Happy Derby weekend! This is Louisville’s weird little holiday weekend: the kids are out of school, the grocery stores are overflowing with strawberries and mint, the traffic is terrible, the parties many. At my house we mostly care about the food: I intend to make a traditional “Derby” pie because why overlook a pie-baking opportunity? (I’ll be honest, that doesn’t happen often at my house.) Other than that Will and I intend to plant herbs in pots and maybe hit up the botanical garden for the first time this season.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
The 2025 Summer Reading Guide is coming!
Buckle up, it’s almost time for summer reading! The 14th annual Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide and Unboxing event will be here on May 15!
There are four ways to get the guide:
- Join MMD Book Club
- Support Patreon
- Purchase a la carte.
- New this year: purchase a printed copy of the Summer Reading Guide magazine. (US only)
New merch is here!
Our road trip-themed offerings are ready to roll! (Pun totally intended, ha!). Check out our new Bookstore Tour concert tee, Well Read hat, and fresh sticker designs right here. If you want a print copy of the 2025 Summer Reading Guide, save on shipping by adding that to the same order. We’re taking preorders now with most items shipping mid-May right around Summer Reading Guide day (May 15).
Happy browsing!
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.
Why We Turn to Detective Fiction in Times of Upheaval. (CrimeReads) “Life is so much simpler in a whodunnit where everyone knows their role and where the story – while it may be new and exciting – will always feel ultimately familiar and comforting.”
Here’s How the Kentucky Derby Menu Feels Fresh After 150 Years. (Food & Wine) “The famed fashion of the Derby — high-end sundresses, suits, and hats — plays into culinary choices, as chefs want to keep guests tidy, especially when fine motor skills may dip after a day of drinking.”
28 slightly rude notes on writing. (Experimental History) “Writers are addicted to the particular kind of pain you feel when you’re at a loss for words, and to the relief that comes from finding them.” Pithy takes from Rilke, Stein, Lamott, and more.
The 24 Best Feel-Good Movies to Rewatch Now. (Vogue) Just reading through this list made me happy.
7 mysteries and thrillers set in a cabin. (MMD) Last year’s “book camp” Summer Reading Guide theme really got our team thinking about this niche!
How to Declutter an Overflowing Book Collection (and Where to Donate Them). (Real Simple) A great spring cleaning project.
Does Your Plant Need a Nanny? (New York Times gift link) Golly the photos with this piece are gorgeous. My takeaway: I definitely want a plant nanny/therapist/whiz to come help me prune my Audrey ficus! (It’s not gonna happen, folks.)
R.I.P. M.M.P.B. (Inside Agenting) On the death of the mass market paperback. “It is not merely the configuration of these books that will vanish but the robust culture they represent. At its zenith in the second half of the twentieth century the market for original westerns, mysteries and thrillers, romance, action-adventure, horror, fantasy and science fiction was insatiable.”
Help for a fiction lover who wants to read more nonfiction. (What Should I Read Next?) The comments here are great!
These Boden linen shorts (0–20/22) bring me so much joy—I had a gingham pair almost exactly like these in 1990! (If you are with me in drooling over this print they have a few more options on offer.)
This Is How Meta AI Staffers Deemed More Than 7 Million Books to Have No “Economic Value”. (Vanity Fair) As someone whose books were pirated by LibGen and subsequently torrented by Meta, I’ll be paying close attention to this lawsuit.
Everyone wants to smell like a doughnut. (Vox) “Whether it’s sweet vanilla fragrances, Arabian perfumes featuring tonka beans, or a growing number of pistachio scents, Gen Z’s most visible beauty obsession at the moment is smelling like a bakery.”
I do not remotely need this but how cute is this radish beaded bag? Or this red checked floral one? On a more practical note, I love this chile pepper tee and this ballpark food one (both XXS–XL). Clearly I am HERE for happy patterns right now!
How a LEGO Designer Creates Sets That Adults Can’t Get Enough Of. (Good Housekeeping) Fascinating! “LEGO building for adults falls into the larger trend of the rise of cozy hobbies (sometimes called ‘grandma hobbies’): pursuits that help the hobbyists enter a ‘flow state’ where they can unwind and just build.”
Don’t miss these posts:
20 backlist reads from your favorite Summer Reading Guide authors. What to read while you’re waiting for this summer’s buzziest new releases!
A trick for when you’re stuck in a reading rut. A simple tip for anyone who’s struggling to read right now.
15 favorite novels about sibling relationships. Sibling bonds are the focus in these novels about complicated families!
Have a great weekend!
4 comments
Lego definitely knows what they are doing in their sets geared towards adults. I’m 41 and grew up on Lego and they are VERY GOOD at making sets I want. The botanicals are so lovely to have around the house! And it’s fun to have a set to build alongside my kids.
Loved the “slightly rude notes about writing”! I’ve bookmarked it.
I did as well – it deserves re-reading
Thank you for sharing the substack on the death of the mass market paperback! I miss that format – it reminds me of beach reading, summer and just being relaxed in general. I also miss the price point – when literary fiction paperbacks first came out, I felt like they were twice the price. And those Boden shorts – madras plaid! So fun!
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