Morning Coffee (8/2/19)

The Ripped Bodice Bookstore Announces New Award for Romance Fiction

Pioneering Investigative Journalist Nellie Bly Gets Her Own Monument

Watch the trailer for the lush adaptation of Jane Austen's unfinished novel Sanditon

Lizzo: Tiny Desk Concert

Ooh: PBS Orders Rita Moreno Documentary from Norman Lear and Lin-Manuel Miranda

Helen Mirren wields 'absolute power' in HBO's Catherine the Great trailer

Sandhya Menon's New YA Series Kicks Off With A 'Beauty & The Beast' Retelling Titled 'Of Curses And Kisses'

Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth wage war in gripping 1917 trailer

‘They’re coming to you’: A man played his sax for a herd of cows, and they loved it

10 Adorable Bookish T-Shirts for Your Casual Friday Attire

Morning Coffee (11/9/18)

Friday happy links!

Beautiful: This Indian City Lit a Record-breaking 300,000 Clay Lamps to Celebrate Diwali

Aww: A Store Had to Move Thousands of Books. So a Human Chain Was Formed.

Idris Elba is this year's People's Sexiest Man Alive. Sure! I have no strong feelings about ranking men by sexiness but I am delighted to see they didn't pick another boring white guy.

Aaaah: Cover Reveal: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

AND a new Alyssa Cole F/F novella in her royals series!

YAY: Veronica Mars: Max Greenfield to Return as Leo for Hulu Limited Series Revival

Ooh, a contemporary Pride & Prejudice movie with an all-black cast? I'm in.

11 Nonalcoholic Thanksgiving Drink Recipes

12 Must-Haves for Setting the Perfect Literary Thanksgiving Table

Hmm: Pringles offers Thanksgiving dinner chips in turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie flavors

Morning Coffee (3/16/18)

Time for Friday happy links!

ICYMI, yesterday I wrote about why I liked A Wrinkle in Time so much!

Aaaah, great news from my friend Steph! Netflix is making a movie of her YA horror novel There's Someone Inside Your House. (I generally avoid horror but I really loved this one.)

Hahaha: National Trust apologises to Cornish after appearing to endorse putting cream on scones first

7 Books to Read After Seeing Black Panther

Aw, look at today's George Peabody Google doodle!

Ooh, pretty: These L’Occitane Easter Eggs Are Even Better Than Chocolate Eggs

The Amy Poehler/Nick Offerman crafting show is premiering ON MY BIRTHDAY. That's very thoughtful of them.

Perfect: If Jane Austen Got Feedback From Some Guy In A Writing Workshop

I'm not particularly into animated series but this is quite the voice cast.

The Solo movie is doing some kind of promotion with Solo cups and that's HILARIOUS.

Mae Whitman Is Ready for Taylor Kitsch to Play Her Boyfriend Now I mean, who isn't?

Afternoon Tea (7/24/17)

Jezebel's new advice column has started!

In praise of mediocre summer reads.

Watch How (Slowly) News of the Declaration of Independence Spread in Real Time

Hahahaha: Jane Austen Gives Your Weekend Safety Brief

The Rare-Book Thief Who Looted College Libraries in the ’80s

Morning Coffee (7/23/17)

This is great: Teen Girls Stage Incredible Quinceañera Protest at Texas Capitol Against Vile Anti-Immigrant Law

After Decades of War, Colombian Farmers Face a New Test: Peace

This is some family drama: Saudi King’s Son Plotted Effort to Oust His Rival

A Big Reason Trumpcare Failed Was Trump

Not that I want to be warm and fuzzy about some of these people, but this piece about the hobbies of senators is cool, as is the behind-the-scenes on how it was reported.

Fascinating: A Collection of North Korean Stories and the Mystery of Their Origins

Heh: British Parliament member mistakenly says Jane Austen is alive

Whoa: Modigliani Exhibit Closes Early Amid Allegations of Fakes

An Experiment in Zurich Brings Us Nearer to a Black Hole’s Mysteries

The Greatest Library Before Alexandria

Afternoon Tea (7/19/17)

Cool: More Than Bread: Sourdough As a Window Into The Microbiome

Why Are We So Unwilling to Take Sylvia Plath at Her Word?

Where the Cocktail Party Came From (A Waugh pops up in that story, of course.)

The Revival of John Quincy Adams

Take a Stroll Through Jane Austen’s England With This Interactive Map

Morning Coffee (7/19/17)

Afghanistan More Deadly for Women and Children, U.N. Says

Trump Is Showing The World What A Weak American Presidency Looks Like

3 GOP women were left out of the Senate’s Obamacare repeal effort. They just tanked it.

Obviously what this story needed was a money launderer: Eighth person in Trump Tower meeting is identified

Parody but JUST BARELY: It’s Time for Hillary Clinton to Gracefully Bow Out of Public Life, Along with All Other Women

Here's the new Jane Austen banknote!

