Weekly Roundup #4
Children's lit, must-read releases, influential mysteries, and more
One of the reasons I like doing these weekly roundups is that this practice helps me stay on top of wonderful online content which can easily get buried. I read a lot of good stuff this week and appreciate each of these pieces for different reasons. I hope you find something interesting!
The Literary Lives of New York City’s Youth - New York Times
You don’t want to miss these beautiful photos of children’s reading rooms over the years in the New York Public Library system. To quote Liz Lemon, I want to go to there.”
The 2023 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books - New York Times
Speaking of beautiful pictures and children’s literature, you’ll be delighted by the gorgeous illustrations in this piece.
The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 - TIME
I was happy to see Yellowface by R. F. Kuang and I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai on this lengthy list from TIME. There were a lot of titles I was unfamiliar with.
The 20 Most Influential Mystery Novels of the Last 10 Years - Book Riot
I disagree with several titles on this list, but I enjoy thinking about what books we’ll still be reading and talking about in ten or twenty years.
Loving Let Us Descend? Check out Jesmyn Ward’s Other Books - Oprah Daily
If you’re looking for a Jesmyn Ward primer, this is for you. Sing, Unburied, Sing is my favorite of Ward’s so far.
Gen Z and Millenials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use - American Library Association
This article looks at the library usage of people between the ages of 13 - 40. There are some fascinating statistics, including that 54% of Gen Z and millennials visited a physical library in the past twelve months.
NEA Finds Worrying Drop in Reading Participation - Publishers Weekly
In less encouraging news, only 48.5% of U. S. adults read at least one book in 2022.
Moms for Liberty Members Call the Cops on Librarians Over YA Bestseller - The Daily Beast
I cannot wrap my head around the fact that book banning has reached this level. This is absurd.
The 9 Best Fall Cookbooks - Cup of Jo
Over the past few years, I’ve become a big fan of cookbooks. They’re beautiful to browse, and they inspire me to create. Several of the ones on this list look great.
Meet the 2023 National Book Award Finalists - Lit Hub
Hear from acclaimed writers and translators about “their books, their reading habits, and their writing lives.”
What’s caught your eye this week?