Morning Coffee (9/30/18)

Again: first five are Kavanaugh-related, second five are not, if you've had enough and want to skip down.

Rebecca Traister, essential as usual: What a Good Boy

Every time Ford and Kavanaugh dodged a question, in one chart

What Mark Judge’s Absence Reveals

Christine Blasey Ford has nothing to apologize for, but like so many women, she’s still saying sorry

The Girls Who Live in an All-Boys World

Not getting my hopes up, but this is potentially exciting: Judge: Democrats in Congress Can Sue Trump Over Emoluments

Interesting: Macedonian president urges voters to skip name change vote

558m-year-old fossils identified as oldest known animal

Ooh, a What If It's Us movie is in the works.

Maine Asks Restaurant To Stop Giving Lobsters Cannabis Before Boiling Them

Morning Coffee (9/29/18)

Okay: first five links are Kavanaugh-related, second five are not, if you want to skip.

The Senate has agreed to an FBI investigation of Kavanaugh. Here’s what that means.

American Bar Association: Delay Kavanaugh until FBI investigates assault allegations

THIS guy: Lindsey Graham to Democrats: “You’d better watch out for your nominees”

Republicans Marched Into A Buzzsaw

Alexandra Petri, perfect as usual: HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO BRETT KAVANAUGH?

Rand Paul’s Push to Lift Some Russia Sanctions Fizzles

Trump administration sees a 7-degree rise in global temperatures by 2100 AND THEREFORE THINKS THEY SHOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

'We got really lucky': how novichok suspects' identities were revealed

I shouldn't laugh but A LOT OF THIS STORY IS PRETTY FUNNY: Elon Musk’s tweet about taking Tesla private has triggered a federal lawsuit

I didn't love the first one but I'm still kind of excited about this? Gal Gadot To Star In ‘Death On The Nile’ Redo At Fox

Afternoon Tea (9/28/18)

This is GREAT and I love The Spy with the Red Balloon and can't wait to read Black Wings Beating! Alex London and Katherine Locke Discuss Keeping Magic in the Family

I LOVE this series: Queens of Infamy: The Rise of Catherine de’ Medici

I very much want a combination bookstore/bakery in my town now: Would You Like Some Sausage With Your Novel?

Fascinating: The Fossil Wars: On the Battle Between Paleontologists and Amateur Dealers

You Should Be Eating Pie for Breakfast

Morning Coffee (9/28/18)

I THINK WE REALLY NEED SOME HAPPY LINKS THIS WEEK.

Maybe you need to see a new baby panda.

Or a vacation cottage made of chocolate.

How about some cozy new cardigans?

Ooh: NBC Sets WICKED Anniversary Concert

I'M READY: Lifetime's Full 2018 Holiday Movie Schedule: 'One Tree Hill' Reunion & More

Doctor Who season 11 premiere to screen in cinemas

10 Public Art Installations To See In Greater Boston This Fall

Oh cool: Cosmic composers: how scientists helped reinvent Holst's Planets suite

5 Cheesy Hand Pies to Try This Autumn

Game of Thrones epic sets to open as tourist attractions

Afternoon Tea (9/27/18)

What Fresh Hell Is Barstool Sports?

Are You Asking Me To Talk The ‘Right’ Way Or The ‘White’ Way?

The Power of the International Procedural

Science Reveals How Fruit Keeps A Lid On Ripening Until The Time Is Right

The Most Extraordinary Murder

Morning Coffee (9/27/18)

Brett Kavanaugh Is the ‘Pro-Life’ Poster Boy

Black Female Lawmaker in Vermont Resigns After Racial Harassment

Pence is first VP to speak at anti-gay group's Values Voter Summit

This surprised me because usually Republicans at least pretend to care about FETUSES. (Not actual children, obviously.) E.P.A. Places the Head of Its Office of Children’s Health on Leave

Fortune's Most Powerful Women Are Still Mostly White

Constance Sutton, Feminist Anthropologist, Is Dead at 92

Obscenity trial judge’s copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover to be sold

I am working on this: Every Adult Should Have a Bedtime

Sigh: HSBC tells Welsh singer to send letter in English

Whoa: Jewelry in the shape of gerrymandered US congressional districts

Afternoon Tea (9/26/18)

This is beautiful: Mourning at the Magic Kingdom

Giving Malaria a Deadline

A Baroness, Her Skulls, and a Macabre Exhibition

7 Dark New Reads to Bring in Autumn

Never Heard of Bolivian Wine? That May Be About to Change

Morning Coffee (9/26/18)

