From TimeOut Chicago:
Interview with George Saunders on the release of his latest: The Tenth of December
"I really like people. I even like people I don’t like. But it’s hard to write a story that genuinely represents something that’s hopeful and affectionate. I feel like at this stage in the game, that’s becoming easier."
From Good:
Bookless Libraries: America's First is Coming To Texas
"Along with a sleek design, BiblioTech will come equipped with e-readers that can be used on-site or taken home for a set period of time. Patrons will then be able to download the books of their choice and enjoy them in the comfort of their own home, just as you can now with a traditional text."
From StyleSubstanceSoul:
Interview with Anne Lamott - Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers."
"I remember after I got sober, I got very worried that I would get run over by a drunk driver, after I had driven drunk and stoned for so many years. But I don’t live in fear of death. I believe it will just be a change of address."
From The Atlantic Wire:
Why People Are Saying Lawrence Wright's Scientology Book is So Great.
"Paul Elie at The Wall Street Journal explains that while there are a lot of shocking details—one that has been passed around includes a Scientology executive being forced to clean a bathroom with his tongue—it's the sheer detail of Wright's reporting that makes it stand out. Elie explains that the "power" of the book is "in our awed recognition that Mr. Wright spent years of his life on this story—that he interviewed dozens of odd or compromised or fearful people, assembled the intricate edifice of Scientology's beliefs, mapped the territory of its empire, and traced its ill effects, even though the organization and its people aren't particularly interesting."
From The Atlantic Wire:
John and Hank Green and Falling in Love With the World
"The evening at Carnegie Hall (Hank gave several stomps of a foot to the stage anytime anyone said the words; the audience stomped back) was a celebration of the one-year anniversary of John's most recent book, The Fault in Our Stars. If you haven't, you really should read it. It's about two kids who meet and fall in love at a cancer support group, and in it he manages the unexpected: It's life-affirming instead of maudlin; beautiful and moving instead of simply depressing. I've gone on about that book previously, and its excellence has been noted by plenty of others, so you don't even have to take my word for it."
From Kirkus Reviews:
Ten Books That Reveal Secret Worlds
"There’s a dash of Walter Mitty in each of us, daydreaming we’re people we’re not, that we’re double agents, fashion models, daredevil pilots, maybe even Julia Child. Vibrant, atmospheric books let us imagine those other lives while keeping our feet firmly planted to the ground."
