What are you up to this weekend? Today I’m helping Will get a zillion MMD Shop orders out the door, and then we’re off to our oldest’s college graduation. (When did he get so old? How??)
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.
Book mail is the best mail!
Our new-for-2025 professionally printed Summer Reading Guide magazines are IN and heading out the door! Pictured above: the first batch of 500+ Guides en route; many, many more will be at the post office by end of day.
To get yours, check out our shop right here: get your 2025 print SRG, freshly printed archived SRGs (especially great for library lovers!), and printed Spring and Fall Book Previews. Our sold-out Well Read hat is back in stock, along with our bookstore concert tee, bookish road trip postcards, softest-ever Book Camp sweatshirts, pin-back buttons, book darts, book plates, and stickers galore.
For immediate gratification: order the 2025 SRG digital PDF and Unboxing access right here.
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 service like Pocket.
How Taylor Jenkins Reid Became a Publishing Powerhouse. (TIME) “Writing a book that’s easy to read, Reid contends, is extremely difficult. She has to think about the reader’s experience on every page. ‘I’m chasing a feeling,’ she says. ‘Maybe it doesn’t matter if I’m fancy. Maybe I’m just fun.’” (Did you catch her new contract is reportedly worth $8 million a book for five books?!.)
I love a good tomato candle; I can’t vouch for this specific one yet but I just ordered this darling Tomato-Tarragon 2-Wick Candle while their Memorial Day sale is on.
The Power of Persuasion: Why Lawyers Love Jane Austen. (Literary Hub) “This power to persuade, when it does succeed, often forms the central cog to Jane Austen’s plots.” From Natalie Jenner, former attorney and author of The Jane Austen Society.
How switching to a flip phone deepened my friendships. (Vox) “For me, the decision came about because I realized that my phone was getting in the way of doing literally anything else.”
Me, Stanley Tucci, and a Food-Filled Escapade Through Florence. (Condé Nast Traveler) I wish I could teleport into this food tour! You’ll see what I mean.
The Chicago Sun-Times Published an AI-Generated Summer Reading List Full of Fake Books — And This is Just the Beginning. (The Present Age Substack) It’s extra frustrating to learn about this when I consider how many hours my team and I put into this year’s Summer Reading Guide (MMD).
30 Things I Learned at European Cooking School That Changed the Way I Cook Forever. (Steph Robinson) “It’s not about being complicated or fancy — it’s about paying attention to the little things that actually make a huge difference.”
14 recommended reads for those traveling to Greece. (MMD) For anyone planning a trip to Greece or looking for some armchair travel.
Hot Sauces of the World. (Notes From the Road) A truly impressive guide to the condiment, including their histories and heat levels.
After a lifetime of neutrals, I am LOVING these exuberant floral sheets.
A good life is inconvenient. (The Well Guide) “But in the pursuit of convenience, we’ve lost the very things that make life meaningful: community, connection, slowness, care.”
The Road Trips That Changed Their Lives. (New York Times gift link) Thirteen creatives, including Michelle Zauner and Antoni Porowski, share their favorite road trip memories. (Psst—of course this jumped out at me as being in sync with our 2025 Summer Reading Guide road trip theme!)
The Translator’s Dilemma: Thinking Versus Doing? (Public Books) This is for word nerds.
7 ways to live like a local in Louisville. (Wanderlust) I love to see what faraway publications choose to highlight about my town.
Don’t miss these posts:
15 funny books for when you need some relief from a heavy world. Because we all need a humorous take sometimes.
12 remarkable YA retellings for readers of all ages. See classics, fairytales, and myths in a brand-new light with these YA retellings!
20 novels that will transport you to the shore. If you can’t spend all summer at the beach, why not try a novel that will take you there?
Have a great weekend!