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photoJun 19, 2013 11:33 am
Virginia Woolf memorably wrote:
I ransack public libraries, and find them full of sunk treasure.
Here’s to the glorious geography of ransacking: A stride-stopping map of the distribution density of public libraries.
Pair with these lovely vintage ads for libraries and this 1946 infographic on the state of public libraries.
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photoJun 16, 2013 7:11 pm
The lack of diversity in kids’ books is a real problem for many kids in need. To become strong readers, they need to see themselves in books and stories.
Today, at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) meeting, First Book proposed a solution.
READ MORE: http://blog.firstbook.org/2013/06/13/lack-of-diversity-in-kids-books-and-how-to-fix-it/ -
linkJun 12, 2013 4:38 pm
101 Books To Read This Summer Instead of '50 Shades of Grey'
Things that matter. Pass ‘em on.
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videoJun 07, 2013 12:49 pm
npr:
The Seattle Public Library launched the 2013 Summer Reading Program by trying to set a new world record for the longest book domino chain. Read more about it here. — heidi
I’m not sure if you guys are aware of this, but libraries are THE BEST.
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photosetMay 27, 2013 4:02 pm
[image description: a blue banner reading “queer books for ravenclaw” is surrounded by six book covers of the titles listed below]
This is the second of four recommended reading lists of queer and queer-ish books, organized by Hogwarts houses! Gryffindor can be found here. ENJOY.
Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity edited by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
This collection of short works on identity, community and authenticity covers a lot of territory - “passing” as related to gender, race, disability, work, nationality, sexuality, and more. Pick it up if you’re itching for more complex perspectives on social justice.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Besides being an absolute masterpiece of the comics format, Bechdel’s memoir about her cold and inscrutable father earns major Ravenclaw appeal with its highbrow literary allusions. If psychology is more your thing, try her other memoir, Are You My Mother?
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This book tells the story of two Mexican-American teens - Ari, an angry loner, and Dante, a quirky intellectual - who form a transformative bond and ponder over poetry, philosophy and life’s many mysteries. I haven’t gotten my hands on this one yet, but I’ve been told it’s one of those rare transcendent young adult books, emotionally resonant and masterfully crafted.
Israel/Palestine and the Queer International by Sarah Schulman
This latest work from the prolific author and longtime activist chronicles her travels through Tel Aviv and the West Bank and her growing consciousness of the occupation of Palestine. Read it for a knowledgeable queer perspective on a divisive topic.
Adaptation by Malinda Lo
There’s not much on this list for science aficionados, but hopefully some science fiction will suit you. Did you know Malinda Lo did graduate work on The X-Files? This novel, the first in a forthcoming series, has flavors of the 90s TV show and should delight fans of Mulder and Scully, creepy conspiracies, and queer representation in sci-fi lit.
Transgender History by Susan Stryker
For the history buffs - this concise text on transgender people in America between the mid twentieth century and early twenty-first puts trans communities and movements in historical context and offers a compact but comprehensive chronicle of our stories. -
photosetMay 15, 2013 2:06 pm
Remember how last week we talked about sexism in book covers? The Guardian put together a list of some of the most egregious ACTUAL covers that have been put on books written by women. All of the above are REAL COVERS a publisher thought was appropriate. (Yes, Sylvia Plath got chick lit’d.) And there are more.
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photoApr 23, 2013 1:01 pm
![A Lawyer, A Wizard, And A Vampire All Walk Into An Infographic…
I have an English degree and I haven’t even read half of these. What book on this list do you think every person should read?
[Original infographic by David McCandless for Information Is Beautiful. Found onThe Guardian.]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/87754cfb1a56d91eb4744837d30b7dff/tumblr_mlit7iaojO1rsbrsao1_1280.jpg)
A Lawyer, A Wizard, And A Vampire All Walk Into An Infographic…
I have an English degree and I haven’t even read half of these. What book on this list do you think every person should read?
[Original infographic by David McCandless for Information Is Beautiful. Found onThe Guardian.]
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videoApr 04, 2013 11:33 am
For lovers of unusual words, Mysteries of the Vernacular traces the origins of the word “clue” – which was originally spelled “clew” – to Greek mythology.
Complement with the surprising origins of popular words.
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photosetMar 08, 2013 11:33 am
Pie-charting the appalling gender imbalance of the literary world, based on author bylines and books reviewed. See the full data set here.
Podcasting and academia don’t fare any better.
Fifty years later, “the problem that has no name” has both a name and numbers, but little seems to have changed.
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photoFeb 25, 2013 5:55 pm
Via firstbook:
If you work with kids from low-income neighborhoods, First Book can help you get brand-new, high-quality books.
This is how income inequality happens. Read to your kids, people! And donate to First Book, while you’re at it.
![A Lawyer, A Wizard, And A Vampire All Walk Into An Infographic…
I have an English degree and I haven’t even read half of these. What book on this list do you think every person should read?
[Original infographic by David McCandless for Information Is Beautiful. Found onThe Guardian.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/87754cfb1a56d91eb4744837d30b7dff/tumblr_mlit7iaojO1rsbrsao1_500.jpg)
