What are you up to this weekend? I’ve been on college visits in the southeast this past week, which perfectly coincided with stopping in at many of my favorite indie bookstores. I left signed copies of my books (or bookplates) at Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville, Main Street Books in Davidson, and Bookmarks NC in Winston-Salem. I hope this collection of good reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
- Commonplace Books Are Like a Diary Without the Risk of Annoying Yourself. “If keeping a journal would be a way to look in the mirror and make an honest appraisal of myself, keeping a commonplace book is more like looking at myself out of the corner of my eye.”
- 30 Historical Fiction Books To Read If You Don’t Really Read Historical Fiction — But Want To Start.
- We’re out of fashion tape and reordering immediately. Every female in our house uses it.
- Power, Privilege, and Love in a Residential School for Deaf Students. Great interview with author Sara Nović.
- 15 Fascinating Facts About ‘Scrabble’. I’m glad they didn’t stick with the original names.
- The delightful history of fruit stickers, the world’s tiniest canvases for graphic design. I’m going to start taking a closer look at those labels!
- 8 Cooking Rules All Southerners Live By, According to Nathalie Dupree. More than Southerners abide by these rules but good advice either way.
Don’t miss these posts:
- Discover a new author to follow with these 15 fabulous debut novels. Discovery is a fun part of the reading life, and with a debut author there is so much to discover!
- Our best advice for buddy reads. Because reading with a friend can be even better.
- 15 literary novels that will have you compulsively turning the pages. This is one of my favorite (and completely made-up) sub-genres: compulsively readable literary fiction.
Upcoming Events:
- April 28: Let’s Talk Poetry with Amena Brown: Whether you’re a seasoned lover or poetry, or approaching the form for the first time, we’ll explore poetry together in Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club with special guest Amena Brown—poet, author, and comedic storyteller—sharing inspiration without the intimidation.
You can find more upcoming events here.
Have a great weekend!
10 comments
I heartily agree on no appetizers. This has made a huge difference & also supports our need to not get too full to enjoy the dinner, not eat generally TOO much. We are now exploring the options for our AF (Alcohol Free) life style. It’s fun to try some tasty options in a cool glass. 🙂
So When do you use fashion tape?I only think about it as a red carpet necessity.
Totally agree with Ms Dupree about keeping a supply of pecans, and other nuts, at the ready in the freezer. So many ways to use them!
Zounds, on the historical fiction article by Rachel Strolles! I was expecting the usual WWII novels and instead got 1990’s, faery killers, Tournament of Freaks, blood feuds, bodice rippers, and a magical bureaucracy? When she did go to the 20th century and real events, instead of WWII (or I) these tales are set in the Tulsa Race Riots, freed slaves in 1863, Creek Indians, the Japanese Internment, and the heatwave of 1977 in NYC! Wow! Food for thought!
I am anxious to try the GF chocolate chip cookie recipe in the dinner party article. Unfortunately I couldn’t access is because I don’t have a NY Times subscription. 😬
Access *it*
I, too was denied access, but managed to find it reprinted thru Mr. Google! I Google’d the author and the cookie title and found it with an acknowlegement to the chef, so I knew I had it. I screen spotted it and now I am good to get baking :0)
Nice list, Leigh. The one about entertaining is the one that caught my eye, too. I’ve cut way back on appetizer effort but I always put something out, even if it’s just a bowl of carrot sticks or fancy crackers or whatever, because there’s always someone coming straight from work and they’re starving. But I’m so intrigued by her idea of serving the same thing every time! Thinking of what to cook is the biggest barrier for me for having people over so that is a game changer.
As an aside, I’m a Davidson College alumna. It’s such an exceptional school and community. I hope you and your prospective student had a great visit there. And I’m thrilled Main Street Books is still around!
It was fun to read the dinner party tips along with the SL kitchen tips. A good pairing!
When I did college visits with my kids over a decade ago, only the parents ever asked a question. The kids were mortified when that occurred. Is it still the same?