Trump urges world to reject globalism in UN speech that draws mocking laughter

In U.N. speech, Trump fails (again) to make his Iran case

Why Brett Kavanaugh’s yearbook page matters

How Russia Helped Swing the Election for Trump

Bill Cosby Sentenced to 3 to 10 Years in Prison; Bail Is Denied

The 9 most important state legislature elections in 2018, explained

This actually makes sense to me: Just Dunkin': Dunkin' Donuts to change its name

Ooh! Edith Zimmerman Joins the Cut As Senior Health Writer

The Dangers of DNA Testing

Lonely Hong Kong women are being swindled huge sums of money by fake lovers

Afternoon Tea (9/25/18)

This is fascinating and I would read a book about them: The Couple Who Helped Decode Dyslexia

One of the world’s oldest—and deadliest—diseases has undeniably racist roots

I promise this is more interesting and less annoying than the headline makes it sound: Welcome to College. Your Parents Are in the Tents Next Door.

Campus Novels and School Mysteries

Wynflaed and the price of fashion

Morning Coffee (9/25/18)

Is Rod Rosenstein fired, resigning, or staying? The drama, explained.

Why Senator Mazie Hirono Asked a Crucial Question at the Kavanaugh Hearing

Republicans just don’t take sexual assault seriously

Well, small victory: Dallas cop fired after killing neighbor in his own home

Just ordered her book: Author Ibi Zoboi Calls Out Racism and Classism in The Wall Street Journal Book Review

With Vatican Talks and Bulldozers, China Aims to Control Christianity

This makes sense: SiriusXM buys Pandora for $3.5 billion

Charles Kao, Nobel Laureate Who Revolutionized Fiber Optics, Dies at 84

Astronomers Spot a Black Hole Sucking Up an Earth-Size Clump of Matter

How Puberty Kills Girls’ Confidence

Afternoon Tea (9/24/18)

The Brothel Empire and the Ex-Detective, Always One Step Ahead of the Law

Products mocked as “lazy” or “useless” are often important tools for people with disabilities

The first black female White House reporter had to pawn her watch every week just to eat

How Social Media Is Changing the Thriller

12 Unforgettable Sci-Fi Movies About Memory

Morning Coffee (9/24/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Senate Democrats Investigate a New Allegation of Sexual Misconduct, from the Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s College Years

MN Rep. Jim Knoblach ends campaign ahead of MPR abuse allegations story

This was an interesting read: We Are Not the Resistance

India Makes Instant Divorce A Criminal Offense

Man Booker Prize Shortlist Reflects Dark Times

Huh: Gentian Violet: Deep Purple Dye Kills Some Cancer Cells, Early Research Finds

New York Media to Triple Books Coverage Across Sites Including Vulture and the Cut

Why Your DNA Is Still Uncharted Territory

Royal Opera House Gets a $66 Million Revamp

Uh... Spiders blamed after broken siren played creepy nursery rhymes randomly at night to UK townsfolk

Morning Coffee (9/23/18)

(I'm traveling, so this was mostly written in advance.)

New UN report documents evidence of mass atrocities in Myanmar against the Rohingya

Brett Kavanaugh’s Accuser Says She’s Willing to Testify Before Judiciary Committee

Wow: Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar's Siblings Endorse Rival in New Campaign Ads

How... funny? Congressman jokes that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was molested by Lincoln

Fans of Ranked Voting See an Opportunity in Massachusetts

Ex-Harper’s Editor Says Staff Was ‘Sidelined’ During Hockenberry, Roiphe Pieces

Study: Latina Speaking Characters on TV Reach Historic High — of 7 Percent

The New Hip Churches are Fooling Google. They Pop Up as “Gay-friendly” — it’s a Hoax.

Ooh: A Dance World Mystery Spurs a Contest for Choreographers

Elephant Tusk DNA Helps Track Ivory Poachers

Morning Coffee (9/22/18)

(I'm traveling so this was mostly written in advance.)

Rod Rosenstein Suggested Secretly Recording Trump and Discussed 25th Amendment

Senate Judiciary chairman says he’ll give Kavanaugh accuser more time to decide whether to testify before committee

U.S. approach to Yemen is challenged as country splinters and government vanishes

Midterms 2018: the battle for state legislatures

This is awful: Pennsylvania to end prison book donations, forcing inmates onto pricey eBook platform

Two Murders in Iowa

Luigi Cavalli-Sforza, 96, Who Tracked Genes Through History, Dies

‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Sets Fall 2019 Opening

Likely birthplace of Henry VII found in Pembroke Castle

Oregon Launches First Statewide Refillable Bottle System In U.S.

