Category: Miscellany

Happy 37th Birthday, Harry!

26 years ago, a giant stepped through a door and told a small, unloved boy, “Yer a wizard, Harry.” Happy 37th birthday to the Boy Who Lived. Twitter Facebook 0 Pinterest 0 StumbleUpon 0

Have you ever heard about a book and thought, I wonder if my library has it? You hear about a book from a friend, or read a glowing review. I want to read that, you think, and head off to Goodreads to learn more. Yes! you say after reading the book blurb and more… Read more »

Children’s Book Week 2017

Children’s Book Week, May 1-7, 2017 It’s Children’s Book Week again! This is the 98th anniversary of Children’s Book Week, and the Children’s Book Council, Every Child a Reader, and local bookstores and libraries have lots of events planned! But you can celebrate at home with any of these activities. (A… Read more »

An E-Ink Tablet? Well, Sort Of

reMarkable? Initially, the reMarkable looks pretty cool for people who prefer paper over digital screens, or merely prefer paper for certain tasks (sketching, taking notes…) But the company makes a point of saying reMarkable doesn’t have all the functions of a regular tablet. It’s more like a limited e-ink e-reader combined with a pad of paper… Read more »

Goodreads Rolls Out Rereading. Yes, Really!

Goodreads has finally added tracking for the books you reread! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been wanting this feature since I first joined Goodreads. I’m so excited! To use the new feature, just mark a book you’ve already read as “Currently Reading.” Goodreads will remember the date(s) when you… Read more »

OMG! Lin-Manuel Miranda & Patrick Rothfuss team up on Kingkiller Chronicle adaptation

So this is a thing — Lin-Manuel Miranda has signed on as creative producer for Lionsgate’s film & TV adaptations of Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles. Which means he will also be writing some of the music, and probably most of the songs. The main character, Kvothe, is a freakin’ incredible musician… Read more »

Live Long and Prosper, STAR TREK

STAR TREK turns 50 today The show is almost as old as I am. And I’ve been a fan for 42 of those years. Star Trek and I go way back… all the way back to about 1974 and junior high, when a new friend introduced me to the franchise via the… Read more »

Books on a Budget

Last fall, I talked about the cost-per-entertainment-hour for books, and how most of us probably use some strategies for keeping our overall book spending within limits, whether we do it consciously or not. Today, I’m going to talk about some of the strategies you can use to stay within… Read more »

Kindle Update — Urgent

In case you missed it, there is a mandatory Kindle software update, and the deadline is March 22. The update affects Kindle e-reader models from 2012 and earlier. Later models already have the necessary software. Some devices will have gotten the update automatically, but if you haven’t connected in a while,… Read more »

RIP, Alan Rickman

By now many of you have heard of the death of the incomparable Alan Rickman (Feb. 21, 1946 – Jan. 14, 2016.) Mr. Rickman was well-known and beloved for playing roles as diverse as Col. Brandon, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and of course, Professor Severus Snape. In tribute, I thought… Read more »