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Reading Week #65

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reading-nook-gesso

The sun hath graced the cold earth and ye verily the Weedgies did rejoice.

 

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Bookish Blether Episode 15 is here – this week we talk about more book-to-film adaptations. This time it’s 2015 releases we’ve loved and look forward to, plus some books we’d like to see as films.

I was back on the wireless this week, on what’s now The Janice Forsyth Show on BBC Radio Scotland. Nigel Floyd and I discussed the new releases: Fantastic Four and Diary of a Teenage Girl. Catch up on iPlayer.

 
 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

Homme de Plume: What Catherine Nichols learned sending her novel out under a male name.

Even when her book is published, there’s another struggle to come: Women Writers and the Struggle for Shelf Space.

Not backlist, but old writings rediscovered and ready to publish 50 years after her death is new work by Shirley Jackson. Last week, I linked to the first of three New Yorker pieces by Shirley Jackson. Here’s part 2 on Fan Mail and part 3 on Garlic in Fiction.

This week, here’s copy-editor Benjamin Dreyer’s Shirley Jackson and Me – on his love for the author and copy-editing her posthumous collection Let Me Tell You – which is newly published this week.

” A colleague once described copyediting as the action of burrowing into an author’s brain and doing to a manuscript what the author might have done had he or she had just a few more minutes to spend with every sentence—and hadn’t already read every sentence five hundred times. ”

A contemporary writer, now: Janice Galloway is too fucking cool.

Here’s Every Single Line Judy Greer Had in a Movie This Summer. Sadface. She is awesome, and savvy, but she deserves better roles than these. The industry owes her that.

A great piece here on Being The Only One In The Room.

 
 

–– DIGITAL ––

The usually dry and too-serious-for-YouTube Richard Lawson did this brilliant write-up of VidCon (the YouTube convention) in this piece for Vanity Fair subtitled Screaming Fans, Millionaires, and the Future That’s Already Here. That about covers it.

In related: Theft, Lies and Facebook Video from the creator of VidCon, Hank Green. TL;DR, Facebook is at it, and it’s damaging for content creators.

Ashley Milne Tyte, host of The Broad Experience podcast, shared her thoughts and experiences of being a female independent podcaster. Lots to learn here.

 
 

–– ON PAPER ––

I concluded last week’s 7 in 7 Readathon having finished 6 books – and a bit. The final two were The Reckoning by Edith Wharton – which I loved – and Circe and the Cyclops by Homer (two excerpts from The Odyssey).

This week I’ve also read Good Behaviour by Molly Keane, a darkly comic period tale about a poor-rich girl of the gentry and her naïve take on life and the family dynamics that surround her. We had a good chat about it at my book club too.

Next month we’re having our book club on a barge (Barge Club!) – because reasons – and we’ll be reading The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma.

Next? I’ve restarted Live Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson and am totally bowled over by her personality. What a lady.

What are you currently reading?
 
 

–– &c. ––

The California Drought Is Creating A New Silent Spring. Sad news that deserves far more air time than it’s getting.

I loved this little observational piece: What’s In A Namaste? Depends If You Live In India Or The U.S.

 

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Read anything good this week? Hit reply or tweet me with a link.

​Have a lovely weekend!

 

Reading Week #64 – A Reading Marathon

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7in7

Happy Friday!

How are things in your world? Summer still hasn’t arrived up here, but it’s been a good week regardless. Listening to this cover of Here Comes the Sun on loop has helped.

It’s Evan‘s birthweek – a tongue-in-cheek tradition that’s gradually become more reality than sarcasm. After an evening with friends, and a big meal out last night, tonight we’re going to see Limmy tonight and going for drinks with more friends tomorrow. I hope your weekend is packed with fun plans too.

Enough about me – here are some links.

 

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Yesterday I posted a Book Haul! – because I haven’t made one for like 6 months.

As if these weren’t going to be enough, my business blog has July Links covering social media, content, and microbusiness interests.

ICYMI last week, we talked about book to film adaptations on Bookish Blether Episode 14. Next episode drops on Wednesday!

 
 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

We’re witnessing Oliver Sacks’ final writings in real time, and they’re gorgeous, heartbreaking and life-affirming. Here’s his latest: My Periodic Table.

Kate Bolick whose book, Spinster, I really enjoyed, recommends 5 books. I suddenly realised The Long-Winded Lady was already on my wishlist when I saw the cover. I’m so psyched to read it now.

Novels About Real-Life Women Are Saving Forgotten History. There’s a bit of tricky subtext about fiction as a women’s medium here, but I hope this sparks more biography publishing about the actual women behind the stories.

And the Oscar for Best Torso Goes To… [spoiler alert] Channing Tatum, who is, apparently, the one guy in the film industry who gets that sexual objectification of men does not mean feminism is over! Props to Robbie Collin on this one overall, but his thesis is off.

In related: Do You Think My Muscles Are Sexy?

Speaking of male objectification: here’s one for teh swoonz: Disney Princes Reimagined In Real Life.