A New Front in the War Over Reproductive Rights: ‘Abortion-Pill Reversal’

This story is wild: An overdose, a young companion, drug-fueled parties: The secret life of USC med school dean

!!! Mysterious Sheet Music Confirmed to Be Lost Work of Gustav Holst

Tintagel excavations reveal refined tastes of medieval settlers

Afternoon Tea (7/17/17)

Fiery Heaven, Bastard Earth: The Cosmology of “Game of Thrones”

The Long, Storied Controversy Over Cheese on Apple Pie (I am in favor.)

This is fascinating: Death and Taxonomies

The Word Choices That Explain Why Jane Austen Endures (And this actually isn't all about Austen - there's some interesting stuff about the evolution of language in novels in general.)

This 1797 Impeachment Has Never Been Fully Resolved

Morning Coffee (3/6/17)

Me elsewhere: Your TV news for the week.

On Europe’s Far Right, Female Leaders Look to Female Voters

Trump Seeks Inquiry Into Allegations That Obama Tapped His Phones (THERE IS NO REAL ALLEGATION. Sigh.)

Smoke from the White House

"When a student asked, 'What would you change about your campaign?' Clinton replied, 'I’d win.'"

Kellyanne Conway's Battle for Trump's Favor

I love Norway: This site is “taking the edge off rant mode” by making readers pass a quiz before commenting

Oops? Harvard scientists shocked the world by turning hydrogen into a metal, but then lost the only sample

Hee: Outrage at inclusion of gay character in film about woman-buffalo romance

Oh, this looks great: V&A opera exhibition looks to put to rest prejudice about art form

Found in the Remains of a Former Gilded Age Mansion, an Ancient Roman Artifact Reveals Its Secrets

An irony-free zone: early French translations of Jane Austen

Morning Coffee (2/17/17)

I... I think we all need some Happy Friday links, right?

How the Cats of Istanbul Became Movie Stars

I totally would/will buy an Ashley Biden hoodie to benefit underserved communities.

I will probably also buy this Duchess Kate coloring book.

I kinda want this ALA Read poster from the Beauty and the Beast movie.

Speaking of libraries, I'm mad they didn't make us learn library hand in library school.

Ooh, the Isle of Man has neat new stamps for the Queen's Sapphire Jubilee.

The World's Tallest Sandcastle Has Been Completed in India

Hee: Jane Bennet's email inbox.

A Love Letter to London's Best Cheese-Soaked Potatoes (Why don't I have cheese-soaked potatoes RIGHT NOW???)

Gaze Upon the Presidents in Their Bathing Suits

Let's run off to Scotland and stay at the Queen Mother's castle.

Morning Coffee (1/8/17)

Putin Ordered ‘Influence Campaign’ Aimed at U.S. Election, Report Says

"Such is his influence in the geopolitical realm that transition officials have told the Obama White House that foreign policy matters that need to be brought to Mr. Trump’s attention should be relayed through his son-in-law."

Trump has been slamming US intel agencies. They just fired back.

Heh: The Most Interesting Intelligence Briefing in the World

Ultra-rare Jane Austen £5 note found in Christmas card in Scottish Borders

This is great: Food stamps can now be used for online grocery shopping

The Conjunction Fallacy Explains Why People Believe Fake News

Democrats neither can nor should ditch “identity politics”

SO BOSTON: This thief is being tracked through his Dunkin' Donuts cup.

NASA Is Building a $127 Million Space Mechanic

Fascinating: Banned Books and Blockbusters

Here's an interesting look at historians consulting on TV shows.

Morning Coffee (12/9/16)

Time for our traditional Friday break for some links on the lighter side!

I'll admit I found this useful: A Non-Judgmental Guide to All the Questions You Might Have About Rogue One

I love Williams-Sonoma, and yet I look forward to this every year: The 2016 Hater’s Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog

Yay, the Go Fug Yourself gift guide is here!

And here's the one from Forever Young Adult!

Whoa: The best thing since sliced bread: This baker paints pictures inside her loaves

I LOVE THIS MOVIE: 21 Lessons From ‘The Holiday’ That Warm Our Hearts 10 Years Later

Here Comes the Waxworks Royal Family in Christmas Sweaters to Steal Your Soul (Make sure you scroll down!)

17 Hot Cocktail Recipes for Cold Winter Nights

Taylor Swift Songs That Are Actually About Jane Austen Heroines

A Brief History of the Cheese Curl, Junk Food’s Happiest Accident

This Harry Potter Christmas Tree Will Make You Believe in Magic!

Morning Coffee (6/6/16)

Me elsewhere: TV news!

ICE CREAM TURF WARS are all I want to read about this summer. (And a follow-up.) (Obviously I am joking and real people are getting hurt and that is bad!)