Afternoon Tea (9/21/18)

This is FASCINATING: How Will Police Solve Murders on Mars?

Chrissy Teigen turned relatability into a brand

MY FAVORITE: Brother Cadfael: An Appreciation

John F Kennedy's childhood photos published – in pictures

A Requiem of One’s Own

Morning Coffee (9/21/18)

Time for Friday happy links!

!!!! Veronica Mars reboot officially happening: New details released

Oh hey, free Alisha Rai story.

Here's when all 36 new Hallmark Christmas movies will debut

And in other Christmas movie news: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding to Star in 'Last Christmas' (written by Emma Thompson!)

Important information: How to Make Homemade Chipwich Ice Cream Sandwiches

I don't need an eye shadow palette but I very much want this gingerbread one.

Behold, a Massive Knit Map of the Cosmos

10 Famous Authors and Their Cats

The Best Scotch Cocktails To Drink Your Way Into Fall

Here are Some VERY Important (And VERY Beautiful) Photos of Harry Styles Hanging with Baby Animals

Panera Now Has A Make-Your-Own Mac And Cheese Bar

Afternoon Tea (9/20/2018)

(I'm traveling, so this was written in advance.)

Talk of Ethnic Partition of Kosovo Revives Old Balkan Ghosts

How George V. Higgins Invented the Boston Crime Novel

Europe’s Triumphs and Troubles Are Written in Swiss Ice

About the Ember Days: 'This fast is kept four times in the year'

Strolling in Swansea: take a dander in Dylan’s footsteps

Morning Coffee (9/20/18)

(I'm traveling, so this was written in advance.)

What Kavanaugh is accused of isn’t “horseplay”

Germany's spy agency chief loses job over Chemnitz video claims

GOOD: New York Review of Books Editor Is Out Amid Uproar Over #MeToo Essay

Chief Justice Roberts halts campaign finance ruling

Founder Of 3D-Printed Gun Company Charged With Sexual Assault Of Child

So glad to see this new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents

Her story is amazing: Freddie Oversteegen, Dutch resistance fighter who killed Nazis through seduction, dies at 92

Mormon church excommunicates Sam Young, a former bishop who has been protesting sometimes sexually explicit one-on-one interviews between clergy and youths

Glacier Named After Prominent Geologist Renamed Following Sexual Harassment Scandal

EYEROLL: Jared Leto, class warrior

Afternoon Tea (8/19/18)

A Premature Attempt at the 21st Century Canon

Hijab in the Trump Era

This interview with a Sesame Street writer is getting lots of headlines because of his comments about Bert and Ernie, but the entire thing is really worth reading.

How an Unsolved Mystery Changed the Way We Take Pills

‘Pierce your heart’: Letters from Europe and North Africa by Indian prisoners in the Second World War

Weekly Rec: The Magnificent Century

A friend I visited recently mentioned that she was watching a show that was sort of the Turkish answer to Game of Thrones, full of lavish historical sets and harem intrigue. So, obviously, I needed to see this IMMEDIATELY and we spent most of the rest of my visit watching it. Muhteşem Yüzyıl is called The Magnificent Century in English, and it's about the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent in the sixteenth century. It goes back and forth between international politics and harem and family drama, and it's fascinating to see what prestige TV from a very different culture looks like. (For one thing: less sex.) It's also absolutely making me want to read about the time period, so if anyone has recommendations, let me know! Season one is streaming on Netflix in the U.S.; hopefully more seasons will show up at . . . some point? Apparently there are rumors that Erdogan is blocking further exports. But this first seasons has 24 episodes, so don't let the lack of future seasons stop you.

Morning Coffee (9/19/18)

Kabul braces for attacks during Shiite holiday as rising violence convulses Afghanistan

Christine Blasey Ford Is A Goddamned American Hero

Anita Hill: How to Get the Kavanaugh Hearings Right

The Trump GOP Will Do Horrible Things For Brett Kavanaugh

Of course: Trump Officials Urge End of Time Limits on Detaining Migrant Children

Jian Ghomeshi, John Hockenberry, and the Laws of Patriarchal Physics

Why Nintendo’s Toad is in the news, and why he doesn’t deserve this

Amazing: Bills' Vontae Davis shocks team, quits NFL at halftime vs. Chargers

Captain Marvel's Triumphant First Trailer Shoots for the Stars

Spectacular ice age wolf pup and caribou dug up in Canada

Afternoon Tea (9/18/18)

