tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:31:45 +0000http://www.librariannextdoor.com/ordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)Blogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-5650623218384354185Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:23:00 +00002010-03-19T20:24:07.749-04:00jane austenbeverly clearybook newstwitteradaptationsshel silversteinpoetrybook reviewsIt is an absolutely gorgeous day today as was yesterday and so promises tomorrow. So I’m going to keep this week’s book news as short as possible, so I can spend as much of my time outside (Daylight Savings Time is finally paying off!)Book reviews aren’t always fun to read, especially if they fall into the trap of using clichés to describe book after book: compelling, lyrical, haunting, sweeping,http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/yuRnfZfzwNc/book-news-round-up_19.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/book-news-round-up_19.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-5997617062759613628Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:57:00 +00002010-03-17T18:57:42.534-04:00oscar wildew.b. yeatsfairy talessaint patrickclodagh murphyirishirelandauthorsmaeve binchyjames joyceHappy Saint Patrick’s Day, bookworms! I know I’ve been a bad book blogger lately and I’m trying to do my best to make it up to you.To start, a St. Paddy’s Day celebration of some of my favorite Irish writers. Just about a year ago, I spent a week in the Emerald Isle for the first time and fell in love. If I could, I would pack up and leave tomorrow to return. Since I can’t, at least not http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/LCC8fDhriHc/leapin-leprechauns-its-irish-writers.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/leapin-leprechauns-its-irish-writers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-6439971912441464982Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:03:00 +00002010-03-13T17:03:26.421-05:00national book critics circledavid foster wallacetwilighttournament of bookse-readerspride and prejudiceacademy awardsRain, rain go away. It's a perfectly miserable weekend here in Boston (though I should at least be glad it's not snow), which also means it's perfectly perfect for reading. And if the Birthday Fairy would grant me one wish, it's more books.Forget March Madness. This is where the real fun is. The Morning News has launched its annual Tournament of Books. Much like the basketball brackets you find http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/3tyNEP5kPOU/book-news-round-up_13.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/book-news-round-up_13.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-1403274783785914260Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:04:00 +00002010-03-10T19:04:18.420-05:00douglas adamsamy tanedward albeedr. seussquotesauthorslois lowryjohn irvingpiscesIt's been another one of those weeks at work, bookworms, and I'm sorry that I don't have a "real" post for you today. With an important event tomorrow and an increasing dependence on caffeine, I'll be happy when Friday evening rolls around. Until then, I'd like to celebrate some of my fellow famous literary Pisceans - we're a creative bunch and it's not surprising that our ranks include so many http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/qD6YVhoXodE/literary-pisceans.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/literary-pisceans.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-7108695893590009962Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:33:00 +00002010-03-07T11:33:29.506-05:00bookstoresindependent storesjane austenbook awardsacademy awardsIt finally approached 50 degrees in Boston this weekend, bookworms, so it's only a matter of time before I'm reading outside in the gorgeous spring weather.This week, the American Booksellers Association announced the finalists of the Indies Choice Book Awards. The categories include adult fiction, adult nonfiction, young adult, middle grade readers and picture books. A lot of the usual suspects http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/zzqETrC6XyY/book-news-round-up.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/book-news-round-up.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-6935179831781064192Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:21:00 +00002010-03-05T13:15:36.291-05:00womenfemale charactersstoriesfemale authorsnovelsIt's Friday, bookworms, and I for one am glad to be at the end of this week. March certainly roared in like a lion for me.Here then is the third and final part of my Women's History Month series. I previously explored and wrote about the female characters I related to as well as some of the most influential female authors in my reading life. I'll end with a look at some of the novels that have http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/l7MdYThLQTk/womens-history-month-books.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/womens-history-month-books.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-6473673476342493202Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:29:00 +00002010-03-03T19:31:08.316-05:00womenlouisa may alcottjudy blumejane austenmadeleine l'englefemale authorsauthorsursula le guinmargaret atwoodIn part two of my Women's History Month, I'm exploring notable female authors, women who both made a contribution to the overall history of literature and made an impression on me throughout the years.In many ways, female authors are relegated to second-class status. At various points in history, writing wasn't considered an appropriate pastime or career for a women. All of Jane Austen's novels, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/tCBiHvqQiS8/womens-history-month-authors.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/womens-history-month-authors.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-2921496928302303882Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:54:00 +00002010-03-01T18:54:58.204-05:00womenfictional characterslouisa may alcotthenry jamesjane austenarthurian legendsmadeleine l'englel. m. montgomeryIn the U.S., March is Women's History Month (and it's also the month in which I was born, which I don't think is a coincidence) and to celebrate, I'm presenting a three-part series of the women in literature - both fictional and real - that have helped shape my own ideas about women, writing, reading and literature.First in the series, a look at some of my favorite female characters in http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/sn3SgvbKYtk/womens-history-month-characters.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)1http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/03/womens-history-month-characters.