News & Notes is a weekly Saturday post featuring book- and publishing-related news, links to interesting articles and opinion pieces, and other cool stuff
This week’s News & Notes issue is a bit leaner than usual, because a) there wasn’t a lot of big news in the bookish world, and b) I was too swamped with work to go looking for more. But here are some articles and lists that popped up on my radar this week:
Literary Losses
Joan Hess, author of the Maggody and Claire Malloy mystery series, died November 23, 2017, at her home, surrounded by her family. Hess was an award-winning author whose books were beloved by many. Her final project was completing Elizabeth Peters’s last, unfinished Amelia Peabody mystery, The Painted Queen, which was published in July 2017.
Obituaries and tributes: author’s Facebook page (by her offspring); The Guardian; Shelf Awareness; Mystery Fanfare (blog)
Bibliography and Biography: Goodreads; Wikipedia
Worth Reading/Viewing
- Historically, men translated the Odyssey. Here’s what happened when a woman took the job. (Vox)
- Andy Weir’s ‘The Martian’ was a huge hit. And now he’s hoping he’s not a one-hit wonder. (LA Times)
- Make This The Year You Do a Pre-Holiday Book Purge (Book Riot)
Free Fiction Online
- A Literary Advent Calendar (curated by Book Riot) OK, so not all of this is fiction. But Book Riot has put together 25 days’ worth of holiday-related reading, with a link for each day. I can’t vouch for all the selections, since I plan to use this as an Advent calendar myself. But I enjoyed the selection for Dec. 1: e. e. cummings’ “little tree.”
Awesome Lists
- Twelve Literary Quotes for Your Holiday Cards (Book Riot) I’d love to use some of these.
- Twenty-six words we don’t want to lose (BBC) I want the book these came from!
- The best stocking-filler books of 2017 (The Guardian) I don’t think I’d consider a coffee-table book a “stocking-filler,” but there are a few interesting book gifting ideas here.
- Cocktails, crafts, rap, Bob Ross, yoga and cats: Great stocking stuffer books. The LA Times offers a quirky collection of odd and interesting books. Check it out; you might find something for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list. (We’ve all got at least one person who’s impossible to choose a gift for, right?)
- Fantastic books for the teens, toddlers and kids in between on your list. Also from the LA Times, a more straightforward list of really good books for the 0–18 crowd… or the adult who enjoys good YA, MG, and picture books, like me.
Just For Fun / Really Cool
- Brian Kesinger draws dragons to dispel the stereotypes around them. (Bored Panda) I’m particularly fond of Telkyn the Learned, for obvious reasons. (Please click the link to see the drawings, since I wasn’t able to reach the artist for permission to display one here.)
Bookish Quote
That’s it for this week!
Angela
I love the article on literary quotes for your holiday card! So many lovely choices, and better than my generic greeting!
Angela recently posted…Review: According To A Source
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
I was so saddened to hear about Joan Hess’ passing. I had always enjoyed her books but I really enjoyed the interviews and articles about her when she finished Elizabeth Peters’ last book. Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters is a favorite of mine and it was so interesting to read that they were friends.
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Easy Homemade Cookie Cookbook Review + Recipe
Le yoga de Danielle
I love the Odyssey.I’m really triggered on that woman version.
Lark_Bookwyrm
It sounds pretty amazing, though I wish the language was more poetic.
Un coup de peigne
I love this one : “A Literary Advent Calendar “
Lark_Bookwyrm
I love that one, too.