How’s your weekend shaping up? The forecast for my town isn’t great (unless you like rain and lots of it) but I’m nevertheless looking forward to family time, good books, and making progress on a longterm project.
I hope YOU have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a bookmarking service.
Elin Hilderbrand’s Very Long Goodbye. (Boston Magazine) “That she has so thoroughly and indelibly worked her whole identity into her books and the community built around them—writing with the sort of frankness and authenticity she offers in real life, reliably delivering what her readers want, year after year, because they are who she writes for—is precisely why this current chapter of her life has proven so very difficult. The woman in her with nothing more to prove wants to retire; the workhorse in her who has built a life based on just keeping going doesn’t know how.”
22 books set by the sea. (MMD) Take a vicarious seaside vacation with one of these reads.
My Descent Into Mah-Jongg. (The Atlantic) “As others have observed, the game, at its core, requires you to attempt order from chaos. To play mah-jongg, at least the way I have mainly played it—occasionally with close friends, but more often with casual acquaintances and total strangers—also forces you to pause and focus on something outside of your own life, if only fleetingly.”
Why the Cookbook Endures. (Taste) “Faced with what looked like an existential threat, publishers did not retreat from print. Instead they leaned into what the digital world couldn’t replicate: the tactile pleasure of a beautiful object, a cohesive world of recipes and stories, and the trust that comes from careful testing and editing.”
Jammy Eggs With Asparagus and Chipotle. (NYT Cooking gift link) Easy, offbeat, and delicious recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi.
The adaptations just keep coming: Check out the new Focus Features Sense & Sensibility trailer here, and the trailer for Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun here. (YouTube) I’m intrigued by Jenna Ortega in Klara, will definitely watch that new Jane Austen adaptation … and definitely might be disappointed. The 1995 and 2008 films set the bar so high!
More adaptation news: ‘The Everlasting’ Series Adaptation in the Works at Netflix. (Variety) Gosh I loved this book.
5 Photographs That Shine in National Geographic’s New Museum. (New York Times gift link) “Visual storytelling is at the core of the National Geographic Museum of Exploration, which opens [today] in downtown Washington, D.C.” This is the first I’ve heard about this new museum.
Book Prizes Don’t Work How You Think. (Rebecca Makkai’s SubMakk) Fascinating! “Several veteran judges told me before my first bout of judging that ‘there are so many good books, and so few great books.’ What I think they meant is that when you’re reading not just for a wonderful book that you’ll recommend to friends but for literally the best book published in the country this year, you realize what you truly care about as a reader. Is it innovation? Is it perfection? Is it depth of topic? All of the above? And lo and behold, each time there are just about five books that send you to the moon.”
So Many Berries, So Little Time. (Have a Little Something by Yossy Arefi) “You can transform berries into so many tasty treats. Lots of them don’t even require turning on your oven.” I love Yossy’s stuff. (Maybe you know her as the author of Snacking Cakes?) This round-up includes gift links to her recipes for No Churn Blueberry and Creme Fraiche Ice Cream, Berries and Cream Sheet Cake, and four more delicious-looking summer desserts.
Seeking light but not fluffy summer reads for a good escape. (What Should I Read Next?) A relatable request from a Michigan reader seeking books that offer comfort and escape in a season of grief. What would you recommend?
Five classic novels that are also perfect beach reads. (Fictional Therapy) “To compile this list, I’ve thought about scorching summer settings; themes of travel, romance and self-discovery; fast-paced plotting and an achievable page count; and of course, beautiful prose and enduring classic appeal. I can guarantee that any one of these novels will stay with you longer than the paint-by-numbers thriller you’ll have forgotten by the time you get home.”
Our July 2026 MMD Book Club selection (and 2026 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick) is Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy. Nayantara Roy will join us for a live discussion on July 30.
As a Black Woman in the Food Industry, I Found the Mentor I Needed in Edna Lewis. (Food & Wine) Ever since we read Alissa Wilkinson’s 2022 nonfiction work Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women in MMD Book Club, I’ve eagerly clicked on anything about Edna Lewis. This is a wonderful tribute in honor of The Taste of Country Cooking‘s 50th anniversary.
Your Appliances Got Worse On Purpose. (Worse on Purpose) “A handful of holdouts still build appliances that last for decades, and that is telling. Durability is clearly still possible. Most of the industry just decided it was worth less than the next sale.” Undeniably depressing, but read it before you make a major purchase!
Don’t miss these posts:
12 high stakes spy novels that will keep you turning the pages. You can’t go wrong with one of these page-turning spy novels!
The Books That Shaped Me: Ginger edition. Get to know Modern Mrs Darcy team member Ginger Horton through the books that influenced her over the years.
15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio. You can listen to audiobooks year round but the summer is an especially great time, whether you’re gardening, sitting poolside, or on a road trip.
Have a great weekend!
