Links I love

Happy Friday! This weekend we’re seeing old friends, reading great books, and relaxing in the hot-too-hot summer heat. I hope this collection of interesting reads and fun things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.

My favorite finds from around the web:

• Robert Downey Jr. sets first major TV role in 20 years with The Sympathizer adaptation at HBO. His first TV role since Ally McBeal and he’ll play multiple supporting parts? This should be interesting.

• The Rise of Must-Read TV. The adaptation effect is real. (Related: 20 book to screen adaptations on my “To Be Watched” list.)

• Ted Lasso fans might enjoy making this Classic Shortbread recipe. (I’ve only managed to watch one episode so far and hope to watch the rest soon.)

• Meet the man who wants to turn the State Library Victoria into a giant escape room. I thought I would hate this but it’s actually not a bad idea.

• Ranch Isn’t a Dressing. It’s a Lifestyle. Do you agree? (My kids agree.)

• 100 Literary Jeopardy Clues from Real Episodes of Jeopardy!. My kind of category.

• Neckties Are the New Bow Ties. “Even as events constantly reshape people’s preferences about what they wear, some fashion habits are surprisingly resistant to change.”

• How Agatha Christie Helped Popularize Surfing—Yes, Surfing. Now there’s a plot twist.

• The best US national parks for stargazing, according to star map makers.

• Not Ready to Let Go of Pandemic Habits? You Aren’t Alone. “’Managing what we can control — and not worrying about what we cannot control — is the best way to manage anxiety.’”

• Sculptures that make novel use of books – in pictures. Incredible!

Don’t miss these posts:

• 12 books to read for Women in Translation Month. August is Women in Translation Month! Reading books that have been translated is a great way to experience the vast and varied types of storytelling from around the world.

• Ruby red sangria. This sangria hack is too simple not to try.

• 20 greatest hits from 8 years of the Summer Reading Guide.

On One Great Book:

Don’t miss today’s brand-new episode of One Great Book, now back for Volume 5! Each week I pull one standout selection off my personal bookshelves and tell you all about it, in ten minutes or less.

On What Should I Read Next:

Are you overwhelmed by your To Be Read list? This week’s guest Caylee Dyck is struggling to choose what to read next—especially when it comes to the robust digital library she’s built over time. She has over 900 titles on her TBR, and more than 150 unread ebooks on her Kindle. Instead of feeling excited about what to read next, she just feels overwhelmed but she doesn’t know what to do about it. I share tangible tips for tackling her TBR and a few of my favorite ways to make ebook reading more tactile, engaging, and useful.

Upcoming Events:

• August 10, 1 pm ET: Best Books of Summer meetup: Modern Mrs Darcy team members and fellow Book Club members share what they’ve read and loved, both from the Summer Reading Guide and beyond. Some old, some new, we just want to hear about all the great books. Grab your TBR list. Let us load it up for you with great books to take you through the rest of the summer. (This is an MMD Book Club event.)

• August 17, 7 pm ET: Live chat with author Devoney Looser: It’s Austen in August in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and we’ll be talking about Northanger Abbey with Austen expert Devoney Looser. (Events are available as replays for members who cannot attend live.)

• August 21, 3 pm ET: Northanger Abbey Watch Party: Watch along with us! The 2007 film staring Felicity Jones and Carey Mulligan can be found on streaming services or on many library streaming services like Hoopla and Kanopy. (This is an MMD Book Club event.)

• August 24, 1 pm ET: Live chat with author Elizabeth Brooks: Time for our MMD Book Club discussion of The Whispering House with author Elizabeth Brooks! (Events are available as replays for members who cannot attend live.)

• August 28, 3 pm ET: Backlist Book Club: Stay With Me: 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.

You can find more upcoming events here.

Have a great weekend!