What are you up to this weekend? I’m hoping for a weekend of spring cleaning and catch-up (and I need a new audiobook to go with those tasks—any recs?).
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.
On the Genius of Frances Burney, Jane Austen’s Most Important Literary Predecessor. (Lit Hub) “My argument is just the opposite: that being Burney’s literary heiress only makes Austen’s work richer—that Austen became the greatest English novelist of all time precisely by building on the vastly underrated efforts of her luminary predecessor to the limitless credit and compliment of them both.”
This week’s guest on What Should I Read Next? has a fun reading challenge you’re going to love hearing about: Let’s plan a Read the USA project.
They Met in an E.R. and Were Married at the Super Bowl. (New York Times gift link) “The wedding of Eleisa Aparicio and Thomas Wolter was seen by millions, but in their first interview, the newlyweds share the story of how they got to Santa Clara, Calif., with Bad Bunny signing as their witness.” I was so curious about the backstory and this column delivers!
40% off J.Crew this weekend: almost the whole site is on sale but for spring I love their Garçon classic shirt in Baird McNutt Irish linen (00–24), their tees (basic and a bit fancier, both XXS–3X)), the 2025 Rollneck Sweater (XXS–3X), and their swim (most styles 0–24). I so enjoyed seeing catalog photos from 1989 and 1994 on their website! (Heads up—I love my J.Crew swim but have returned quite a few suits over the years when they’ve turned out to be unlined; J.Crew doesn’t include this important info in product descriptions, gah! To compensate, I read the reviews carefully and allow extra time for returns and exchanges if I need a suit promptly.)
Shelf Life: Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. (Elle) “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what we owe the people we love and what happens when someone chooses personal happiness over family stability. Lake Effect is my attempt to grapple with those heady questions.” Our April MMD Book Club author takes Elle’s literary survey.
A month ago I told you I was trying this Salted Butterscotch Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe but I never reported back! Let me be clear: they were fabulous. Will 100% make again (and again, and again). (NYT Cooking gift link)
Is Creativity a Young Person’s Game? (The MIT Press Reader) “What age, you might wonder, are scientists likely to be when the Nobel committee comes calling? Would you bet on the young striver or the seasoned expert? The answer, interestingly, is neither. The most creative people are smack in the middle of their careers — neither in their 20s nor nearing retirement.”
Where to start with Susanna Kearsley. (MMD) Team member Leigh shares her love of Susanna Kearsley’s work and how she decided to become a completist.
Three things that helped me overcome severe flight anxiety. (Instagram) I can fly but I hate it and thus appreciated these tips from Sharon McMahon. Nothing I didn’t know but hearing her talk about what she does and why gave me a confidence boost.
Margareta Magnusson, the Guru of ‘Swedish Death Cleaning,’ Dies at 91. (Wall Street Journal gift link) A lovely profile of Magnusson, whose fame was apparently a fluke, but who lived exuberantly and practiced what she preached.
Cursive is back. But should students be learning the skill? (NPR) I’m not into the controversy, but I LOVED reading about this Virginia middle school teacher’s after-school Cursive Club.
Take an extra 50% off Anthro sale this weekend: unless you know your size “final sale” is scary (that can’t be just me), but historically I’ve grabbed terrific homestuffs for low prices on their big sale weekends. I gave a few of these Icon Tumblers as gifts recently (before the prices got so very low!) and they were a big hit. Adorable seasonal candles are way marked down. And I love Anthro’s sheets. If you’re brave, there are Colette pants to be had for $40—but make sure you know your size!
Inside Literary Prize Reveals 2026 Shortlist and Announces Six-State Prison Tour with Incarcerated Judges. (Center for Justice Innovation) “For the third year in a row, the Inside Literary Prize brings all of us into conversation, linking us through the power of art and literature. By enabling hundreds of incarcerated judges to discuss and evaluate these five beautiful books, the Prize reminds us that we’re all members of the human family and every voice deserves to be heard and respected.”
How my electric heating pad changed my life. (MMD) Shannan continues our Raving Fans series with an entry about a small thing that brings an outsized amount of joy to her life.
Typos Have Plagued Us for Centuries. Just Ask the Publishers Who Printed the Seventh Commandment as ‘Thou Shalt Commit Adultery’ in 1631. (Smithsonian Magazine) “A new exhibition at Yale Library explores the history of typos across five centuries. Visitors will see corrections that were listed inside copies of works by James Joyce, Upton Sinclair and Nicolaus Copernicus.”
Don’t miss these posts:
Take yourself out to the ball game with these 11 baseball books. The best baseball books make you feel like you’re experiencing a game.
Try the Bakewell tart, and other rules I’m learning to live by. My husband Will and I traveled to Scotland in December 2018 for an amazing literary adventure. Our time there was magical, though I do have a handful of regrets. Some were beyond our control, but one was completely preventable…
15 recommended reads for those who dream of traveling to Paris. Whether you’re planning a trip to Paris and want to read books set there or simply looking for some armchair travel, this list is full of ideas!
Have a great weekend!
