Our Blog

July 28, 2014

Fiction: Mystery

Ten Books To Hold You Over Until True Detective Comes Back

The first season of True Detective was more than just a pop culture phenomenon. It was a literary phenomenon, as well. Sales of Robert W. Chambers’s unbelievably creepy, all-but-forgotten collection of weird fiction, The King in Yellow, skyrocketed as fans of the HBO series dissected every reference to Carcosa and the Yellow King.

With Season 2 details just around the corner, here are 10 more books for fans of True Detective’s weird, gritty, place-based mystery and mythology.

Posted by Adam Morgan

July 25, 2014

Crafting

Five Beautiful Bookish Sculptures (Made with Real Books)

I hate to admit this, but books have a—pun intended—shelf life. Sometimes they are damaged by accident and sometimes they just don't stand up to the passage of time. However, there are some incredible artists out there who make old books beautiful again by using them as a medium for awesome sculptures. Here's a taste of what five of these super talented people have produced.

Posted by Gemma Noon

July 24, 2014

Fiction

Ten Unusual and Amazing Libraries We’d Love To Visit

I have wonderful memories of hanging out at the library as a kid, I’d had access to the libraries on this list, it’s where I would have spent most my time.

Included on the list are some pretty exotic and beautiful libraries that will make you want to travel the world just to visit, but also in the mix are some that might just be closer to home than you think.

1. One of my favorites is the Nassau Public Library Reading Room and Museum (pictured above). Not only is it on the island of Nassau, in the Bahamas, but it actually used to be a jail. Constructed in 1797, the prison cells now hold books instead of prisoners and there’s also a museum featuring Arawak artifacts and historic prints. If you’re lucky enough to visit the paradise that is Nassau, make this a must see! Photo via.

Posted by Kristin Centorcelli

July 23, 2014

Cookbook: Drinks

The Tannins of Wrath: Select Wines to Accompany Your Favorite Genres (and All Under $100)

Drinking wine, strangely enough, is very much like reading a book. While the average wine drinker may easily simplify a cabernet or a pinot as either “very good” or “absolutely terrible,” wine writers have the knack for reviewing wines in a similar fashion as would book critics. A wine may have a hard or soft finish, varied ingredients, and an overall taste that all contribute to what Poe may have called a Singular Fermentation. To assist your literary wine needs, I’ve conjured a wine for each of the most popular genres there are.

Posted by Alex Grover

July 22, 2014

Crafting

How-To Tuesday: How to Survive Summer

Photo via WeSpeck on Flickr

Most people love summer. I hate it. For three very simple reasons: hornets, heat, and humidity. Those three H’s are nightmarish enough to make me wish us humans had some strange form of summer hibernation. I’d love to sleep through the season and wake up just when the air starts to cool.

Unfortunately, that’s not possible. If you, like me, feel like summer’s nemesis, here are five things that can help you survive the next few months:

Sunscreen! Every publication goes on and on about sunscreen. It’s annoying. But they have a point. The only way to successfully survive the summer is to battle the sun. Sure, shade, sunglasses, and loose-fitting clothing can help, but sunscreen is the ultimate shield. My partner is allergic to the sun and even he doesn’t wear sunscreen on most days. This year, listen to the magazine articles you usually skip over.

Books! I’d roll over and quit every day of the summer if it weren’t for finding the perfect summer reads. Sitting on a balcony with iced coffee and a book is the only decent summer day (seriously). Choose shorter books to read in the summer, stories that you can get through in one afternoon.

They’re the perfect escape from the hellish weather. Need some recommendations? The Great Gatsby, Breakfast At Tiffany’s, and The Turn of the Screw are all short novels/novellas that will keep your interest for just long enough. Short story collections are also perfect for reading on summer vacation.

Television! It’s too easy to forget the days of the week in the summertime when you don’t have TV shows to keep you in line. Now that every major network is on a break, take some time to binge-watch shows you’ve been meaning to watch for forever. Pick something with way too many seasons and use it as an excuse to hide from the season. Close the curtains, turn off all the lights, and you’ll soon forget that it’s even summer. Enjoy your re-watch of a decade of Friends.

Water! This is quite possibly the only good thing to come from summer. Jump into a body of water! Drink water! Throw water balloons! Have a water gun battle! Hell, just wander down the street and run through your neighbors’ sprinklers.

Libraries! Your local library is the best place in the summertime. Libraries have air conditioning. Surround yourself with all those wonderful, free-to-read books and escape the heat. Libraries also have amazing programs throughout the summer months: take a class and learn something new or join a bookclub!

Keep your days busy and summer will be over before you know it.

—

Maria Vicente is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency. She likes books, coffee, design, & magic. You can find her on Twitter (@MsMariaVicente) or her blog, ibelieveinstory.com.

Posted by Maria Vicente

July 21, 2014

Fiction: Horror & Paranormal, Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Five Classic Children’s Books That Should Be Adapted by HBO

There are so many classic children’s books that have dark, meaningful storylines and HBO shows are often groundbreaking and thought provoking.

The two truly go hand in hand. Here are five children’s books that would be excellent on the network.