Essential: It happened there: how democracy died in Hungary

What 13,000 Patents Involving the DNA of Sea Life Tell Us About the Future

The Tiny Blond Bible Teacher Taking on the Evangelical Political Machine

Sarah Weinman's Life of Crime

I hate this font: Why bouncy, hyper-feminine script is the font of choice for bridesmaid gifts and novelty wine glasses

Morning Coffee (9/18/18)

This from Hillary is great, of course: American Democracy Is in Crisis

Ugh, of course: Trump to Cap Refugees Allowed Into U.S. at 30,000, a Record Low

Hearing Set for Monday to Hear Kavanaugh and His Accuser

Alumnae Of Christine Blasey Ford’s High School Circulate Letter Of Support

Alexandra Petri, perfect as usual: Every man should be worried. At least, I’m worried.

Gross: Ted Cruz Campaign Is Mailing Donation Requests Disguised as Legal Summonses

Here are the Emmy winners!

Aaah, Mary Poppins Returns trailer!!

I've read this book and it is SOOOO good, EEEE: Exclusive cover reveal and excerpt: ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston

In wake of suit against New York City Ballet, audiences and funders should demand answers

Afternoon Tea (9/17/18)

He Led Female Students On Trips Abroad. Then, He Introduced Sex ‘Ceremonies.’

Three Blockbuster Novels From the 1950s, and Their Remarkable Afterlife

Finland is getting into gender-neutral shopping. Will the rest of the world be next?

The Last Glass Blowers of Herat

An Artist in the Attic: Women and the House of Commons in the Early-Nineteenth Century

Morning Coffee (9/17/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

California professor, writer of confidential Brett Kavanaugh letter, speaks out about her allegation of sexual assault

A woman’s daring escape from a Border Patrol agent helped reveal a ‘serial killer,’ police say

The tyranny of the majority isn’t a problem in America today. Tyranny of the minority is.

I generally like John Kerry but this was bad: John Kerry criticized for saying Trump has ‘the insecurity of a teenage girl’

California Governor Jerry Brown Says State Will Launch Its Own Pollution Monitoring Satellite

New York Philharmonic Dismisses 2 Players for Unspecified Misconduct Including the principal oboist! Four days before opening night! With a new conductor!

A solar observatory in New Mexico is evacuated for a week and the FBI is investigating. No one will say why.

GLOW's Shauna Duggins Is the First Woman to Win an Emmy for Stunt Coordination

I'm not usually much of a graphic novel reader but I'm excited for this: Rainbow Rowell unveils cover for first graphic novel, illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

Archaeologists discover ancient sphinx in Egypt

Morning Coffee (9/16/18)

‘Never give an inch’: Trump keeps touting perceived failures as successes

This full story is actually much worse than this headline makes it sound! Somehow! Texas board votes to eliminate Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller from history curriculum

White people make up largest proportion of British terror arrests

This has been updated to seem... maybe less bad than it initially did... but still: State Department Changes Passport Website Language for Transgender People

Anne Thériault: What Women Want From Jian Ghomeshi

Nearly 40% of female suicides occur in India

Here's the National Book Award fiction longlist!

Pretty much the least surprising thing: The Other Side of the Spider-Man Proposal Story

This honestly doesn't seem like the worst idea? Maybe. Depends on how it was implemented. Corporate Sponsors for NASA? Agency to Study Making Space for Brands

Oldest Known Drawing by Human Hands Discovered in South African Cave

Morning Coffee (9/15/18)

Paul Manafort’s flip is a major turning point in the Mueller investigation

A Sexual-Misconduct Allegation Against the Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh Stirs Tension Among Democrats in Congress

This is by a romance author I really admire: I Received Some of Kozinski’s Infamous Gag List Emails. I’m Baffled by Kavanaugh’s Responses to Questions About Them.

Why Trump’s tweets about Puerto Rico are obviously untrue

Yemen: 'dramatic deterioration' after talks collapse and port city bombarded

Authorities Can Now Deny Visa and Green Card Applications Without Giving Applicants a Chance to Fix Errors

GOP lawmaker caught on tape: Orphanages better than gay adoption

Teen gender gap persists: Survey shows boys still hold sexist attitudes

Publishers Call Out Target for 'Censoring' Book Descriptions

Champagne Makers Bubble Over A Bumper Crop Caused By European Drought

Afternoon Tea (9/14/18)

Justice for Clara: Happy Birthday, Clara Schumann

How do you choose an outfit for a fictional character? 5 authors explain.