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-2794629643781625738Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:56:00 +00002010-02-26T18:56:33.502-05:00harriet the spyYAmulti-mediabook newsbook awardschildren's literaturelibrariesInternetmemoirsWelcome to the end of another week, bookworms. Sadly, the Olympics are nearly over. But fortunately, that will mean I'll now have oodles of time to read my never-diminishing pile of books. So it all works out in the end. FYI, for some reason, I'm Huffington Post heavy with the links this week. Not quite sure why, but enjoy just the same.The Los Angeles Times announced the finalists for its 2009 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/eKEB4ina9Tw/book-news-round-up_26.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/book-news-round-up_26.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-6901202990299167433Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:49:00 +00002010-02-23T18:49:50.944-05:00toni morrisondelany sistersafrican-american literaturebarack obamadorothy westzadie smithmaya angelou(One day, the world will understand my love of lists and the people will thank me.)February is Black History Month in the U.S. and though I'm a little late in getting this post up, I have a handful of favorite novels, non-fiction books and poems that were written by prominent African-Americans (although I have to admit, one author is actually Jamaican / British).Dreams from My Father by Barack http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/oSlInX9xMXA/yet-another-book-list.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/yet-another-book-list.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-2664639245731945074Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:11:00 +00002010-02-20T14:12:22.938-05:00best ofadvanced reading copiesbook awardschildren's literaturebook reviewsbest american seriesHello, bookworms. I hope you can spare some time from your Olympics watching to check out this week's book news. And if not, that's okay. I get it. I'm borderline obsessed at this point and curling just might be my new "favorite. thing. ever."If you spend any time reading book blogs, you're bound to come across the term/acronym "ARC." Arc's or advanced reading copies are early galley-like copies http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/cYYLwu0Ev1k/book-news-round-up_20.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/book-news-round-up_20.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-4059572835634938916Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:38:00 +00002010-02-17T17:39:05.056-05:00classic literaturemr. darcybeth pattillojane austenadaptationsjane austen addictIn Helen Fielding’s cheeky take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, she had her heroine, one Bridget Jones, deliver a play on, arguably, Austen’s greatest opening line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one part of your life starts going okay, another falls spectacularly to pieces.” (A link to the original line for those woefully uninformed.)When life does, on occasion, fall http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/8y-n2vYp10Q/blame-jane.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/blame-jane.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-2067122713871506498Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:58:00 +00002010-02-14T15:59:06.024-05:00classic literaturebookstoressweet valley highsuzanne collinse-booksbook newsdrop of inkhunger gamesHappy Valentine's Day, bookworms! My gift to you? Book news! (You're welcome.)Earlier this week, the British Library announced that it will make approximately 65,000 works of 19th-century literature, many of them first editions, available as e-books. Even better, the e-books will be free. That's right - f-r-e-e, my favorite four-letter word. Works from Dickens, Austen (!!!) and Harding are among http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/KLTl1SuvBMk/book-news-round-up_14.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/book-news-round-up_14.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-3258524916450242894Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:22:00 +00002010-02-11T19:23:13.413-05:00persuasionmythsloversvalentine's daythe odysseyfairy talesthe great gatsbyValentine's Day is just around the corner and love is in the air. Last year, I commemorated Valentine's Day on this blog by celebrating some of the greatest lovers in literary history. This year, I'm back for round two, with even more of literature's most memorable lovers, from some of the greatest stories in history. Warning - I can't promise that all of these lovers have a happy ending, but I http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/bk1i_kCKgu4/even-more-great-literary-lovers.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/even-more-great-literary-lovers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-6035280673597538750Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:30:00 +00002010-02-08T18:30:58.287-05:00New York TimesMotoko Richtechnologyreading habitsbook clubreadingIn some ways, reading is an inherently anti-social activity. While parents and children may read together before the child can read on his or her own, most readers read in solitude. Perhaps there are other people in the room, but the experience of reading the words on the page happens between the reader and the book.With the drastic increase in social media over the last few years, however, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/2rlU9sw_JH8/all-by-myself.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/all-by-myself.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-3945283283560545153Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:07:00 +00002010-02-05T17:07:36.116-05:00boston book festivale-readerschildren's literaturebill wattersonricky gervaiskatherine patersonacademy awardsHappy February, bookworms! Time is flying by. The Super Bowl is this weekend, but since the Patriots (home team, represent!) are nowhere to be found in Miami, I'll be watching the final episode of the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Emma. While you laugh at me for being a Jane Austen-loving dork, enjoy this week's book news:This just in: technology is not a threat to reading. Or so says http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/3WD8SvxHd4I/book-news-round-up.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/book-news-round-up.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-5026712217523133223Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:03:00 +00002010-02-02T19:04:27.755-05:00womenj. courtney sullivanfriendsfemale authorscommencementI have a number of friends, all of whom are dear to me, but there are three in particular that I’ve known longer than the others and that I would consider my best friends. The four of us went to high school together – all-girls Catholic high school, no less. We survived the plaid skirts, the nuns and the no-boys. Even more impressively, we managed to stay friends throughout the craziness that http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/PU97zdhl9Kg/friends-forever.