a lifestyle blog for book lovers

Happy Friday, readers! It’s supposed to rain and pour this weekend, so I have high hopes of drinking all the coffee and reading all the books—hopefully a nice change of pace from our recent 90-degree days. (And let’s be honest: I hope to finally pick up all the clothes off my bedroom floor as well.) I hope your weekend holds equally good (and necessary) things.

My favorite finds from around the web:

• Why reading books should be your priority, according to science. “People who read books live longer. That’s according to Yale researchers who studied 3,635 people older than 50 and found that those who read books for 30 minutes daily lived an average of 23 months longer than nonreaders or magazine readers.”

• This spider robot moves around to keep the plant on its head alive. “Tianqi later programmed his spider-like Hexa robot to carry a succulent plant on its head, moving toward or away from the sun to make sure the succulent has adequate access to light. More than just a guide to sunlight, the modded Hexa can let its human knows when the plant needs water by stomping its legs in a little dance.”

• How Finland rebranded itself as a literary country. “There seems to be no end to the stream of quality new fiction flowing out of Finland. This is a country and a government that believes in, and produces, great literature. We Finns just hadn’t been all that loud about it before. We’re cool like that.”

• The changing face of romance novels. “The landscape is slowly starting to change, as more diverse writers break into the genre, and publishers take chances on love stories that reflect a broader range of experiences and don’t always fit the stereotypical girl-meets-boy mold.”

Favorite Instagram:

A very good mail day! This year we’re mailing actual physical bonuses to readers who preorder two or more copies of my new book I’d Rather Be Reading (coming September 4), including these bookmarks and postcards. Details coming Monday! (Follow me on instagram @annebogel.)

Also fun: I don’t tweet as much as I used to, but this recent tweet was my most popular ever. Perhaps you relate?

On the blog:

One year ago: This is why assumptions are dangerous. “Through her research, Dweck discovered that our potential to change depends a great deal on whether we believe we can change—on which mindset you choose.”

Two years ago: 7 things I learned in July. “I hardly ever use Facebook for my personal stuff—I actually have a Chrome extension that prevents my wall from loading so I’m not tempted to spend too much time scrolling through my feed. But I was very grateful that it made a fun reunion possible.”

Three years ago: What self-care looks like for me right now. “I used to think self care was silly and indulgent; now I view it as something vital—essential to my health and my sanity.”

Four years ago: Un-put-down-able. “Every once in a while, I pick up a book that’s so compelling I just can’t put it down until I reach the last page.”

Five years ago: Best book you’ve never heard of on … organizing. “I should start by saying that I don’t have ADD, but I’m highly distractable, and the tips in this and other ADD-targeted books have made my life a lot easier.”

Seven years ago: Eleanor Roosevelt’s best blogging tips. “Mrs. Roosevelt was loved by her readers because she connected with them on a personal level. She shared her life with them, and they loved her for it, especially because it was a very busy life, and they knew it wasn’t an easy thing for her to share it with them.”

Have a great weekend!

7 comments

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  1. Torrie says:

    I’m totally going to show that first link to my mom, who was horrified–HORRIFIED!–when I told her that on any given day, I prioritize reading over cleaning. When you’ve got two young kids, you do what you gotta do to maintain sanity!

  2. Beemie says:

    My kindle is filled for the weekend…going to pass along your blog link to a librarian friend of mine. I wouldn’t be surprised if she buys two books just for the bookmarks. GLad I found your blog.

  3. Brittany S. says:

    I’d be interested to know if listening to audiobooks for 30 minutes or so has the same effects as reading for 30 books a day…I’d love to hear if anyone has thoughts/insights on that topic!

  4. Vanessa says:

    I have to say, 23 months of extra life for reading books over magazines is HUGE! Of course that research will need to be replicated by other researchers, but still. On the other hand, I need to figure out why I might want that much extra life and if that is really the best thing for the planet. Not that I intend to stop reading it’s just that I question all the stories telling us how to eke out more time.

  5. S says:

    Looks like I will need to pre order again since I am loving that bookmark (and I know just who I can get a 2nd copy of your book for as a gift)

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