What are you up to this weekend? Around here we’re anticipating three of the hottest days of summer—our forecast makes me want to weep—so perhaps this is a good time to go see The Odyssey at the movies. (Has anybody been?) I also intend to catch up on my Pride & Prejudice reading for our MMD Book Club Austen in August readalong, and write my Quick Lit post for this coming Monday. (I’ve read some good stuff lately!)
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.
Where to start with Marisa de los Santos. (MMD) Team member Ginger shares her love of Marisa de los Santos’s work and how she became a completist.
Lauren Graham Is Doing A ‘Gilmore Girls‘ Doc With New Footage. (Bustle) “The documentary will also include never-before-seen outtakes, script pages, and behind-the-scenes footage from the original show, giving fans a new look at Stars Hollow.”
Anthropologie’s 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar is already here for 2026. This sold out pretty quick last year. I loved mine: I didn’t use everything but I have two teen daughters who were happy to help me make sure no good product was wasted. This year a 12-day version is also available.
Why a “Reading Retreat” Is the Girls’ Trip Idea You Need to Try This Year. (The Everygirl) “Reading retreats are growing in popularity as more people seek mindful, intentional escapes that allow them to disconnect from the noise of everyday life.” The theme for this year’s Summer Reading Guide is “reading retreat” and it seems like it’s in the zeitgeist.
Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer’s – how complex mental maps and spatial reasoning protect your brain. (The Conversation) “This pattern did not extend to other driving jobs. The researchers concluded that the key to reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s was not driving itself but continuous real-time navigation: the constant work of locating yourself in space, tracking a destination and updating a mental map as conditions change.”
Mr. Darcy Is Not a Dreamboat. (Reading in the Margins) This found me at the right time: I’m reading the annotated P&P right now for MMD Book Club’s Austen in August. The editor would wholeheartedly agree with this character study. “Mr. Darcy isn’t meant to be a shining paragon of virtue, or a picture of perfection that would make Austen herself feel ‘sick and wicked.’ He’s a whole problem, and that’s the point.”
When Ginger showed me her new favorite dotted index cards, I ordered my own immediately. I love that they’re dotted (not ruled or lined) like my favorite journals. My 60-count order came in a cute metal tin I can drop in my tote or desk drawer.
Imagined Conversations Between My Parents While on a Family Vacation. (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency) “DAD: This hiking trail is so breathtaking and peaceful. Let’s ask everyone we see where they’re from.” I laughed so hard!
See the best photos from this year’s total solar eclipse. (NPR) “Millions of people across Europe stepped outside Wednesday to watch a spectacular sunset with a solar eclipse. The path of totality passed through portions of Greenland, Iceland and Spain and Portugal.”
Tackling a tower of unread ebooks. (What Should I Read Next?) TBR tips and favorite titles from Canadian authors.
There Is One Editor Behind Your Book Club’s Most Debated Titles. (Wall Street Journal gift link) “Former colleagues and industry veterans say 43-year-old Frick has always had a nose for what women will want to read.” (Is anyone else dying to get a look at those flow charts?)
The Mall Makeup Counter Is Making Its Return. (Byrdie) “Suddenly, the beauty counter felt less like a relic of the past and more like a surprisingly timely answer to what people may be looking for now: expertise, guidance, and an actual human being who can help you figure out what works for you.”
Books to make you feel things. (emma reads too much) “I like to juggle books, and genres, and formats. I like to jump back and forth between them. All that bopping around has the side effect of making only the very best books capable of provoking major emotion. In other words, you can trust me when I say these recommendations will make you Feel.” I spied plenty of favorites in this collection.
While I’ve got Jane Austen on my mind: how gorgeous is this Puffin in Bloom edition of Sense & Sensibility? And you can get this design on a t-shirt! Or add a three-book Puffin in Bloom Jane Austen set to your bookshelf. (Also available at Amazon: S&S | 3-book set | t-shirt)
What Happened to Talenti? (New York Times) “I was positive that what was inside was excellent, though I hadn’t eaten it in probably a decade. Of course our taste-testers would name Talenti as a pick. Except they did not.” This explains a lot!
Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy is coming to a screen near you. (Literary Hub) “His recent novels—Harlem trilogy included—have been marked by a spirited, yarn like quality that makes for books as fun to read as they are to think about.”
Don’t miss these posts:
10 nonfiction and fiction pairings about an array of topics. These books are even better together.
A different kind of life-changing read. “I love a book that changes my life, a book that makes a practical difference in how I spend my days or use my time or approach my relationships.”
14 recommended reads for those traveling to South Korea. Whether you have a trip planned or you’re looking for some armchair travel.
Have a great weekend!