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/friends-forever.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-1487214981603299935Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:35:00 +00002010-02-01T20:45:32.060-05:00bookstoresolive kitteridgestorieselizabeth stroutThe most curious things happen in bookstores. Just this evening, I went to my local branch of a bookstore chain to spend a gift card that had been burning a hole in my pocket since Christmas - and really, the fact that it took me five weeks to use it does say something about my sense of restraint - but I digress.I was waiting at the information desk for help when I happened to overhear another http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/q-S0a4A4WO0/tales-from-bookshop.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/02/tales-from-bookshop.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-8341616159949975643Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:55:00 +00002010-01-30T15:55:25.115-05:00national book critics circleiPade-booksYAkindleamazon.come-readersnovelshoward zinnWelcome to another weekend and another book news round-up, bookworms. There's an arctic cold front here in Boston, so I'm snuggled up warm inside.We all know about movie trailers, the 1 to 2 minute sneak peeks we get during television commercials or before the main attraction. But what about book trailers? With YouTube giving any fan a place to display their creativity, book trailers are becominghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/87dUqzB6KTE/book-news-round-up_30.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/book-news-round-up_30.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-7586932930861020195Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:16:00 +00002010-01-28T20:16:59.852-05:00in memoriumj.d.salingerthe catcher in the ryeReclusive author J.D. Salinger passed away yesterday at the age of 91. Before his self-imposed exile (partly because he did not like the fame that accompanied his literary success), Salinger was considered one of the most important post-World War II American authors. His collected works include with incredibly popular and influential novel, The Catcher in the Rye, for which he is still best http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/zJSWi5IJhZ0/hermit.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/hermit.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-5797318841221092661Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:46:00 +00002010-01-27T15:07:02.919-05:00charactersjane austenPBStwittertelevisionmasterpieceadaptationsemmaBBCOn Sunday, PBS and Masterpiece Theater Classic premiered the most recent Jane Austen adaptation, this time of Austen’s fourth published novel, Emma. This represents the fourth time Emma has been made into a television mini-series or movie – fifth if you count Clueless as a legitimate adaptation.Emma is, by Austen’s own admittance, not always the favorite. Before writing the novel, Austen wrote: “http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/lbsrOPD_abI/well-meaning-and-clueless.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/well-meaning-and-clueless.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-4465146858973532416Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:16:00 +00002010-01-23T14:16:21.726-05:00New York Timestwilightrobert parkerkindlebook newsbook awardsracepublishingbook reviewsWelcome to another weekend and another edition of the Librarian Next Door’s book news round-up.Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way: Amazon is opening the door to let developers make applications (commonly known as “apps”) for the Kindle. In the world of digital e-book readers, this could mean something big. While surely there will be some dumb or just-for-fun apps that don’t really do http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/HwNlRtKuReM/book-news-round-up_23.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/book-news-round-up_23.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-5415145068390297440Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:37:00 +00002010-01-20T12:48:13.894-05:00printz awardsmoviesnewbery medalamerican library associationbook awardsadaptationsOver the Martin Luther King Day weekend, a number of books and authors received some special awards.At the American Library Association’s Midwinter meeting, the ALA Youth Media Awards – also known as the “Academy Awards” of children’s literature – were announced.The John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature went to Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me, an http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/xqsTqwiriYc/newbery-caldecott-and-printz-oh-my.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/newbery-caldecott-and-printz-oh-my.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-2562762716820324705Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:23:00 +00002010-01-17T13:23:18.138-05:00bloggersHaititournament of booksbattle of the booksbook newsbook awardschildren's literatureshakespeareIt's the start of another week and the beginning of another book news round-up. I personally had a long week and so am enjoying a relaxing and lazy Sunday, before what I'm sure will be yet another long week. Enjoy the news.With all the various book awards being handed out during this time of year, it's no surprise that someone thought of this: the Tournament of Books. Now in its sixth year, the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/ozk2AW87Zmo/book-news-round-up_17.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/book-news-round-up_17.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6522055670911418916.post-7984293711892488039Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:37:00 +00002010-01-15T15:24:38.080-05:00fan fictionfictionfansliteraturewritingDo you ever wonder what happened to your favorite characters after the last chapter, the last episode or after the credits roll? Do you ever wish the story had gone on longer?Of course you do – if you’re really a fan. Sometimes we have this insatiable need to know what happened after the characters’ last bows. But most of the time, we’ll never know. The book ended, the television show ended, the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheLibrarianNextDoor/~3/a50WAF9LpMM/for-and-by-fans.htmlordinarymer@hotmail.com (Meredith)0http://www.librariannextdoor.com/2010/01/for-and-by-fans.html