Happy Friday! Ginger here with you, and I’m extra glad to be sharing a few links today since I’m clearing tabs, getting out a fresh set of pens, and printing out my digital kit for our MMD Book Club Readers’ Weekend happening next weekend. I’m saving the games and other activities, but I’m looking forward to spending a little time with the reflective journaling prompts that will help me think through what I’ve already enjoyed about my summer reading so far, and what I want for the rest of this, my favorite season!
I hope you’re up to some bookish fun. If you’re in Book Club, I can’t wait to see you in the forums as we talk about our plans for July 18-20. If you’re not a member, we’d love to have you, and this would be such a fun month to join!
My favorite finds from around the web:
We 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.
A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250. (The Morgan Library & Museum) I had the opportunity to visit this exhibit at the Morgan Library last month and I highly recommend it if you’re near New York any time soon. But even if you’re not, their website features images of many of the artifacts I got to view, including autographed letters, silhouettes of her family, and a lock of Austen’s hair. Strange, but fascinating! I loved the modern “Single Man in possession of a good fortune” painting by Amy Sherald.
I have dreams of visiting Louise Penny’s Café Three Pines in Quebec. I hope I make it to this bucket list destination someday. That Surprised by Joy neon sign!
101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less. (New York Times gift link) Every summer I pull out my stained and folded copy of Mark Bittman’s Summer Express article from 2007 and start working my way through meals that can be made quick when a hot summer night means I just cannot bear to turn on the stove.
So You Want to Write Dark Academia? Start Here, My Tragic Darling. (The Dark Academicals) I’ve been obsessed with The Dark Academicals podcast and Substack since they joined us for a Make Me an Expert on Dark Academia in MMD Book Club in the fall of 2023. This detailed guide walks you through writing your own DA setting, plot, dialogue, contents, even obsessions, should you choose to do so.
Speaking of my Substack obsession, team member Donna has a new Stack called I Am Your Rabbit, where she shares information on books, movies, tv, and music. I’m always checking it halfway through the weekend for her suggestions on what to watch.
I love it when a book I’m reading has sensory details like the favorite mug a character drinks out of, the notebooks and pens she writes with, and the specific brand of cherries (Williams Sonoma) she loves—also our house favorite! Reader favorite Elin Hilderbrand does this so well (WSIRN), and now I’ve discovered our August Book Club author, Paige Harbison does as well in The Other Side of Now (MMD). I was thrilled to discover she (or at least her characters) had a love for Frasier, so I’m pushing “buy” on this sweatshirt I’ve had in my Etsy cart for so long.
Journaling 101. (Postcards by Elle) I never tire of hearing how journalers fill up their notebooks with book reviews, quotes, plans, and lists. This post is for paid subscribers, but you can still see a lot of her show & tell before the post cuts off.
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Style Cannot Be Replicated. (Glamour) Ever since reading Elizabeth Beller’s portrait of CBK (Bookshop) last year, I’ve noticed that the 90s style revival we’re in the midst of has poised Bessette-Kennedy lore for a revival. I’ll be waiting for Ryan Murphy’s upcoming American Love Story. (Town & Country)
Can You Match These Snarky Lines to Their Books? (New York Times gift link) I love a good quiz, but I was so upset I missed a line from one of my favorite novels… not telling which. How did you do?
Don’t miss these posts:
15 MORE celebrity memoirs read by their authors. It’s hard to go wrong with a celebrity memoir.
A short reading list for Manhattanhenge. Today’s the day for this twice-a-year spectacle!
7 tips for planning your own personal reader’s retreat. Dedicating time to reading and the reading life.
Cool down this summer with these novels set in cold places. Do you need a vicarious escape from the summer heat?
Have a great weekend!
About the author
Ginger Horton is our Book Club Community Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are literary fiction and classics. You can find Ginger on Instagram at @gthorton or the MMD Book Club account @MMDBookClub.