Good for her: J.K. Rowling Slams Critics of Hermione Casting as "Bunch of Racists"

"Forty-seven percent of Americans, what are you thinking? I know Mitt Romney was mean to you that one time, but that's no reason for decision-making this awful. No matter your politics, you should be able to see Donald Trump would be a terrible guest at your barbecue."

Meet one of Hillary Clinton's biggest donors in California. They hardly ever talk politics.

Zuckerberg’s GOP Meeting Shows a Master Politician in the Making

This is... this is... something. Make Yourself Great Again! A group of millennial bros find salvation in the teachings of Donald J. Trump.

!!!!! Bagpipes the New Zealand penguin gets 3D printed foot

They took out a full page ad for Jonah Ryan, a fictional candidate on the show Veep, in the Union Leader, New Hampshire's largest nonfictional newspaper. What a time to be alive.

This video from the British Library of a conservation team caring for degraded silk flags is great.

Great House Therapy: The Dashwoods’ Casual and Tolerably Comfortable Cottage

Morning Coffee (5/13/16)

Happy Friday! THANK GOODNESS.

Me elsewhere: New promos for Wayward Pines and your Thursday Daily Read.

ALSO: My friend Holly and I started a podcast about fandom and the first episode is available for your listening pleasure!

ALSO ALSO: If you want a thorough, no-frills place to keep up with TV renewals/cancellations/pickups, I made you a thing. I'll be updating it as frequently as possible as events progress today/this weekend.

If you look at one link today it should absolutely be this one: This Puppy Was Abandoned At A Baseball Stadium And Now Has A Job With The Team

Aaah, John Dickerson has a book coming out about presidential campaign history! Happy birthday to me! (Obviously I preordered it immediately to support him, so you don't need to actually get it for my birthday, Mom.)

New Monkees song! Very summery.

Vox's summer movie preview is always fun and interesting.

The Fug Girls' account of their trip to England and Scotland is delightful and will make you want to plan a vacation IMMEDIATELY.

Aww: A Bride Canceled Her Wedding, Then Turned It Into a Fancy Party for Little Kids

Why have I never seen these Boston History Dioramas???

LOOK at this knitting needle gauge ring.

Hee: The Darcy Shirt, A Tour Rider

Crush Cakes: Lin-Manuel Miranda (Crush cakes are a GREAT idea. Let's make this a thing.)

Speaking of, I assume you want to see Chris Hemsworth making a birthday cake for his daughter.

It's Friday. Let's look at some beaches.

Morning Coffee (2/26/16)

Happy Friday! ICYMI, yesterday's movie posts on three shorts: Ave Maria, We Can't Live without Cosmos, Shok

Awesome: Simon & Schuster Creates Imprint for Muslim-Themed Children’s Books

Also awesome: President Obama's nominee Carla Hayden would be the first African-American and first female Librarian of Congress.

I neither watch New Girl nor write comedy, and I've never been to L.A., but I loved Liz Meriwether's Why Hating L.A. Is Good for My Comedy so much that it made me consider doing at least one of those things.

If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend watching The People v. O.J. Simpson on FX, even if you don't tend to like Ryan Murphy's stuff (I don't) or aren't particularly interested in the case (I wasn't). It's SO so good and VERY timely in a lot of the questions about race and gender it deals with. And, honestly, the recaps on Go Fug Yourself alone would make it worth watching, especially for the perspective they give on what it felt like to live in L.A. during these events.

Related: I don't watch The Bachelor but I enjoy the Fug Girls' cultural observations and writing so much that I still loved their piece about a Bachelor bachelor auction, basically (and why didn't the event call it that??), and especially the way they tried to be a former contestant's get-a-grip friends.

I'm pretty excited about Pee-wee's Big Comeback.

I really want to see this Emily Dickinson movie.

I don't agree with all of these conclusions, but Pairing the Romantic Heroes of L.M. Montgomery and Jane Austen is fun right up until you start trying to decide whether Dean Priest or Wickham was worse and your brain breaks. (Dean Priest. He was worse. He was THE WORST.)

Lines From The Private World Of High Society So Startling I Read Them Aloud To My Grandmother This Weekend

It's been A WEEK. Let's all go to a library bar.

Morning Coffee (11/20/15)

(A note for any new readers: on Fridays, I try to post all links that are light or funny or heartwarming or at least emotionally neutral, because I think sometimes people just need a break. It doesn't mean I'm not aware of important things going on in the world or don't care; I am watching the news literally as I write this. And don't worry, I'm still bookmarking all the terrible things and will have them for you next week.)

Awesome: Taylor Swift Donates 25,000 Scholastic Books to New York City Schools

It's Clueless's 20th anniversary (!!) and Tom and Lorenzo analyze the fashion. This is great, but I would have liked some inclusion of the fashion descriptions in Emma and how they are similar/different from the movie as far as certain characters being stylish or not, etc.