I loved it there: Ireland’s Aran Islands, Hiding in Plain Sight

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir: “The perfect partnership”

An Open Letter To My Failed Goodreads Challenge

Morning Coffee (9/14/18)

Time for Friday happy links!

!!! Sony Pictures Television Sets First Look Deal with Ripped Bodice Bookstore Owners

The 2018 National Book Awards Longlist: Nonfiction

This whole story is amazing: 'So shocked': customer wins bookshop in raffle

About time!! Hallmark Casts First Christmas Movies With Black Leads: Christina Milian, Jerrika Hinton Star

Ooh, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina teaser!

Netflix Lands Jennifer Aniston Dramedy 'Dumplin''

Missing dress owned by Queen Alexandra found in attic

Very cute: Cath Kidston Enchants With a New Disney Collection Inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Just in time for holiday gifting: Duchess of Sussex’s dog, Guy gets children’s book

I barely wear hats but this is very compelling: 5 Reasons You Need the 21-Color Slouch Hat

Afternoon Tea (9/13/18)

Meet the Jewish Crime Writer Who Uncovered the True Story of Lolita

The Unjustly Overlooked Victorian Novelist Elizabeth Gaskell

Beauty or Beast? Iceland Quarrels Over an Invasive Plant

My Queer Chinese Comrades, in My Mother Tongue

Charles Minard’s Classic Infographic Shows the True Human Cost of Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia

Weekly Rec: Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

The world is terrible. Kind of even more so this week than usual, even! So wouldn't you like a great romance to escape into for a few hours? Christina Lauren's new book Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating is PERFECT for that. It's about college acquaintances who meet again as adults and decide they're going to become best friends and set each other up on double blind dates. That goes . . . about as well as you'd guess. If you like the best-friends-to-lovers trope, this is a delightful one, with an interesting heroine, a refreshingly THOROUGHLY DECENT love interest, and well-drawn supporting characters. It will even make you forget about our current hellscape for a little while. Enjoy!

Morning Coffee (9/13/18)

New Hampshire voters pick House candidates poised to make history no matter who wins

Detention of Migrant Children Has Skyrocketed to Highest Levels Ever

And: Trump admin wants ability to hold migrant kids indefinitely, upending decades-old ban

She sounds great: Planned Parenthood Names Leana Wen, a Doctor, its New President

'Designing Women' Creator Goes Public With Les Moonves War: Not All Harassment Is Sexual

The National Book Award longlists are coming out this week! Here's Young People's Literature and Translated Literature.

I love Debra Messing: Debra Messing Reignites Her Political Feud With Susan Sarandon: ‘STFU SUSAN’

It’s Not Just You: 2017 Was Rough for Humanity, Study Finds

Well! Novelist who wrote about ‘How to Murder Your Husband’ charged with murdering her husband

JUST HIRE TYLER HOECHLIN, YOU COWARDS. Henry Cavill Out as Superman Amid Warner Bros.' DC Universe Shake-Up

Afternoon Tea (9/12/18)

Watching blockbusters in an age of calamity

Nazi Collaborator or National Hero? A Test for Lithuania

The 28 Best Books to Read in Fall 2018

Deaf-Owned Eateries Forge Path To Fight Joblessness Among Those With Hearing Loss

Spanish flu: the killer that still stalks us, 100 years on

Morning Coffee (9/12/18)

Fight to Retake Last ISIS Territory in Syria Begins

War games and business deals: Russia, China send a signal to Washington

Well done, Ireland: Trump cancels Ireland trip after groups announce planned protests

The Limits of Obama's Legacy

In an Increasingly Diverse House, Aides Remain Remarkably White

Bob Woodward’s new book, Fear, explained

Simple Hack Turns India's Massive Biometric Database Into a Profitable Counterfeit System

Interesting: More US School Kids Than Ever Are Wearing Uniforms This Fall

Toddlers and Chimpanzees Share a Surprising Unspoken Language

This is a truly great headline: Colorado Sports Fan's Plan To Rob Vape Store Falls Apart After He Drops Gun And Pants

Afternoon Tea (9/11/18)

Serena Williams and the privilege of righteous anger

The ‘Stress Café’ Craze Sweeping Seoul

Captain Marvel and the great ponytail debate for female superheroes

Why we buy the things we buy

7 YA Thrillers with Strong Female Leads

Morning Coffee (9/11/18)

It's primary day in New Hampshire! Every New Hampshire primary race you need to know about, briefly explained

As Months Pass in Chicago Shelters, Immigrant Children Contemplate Escape, Even Suicide

Wow, this is... something: How ‘The Caine Mutiny’ and the paranoid Capt. Queeg influenced the 25th Amendment’s drafters, making it harder to sideline a president

China Is Detaining Muslims in Vast Numbers. The Goal: ‘Transformation.’

