The new Book Mail box is here, and it’s going fast! Quantities are limited, so get yours now and don’t miss out on the magic.
On the fence? You’ll get a couple books and an assortment of awesome bookish goodies, some of which were created exclusively for Book Mail readers. Check out past boxes here.
Book Mail is not a subscription, so you’re not committing to anything beyond this adventure. Go on and treat yourself!
The Best U.S. Cities for Book Lovers?
What makes a city great for a book lover? Amazon’s annual list is widely-circulated, but it only counts Amazon-related reading, which seems less than representative.
This list of the 10 best American cities takes into account access to books and opportunities for shared reading experiences, like readings, talks, and book clubs. College towns, not surprisingly, are really boosted by this formula, but that seems right to me. The halo effect of what happens at colleges/universities can make them havens for book lovers. Boston, which takes the #1 spot here, is both a large city and a multi-college town. And I can vouch for it as a book-lover’s dream city too.
The Underground Railroad Coming to TV
With so many outlets for TV series these days, I am really not surprised by any adaptation news, but I will say that I wasn’t sure if The Underground Railroad would catch a producer’s eye (no spoilers, but it seems like a tough adaptation).
Barry Jenkins, whose upcoming film Moonlight has received remarkably good early reviews, is attached as a writer/director here, which is encouraging. Escape stories by their nature seem good fits for limited-run series and I have high hopes this could be amazing.
RIP Edward Albee and W.P. Kinsella
I’d like to take a moment to note the passing of the playwright Edward Albee (88) and novelist W.P. Kinsella (81). They don’t seem to have much in common, save that each is largely known by readers for one hugely influential work: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? for Albee and Shoeless Joe for Kinsella, which would become the film Field of Dreams.
This Week in Books is sponsored by The Light Fantastic by Sarah Combs.
Seven tightly interwoven narratives. Three harrowing hours. One fateful day that changes everything.
Delaware, the morning of April 19. Senior Skip Day, and April Donovan’s eighteenth birthday. Four days after the Boston Marathon bombing, the country is still reeling, and April’s rare memory condition has her recounting all the tragedies that have cursed her birth month. And just what was that mysterious gathering under the bleachers about? Meanwhile, in Nebraska, Lincoln Evans struggles to pay attention in Honors English, distracted by the enigmatic presence of Laura Echols, capturer of his heart. His teacher tries to hold her class’s interest, but she can’t keep her mind off what Adrian George told her earlier. Over in Idaho, Phoebe is having second thoughts about the Plan mere hours before the start of a cross-country ploy led by an Internet savant known as the Mastermind. Is all her heartache worth the cost of the Assassins’ machinations? The Light Fantastic is a tense, shocking, and beautifully wrought exploration of the pain and pathos of a generation of teenagers on the brink—and the hope of moving from shame and isolation into the light of redemption.
Happy Tuesday! It’s time for another round of “Make Your TBR Lists Explode.” I have a few great books to tell you about today, and on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked about some of the books coming out in the last half of 2016 that we are excited about, including Three Dark Crowns, The Bestseller Code, and Mooncop.
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Portugal by Cyril Pedrosa.
Comics creator Simon Muchat is struggling to find purpose in his existence. Bitter and apathetic towards everything, he gets a chance to travel to Portugal where the roots of his family lie. After an absence of more than 20 years Simon finds himself rediscovering the sounds and smells of his childhood, the radiant warmth of something forgotten. Having soaked up the atmosphere of his fatherland, and driven by the desire to find out the secret behind his family name, Simon sets on a melancholic quest for identity that helps him rediscover his passion for life.
Incarnations: A History of India in Fifty Lives by Sunil Khilnani
A fascinating take on how India came to be, which Khilnani tells using fifty figures throughout the country’s history. From emperors and warriors to film stars and corporate titans, Incarnations is a smart, wry look at the myths that shaped India and the people that influence the stories and history told today. Highly informative and entertaining!
Backlist bump: A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor
The Gloaming by Melanie Finn
A dark, intense novel of mystery about a woman, Pilgrim, who is fleeing the disaster that was her marriage, and, overcome with guilt after a horrible accident, runs off to Africa to lick her wounds. But when a body turns up and is suspected of being a curse created by witchcraft, she and the town’s citizens are set on edge trying to figure out the curse’s intended recipient. Not helping with matters is Pilgrim’s sinking feeling that she’s being followed. Did I mention it was dark? It’s also terrific.
