What are you up to this weekend? We’re cheering for U of L in the College World Series, planting some gladiolus bulbs (I hope it’s not too late) and generally taking care of household stuff. (There’s a lot that needs tending to; perhaps you can relate?)
I hope you have something good to look forward to this weekend, 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 service like Pocket.
For Abby Jimenez, Being a No. 1 Best Seller Is the Icing on the Cake. (New York Times gift link) It’s been exciting to see Abby’s career take off.
Nicole Kidman to Star in ‘Girls and Their Horses’ TV Series in Development at Amazon, Legendary (EXCLUSIVE). (Variety) Exciting news about this 2023 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick.
This 120-Year-Old NYC Home’s Design Was Inspired by Gertrude Stein’s Paris Apartment. (Apartment Therapy) I love this “space of joyous maximalism” so much!
The Books That Shaped Me: Ginger edition. (MMD) Get to know team member Ginger Horton through the books that influenced her over the years.
Why the French Don’t Obsess Over Purpose. (With Love From Paris) “In France, there’s no guilt in doing a job because it pays the bills. Or because it gives you your evenings. You can be excellent at what you do and still have no desire to talk about it over dinner.”
Ina Garten Is My Summer Icon—11 Ways I’m Channeling Her Vibe. (The Everygirl) An Ina Garten Summer sounds good to me!
Or maybe a “Frazzled English Woman Summer” (Bustle) is more your speed? “The frazzled English woman doesn’t stop to do her hair in the morning, much less pick out a matching outfit. She’s far too busy living life with a delightfully chaotic twist. Think Renée Zellweger in Bridget Jones’s Diary.“
Meet Addy: The Story of the First Black American Girl Doll. (Literary Hub) I never tire of hearing stories about American Girl dolls.
A reading life that comes in waves. (What Should I Read Next?) What to recommend to a reader who finds his preferred nonfiction nothing short of life-changing, but gets bored by the fiction he picks up? We get into it.
Why the Fashion Catalog Is Making a Comeback. (Harper’s Bazaar) Unsurprisingly I LOVE a good print catalog and pounced on this piece about how and why some brands are reviving this “retro marketing technique.” This love for print is a big reason our 2025 Summer Reading Guide is available in a hold-in-your-hands magazine edition in our shop.
Issue 123: How poetry is changing the way I read. (A Reading Life) “This is the mystery I’m interested in: how we change without trying to change, how exposure rewrites us in ways we can’t control or fully understand.”
Last weekend I visited the farmer’s market for the first time all season and got stopped in my tracks repeatedly because of two bags: my French basket market tote (mine was a gift from a friend but the linked Etsy bag appears to be remarkably similar) and my string mesh shopping bag. Pretty and practical.
This 99-Year-Old Florida Estate Was Built By A Notable Circus Mogul—And You Can Still Tour It. (Southern Living) Thao Thai on Sarasota’s Ringling Mansion, which I first heard about from her author talk in MMD Book Club about her debut novel Banyan Moon.
The Three Jobs of the Modern Editor, or 36 Plates. (Dear Head of Mine) Insights into why editors are overloaded. “As the axiom goes: the more culturally desirable and interesting a job is the more work it is. A modern editor’s job therefore is the epitome of a pie eating contest where the reward is more pie.”
Don’t miss these posts:
15 novels about creating (and maintaining) a found family. Found family has become an even more popular trope in recent years and I’m here for it.
5 summer salad recipes for simple everyday lunches. We keep these on rotation for lunches and side dishes.
20 epistolary novels that will sweep you away. Reading an epistolary novel is like being let in on a good secret.
Have a great weekend!