What are you up to this weekend? I’m looking forward to visiting with one of my college-age daughters and also getting a jump start on holiday baking. Chex mix and spiced nuts and cookie dough, oh my! I also hope to sneak in lots of reading time and get out in the beautiful sunshine … before it rains all next week.
I hope you have something lovely to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
Gift ideas for Jane Austen fans:
We refreshed our gift guide for Jane Austen fans. Whether you’re after apparel, games, accessories, or a really beautiful book, we’ve got you covered.
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.
A Definitive Ranking of L.M. Montgomery Men. (Goodnight, Dear Void) “Montgomery had a knack for writing about love, in all its many forms…. Her heroines don’t just fall in love with men. They fall in love with life, with the world, with themselves in a new light.” I enjoyed every word.
This week I got on Instagram for the first time in forever to participate in Laura Tremaine’s #onedayhh document-your-day tradition. Pop over to check out my day!
A Home That Proves You Can Never Have Too Many Books. (New York Times gift link) 4,500 books in a 1,100-square-foot apartment. The photos are as wonderful and chaotic as you imagine. Half of me wants to move in and the other half wants to run find a wide open space asap!
The Blue Book Burglar. (Atavist) “Over the course of my reporting, I came to believe that the ringleader of these crimes was in a class by himself. I doubt there’s such a thing as the greatest art thief of all time, but I don’t know of any burglar who worked so hard.”
My daughter left a few Le Pen Flex pens lying around and I’ve fallen in love with them—they’re a pleasure to write with and the subtle, flexible brush tip helps my questionable handwriting look pretty. (For your desk, or a stocking stuffer?)
Speaking of stocking stuffers: we’ve brushed up this perennially popular post for 2025. (MMD)
Emma Donoghue on Populating Historical Fiction. (Literary Hub) “I would describe most of my books as fact-based historical fiction. The reason I use that qualifier is that historical fiction also includes novels with a much more po-mo or devil-may-care approach to the recorded past, and that’s fine too—I just prefer to signal to readers that I’m over here on the nerdier end of that spectrum, checking the fine print of indexes, timetables, and, increasingly, databases and genealogy sites.”
Photos: The Northern Lights Put on a Show. (Atlantic gift link) Will and I tried and failed to see the lights here in Kentucky, but golly I loved checking out all the photos! These are amazing.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Year of Judging the Booker Prize. (New York Times gift link) “Winning the Booker Prize is a life-changing experience for an author. Sales blow up. Demands for interviews pour in. But Parker, who oversees a literary imprint at Zando, said that being a judge was just as life-changing. The process altered her reading habits, she said, made her question how she judged fiction and gave her the confidence to argue for novels she loved.” About SJP but also very much about how the judging process works.
Choosing book gifts your friends will love. (What Should I Read Next?) Why it’s hard, and how to make it easier.
I just repurchased J.Crew’s classic chambray shirt: I wear this as a midweight layer constantly and somehow lost it, leaving it on the back of a coffee shop chair or something like that. You know a piece of clothing is good when you repurchase the exact same one if needed!
Fisher the Bookseller Explains How Bookstores Decide Which Books to Sell. (Counter Craft) “Each independent store is different, with its own ethos about how to stock their books.” On the hidden factors that go into book buying and bookselling.
We Tasted 9 Tortilla Chips — These Are 4 of the Best. (Food & Wine) We’re a Tostito’s family (Hint of Lime but Scoops for nachos) but I’m down for trying All The Chips.
One Nightstand With Mindy Kaling. (Bustle) A fun glimpse into Kaling’s reading and publishing life.
Birdwatching Is Having a Moment – And We Need to Talk About It. (Easy by Nature) “Here’s the truth: The reason birdwatching is stereotyped as ‘for old people’ is because our culture is so dysfunctional it takes most people 50 years or more to figure out what makes for a meaningful life.”
Don’t miss these posts:
20 books to cozy up with this winter. Cold, grey days are the perfect excuse to stay inside and read.
12 histories and biographies for every nonfiction lover. Engaging nonfiction for all kinds of readers, from nature lovers to English majors.
Have a great weekend!