Oh: Putin’s ex-bodyguard challenges Navalny to duel

Rights Groups Warn Against US Flouting International Court Over Alleged War Crimes

House Democrats’ top priority if they win in November is a sweeping anti-corruption bill

Near Everest’s Slopes, a Helicopter Rescue Fraud Preys on Trekkers

A project to remove 88,000 tons of plastic from the Pacific has begun

Ooh, Anthony Award winners!

Afternoon Tea (9/10/18)

Judging by the Cover: How the Magazine Industry’s Identity Crisis Is Playing Out on Its Front Page

Vitamin D, the Sunshine Supplement, Has Shadowy Money Behind It

An Ovidian Taste Test: The Old Verse Translations of Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’

FRINGE: Ten Years Later, The Fox Drama is Still Underrated

Crime and the City: Phoenix

Morning Coffee (9/10/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Across Afghanistan, Scores Are Killed in a Deadly Wave of Violence

Sweden election: far right makes gains as main blocs deadlocked

This was written before the election but is good background: Sweden Was Long Seen as a ‘Moral Superpower.’ That May Be Changing.

Les Moonves is out at CBS as more sexual misconduct allegations surface

Top Cancer Researcher Fails to Disclose Corporate Financial Ties in Major Research Journals

Huh: Infectious Theory Of Alzheimer's Disease Draws Fresh Interest

The search for alien life needs a new space telescope, astronomers say

Ooh, I'm excited for Vita & Virginia.

New life for historic theatre as it faces up to ‘slave trade’ past

Instagram adds emoji shortcuts for quicker comments

Book Review: All Things by Amber Belldene

I love clergy mysteries - Cadfael, Clare Fergusson, Max Tudor - so I was very excited to get an early look at All Things, the first in Amber Belldene's new series about Reverend Alma Lee, an Episcopal priest in San Francisco's Mission District. Alma is a refreshingly new kind of priest-detective: she's bisexual (and interested in both men and women on the page, not just in theory) and biracial (her father is Chinese-American and her mother is Latina), and her sexuality and cultural heritage definitely affect the way she approaches both her ministry and her crime-solving. I found Alma's personality a little frustrating at times - she's always late and doesn't understand the point of to do lists! - but that's more a me issue, and her focus on social justice was great.

Alma gets pulled into her first mystery when her longtime friend, the owner of a just-gone-out-of-business lesbian bar across the street from Alma's church, is murdered. Both Alma's police detective ex-boyfriend and her new female rabbi crush wind up involved in the case, along with others from Alma's church and social circle, which both provides Alma with an excuse to get involved and offers a nice introduction to her world and her past. The mystery itself is a little thin, and experienced mystery readers will probably figure out whodunnit pretty early. But this one is still worth a read for the interesting characters and the world it creates, and I'll definitely try the next in the series.

All Things is out today! (The author provided me with a review copy of this book.)

Morning Coffee (9/9/18)

Trump Administration Discussed Coup Plans With Rebel Venezuelan Officers

In liberal Sweden, a party with neo-Nazi origins could become one of the country’s biggest after Sunday’s elections

The 7 most important moments in Obama’s blistering critique of Trump and the GOP

Donald Trump makes the case for his own impeachment

Julia Salazar, the socialist politician accused of lying about her past, explained

Election Season in a Dangerous Democracy

Moroccan authors say teenage rape case hits 'new level of unspeakable'

Sigh: Frozen actor grabs Trump banner from audience member during play

Perfect: Cool! The Dude Who Asked You To Absolve Him of Past Misconduct Is Succeeding While You Recover

Oscars organizers postpone controversial 'popular film' award

Morning Coffee (9/8/18)

(I'm on vacation, so this was written in advance.)

The looming fight for Idlib, Syria’s last main rebel stronghold, explained

‘Five Eyes’ Nations Quietly Demand Government Access to Encrypted Data

What Did Brett Kavanaugh Know About His Former Boss’s Sexual Misconduct?

‘He would be the first to kneel’: Pat Tillman exploited to attack Kaepernick, biographer says

Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is tweeting about Colin Kaepernick because 2018

The left’s best hope to pick up a Senate seat is in Delaware

The emerging plan to save the American labor movement

Was She J.D. Salinger’s Predator or His Prey?