Backlist bump: Away from You by Melanie Finn
Reputations by Juan Gabriel Vásquez
A revered political cartoonist whose illustrations wield power and influence over his country must take a hard look at his life after an unexpected visit from a young woman has him reevaluating everything he has done and how he remembers the past. A masterful, thought-provoking novel about secrets, celebrity, and escaping the past from one of the most talented writers working today.
Backlist bump: The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez
YAY, BOOKS! That’s it for me today – time to get back to reading! If you want to learn more about books (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!
Stay rad!
Liberty
Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by The Art of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Leah Gallo published by Quirk Books.
Witness the genesis of peculiardom! This visual tour of the movie world of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, created by iconic filmmaker Tim Burton, is sure to be a must-have for fans of the series. A companion book to the film, it features behind-the-scenes images and set information from two of Burton’s longtime collaborators, including details on costume design, cinematography, set design, concept art, and more.
Don’t throw away your shot! Today is the last day of our (super awesome) 25% off sitewide sale. Stock up on t-shirts, tote bags, and more bookish goods.
Stock up for the season and get 25% off *everything* in the Book Riot Store.
We’ve got t-shirts and tote bags a-plenty. We’ve got pouches and coasters galore. You want accessories? We’ve got twenty (and then some). Bookish socks! Scarves that rock! Get some more.
This week we’ve added 2 new tees to the Riot closet, and to celebrate, we’re giving you any 2 Book Riot originals for $36.
That’s buy one, get one 50% off!
And don’t forget! There’s just one week left until the September Book Mail boxes become available. Check out the contents of past boxes, and join the wait list now — spots are limited!
I spy some additions to the Book Riot Live programming! If:
– you’re a librarian or just in love with your library;
– you’ve read and/or watched Orange is the New Black and now have some serious questions for the judicial system;
– you’ve always wondered what a Wookiee might sound like in iambic pentameter;
Then you will want to get yourself to the Schedule page and scroll on down, and get your tickets for $20 off with code BOOKNERD!
Americans Are Still Reading
Every year, Pew Research conducts a survey of American reading habits. The 2016 results….look pretty much like they have for the last five years. 73% of Americans read a book last year (up slightly from 2015’s 72%) with the average American reading 12 books, though the median number reported was four books. This suggests that those at the top end of the reading curve read a whole lot more than the “average” American.
Younger adults (18-29) are the most likely to have read a book last year than any other age group and those older than 65 are the least likely. After growing sharply earlier this decade, ebook reading has leveled off with 28% of Americans reporting having read an ebook last year.
All in all, the study shows that Americans are reading about as much, and in much the same ways, they have been for the last several years.
Oprah Double Dips
After a prolonged quiet, Oprah has indeed made a second book club pick this fall, tapping Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton. Melton had previously been a guest on Oprah’s show, and when word came that there would be another Oprah pick this fall in addition to The Underground Railroad, many honed in on Love Warrior. It is described as a “spiritual memoir” about revamping her life, marriage, and family that doesn’t shy away from the messiness and difficulty of making real change.
Hero of the Week: Robert Morin
After 50 years of service to the University of New Hampshire as a librarian, Morin left the entirety of his estate, more than $4 million, to the institution, with sizeable earmarks for the library system.
Morin accumulated his estate through patience and frugality: he lived modestly, saved assiduously, and the result was a difference-making bequest. Kudos, Mr. Morin. Hope you found a nice cushy chair in the great reading room in the sky.
Thanks to The Ones by Daniel Sweren-Becker for sponsoring This Week in Books.
As part of the 1% randomly selected for genetic engineering, Cody and James were born almost perfect. And some think that’s not fair. . . .
The government, their school, and even family turn against them, until Cody joins a radical group determined to fight for their rights.
Case of the Mondays? Our new Read Harder tote bag will cure what’s ailing you, and you’ll get 25% off when you pair it with any adult t-shirt. Today’s the last day for this rad deal!
