Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you’ve all had a great day today. For your evening reading pleasure, here are links to some bookish (and not so bookish) things I read this week:
Roberta at Books to the Ceiling reviews Midnight in Peking. This book piqued my interest after I read The People Who Eat Darkness this past summer. Looks like another chilling, interesting read.
With the National Book Awards coming up on November 14, Slate talks about the scandal in 1962 when the award went to first-time author Walker Percy for The Moviegoer. (Confession: I have this book, but I still haven’t read it. Ahem.)
Flavorwire lists 10 great authors we should all stop pigeonholing. The list includes Ursula K. LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, and Jack London, just to name a few. Who would you add to the list?
As a distraction from all the election stuff this past week, the L.A. Times posted some of the most interesting book covers of 2012.
Pencils out, people! The Guardian posted this quiz on great American novels. You have five minutes–and no looking at each other’s answers!
What book do you think is the greatest teen novel? Flavorwire lists 10 novels to replace The Catcher in the Rye as the greatest teen novel.
Book Riot lists bookish conversations they never want to have again. Topics include e-readers versus books, book critics versus bloggers, and genre discussions. I nodded so vigorously in agreement with this post that I think I pulled a muscle in my neck.
In a weekly Huffington Post series, authors discuss places they like to read.
Interested in making a mixtape (er–playlist) for someone? All Songs Considered tells you how to put songs together without looking like a creepy stalker.
This is just funny. Go ahead and click. I promise, no tricks. Just funny.
Ana and Iris are declaring January 2013 “Long-Awaited Reads” month. I don’t know about you but I have a stack of long-awaited reads to choose from, so I’ll definitely be joining in the fun. This isn’t a challenge, just a fun way to brighten up January and get some books off the TBR pile.
If you’re like me and your working space is covered with notebooks, sticky notes, and other bits of paper with phrases and lists all over them, you’ll appreciate this article in The New York Times about seminars that cover the history of note-taking.
I loved watching this video of Cheryl Strayed interviewing Anne Lamott. Strayed is clearly a super Anne Lamott fangirl–she actually gushes, which is actually what I would do if I were anywhere near either one of them!
Do you keep a notebook or journal? Take a glimpse into this 16-year-old girl’s world. If you stopped writing down those fleeting thoughts and inspirations, this may encourage you to start again. (Just do everyone a favor and do NOT refer to it as “journaling,” okay?)
The Album Project
Things got off to a rocky start with Abbey Road, but I pushed ahead:
- Achtung Baby, U2- My favorite U2 album. Favorite song: “The Fly.”
- After the Gold Rush, Neil Young – Favorite song(s): “Tell Me Why,” “When You Dance I can Really Love,” “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”
- Aftermath, The Rolling Stones – Favorite songs: “Paint It Black,” “I Am Waiting”
- Al Green’s Greatest Hits, Al Green – Favorite songs: “Here I Am,” “Love and Happiness”
(What? You didn’t think I was going to subject you to reading my thoughts on every single album? Oh, no.)
Books purchased:
A Naked Singularity, Sergio De La Pava (One of The Millions top 10 books for October 2012)
Books added to wishlist:
I added a lot of books this week, so I’m only sharing a few. I can only remember sources for some of them, but if you’ve read/reviewed any of these and do (or don’t) recommend them, please share in the comments.
- The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir, Domingo Martinez
- Black Swan Green, David Mitchell (added from Flavorwire’s list of 10 novels most likely to replace Catcher in the Rye)
- Vernon God Little, DBC Pierre (added from Flavorwire’s list of 10 novels most likely to replace Catcher in the Rye)
- What Good Are the Arts?, John Carey (Both Nick Hornby and Ana recommend this, so it’s a must read.)
- Through the Window: Seventeen Essays and a Short Story, Julian Barnes (I don’t remember where I first saw this, but it’s a book about reading, and for some reason lately I can’t get enough of books about reading…plus, I loved Sense of an Ending last year)
- The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dustbowl, Timothy Egan (I don’t remember why I added this, but who doesn’t love a good book about The Depression, really?)
- The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail but Some Don’t, Nate Silver. (I think maybe Nate Silver is more famous right now than President Obama. I for one am very happy that Silver’s prediction was correct. This was on my radar after I heard him on NPR’s Fresh Air, but the election reminded me to put it on my list.)
- Noughties: A Novel, Ben Masters. (Read the playlist on Largehearted Boy.)
Have a great week!
The Evening Reader 
I know I’m about to spend the next hour or two going through these links! 🙂
The Worst Hard Time is a real life horror story. I couldn’t sleep for days after finishing it, could not stop thinking about how those long-suffering, innocent people survived that terrible time. Living in Texas, and for a time in the Panhandle, made their awful circumstances even more real for me. The author’s compassion and empathy for those who lived through this nightmare makes for a stunning read. Highly recommend!
Vasilly, that article on note taking makes me drool a little, which always slows down my reading.
Pat/Mom, I’m glad I added it, then. Thanks for the recommendation! (That sounds strange doesn’t it–you say it was a real life horror story, and I say, “Great!”)
Oh dear my knowledge of great American novels is pretty low it seems. Recognised just 5 of these!