Archaeologists Just Unearthed an Ancient Egyptian Village Older Than the Great Pyramids of Giza

First known omnivorous shark species identified

Afternoon Tea (9/7/18)

(I'm on vacation, so this was written in advance.)

This is so interesting: The Girdle-Inspired History of the Very First Spacesuits

Hahahaha: If Goodreads Users Reviewed Your Life the Way They Reviewed Your Book

Why fake dating is a great romantic trope, explained by To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

A letter of a Scottish rebel

Why Salads and CEOs Are Photographed the Exact Same Way

Morning Coffee (9/7/18)

Friday! Happy links only! (Also I'm on vacation so this was written in advance.)

Oh how wonderful: India court legalises gay sex in landmark ruling

GOOD FOR HER. (Her male advisor was the one who got the Nobel for this, of course.) British astrophysicist overlooked by Nobels wins $3m award for pulsar work

Interesting: Gary Hart Movie ‘The Front Runner’ Votes For Election Day Release In Industry First

Viola Davis wrote a Corduroy book!!

I need them: The X-Files celebrates 25th anniversary with Mulder and Scully Barbie dolls

Heh (the Onion): Carl Bernstein Weeps Uncontrollably After Learning Bob Woodward Wrote A President Book Without Him

My new favorite headline: Alfonso Cuarón Says He Directed ‘Harry Potter’ After Guillermo del Toro Called Him “An Arrogant Bastard”

This is dedication: This Thrift Shop Put Photos of Jeff Goldblum in Every Single Picture Frame

QUIZ: Which YA Love Story Should You Read After Finishing TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE?

These Are the 20 Books Travelers Are Always Leaving Behind at Their Hotels

Afternoon Tea (9/6/18)

Spain Exhumes Its Painful Past

Do Inmates Have Access to Crime Novels?: Crime Fiction, Banned Books, and the Prison-Industrial Complex

Welcome To Nemesis Twitter, Where Phantom Beefs Run Wild And Free

The shady world of beauty influencers and the brands that pay them, explained

A very useful piece by my friend Katie for any writers out there: How to Grow an Audience as a Newer Author

Morning Coffee (9/6/18)

The New York Times’s Trump-bashing op-ed from a senior Trump official, explained

Ayanna Pressley wins the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District primary in an upset

Trump suggests that protesting should be illegal

Salisbury poisonings: police name two Russian suspects

Kavanaugh Will Try to Hide His Views on Abortion. Here’s How to Not Be Fooled.

How Duterte Used Facebook To Fuel the Philippine Drug War

Democrats Are Pushing More Diverse Candidates. Behind The Scenes, Not So Much.

Amazing: Even Bears Respect Putin, New Russian State TV Show Declares

Hmm, interesting concept: ‘Serial’ Season 3 Podcast Premiere Date Set

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Will Pay $145,000 For Misleading Customers About That Vagina Egg

Afternoon Tea (9/5/18)

The dark secret of Thailand’s child brides

Overlooked No More: Ruby Payne-Scott, Who Explored Space With Radio Waves

Lego Wants to Completely Remake Its Toy Bricks (Without Anyone Noticing)

The Crime Fiction of Oslo

Violent times? MPs as victims of murder in the mid-fifteenth century

Morning Coffee (9/5/18)

Women caned in Malaysia for attempting to have lesbian sex

All of Africa is now competing for Chinese money. Except for one country.

The 6 key themes of Kavanaugh’s first day of confirmation hearings

Whoa: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Not Seeking Re-Election

Steve Bannon's New Yorker Festival backlash is a reminder that not everyone deserves a platform

Deb Haaland could make history as the first Native American woman in Congress

Federal Workers Brace for New Push on Trump Anti-Labor Goals

Netflix and Amazon spent £150m on British-made shows last year

Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers Were Stolen 13 Years Ago. Now They’ve Been Found.

Hmm: NBC Orders ‘Law & Order: Hate Crimes’ Series From Dick Wolf & Warren Leight

Afternoon Tea (9/4/18)

I'm so excited for Courtney Summers new book Sadie, and this is very interesting: A Flick of the Switch: What Drew Me to Reading and Ultimately Writing Dark, Gritty Stories

Baseball Positions Are Starting To Lose Their Meaning

This is incredibly sweet: Son, Placed for Adoption, Leads Birth Parents to Altar 36 Years Later

Bengal’s Durga puja: a Hindu festival in full flow – in pictures

How the Press Created ‘Jack the Ripper’

Weekly Rec: Juliet, Naked

I read Nick Hornby's novel Juliet, Naked back when it came out and loved it a lot, so I was both excited and worried about the new movie adaptation. Since I haven't read the book in a while, I didn't remember all the details, but rather just the feeling of it, and as I think I've said before I find that's often the best way to go into an adaptation: with affection for the original but without it being so fresh that I can't see the adaptation on its own terms.

