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How to Tuesday: The Many Tan Lines of Beach Reading and How to Avoid Them
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It's about that time to hit the beach, and is there anything better than sitting near the ocean, listening to the waves roll in and drinking something cold while you read under the warm sun?
Alright, don't answer that. I realize many readers are the "read while listening to the rain with a warm cuppa" type, and that's alright. But we're not talking about rain clouds – it's summer! Bring on the sun! BBQ! Picnics! Sun burns!
Readers face some unique and specific challenges when it comes to enjoying a book in the sun. It's a question of how to do it while avoiding the scenarios I'll describe below, all to which I've personally fallen victim to at least once. If you're headed to the beach with a book sometime this summer, be sure to change up your reading position often in order to avoid these sun burn patterns (a.k.a. Reader Tan Lines):
Posted by Kristina Pino
Seven Intoxicating Drinking Games for Your Favorite Books
Movies have drinking games, so why can't books? As any bibulous bibliophile will tell you, anything can be a drinking game if you want it to be (although we don't recommend turning every activity into one, because that's called bad decision making.)
We've compiled some fun, fast and loose ideas for literary drinking games below. These games—while intoxicatingly fun to read about—are mostly for satire purposes, and should not necessarily be seen to fruition. If you really feel the need to get drunk, get drunk on beautiful prose! And maybe a little alcohol. But only if you're of age.
Posted by Cassie Rose
Literary Events in Philly This Week: June 22nd – 28th
Philly’s starting to get hot, but not too hot for its dedicated literary scenemakers. Now that the sun is out and your apartment’s all but uninhabitable, go check out some exciting upcoming readings and workshops:
On Monday, June 23rd, veteran sports columnist George Vecsey will read from Eight World Cups: My Journey Through the Beauty and Dark Side of Soccer, a new book collecting his insider accounts of the last eight World Cups.
On Tuesday, June 24th, Big Blue Marble is hosting its monthly Women of the World Book Club. This month, the club will discuss NoViolet Bulawayo’s acclaimed We Need New Names.
On Saturday the 28th, First Person Arts will debut its series of storytelling workshops with Elna Baker of The Moth and This American Life.
Also on the 28th, Lynn Hoffman will be giving a free reading at Musehouse from his new memoir, Radiation Days. Launch Party to follow!
Saturday’s going to be a big day. The 28th is the first day of the Philly Feminist Zine Fest at Christ Church’s Community House. Metropolarity invites you to join them.
Posted by Stephen Piccarella
Not by Any Other Name: How Three Characters Will Make You Feel Great About Yours
Major Major Major Major in the movie adaptation of Catch 22
Certain authors are sadistic name-givers. They hold no quarter for their brightest creations. Not only is the writer’s hero sent on a quest through the ether, but the character’s first name is exactly the same as the character’s last name. Sometimes the character doesn’t even have a “quest,” per say, but a two-bit role as a secondary companion.
The technique, called reduplication, is one of the most brilliant and devious I’ve seen in fiction. So that you may go on in life enjoying the pleasure of your own normal name, here are three characters that will make you double- and triple- and quadruple-take upon reading.
Posted by Alex Grover
How to be Awesome While Being Overly Enthusiastic About Other People’s Dogs
Illustrations by Katie Cook
Often times, the quality of my day is determined by the dogs I've seen. Spotted the sixth avenue corgi? It's a good day. A new photo of my favorite Pomeranian on Instagram? Great day. An actual chance to interact and perhaps pat the head of a dog?
Amazing day. As an overly enthusiastic fan of pups, I spend many of my internet hours furiously hitting the like button while loudly squeeing over photos of my friend’s dogs. When it comes to dogs that I see as I walk around the city, it's my responsibility to practice some restraint, even when I want nothing more in the world than to have doggy kisses all over my face.
Posted by Jennifer Morell
Take Your Dog to Work Day: Amazing Dogs With Incredible Jobs of their Own
June 20th is “Take Your Dog to Work Day!” It’s a day to celebrate our canine companions and also encourage adoptions across the country. But your place of work might actually be kind of boring compared to these working dogs we want to celebrate. Here are some amazing dogs with incredible jobs!
Posted by Brian Morell
