great for my mom, my sister, nieces, etc. It’s a fun tradition.
Before getting a calendar, especially since many of them are pretty expensive, check the products inside and the value of them. Add up the value of the products you know you would use and decide if the price is reasonable for that. I do that for every calendar and rule several out this way every time. It’s great that it’s $300 for $1,500 worth of stuff, but if you would never have paid $300 for those items, then it’s not actually a great deal.
Great wisdom teeth suggestions, but also, a Vitamix will blitz anything! My son had “Pizza” on day 3 😉
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