Category Archives: reading

April 20, 2012   Lauren   fun, Lauren, reading  
2

A time to share

According to UNESCO, Monday is a pretty significant day in the literary world.  It’s the anniversary of the birth of Nabokov and the deaths of Cervantes and Shakespeare*, among others.  And so in 1995, UNESCO declared it World Book and Copyright Day on April 23rd, in part to tie into a pre-existing celebration of Cervantes in Spain and a lovely sounding holiday in Catalonia where people give a flower and a book to a loved one.  To my knowledge, World Book Day isn’t much of a thing here in the US, but it sounds like a decent number of countries get on board.

Last year, a corresponding event, World Book Night, was launched in the UK, and this year it’s coming to the US as well.  On Monday night, tens of thousands of people will be giving out free copies of 30 different titles in their communities.  Each of them goes to a public place with 20 copies of the same book to give out to people who say they are not readers.  It’s one thing to give out books to people who love books, but the WBN volunteers give them to people who might discover they love something they have never seen as something other than a chore.

I think my favorite thing about it is that volunteers get to name their favorite titles from the list of 30, and the organization tries to distribute the books to people who really love them.  It’s one thing to be handed something randomly, but it’s something else entirely when someone can put a book in your hand and say “I love this, and I hope you will, too.”  Who doesn’t want to share their favorite books with as many people as they can?  And who doesn’t want to read something more when someone shares it passionately?

Here’s hoping that the world has some more readers in it very soon.  Is anyone participating in World Book Night?

*Fun fact: Cervantes and Shakespeare both died on April 23rd, 1616, but they didn’t die on the same day.  Apparently, since England still used the Julian calendar at the time, April 23rd in Spain was 10 days before April 23rd in England, so Cervantes was dead for a bit before Shakespeare kicked the bucket.

April 06, 2012   Lauren   favorites, fun, Lauren, opinion, reading  
8

Ah, the folly of youth

I’m the first to admit I have some obsessions that are potentially embarrassing.  I would never play my music on shuffle for a roomful of people, and at least half my DVD collection is thoroughly ridiculous.  My tastes are ¼ snob, ¼ misguided snob, and ½ philistine.  And that’s the way I Iike it.

But books?  I don’t know.  I mean, yes, I was into Anne Rice’s vampire oeuvre to a perhaps extreme degree.  And it’s possible that I’ve tried to convince many inconvincible people that The Outsiders is not just a fond childhood memory, but also a work of real art.  But am I embarrassed by either?  I don’t look back and laugh at young Lauren’s appreciation of those things.  I’d happily re-read The Outsiders this weekend and report to you how my heart breaks for the greasers.  (Especially the thoroughly underappreciated Sodapop.)

I just don’t have the “oh, man, I loved that, didn’t I?” mortification when any book bubbles to the surface in my mind.  So when Rachel shared this post from The Awl in which writers reflect on their cringe-inducing early book loves, I couldn’t really come up with my own.  Even though I loved, loved, loved some of the books mentioned (Rice, VC Andrews, Camus, Sweet Valley High), I’m not embarrassed at all to have felt that way.  And ever since I read The Fault in Our Stars a few months ago, I’ve wanted to go out and buy a truckload of its tackier, formulaic cousins, the Lurlene McDaniels books.  When it comes down to it, that stuff all seems like harmless fun or an attempt to aspire to some lofty intellectual heights, and I just don’t see what’s to be embarrassed about in either.  I hope I never reach the day when I’m troubled by my own love of trashy fun or pretension, because I’m going to have so much shame to live down that I’ll probably just have to move into a therapist’s office.

Whether or not you have cringetastic books in your past, it’s worth checking out the link, even if just for Justin Halpern’s response.  Who among us can say they’re not kind of curious to read that one now?

For the record, I’m pretending The Perks of Being a Wallflower didn’t appear on that list.

P.S.  Stay gold.

March 30, 2012   Rachel   fiction, fun, Rachel S., reading  
5

I couldn’t have asked for more.

Imagining the world an author creates in a novel is one of the greatest joys that comes out of reading. While the words are the same for everyone, the images they inspire, the way the characters look and sound and the particular intricacies of their surroundings come to us individually, influenced by the rest of our own lives. It’s one of the reasons that while I get initially incredibly excited about a movie coming out based on a book I’ve loved, I’m always let down—story and creative license aside—because from then on out, I can no longer remember how I originally envisioned the characters and world I fell in love with. Despite this, I continue to immerse myself completely in whatever imagined world or fictional version of our own world I happen to be reading about at any given time.

