a lifestyle blog for book lovers

Saturday is for an extra cup of coffee and good reads…

My favorite finds from around the web this week:

Did this book buy its way onto the New York Times bestseller list? Short answer: yes, and it’s been linked from the list. You may not care about the book, or YA, but the coverage (and there’s lots of it) offers fascinating insight into the mysterious workings of the list (and yes, I absolutely mean mysterious). Jezebel has a good take here, and in this piece a YA agent explains more about how a book might make the list in the usual manner.

• I spent my career in technology. I wasn’t prepared for its effect on my kids. A thought-provoking and practical piece from Melinda Gates. “As a mother who wants to make sure her children are safe and happy, I worry. And I think back to how I might have done things differently.”

• I give a book to every single person who visits my home, and it’s changed how I feel about reading. What to do when you have more books than space to keep them? I love this reader’s solution: “I don’t let anyone — not my visiting family members, friends, colleagues, or acquaintances — leave my house without at least one new title in their hands.”

What brands are actually behind Trader Joe’s snacks? Fascinating.

Favorite instagram:

So much to choose from this week! But I’ll go with this: Daisy and I both thought Monday’s crescent moon shadows were really cool. To answer a question: those are Dansko sandals. (Click here to follow me on instagram.)

On the blog:

One year ago: 11 book pairs that match your childhood favorites with what you should read now.

Two years ago: 3 little words to overcome perfectionism. Personal mantra, right here.

Three years ago: “Crazy” Mary Todd, and other historical myths. “History hasn’t treated Mary Todd Lincoln well. But after reading her story, I have so much empathy for her, which wasn’t the reaction I expected. It’s not hard for me to imagine how easy it would be to follow her path, even today…”

Four years ago: What neon lycra and nipples taught me about denying it gets hard sometimes. This piece about watching the dreaded Ironman bike-to-run transition be one of my favorite things I’ve ever written.

Have a great weekend!

3 comments

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  1. Jennifer N. says:

    The NYT Bestseller list story is fascinating! And I will be avoiding that book just in case it does get some steam. The Hate U Give is amazing and DESERVES that top spot, dang it!
    I also love the idea of giving books away to guests. I have a pile next to my bookshelf that houses books I’ve read that I don’t necessarily care to keep. (My criteria tends to be a combination of how much I loved a book + will I re-read the book). I should start making people leave with them. I also love the idea of keeping multiple copies of books I love. I run into books I love at the thrift store all the time – I should grab these to keep on hand.

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