What Caught My Eye Online #27

An adult-only library, summer reading guides, and more

Photo by Gábor Juhász on Unsplash

Welcome to this week’s roundup! I genuinely enjoy curating these lists, so I’m happy they seem to be resonating with readers. If there’s a Substack, website, podcast, or some other kind of media you think I need to check out based on what I share here each week, let me know. I’m always up for good recommendations!

• Thanks to a new, complicated law about "inappropriate" books for minors, a small public library in Idaho has no choice but to become an adult-only facility because they don't have the space to make "inappropriate" books inaccessible to young people. Every patron will have to sign a new agreement by July 1. This change is heartbreaking for the community the library serves. Please take the time to read the entire article. I share about book bans and restrictions most weeks because they happen so frequently in the US these days. We must stay informed and continue working toward equity and open access to information. 

• Read Brightly has a list of books that would make good gifts for graduates. I posted a similar list on Saturday of books I'd like graduates to read.

• Roxane Gay's debut essay collection, Bad Feminist, is being re-released with a bold pink cover for its tenth anniversary. I own the original version, but I have no choice but to add the pink edition, too. Ms. Gay would want that for me.

• The Atlantic shared their Summer Reading Guide, and so did Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy. If you haven't noticed, I love these guides so much.

• Speaking of Anne Bogel, check out this bookish conversation between her and bookstore owner Annie B. Jones. It’s so fun to hear these two talk books and reading. (Annie is a great Instagram follow, by the way.)

• If you need even more summer reader ideas, NPR highlights 20 upcoming titles.

• I always enjoy seeing librarians and their work get celebrated, so I was happy to see TikTok’s Mychal Threets considered a next-generation leader by Time.

• The New York Times talked with Reese Witherspoon about her book club and how she chooses the titles each month.

• This is an interesting look at how #BookTok influences book buying.

• Kirkus lists 20 books that should be bestsellers.

• Anne Helen Petersen (with author and professor Leah Payne) released a fascinating podcast episode about Christian rock music, where it originated, and how it influenced the broader culture. Anyone can enjoy this deep-dive, but it’ll be especially interesting to those like me who loved so many of the artists mentioned in the episode, like DC Talk (my first concert!), Third Day, and Jennifer Knapp. I was taken back to youth group as soon as “Jesus Freak” started playing in the first few seconds.

• I’ve struggled with my style ever since the pandemic, a time when I mostly lived in loungewear since I wasn’t going anywhere. As I try to find my style again, I appreciate thoughtful, to-the-point posts like this one from Anna Newton about easy ways to make sure you always have something to wear. I love the idea of planning outfits for specific scenarios.

• I’ve been burning this fruity candle lately, and it’s perfect for spring.

• Check out this beautiful reminder from David Gate, whose Instagram account is always full of beauty. The piece is called “A List of Spiritual Disciplines to Practice.”(I also love the one called “Friendship Will Save Us.”)

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What’s caught your eye this week? Leave your picks in the comments. Thanks for reading!