Friday Five: eBooks, Muggles, Coloring, Oh My! My 5 Favorite Bookish Stories of the Week

This is my new favorite regular blog topic – writing about my five favorite bookish stories of the week. Every week I find tons of stories about books and writing that are so compelling, it’s hard to choose just five. And I know not everyone has time to read through all the news, let alone news about books.

But, if you love books, I’ve done it for you! Here are five stories from this week I think are worth the time to read (or at least read a summary about.)

5. Indigenous writers recommend books to read during Indigenous Book Club Month

First, did you know it’s Indigenous Book Club Month? Did you even know there was an Indigenous Book Club Month? I didn’t, but I love it! Of course this is the brain child of Canada. (Yay Canada! You’re the best!) Launched in 2016, Indigenous Book Club Month is about discovering, reading and supporting the work of indigenous writers in Canada. Personally, I don’t think you have to be Canadian to enjoy this new celebration or to read the recommendations in this list. I’ve already added several to my Goodreads list!

4. Words From ‘Harry Potter’ Even Muggles Know And Love

Although I am not yet a Harry Potter super fan, I do appreciate its contributions to the world. One of which is apparently adding to our English lexicon. Shakespeare did it, why not J.K. Rowling. I mean, tell me you haven’t used Voldemort before outside the context of Harry Potter. You know you have. I love this article that talks more about the Potterisms that are now part of our everyday speech.

3. What falling e-book sales tell us about technology in 2017

This article addresses exactly what it’s title claims – it talks about what falling e-book sales tell us about technology. It also tells us what falling e-book sales mean about how we read. Spoiler: E-book sales fell 16% in 2016. Guess why? It’s in large part because we like our hard copy books. You bookish people probably knew that already. But this article provides an interesting perspective on the changing dynamic and future of book sales and book technology.

“E-books are a matter of convenience, not preference.”

2. Chuck Palahniuk announces new coloring-book novella, Legacy

The author of Fight Club wants us to zen out and color more? OKAAAY. Well, regardless, I think this idea of a coloring-book novella is quite smart. Relax and color while you read a book. It’s worked for kids for ages. Why can’t it work for adults too? Plus the tagline is just perfect.

“An off-color novella for you to color.”

Adding this to my Amazon cart as we speak…

1. Author Marlon James offers biting critique of Minnesota racism after Philando Castile case

This one is a rather serious topic, but an important one. Marlon James wrote A Brief History of Seven Killings. After I read that book, I instantly catapulted it into my top 5 favorite books of all time. James has a way of explaining and describing events and emotions that pulls you in and puts you in the moment. Put simply, he’s a great writer. I even had my 11-year-old daughter read portions of this article by James because I think it really helps provide perspective and understanding of the emotional toll of racism.

“I have a big global voice, but a small local one, because I don’t want to be a target, and resent that in 2017, that’s still the only choice I get to have…”