It would come as no surprise, then, that when Lauren directed me to the amazing Small Demons just the other day, I immediately signed up. I haven’t had time to explore the site fully, but I know it’s just perfect for any of those readers out there who close a great book with a satisfied sigh, but then feel an underlying sadness that there is no more to squeeze out of it. Small Demons catalogs the pop culture references—every single one of them!—made in various literary works and puts them all in a compendium organized by book. You can also search for what books might feature a particular singer, actor, book, movie, song and so on and so forth, working backwards or seeing similarities and crossovers between books.

Once I have more time to explore the site fully, I’m afraid I’ll never leave, but I offer this to you as a weekend gift. Would this affect your perception of a book at all, or would you, like me, simply revel in the opportunity to understand and delve deeper into the world with which you and many others have fallen in love?

March 14, 2012   Miriam   bestsellers, buzz, covers, digital publishing, e-books, fun, Miriam, reading, romance  
8

Naughty books

A few weeks ago, someone who saw me reading on my Kindle while my son had his karate class asked me if I’d heard of a book called Fifty Shades of Grey.  As I usually am when anyone asks me if I’ve heard of a book and I haven’t, I was a little embarrassed (never mind that with a gazillion books published every year, it’s not possible to know about every last one of them or that my memory for titles and authors’ names is shockingly poor for someone who, well, works with titles and authors—do I sound a little defensive?).  I asked her what it was about and she told me it was a romance that she was trying to get a copy of without success.  I suggested Amazon and promptly forgot all about the discussion.

Of course, I now know that Fifty Shades of Grey is the latest publishing phenom (an allegedly not very well written kinky sex fest for Twilight fans who thought the vampire saga was too squeaky clean, according to Jezebel) and that Vintage has plopped down a ton of money for the print rights to a book that is currently selling like hotcakes…online.

Which raises a number of interesting questions.

As the Wall Street Journal  points out in a piece about the rise in sales of books that women have traditionally been embarrassed to be seen reading in public, e-readers have made sales of romance and erotica skyrocket precisely because of the privacy they afford.  So, how wise is a seven-figure investment for print rights to a book that people may not want others to see them reading?

And, does all of this mean that books in these categories will go exclusively digital in the near future?  I know lots of smart, professional women with a weakness for what we used to call “bodice rippers” in the good old days (before Kindles and romance branding) who didn’t want to be caught dead on the subway behind a cover of some buxom lass being ravished by a half-naked Fabio type.  I can also imagine all the soccer moms who don’t want their kids to know what kinds of books they’re devouring while they extol the virtues of Moby Dick and The Scarlet Letter.

Personally, I do think that e-readers are liberating in that way.  In my line of work, I occasionally have to read things that may be a little hard to explain to casual acquaintances or even my six-year-old.  What about you guys?  Do you find yourselves sneaking around reading naughty things on your e-readers?  And, do you think this is one of the “intangibles” that publishing people have overlooked when trying to figure out the value of e-books vs. print books?

March 07, 2012   Stacey   opinion, reading, Stacey, technology  
16

Is technology bad for reading?

I can’t stop thinking about how technology is making me crazy. While riding the bus to NYC recently and thinking about my large, overwhelming reading list on my Kindle, it occurred to me I had to first check email, then look something up online, where I found an article I’d been meaning to read, which led to a twitter and Facebook check, and so on. Before long the tunnel is approaching and I’ve reached my destination without opening my Kindle. Sound familiar?

I know I’m not the only one who suffers from Technostress, a word coined by my client Dr. Larry Rosen in his 1997 book by the same name. Even back then, he writes “The constant stream of incoming and outgoing messages means that businesspeople end up spending more time trying to communicate than actually doing.” In his upcoming book iDisorder he looks into how technology really can dramatically increase the likelihood of exhibiting sometimes severe psychological symptoms related to the stress brought on by technology in our lives. Sure it makes a lot of things better, easier, more efficient and all that, but it also makes us distracted, disengaged, and often unable or unwilling to take a real break which is bad for our bodies and our brains. A piece by Nicholas Carr from The Atlantic a few years back called Is Google Making Us Stupid? talks more about what technology has done to our reading culture, and it’s not good and certainly hasn’t gotten better with time.

So, I’m wondering where your thoughts are as the reading public. Do you think people are reading fewer books because they are more distracted by technology, or are they reading more books because of the ease that technology brings to reading by offering books anywhere, anytime with the click of a button? Do you read more books now than you did 5 years ago? And if you do, is that because of the easier access technology brings to reading? Have your reading habits stayed the same and you still go out to a bookstore or library every time you want to get a new book just as you did before? Or do you read fewer books because, well, there’s just so much else to do? And what about book length? Has a compromised attention span made shorter books more appealing?

