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Hello, hello, and happy Friday! Last weekend it poured for three days straight, so this weekend I\u2019m hoping to get my already-purchased herbs planted in pots and strew some zinnia seeds in beds. I\u2019ve forgotten about the zinnias the last two years and I am determined not to do so this year. If you have any tips, please share! I\u2019m also looking forward to this weekend\u2019s mother-daughter pre-graduation events with my high school senior, plus Will and I are hoping to hit up our local botanical garden for the first time in a few months. <\/p>\n
I hope YOU have something 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.<\/p>\n
We just did our final wrap on the 2025 SRG design after many rounds of edits. It\u2019s beautiful and I can\u2019t wait for you to see it! Preorder yours today<\/a><\/strong> so you get your Guide when it drops on May 15, and you can join us for our annual Unboxing book party, where I tell you about every title in the Guide and why I chose it. It\u2019s not necessary <\/em>to attend, but it sure is fun and useful! <\/p>\n Now the SRG is off to the printer because for the first time this year we\u2019re offering a printed Guide that you can take with you to the bookstore or library, leave on your coffee table, tuck in your tote bag, whatever you want. All summer long (and beyond!) you can easily peruse the Guide any time you\u2019re wondering what to read next.<\/p>\n That same printer is also working on our merch which is coming in daily at this point. (Yep, it\u2019s exciting times in the Bogel household.) Head over to instagram later today to see me show off our Well Read hat, the 2022 printed SRG (yes, you read that right), our postcard pack, and new sticker designs. The \u201cconcert tee\u201d and 2023-2025 SRGs are in process and we\u2019ll start shipping orders as soon as we get them in hand. Check out all the goods in our shop<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there\u2019s no gift link and you\u2019re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a service like Pocket.<\/em><\/p>\n A new chapter for publishing? Book subscription services launch their own titles.<\/a><\/strong> (The Guardian<\/em>) \u201cIt\u2019s fair to see where they could influence things \u2013 they have an understanding of their subscribers and can cater to that market well as a result. But curating is not the same as publishing; quality and influence are two different things.\u201d<\/p>\n The 25 Gardens You Must See<\/a>.<\/strong> (New York Times<\/em> gift link) I have been to exactly one garden in this global collection but gosh I loved the photos! <\/p>\n \u2018James\u2019 Won the Pulitzer, but Not Without Complications<\/a>.<\/strong> (New York Times<\/em> gift link) When James<\/a><\/strong> <\/em>won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction earlier this week, I was not remotely surprised. What I did<\/em> find surprising was the news that it wasn\u2019t initially among the judges top three picks. This piece explains the selection process and what happens when judges can\u2019t agree. <\/p>\n Regarding the Pulitzer, I was also surprised that Rita Bullwinkel\u2019s Headshot<\/em> was a finalist. Not because I didn\u2019t love it\u2014but because when I read it, I thought it was a weird little niche book that not many readers I knew had heard of. I\u2019m delighted to see it recognized here. Here\u2019s my short and sweet Quick Lit review<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n Creamy One-Pot Pasta with Peas and Mint<\/a><\/strong> (Bon Appetit<\/em>) Thanks again for your pasta recipe recommendations<\/a><\/strong>; this simple dinner was a hit with my family! <\/p>\n Discover the majesty of trees with these 11 books<\/a>.<\/strong> (MMD<\/em>) Ginger delivers the book list I didn\u2019t know I needed! The comments section is excellent, packed with enticing titles. <\/p>\n I received these inexpensive incense matches<\/a><\/strong> as a gift years ago and have since reordered many times! They\u2019re handy to keep for the bathroom or kitchen, and pretty, too.<\/p>\n What Is Upmarket Fiction?<\/a><\/strong> (Jane Friedman<\/em>) This is a helpful explanation. \u201cUpmarket fiction is a blend of commercial fiction and literary fiction, but how it gets blended is where writers and industry members can\u2019t always agree.\u201d<\/p>\n Willkommen, bienvenue! New festival celebrates translated fiction from Cameroon to Slovakia as sales boom.<\/a><\/strong> (The Guardian<\/em>) \u201cFestival organisers were aware of increased interest in translated literature from readers, meaning they felt the festival \u2018would have a breadth of appeal it might not have done, say, five years ago.’\u201d<\/p>\n The True Costs of Being on YouTube.<\/a><\/strong> (Food Processing<\/em>) I always appreciate transparency from creators.<\/p>\n How owning multiple e-readers changed my reading life<\/a>.<\/strong> (MMD<\/em>) I was fascinated by Brigid\u2019s reading practices, and those of many, many readers in comments! I had no idea y\u2019all were reading like this. <\/p>\n These Old Navy linen-blend pants<\/a> (XXS\u20134X) are fabulous for the price and just $30 right now. Hot tip: pair them with a matching shirt like a linen-blend tank<\/a><\/strong> or popover top<\/a><\/strong> (both XS\u20134X) and you\u2019ll get a super simple, expensive looking, easy to wear value at a low price. My daughter has this combo in Natural, mine is in Black Jack, both look fantastic.<\/p>\n The Great AI Art Heist.<\/a><\/strong> (Chicago Magazine<\/em>) \u201cZhao had told me that it\u2019s nearly impossible for the average person to discern the difference between human-generated and AI-generated art. He theorizes that in the future there will be a premium on art made by humans\u2009\u2014\u2009in part because there will be so few practicing artists.\u201d I recently read Vauhini Vara\u2019s Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age<\/a><\/strong><\/em>; the essay and book have much to say to each other.<\/p>\n Offbeat, intricately plotted books for an ambitious reading project<\/a>.<\/strong> (What Should I Read Next?<\/em>) Kathryn wants to read all the Women\u2019s Prize for Fiction winners and finalists: what\u2019s a good plan to complete and, more importantly, enjoy<\/em> this project? We get into it. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to really deep-clean your makeup brushes.<\/a><\/strong> (Glamour UK<\/em>) I\u2019m overdue. <\/p>\n Take a vicarious trip with these novels set on planes, trains, and automobiles.<\/a><\/strong> Was this book list inspired by a movie title? Yes.<\/p>\nMy favorite finds from around the web:<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t miss these posts:<\/h3>\n