What’s in store for your long weekend? My family intends to enjoy some outdoorsiness and get together with friends, and I hope to catch up on some of the things that got pushed aside as we put the finishing touches on the 2021 Summer Reading Guide.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that you enjoy these interesting links and fun things to put you in the right frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
- Can Rilke Change Your Life? This is lovely. Now I need to get the updated edition of Letters to a Young Poet that includes the letters from the young poet himself.
- Brood X cicada emergence in photos: How it looks as trillions of bugs appear. I’m in Louisville, Kentucky, and am both fascinated and horrified at what’s happening in my backyard right now. (I’ve been documenting the cicadas on my Instagram if you want to follow along.)
- Probably headed to the library this weekend, or wish you were? This tote is for you. (Through Monday, use code HOORAY6 to get $6 off your order of $20 or more, or code HOORAY15 to get $15 off your order of $50 or more.)
- John Steinbeck’s estate urged to let the world read his shunned werewolf novel. I didn’t see this coming!
- What Happens When Americans Can Finally Exhale. “Grief isn’t predictable. It doesn’t involve clearly defined stages. It doesn’t unfold linearly. It doesn’t necessarily end in acceptance. It carves long, meandering, and varied paths that popular myths do little to prepare us for.”
- The Beauty Trends Leading Us Into the Future. Fascinating.
- Ulta says it’s National SPF Day, and they’re celebrating with these free suncare samplers with a $50 purchase.
- Where Would Food Be Without Padma Lakshmi? Great interview.
- The End of Editing. “Here was the editing process I expected: where sentences are debated, scenes deleted, problems large and small addressed. Throughout this process, he kept telling me editors these days like really clean copy, and I started to realize that editors don’t really edit anymore.” I’ve been talking this with author friends a lot lately.
- Galison has greeting card puzzles now, which might be the best thing to receive in the mail.
- When I complimented a stranger’s linen blouse this week, she volunteered that it was from Target. So cute!
- How a New York City Restaurant Loses Money on a $14 Sandwich. So much goes into creating one dish!
- How TikTok Got This YA Author A Six-Figure Book Deal. I don’t know much about BookTok so this was unexpected.
Don’t miss these posts:
- The 2020 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide. A look back at last year’s minimalist picks.
- 11 juicy memoirs to toss in your beach bag this summer. These memoirs are worth reading any time of year though.
Upcoming Events:
- June 19, 3 pm ET: When Harry Met Sally Watch Party: Join us for a watchalong of When Harry Met Sally, the perfect flight “flick” to go along with our June Book Club read. (This is an MMD Book Club event.)
- June 22, 1 pm ET: Live chat with author Emily Henry: Time for our MMD Book Club discussion of People We Meet On Vacation with author Emily Henry! (Events are available as replays for members who cannot attend live.)
- June 26, 3 pm ET: Backlist Book Club: Everyone Brave Is Forgiven: Whether you’re a long-time MMD Book Club member looking to revisit some favorites, or a new member wondering where to start, we’re taking a look back at some of the best of Book Club from the past few years. Join in at the end of each month in a Member Meetup as we break into small groups to discuss live with fellow members. (Member Meetups are not recorded.)
- July 28, 7 pm ET: Live chat with author Nadia Hashimi: Time for our MMD Book Club discussion of Sparks Like Stars with author Nadia Hashimi! (Events are available as replays for members who cannot attend live.)
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
9 comments
Steinbeck wrote a werewolf murder mystery? How can the world be the same after this???
The “editors don’t edit anymore” article was interesting. Eleven years in on working with five different editors, and I can say from my experience there are definitely some who are more hands-off than others. I agree that cleaner manuscripts are wanted as writers are one in a million, and editors have a variety of options to choose from. I think it’s also “easier” now to produce cleaner manuscripts (the point the author made about agents who were once editors who polish with their authors, for example).
BUT. I have gutted two novels several times over under the guidance of one editor. And there are other editors I’ve worked with who have asked if not this much of me then for enough edit rounds to really dig deep. I’ve heard “editors don’t edit anymore” since the late nineties, when I first started writing. I suspect it was said long before that. I think what’s really going on is more nuanced than any of us know (but I’m always curious about others’ experiences!).
Correcting myself here! I meant there are millions of writers for editors to choose from. Clearly I need the help of an editor. 🙂
First, Anne, are those cicadas EATING their way thru your town? That’s what I expected them to do, to denude all the vegetation, but you haven’t mentioned that. Do they just mate and die? Second, the cicada is sort of the “bug” of Provence, France; everywhere you go there, you see cicadas in the pattern of fabrics and cicadas as pins to wear (I myself, have one, and also a paperweight). They are kind of a pretty shape! And yes, you hear them buzzing in France…
Third, I have never written a book, but I sure see instances where books seem to have NO editor, and I wondered what they were doing to earn their keep? Especially with prolific authors, the later books seem to sell on name only and nobody checks the contents!
Cicadas…
Pros:
When I think of cicadas, I think of our 4 children, (at the time, ages 7,
5 year old twins and 3 1/2,) riding their bikes in the backyard with their cicada “friends” lined up and down their arms. (super fun!)
The cast skins/shales are great for composting and incorporating into one’s garden soil. (useful)
Cons:
On the flip side I remember the insects’ hissing noise and an entire side of our house covered with them. (not fun.)
We’ve been there.
This too shall pass.
On following a trail by clicking on more posts you may enjoy I came across The Books you Categorically Don’t Read from January 2016. I read the post and all 169 comments! It has given much to think about. It is helping me understand the reading slump I’m in.
I’m so glad to hear it!
I enjoy reading your links every week! I’m someone who reads constantly, and so is my oldest daughter who is 14. Something I’ve always struggled with is finding appropriate reading material for her. She reads at a fairly high level, but the content of those books is not necessarily appropriate for her age. She is encouraged to read in the teen section of the library, but many of the YA books are appropriate for, well, young adults, which she is not yet! How do I find appropriate reading material for her, and how do I know when she is ready for more mature reading material?
Jenni, asking your fellow readers for recommendations is always a good idea! Especially readers who are in the business of either reading as teenagers or helping teens find great books—parents, teachers, librarians, etc. Please know that this struggle is common for younger readers who are able to read at high levels, but not necessarily prepared for the emotional content found in those books. You’re not alone!
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