“This is in some way a nice problem to have, in the sense that you have a 103-year-old product that’s selling off the shelves like hot cakes, and yet we have customers who are on back order who are disappointed,” L.L.Bean’s chief executive, Chris McCormick, said in an interview at company headquarters in Freeport. “That doesn’t sit well with us.” (People have asked me if I'm okay in this time of L.L. Bean crisis. The answer is yes, because the Bean Boots I got for my 16th birthday are still basically pristine, because that's how great these boots are.)

It's been A Week. Let's ogle some holiday cocktails.

The War and Peace miniseries looks SO PRETTY. Can I read the book in time? The eternal question.

I'm going to link you to THREE thinkpieces on the Great British Bake Off because it's just that good: here's the Guardian, Vox, and Eater.

Once Upon a Time, a Cross-Stitch Sampler Counted as Official Paperwork

Will, Kate, and Harry: The Fun Royal Power Trio

London's Most Haunted Tube Stations

"Every time you have sex, someone drowns. This is not considered a notable occurrence, this is simply how sex works in Ireland.

Once a day, you feel a prickle on your neck, as if someone is watching you from across the lake. They are, and it is either your real mother or the man dangerously obsessed with you."

Morning Coffee (5/6/15)

Kensington Palace has released Princess Charlotte's birth registry form. Awww.

Whoa. A signed first edition of One Hundred Years of Solitude was stolen from the International Book Fair in Bogota.

Anyone who is running for president OR watching this season of The Good Wife should know better than to do this, Mike Huckabee.

Boston Magazine has an important overview of what started GamerGate: "What if a stalker had an army?"

Espresso in space!

"This week, the governor of Texas announced he was putting a special watch on U.S. military exercises this summer, due to public speculation that the soldiers might take over the state and confiscate everyone’s guns. Also, the Idaho Legislature recently killed a bill that would have provided federal aid in tracking down deadbeat dads, due to concern that it might involve the use of Shariah law. I do not want to hear you calling Bernie Sanders an extremist."

Sarah Dessen has a new novel out this week, and a good piece about dating an older guy at 15.

"You misunderstand yourself entirely. You have never been Elizabeth Bennet. No one in your entire acquaintanceship – in your entire life – has for even one second considered you to be the Elizabeth Bennet of your social circle."

Morning Coffee (2/11/15)

Three Muslim college students were killed in North Carolina, and this is getting a shocking lack of coverage on major news sites.

Jon Stewart is leaving the Daily Show, and the end of Todd VanDerWerff's piece about it almost made me cry.

Check out my cousin's fundraiser for St. Baldrick's.

Fantasy readers, donating to Classic Alice in the next week gets you entered to win a signed, personalized book by the awesome Lev Grossman.

The Wheel of Time pilot story is crazy. Read Charlie Jane Anders and Todd VanDerWerff to understand.

Romance Gone Awry: Two Bad Breakups and One Ugly Accusation at Nicholas Sparks’s Christian Prep School

"There’s not a television show in the world casting actors in the hopes nobody will have any chemistry."

What Harper Lee's publisher owes her

Jane Austen family letters offer ‘deeply personal’ insight into author’s world

Morning Coffee (2/9/15)

Me elsewhere: Weekly TV news and an interview with Kate Hackett of Classic Alice.

Speaking of which, we're getting down to the wire. Please help Save Alice.

Don't miss Obama: The Vox Conversation.

The Grammy voting process is completely insane

Interesting: The year of outrage

It's a miracle that I haven't yet given in and subscribed to Acorn.

Proofreading is important!

Pride and Prejudice, explained in two charts

My friend did a lookbook shoot for Pyknic and now I want a whole bunch of their shirts.

Lines From Tina Brown’s The Diana Chronicles That Made Me Lose My Entire Jaw

Morning Coffee (1/22/15)

Obviously the most important news of the day: Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer to Reunite

An important read about Hollywood: "Behind the parade of dazzling smiles and designer gowns is an industry that is failing women." And on that note, go throw a few bucks to Classic Alice, an independent, female-run production.

Oh hey, my cousin works here! America's Most Promising Company: Instacart, The $2 Billion Grocery Delivery App

Take a look at the American Academy of Pediatrics' response to the State of the Union.

The Edgar nominees are out! (I have read none of them. Sigh.)

15 YA Writers on Their Favorite Books for Adults

Publishers Know You Didn't Finish "The Goldfinch" (Who didn't finish The Goldfinch???)

I AM WRITING A LETTER WITH LIGHTNING IN THE SKY
this storm is not a letter
IT IS WHEN YOUR HEARTS ARE JOINED WITH TWIN FIRE
LIKE MINE AND WILLOUGHBY’S ARE