Personally, I struggle with it. I read a lot and have to for work, and instead of printing out manuscripts, I now read them on my e-reader, which is great. But, if there’s a new book I want to buy (and I do buy books, often), I usually order a hard copy to have on my shelf or my bedside table.

As far as actually reading the books, and how that’s changed, I am definitely more splintered in my attention and have to be disciplined in planning my reading time—a lot more than before. I think this is in part due to technology trying to draw me back in to the vortex of my digital devices, and in part because I have 4 little kids who demand my time and attention (unless, of course, we give them our iPad which keeps them quiet for hours!). I do my best reading after hours in the comfort of my bed when I’ve put my phone and computer to sleep and can focus on a book or a manuscript, or usually several at once.

I’ll sign off and go grab my Kindle. Manuscripts and proposals beckon; there are books to be read!

March 07, 2012   Brenna   Brenna, children's books, fun, future of publishing, literacy, reading  
10

World Read Aloud Day

I really lucked out this week because today is World Read Aloud Day and the main event is happening at Books of Wonder just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the office! World Read Aloud Day, sponsored by LitWorld, is a celebration of the power of words, in an effort to show that the right to read and write belongs to everyone. Books of Wonder will be hosting the nine hour event, chock full of children’s and YA workshops, author signings/Q&A, and read aloud sessions. Ralph Lee will even be there to host “Bookworm Puppet-Making”!

Most of us have had the opportunity to learn in a great education system, and we usually take that for granted. In our younger days, and regretfully still in the present on occasion, we considered reading a chore. This is understandable, as homework and deadlines have been ingrained in us since day one, while television was a privilege you could never get enough of. But, what makes reading really great is the same thing that makes television so mind numbing. We use our imaginations to fill in the blanks. We identify more with the characters because it’s easier to picture yourself as the protagonist, instead of seeing the most attractive actor fill that role. What would cost you an arm and a leg in a college class, you can learn in a book for under $50.

Do you remember the first book you LOVED or if you can’t recall specifics, the first thing you learned about that you LOVED to read about? Today is the perfect time to pay it forward by donating that book! You can choose to do so locally at a homeless shelter, library, school, or hospital OR you can donate to one of the larger organizations, like BetterWorldBooks or LitWorld.

We all know somebody that doesn’t enjoy reading as much as we do: a sibling, a child, a spouse. Whatever the reason may be, even if it’s something as difficult to overcome as a learning disability, find that person a book today. Or an audio book. Something you know they will love to see or hear. It’s likely they have given up on reading by now, but that’s where you come in, you intelligent book enthusiast, you.

February 27, 2012   Jim   great books, Jim, reading, recommendations  
57

Jim Will Tell You What You Want to Read: The Sequel

Almost exactly two years ago, I posted a blog entry saying that if you told me the last three books you’d read, I would make a recommendation for what to read next.

I loved the results—not only did it give me a fascinating snapshot of what our visitors are reading, it was really wonderful to engage with people about reading in general. Some people got back to me to let me know they loved the books I recommended. Others were…less thrilled. And a whole ton of others, let’s be honest, probably never read what I suggested. And that’s fine too!

I’ve wanted to do this again ever since, but I needed enough time to pass so that I wasn’t just recommending the same books all over again. Happily, I’ve read a lot in the past two years, so I have some fresh picks.

One small caveat: I won’t post my suggestions until tomorrow. Somebody has some dental surgery this afternoon! That said: bring ‘em on!

February 24, 2012   Lauren   advice, fun, Lauren, reading  
23

Make me smile

My computer has decided to stage some kind of hateful protest of late (if it’s not done with that, you can find me standing over its incinerated corpse on Monday), so I’m very far behind—so much so that my brain can’t stop and focus long enough to figure out what my note re: a blog idea was really meant to be about.  I know at one point on Wednesday I was downright inspired.  Alas.

So as an alternative, I’m going to ask you all for some help: the last few books I’ve read, while phenomenal, have been kind of sad.  Especially the most recent two, which ended with me bawling on my couch for about thirty minutes before going to bed all a-sniffle.  Now I love a book that can move me to tears, even the embarrassing all out sobbing kind, but I think I might need something a little happier for a bit.  So I ask you, dear readers, what are your favorite pick-me-up books?  They don’t necessarily need to be purely escapist, just really hopeful, and not in a “dark but ultimately uplifting” sort of way.  For now, I’d like something with an emotional range from fine to cheerful (or just a book where the author doesn’t make me love an amazing character and then allow the world to try to destroy them because why would you do that to me????).

