What are you up to this weekend? Around here, we’re bracing for more snow and sleet today. Fingers crossed it’s not too bad because my street is already a skating rink! But I’m looking forward to the weekend, especially MMD Book Club Readers’ Day tomorrow, which thankfully is not weather-dependent.
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.
‘Hamnet’ Producer Liza Marshall Secures Rights to Author Maggie O’Farrell’s Next Novel ‘Land’ for Hera Pictures (EXCLUSIVE). (Variety) I’m here for all the Maggie O’Farrell adaptations.
More happy adaptation news: Maven Screen Media Options Film Rights To Hit Historical-Mystery Novel ‘The Frozen River.’ (Deadline)
Washington Post Closes the Books Section Amid Layoffs. (Shelf Awareness) Oof. (Related: I appreciated this succinct commentary on how the atomization of media hurts readers.)
What’s saving your life right now? (MMD) Our longstanding practice of sharing what’s getting us through the winter months.
This lasagna soup made for a great snow day dinner. (We used rotelle because that’s what we had and it worked great.)
The Correspondent Is an Epistolary Novel for the Social Media Age. (Slate) “Something about our particular moment calls forth nostalgia for pen-and-paper communication. This is an epistolary novel for the social media era, appealing to the hearts of readers who feel like they were born just a little too late, and are now condemned to operate in a world where interpersonal communication is so omnipresent as to have lost its glamour.”
New Nancy Meyers Movie Enlists Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, Emma Mackey and Owen Wilson. (The Hollywood Reporter) Something to look forward to in 2027.
Soup. (Butt + Chair) Laurie Frankel on making soup, and novels: “All of this is also how you write a novel. At least, it is also how I write a novel. I need no special equipment. I have no recipe or plan. There are no steps to follow carefully in order. I throw a bunch of stuff in the pot, taste it, determine it’s terrible, then adjust and adjust and adjust and adjust until it’s good.”
19 Winter Olympic storylines we’re watching (they’re not just about sports). (NPR) Do you plan to watch?
12 novels about female friendship in honor of Galentine’s Day. (MMD) “These titles come from a variety of genres, but their common theme is the power of strong female friendships. Importantly, ‘strong’ doesn’t at all mean the absence of conflict.”
The Evolutionary Brilliance of the Baby Giggle. (New York Times gift link) “Laughter and humor are fundamental to how babies learn about and participate in the world.” 10/10 recommend watching a few short baby giggle videos as a mood booster!
What Should I Read Next #512: I’m looking for 5-star stunners. Titles and techniques to escape a reading slump.
Ann Taylor Loft’s Valentine’s Day edit is the CUTEST and on big sale right now. Most of the pieces read “pop of red” or “versatile whimsy” as opposed to being just good for one week of wear. My favorites are the ribbed relaxed cardigan (XXS–XXL and not just in red) and striped harbor tee (XXS–XXL); their new layered perfect ribbed tee is adorable and that green is amazing (XXS–XXL).
The Marathon Moby-Dick Reading Is a Radical Act. (The Atlantic gift link) “Is there another book at once so good and so bad, so thrilling and so boring, so authentic to the currents of the soul and so hideously contrived, so stunningly patrolled by dreamlike visions and so crushed by its own intellectual baggage?”
How Miss Piggy Went From Minor Muppet to TV’s Top Hog. (New York Times gift link) “Miss Piggy began as a bit player, but a sassy attitude and a karate chop carried her to the pinnacle of pop culture.” I think I’ll watch the new special for nostalgia’s sake: my dad was a huge fan of the original The Muppet Show.
Don’t miss these posts:
12 compelling musician memoirs to read or listen to. Learn about the art of music through these fantastic memoirs.
Buy the flowers. There’s never been a better time.
End your reading slump with these short novels and novellas. Short books that pack a big punch.
101 powerful books to celebrate Black History all year long. February is Black History Month! I hope this list helps broaden your TBR throughout the year.
Have a great weekend!
