Hello, readers! How are you holding up? This is how I start most conversations with friends these days. The news is crushing, to say nothing about what we face in our personal lives. We bear witness, we take breaks to refill the well, and then we carry on the best that we can. It’s important for me to acknowledge and hold space for wherever each of us is at. So I extend that to you as well: how are you holding up?
I’m trying to take it easy this month as a counterbalance to the way September is shaping up to be a doozy between medical appointments and travel. This weekend I’m hoping to finish The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson (Bookshop) and maybe I’ll work on one of my sewing projects or start a new puzzle; puzzles are still the most reliable way to clear my mind.
I had my annual skin check at the dermatologist earlier this week so I’d like to take the opportunity to encourage everyone to schedule that appointment if they haven’t already. In fact, schedule all of those preventative care appointments. It can make a huge difference!
I hope this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps you refill the well as we settle into the weekend. Stay cool and happy reading!
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.
He Read (at Least) 3,599 Books in His Lifetime. Now Anyone Can See His List. (The New York Times) As someone who started a book log in 2005, I hadn’t considered all the ways such a list could live on. An incredible legacy.
What Should I Read Next #487: Sci-fi, fantasy, and a sense of possibility. So fun to hear team member Holly’s episode this week!
Dear friends gave me a Vellabox candle subscription earlier this year. Once a month, I received a candle and small gift. Every time I lit that month’s candle, I’d think of my friends and the many ways they supported me through this past year. An immeasurable gift, in so many ways.
Puzzled. (The American Scholar) We can learn so much about someone based on the way they approach a jigsaw puzzle.
Samin Nosrat (aka the chef who gave us Salt Fat Acid Heat) has a Substack called A Grain of Salt and it is absolutely delightful! She included a video tutorial for this Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta & Tomatoes recipe. I can’t wait for her new cookbook (Bookshop), out this fall.
Danica Nava on Reclaiming the Cowboy Romance. (She Writes) “This country was built on stolen land, and the films and novels of the past has been pure propaganda to try to rewrite this history. Love is a War Song is my attempt to reclaim this subgenre and the “cowboy vs Indian” trope and narrative in my way. It is full of joy, laughter, color, heartbreak, and healing.” I can’t wait to read this romance.
I typically ignore celebrity podcasts but Good Hang with Amy Poehler reeled me in with, well, funny Instagram Reels and soon I found myself hitting subscribe. My favorite episodes so far are “Philly Justice”, Rashida Jones, and Cole Escola.
Dr. Mara Will Not Sell You a Weighted Vest. (Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith) You may recall from this team episode, I’m always interested in reading about peri/menopause. It can be hard to find doctors and educators who aren’t selling anything. To that end, I enjoyed reading about Dr. Mara’s weight-inclusive approach and the research that’s being done now.
I am, shall we say, indoorsy. But I know it’s important to move my body at least a few days a week so last fall I got a walking pad (Amazon) on a friend’s recommendation, thanks to a gift card. It’s been a game-changer! Maybe someday I’ll turn into the kind of person who goes on a walk around my neighborhood of my own volition. Until then, I use my walking pad time to listen to podcasts or catch up on Voxer and Marco Polo messages.
Audiobook Walking Clubs Take Reading Outside. (Publishers Weekly) A more active version of Silent Book Club.
A Note. (Courtney Summers – Author Diary) “Continue to act in accordance for the future you want. Refuse to accept the atrocities of the present or be complicit in them, and what they will pave the way for tomorrow.” Related: I highly recommend One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Bookshop).
30 Meal Prep Lunch Ideas That’ll Save You Time This Week. (The Everygirl) I am always looking for good make-ahead lunch ideas.
Claire McCardell Predicted Our Current Fashion Moment. (Elle) We have McCardell to thank for pockets in women’s fashion and so much more. If this article whets your appetite as it did mine, be sure to check out Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson (Bookshop). It’s just as much about US fashion breaking free from Paris and developing its own style and point of view.
Katie Holmes To Star In, Write & Direct ‘Happy Hours’ Film Trilogy; Joshua Jackson Co-Stars In ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion. (Deadline) Team Pacey represent! Their new project has nothing to do with DC but the nostalgia is real.
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Get a taste of the A-list life with these 10 celebrity romances. Celebrity romances make for one fun vicarious escape!
Have a great weekend!
Leigh Kramer is the Editor and Social Media Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are romance and fantasy. You can follow Leigh on Goodreads.