And this definitely worked out for me this time, because seen this way the Juliet, Naked movie was virtually perfect. The cast, led by Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, and Chris O'Dowd, is incredible, and the script and adaptation choices really work. It's about a British woman whose longtime boyfriend is obsessed with a nineties American alt-rock musician who has vanished from the limelight. She and the musician sort of accidentally start an email correspondence just when their lives are each going through a lot of upheaval, and it plays out sort of as you'd expect but also not. It's a romance and it's funny but it's not exactly a romcom; the movie is warm but complicated, with no easy happy endings for anyone. I loved every moment of it.

Juliet, Naked is currently in theaters, though you may have to do a little digging to find it.

Morning Coffee (9/4/18)

This is heartbreaking: Brazil Museum Fire Threatens Hundreds of Years of History

LET'S NOT COUNT CHICKENS but yes good: Democrats, Eyeing a Majority, Prepare an Investigative Onslaught

Agents Tried to Flip Russian Oligarchs. The Fallout Spread to Trump.

The 10 most important Senate elections, briefly explained

Sigh: Republican official resigns after calling kneeling NFL players 'baboons'

But this is great: Colin Kaepernick Named Face of Nike's 30th Anniversary of 'Just Do It' Campaign

The Shaming of Geoffrey Owens and the Inability to See Actors as Laborers, Too

Do Sustainable Certifications For Coffee Really Help Coffee Growers?

Ooh, the trailer for The Front Runner - Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart - looks great.

Scientists hunt mysterious 'dark force' to explain hidden realm of the cosmos

Morning Coffee (9/3/18)

Happy Labor Day! We're on a holiday schedule today, so just the one post.

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Not good! U.S. to End Funding to U.N. Agency That Helps Palestinian Refugees

In Chemnitz, anti-fascists stand up to the Nazi salutes of Germany's far right

How Brett Kavanaugh Would Transform the Supreme Court

A grand jury will investigate whether Kris Kobach intentionally botched voter registration in 2016

The new Democratic plan to protect preexisting conditions ahead of the 2018 midterms

USA Gymnastics Is Imploding

Feeling Suicidal, Students Turned to Their College. They Were Told to Go Home.

Schindler's List will return to theaters for its 25th anniversary

George IV's restored Brighton pavilion saloon unveiled

Ugh: Shadowhunters Auction Accidentally Spoils Final Season Twists for Fans

Morning Coffee (9/2/18)

New documents: White House persuaded DHS to cut short Nicaraguans’ humanitarian protection

Court Rules Trump Can't Use Pregnancy Prevention Funds on Abstinence Orgs

Important background here: Trump’s stripping of passports from some Texas Latinos, explained

Southerners Tore Down Silent Sam. Now Northerners Need to Tear Down Confederate Flags.

Good: The Cave Rescuer Elon Musk Called A "Pedo" Has Lawyered Up And Is Preparing A Libel Claim

Why Did a Naval Mine Show Up Off the Coast of Washington?

Whoa: New England's beloved soda Moxie sold to soft drink giant Coca-Cola

This is a GREAT bad book review: Is This the Stupidest Book Ever Written About Socialism?

MoviePass Board Member Quits In Blaze Of Glory As Company Offers New Contest For A One Year Subscription

Women Chefs Still Walk 'A Fine Line' In The Kitchen

Morning Coffee (9/1/18)

Donald Trump Is Setting Up a Lame-Duck Crisis

This isn't surprising, but it's interesting that people are SAYING it: AP sources: Lawyer was told Russia had ‘Trump over a barrel’

It's not an ACCIDENT that this keeps happening: Homeland Security staffer with white nationalist ties attended White House policy meetings

Vermont's Only Black Female Lawmaker Withdraws Re-Election Bid After Racist Attacks

Of course: New U.S. Sexual Misconduct Rules Bolster Rights of Accused and Protect Colleges

Roger Stone’s public antics about the Mueller investigation continue

This is alarming: Bank of America freezing accounts of customers suspected of not being US citizens

I love this: Why Do the Bad Men Think We Need Them?

Good: Microsoft to business partners: If you want to work with us, offer paid family leave

I know this cat!!! Or his people, anyway: It’s Cute, but This Cat Probably Wasn’t Feeding Its Toy Kittens