So…what should I read next?

February 14, 2012   Jim   Jim, reading  
3

Unusual Valentine Reading

So it’s Valentine’s Day again. How does this keep happening?

Based on the fact that I handle a number of romance novels, it’s clear that I enjoy a good love story. But I’ll note here that I really flip for love stories that are a bit…unusual.

Last summer, I lost my mind over Brady Udall’s The Lonely Polygamist. A novel about a husband of four who has an affair with a married woman, it had all the drama of five love stories packed into one book. But what I most admired about it was how realistic the emotions felt, how relatable this unlikely family was, and how thoroughly non-judgmental Udall was about his characters. It’s a brilliantly rendered novel, and I highly recommend it for those of you looking for something a little less expected on this particular Valentine’s Day.

Or maybe you’re so totally over this holiday that you want to see love partnered with bloodshed. Happily, there are some dark minds out there willing to accommodate you. Donald Ray Pollock’s sprawling The Devil All the Time features a serial killing couple that picks up hitchhikers so that the husband can photograph the wife in flagrante delicto with them…and murder them. And the husband is impotent! I mean…it’s pretty much all things for all people. That doesn’t even begin to cover how deeply twisted the novel is. It’s one of the most brutal, unflinching works of fiction I’ve read in some time, and I’ll just say it: it’s bloody fantastic. (Bad pun alert!)

Before I swing back to sweeter love stories, let’s also mention The Silence of the Lambs because you know Clarice had a thing for Lecter, J. G. Ballard’s sex among the car wrecks in Crash, and the excruciating horrors of bloodlust, pedophilia, incest, and love-gone-wrong of Dennis Cooper’s (I think it’s amazing, but I can’t recommend it because I’m scared you’ll judge me) Try.

Let’s get back to the more romantic (though still unusual) side of things, for those of you who don’t feel violent when V-Day comes around! You could read my all-time favorite novel as of this exact moment (it rotates between three or four): The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The ultimate story of falling for someone out of your league, Quasimodo’s passionate tumble for Esmeralda destroys me every time. If you can find a last paragraph that makes me cry any harder, I might actually end up institutionalized.

Or, dive into Elizabeth McCracken’s The Giant’s House and feel free to swoon over Peggy and James, the spinster librarian and 8’7” younger man who find mutual understanding in this beautifully compassionate, heartfelt novel.

Also, if you want to watch a movie instead of reading today, it’s okay. I won’t tell. Harold and Maude, anyone?

So tell me: what are your favorite love stories, be they dark, depressing, beautiful, sweet, or otherwise?

Lastly, I mentioned in my last blog post that I intended to read all 16 books in the Tournament of Books before it kicks off this year. Four to go! One of them is still 1Q84… Whether I make it or not is a total coin toss, but I also wanted to recommend the most unexpected surprise of the event so far: the intense pleasure of reading Patrick deWitt’s The Sisters Brothers. Talk about a writer to watch!

February 07, 2012   Morris   advice, book club, comics, fun, reading, Twitter  
5

1book140

Almost 2 years ago, my friend Tom ranted and raved to me about American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I was hesitant; even though I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, American Gods seemed like it would be long, tedious, and ultimately, boring. Then it became the first selection of the monthly twitter book club and I decided it would be nice to join in. So I got myself a copy and started reading. Neil quickly became a favorite author of mine. I immediately ran out to read all of his other works, and I can’t imagine life having not read them.

The brilliant Jeff Howe (@1book140) realized that the biggest conversation in the world was an amazing opportunity to create the first truly global book club. It’s called 1book140, and although it took some figuring out, they’ve got it down to a science now. It is an amazing conversation to be a part of.  This month, 1book140 is reading graphic novels. We’ve begun with Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, which we are reading this week. Next week we’ll be reading Art Spiegelman’s The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. The week after is dedicated to the great V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, and we’ll be closing out the month with none other than Neil Gaiman and The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes.

It’s super easy to follow along on twitter. First, follow Jeff Howe for official updates. Then, use the hashtags to join in:

#1book140 for general discussion

#1book140_1 for Understanding Comics

#1book140_2 for Maus

#1book140_3 for V for Vendetta

#1book140_4 for Sandman

(This also makes it really easy to ignore the schedule.)

I’m in the middle of Understanding Comics right now, and even for a long-time constant comic reader like me, it is very insightful. I haven’t yet read Maus, but I have only heard good things and I am really excited to start it. V for Vendetta and Preludes and Nocturnes are both amazing works, and are arguably two of the greatest graphic novels ever written. So come and join us. You might discover something amazing.

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