Citizen Reading: 28 August 2017.
28 August 2017
A weekly selection of reading and book news, sometimes with completely inappropriate commentary.
In case you doubted the depth of my love for all things Poldark, I'd like to present to you...a guest article I wrote for Anglotopia about all things Poldark.
Podcast alert: here's one on the "history of literature."
Keep an eye on Becky's RA for All blog...she's been offering some great webinars for which you can see the slides anytime.
So when is a bestseller really not a bestseller?
Did you know there's a New Yorker Radio Hour? Here's some clips from it on various topics, including why men should read romance novels.
On "the promise and potential of fan fiction."
Science fiction author Brian Aldiss: Obituary.
Ian Rankin has announced a new Rebus novel.
British actor Jim Broadbent has written a graphic novel.
All Saints: Trailer. (It's based on a memoir titled All Saints: The Surprising True Story of How Refugees from Burma Brought Life to a Dying Church.)
EarlyWord Update: Books to movies.
Ten predictions for the Game of Thrones season finale. (Related: "Chill out, Internet, George RR Martin does watch Game of Thrones.")
NONFICTION BOOK NEWS
A new book about a wrongful conviction for rape: Ghost of the Innocent Man. Supposedly it starts with a description of the initial rape crime. I just don't know if I can handle it right now.
A new book explores the impact of the smartphone on today's teenagers.
I must get this one: a new book titled Mean Men: The Perversion of America's Self-Made Man.
How did the British TV series Dr. Who make its way into the hearts of Americans?
More books about books: The Futilitarians.
New York Times: What do colleges need to do to adjust to this new age?; a neuroscientist writes about finding signs of consciousness in vegetative patients; a new book about what education at the college level really looks like, titled Campus Confidential: How College Works, or Doesn't, for Professors, Parents, and Students; here's a review of two books trying to tell liberal arts majors that it's okay, the tech industry wants you too (personally, I think we should all find ways to tell the tech industry we don't want them); a new biography of African American novelist Chester B. Himes; a firsthand account of China's educational system; here's a review of one of those books on books, Bruce Handy's Wild Things; what's the view from med school these days?
BOOK LISTS
IndieBound: Bestselling books the week of Aug. 24.
USA Today: The hottest books on sale this week.
Top 10 books about tyrants.
Overcoming summer fears with picture books.
15 celebrities you never knew wrote comic books.
Eleven historical novels for fans of John Boyd's hot novel The Heart's Invisible Furies.
MY READING NOTES
The CRjrs are running out of free, unfettered time before the eldest has to go back to school, so I am just letting them wrestle as much as they want, read nothing but Scooby Doo and sports books, and watch TV. We are also eating a lot of cookies. I find that a bit of a good debauch before we all have to re-submit to The Institution's schedule is the only way to cope.
Trying to re-learn Spanish is kicking my ass. Currently I am trying to read the kids' book Nate the Great in Espanol, and the only phrase I have understood is "No tengo ni idea." (I have no idea.) That's how I'm going to answer for the rest of the year if anyone asks me about anything.
I wasted a lot of my life last week on fiction, most notably Matthew Klam's novel Who Is Rich? I will be going back to nonfiction now.
AND NOW, YOUR OBLIGATORY NEIL GAIMAN LINK
Neil Gaiman's How to Talk to Girls at Parties: First trailer.