What Caught My Eye Online #57
A good reminder, books for Fleabag fans, short stories, and more
Welcome to this week’s roundup! Here’s what I’ve been loving these past few days:
School book clubs. One of the school book clubs I co-lead met yesterday, and another one starts back up the day this post goes live. I love hearing what kids have to say about what they’re reading. It’s always such a fun, special time to connect with students and other staff members.
My Ugg boots. I know that Ugg boots aren’t that trendy anymore. I know they’re not terribly attractive or chic. I also know they’re great in the snow, and my city has had a lot of that lately. I have a pair of hunter green Uggs that are sequined. I have another pair that are black with bows on the back. I’ve had each pair for many years, and they’re still going strong, which is especially impressive since I only wear them in bad weather. Besides the boots being warm and non-slippery, I like that my “snow boots” have sequins and bows on them. The dirty sludge is more bearable with cute, trustworthy boots. I’m 93% sure that’s science or something.
And now for the links!
The state of the world has felt especially heavy lately, and this honest, deeply spiritual post from Sarah Bessey was encouraging to me. It served as an important reminder that our voices do matter. Bessey writes:
“There is a reality whispering into our ear that everything is horrible and it's all terrible and there is no hope and we will never be whole and peace is a only a fairy tale for children.
These temptations and truths come to us with the bad news, with the fearful and bitter words, with more death and destruction, with baggage of grief and resignation, with the kind of anger that poisons the well. Perhaps at the heart of our despair is the belief we are powerless.
We are not powerless. The only ones who benefit from your consent to powerlessness are the powerful. So, no. No. We refuse.” Read the rest.
I’ve been limiting my time on Instagram lately, but I’m so glad I saw this post from one of my favorite bookish follows, Jocelyn a.k.a. coolgalreading. Here she recommends books for fans of the TV show Fleabag, which I adore.
Barbara Kingsolver used her royalties from Demon Copperhead to build a rehab center in the region where the book is set.
I’m thrilled we’re getting a new Kate Baer poetry book in the fall. As always with her books, the cover is gorgeous. (One of my very first posts was about a Kate Baer poem.)
I just finished a short story collection I really liked. Anytime I read great short fiction, I always think I should be reading more of it, so I was happy to read this guest post on Matthew Long’s Substack by Melissa Joulwan about learning to love short stories.
Laura Tremaine wrote an interesting essay about plagiarism vs. the zeitgeist.
In unsurprising news, dystopian novels see post-inauguration sales boost.
I enjoy a good mystery or thriller with complicated families and their secrets, so this book list from Book Riot got my attention right away. I’ve read five out of their eight recommendations and liked each one. (The ones I haven’t read are the Kwok, Lapena, and Collins titles.)
Here are some ways you can stand up for your local library. (I’ve also shared five ways to support your local library.)
Publishers Weekly has done a Q&A with Black picture book creators in honor of Black History Month. All of their books sound wonderful.
Lit Hub features an interview with writer Amanda Peters about “chronicling the Native experience through short fiction.”
Pádraig Ó Tuama has edited a new poetry anthology called 44 Poems on Being with Each Other and has a new collection of his own poetry called Kitchen Hymns. He talks with NPR.
This is an engrossing and kind of disturbing look at how AI-generated books are making their way into library collections.
NetGalley is sharing 30 spring books to have on our radar.
Electric Lit always delivers with unique book lists. This one consists of seven meta books that question the boundaries of storytelling.
Anne Bogel suggests 12 compelling musician memoirs to read or listen to.
Jon Batiste delivered a beautiful rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner before the Super Bowl last Sunday, using a piano painted by his incredibly talented wife, Suleika Jaouad. Because Batiste gives me copious amounts of joy and inspiration, I went on a YouTube deep dive recently and watched this hilarious video from nine years ago in which he teaches viewers how to play piano in nine easy steps on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (On what other Substack will you find new bookish content and videos from 2016? You’re welcome!)
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Does anything on this list resonate with you? What things have caught your eye lately? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for sharing the interview with Amanda Peters! The Berry Pickers was one of my favorite books last year; I have her new book on my nightstand to read next!