 
 

–– DIGITAL / THE FUTURE ––

Alana Massey questions The Cult of Work; nails it.

Twitter’s not backing down on its chat about rejigging the beloved timeline. I’ve just passed my 8-year Twitterversary and I’m 99% certain this would ruin it for me.

How the way you type can shatter anonymity. Troubling news about user profiling techniques.

 
 

–– ON PAPER ––

Funny story: in the past month I’ve read 3 books in which the main character panic-reads Middlemarch. Is the universe trying to tell me something?

This week I’ve been participating in the 7 in 7 Readathon. The goal? Finish 7 books in 7 days.

I’ve finished 4 so far so am on track. They were:
1. Travels in the Land of Serpents & Pearls by Marco Polo (Penguin Little Black Classic) – totally bonkers.
2. A Slip Under the Microscope by H.G. Wells (Penguin Little Black Classic) – two fantastic short stories.
3. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson – almost as tragic as I previously stated it was funny.
4. Walking by Henry David Thoreau – what a wank.

I made a video covering my TBR (To Be Read) for the readathon – so click over to see what else is on my nightstand.

What are you currently reading? Hit reply and let me know!
 
 

–– &c. ––

Radiation. Government conspiracy. Mass hysteria. There are plenty of theories as to why the residents of a tiny Kazakh mining region keep falling asleep for days at a time, but no answers. – A fascinating longform piece that I’ve not quite finished yet, but reckon you’ll love.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan: A McDonald’s With Many Off-the-Menu Sales.

A couple more bookish videos for you! Holly shared her stunning Book Design Portfolio. If you’re in publishing you ought to snap her up.

And finally, Jean recommended 10 Books Under 150 Pages – many of which I’ve read and loved.

 

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Read anything good this week? Hit reply or tweet me with a link.

​Have a lovely weekend!

 

Reading Week #63

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aberfoyle

Good morning, friends. How is your week going?

Mine ended, or began, depending on how you look at the calendar (are you a week starts on Sunday or Monday person?) at a beautiful place under sad circumstances. The family went up north to Aberfoyle to scatter my Grandma’s ashes.

The rest of the week has been a push to get back into work mode interspersed with friendly catch-ups: one of the highlights of returning from a long break.

Hope you’ve had a good one too. Here are some things to click on.

 

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

It’s Bookish Blether Episode 14 already? We finally broach the subject of Book to Film Adaptations.

A bit of a repeat, but I shared my Favourite Books of 2015 So Far – this time in video form.

I also published some Lessons from Small is Beautiful over on my business blog.

 
 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

Pixar and the Incredibly Canny Valley. I am so much more excited for this than for Inside/Out.

Diversity in UK Publishing Still a Challenge. Come on, guys. Don’t make it so hard for yourself.

Jon Ronson interviews Katie Hopkins; tries not to publicly shame her. Honestly, I couldn’t have told you how she ever got famous before reading this.

I love this Obsessively Detailed Map of American Literature’s Most Epic Road Trips from Atlas Obscura. I’d probably take Steinbeck’s from Travels with Charley, personally.

 
 

–– LADYBITS ––

Jess Zimmerman asks “Where’s My Cut?”: On Unpaid Emotional Labor. ALL OF THE PRAYER HANDS EMOJIS.

Ladies’ Man – Melissa McEwan tries to explain her partner’s respect for women; kinda gets tied in knots.

Emma Thompson says that sexism in acting industry is worse than ever. The film industry is just the worst. See also:

On a brighter note! ‘She’s the coach and we listen’: Becky Hammon beats up the NBA Summer League. Eff yeah lady coaches.

Lindy West: My wedding was perfect – and I was fat as hell the whole time. One of my main takeaways from my own wedding research came from Lisa Eldridge, who advises you look like yourself for your wedding. She was talking about make-up, but this totally affirms it.

 
 

–– DIGITAL ––

I haven’t signed up to, or recommended, any new newsletters lately – so I’ll refer you to these recommendations instead. (I’ll also second them on READ.LOOK.THINK., Ann Friedman Weekly and Everything Changes.)

A great video from Tales of Mere Existence on what it’s like to live through the California Drought.

Another lovely video: First and Final Frames of films, edited by Jacob T. Swinney. How many do you recognise?

 
 

–– ON PAPER ––

I’m currently reading Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson. It’s actually totally hilarious? Maybe it’s my ultra-dry, wry sense of humour, but no-one mentioned it.

On audio I’m taking in Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which is pretty remarkable. It’s only around 175 pages / 3.5 hours. Here’s a great interview with him, where he describes it thus: “it’s not a bowl of sugar. It’s dark chocolate. It’s a little bitter. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

What’s on your nightstand?
 
 

–– &c. ––

She’s baa-aack… An Interview With Rachel Dolezal:”It’s not a costume.” Reported with a healthy dose of skepticism.

And just for fun, Letter of Recommendation: Summer Fridays.

 

Read anything good this week? Hit reply or tweet me with a link.

​Have a lovely weekend!