Afternoon Tea (4/1/19)

The Indefatigable Spirit of Agnès Varda

This was very interesting: How Is Your Judaism Different From Your Parents'?

Once & Future Coauthors Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy on Writing with Your Soul Mate

Stepping Into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun

Her Father Murdered My Mother. Then, We Became Friends.

Morning Coffee (3/8/19)

FRIDAY HAPPY LINKS.

THE BEST STORY OF THE WEEK: The story of the Iditarod-hopeful dog who got loose and followed teams for 30 miles

Wait, this one is also great: A student brought his baby to class because he didn’t have child care. His professor lent a hand.

Come for the feel-good library story, stay for the Beatles puns: Good Day Sunshine: 1968 Beatles 'Life' Magazine Finally Returned To Library

THIS BOOK IS SO GREAT: Amy Spalding's New Book 'We Used To Be Friends' Takes An Unexpected Look At Friend Breakups — Start Reading Now

And I'm so excited for this one: Exclusive Cover Reveal: Dahlia Adler's Poe-Inspired Anthology, His Hideous Heart

There's fanfic at The Met and it's all because of the Tale of Genji

Dev Patel to Star in David Lowery’s Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Film

Well! Hear Arcade Fire's rendition of 'Baby Mine' in new Dumbo teaser

Opera Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Women Composers & Their Operas?

I'm relieved that this sorted me correctly: Choose Some Pasta And We'll Put You In Your True Hogwarts House

Morning Coffee (2/1/19)

Time for Friday happy links!

Step into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge with New Books, Comics, and Fables

Peter Jackson to Direct Documentary About The Beatles' 'Let It Be' Recording Sessions

AMC theaters to show ‘Black Panther’ for free to celebrate Black History Month

!! Centuries lost ‘Bristol Merlin’ uncovered at city’s Central Library

Oooh, the Criterion Collection is starting a streaming service.

Hahahahaha: All right stop… and listen to Chris Pine rap Vanilla Ice's 'Ice, Ice Baby' for Jimmy Kimmel

Always delightful: The Fug Girls on the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Dr Seuss's thank-you letter to man who saved his first book

Books to read with your favorite cup of tea

Heh: Hot chocolate is wasted on children

Afternoon Tea (1/25/19)

This Robert Caro piece is fascinating: The Secrets of Lyndon Johnson's Archives

Can figure skating's first LGBTQ team change ice dance's reliance on romance?

Attack the Block's Director Is Finally Back With a Movie He's Wanted to Make Since He Was a Kid

This is a fun series: Best Cheeses: Vermont

The New Class of Australian Crime Writers

Morning Coffee (12/28/18)

Time for Friday happy links!

This would be the first in Asia! Thai government backs same-sex civil partnership bill

Ooh! 'Hidden Figures' NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson to release autobiography next year

I remain cautiously optimistic: Agatha Christie’s ‘The ABC Murders’ Gets Premiere Date & First-Look Trailer

The Crown season 3 first look photos show majestic new cast

Watch original Hamilton cast members reunite to perform at Kennedy Center Honors

Aww: Tom Hanks’ Mr. Rogers Movie Gets ‘Beautiful’ Title

The Kid Who Would Be King looks really cute.

If you're stuck at your desk and bored today, this is a GREAT slideshow to flip through: 2018 Was a Very Big Year for the British Royals

Raven Cycle readers, make sure you catch this year's holiday short.

Champagne Cocktails Recipes For A Spectacular New Year's

Afternoon Tea (5/23/18)

The Huge Impact of Donated Bras

Balance the books: one woman's fight to keep great female writers on shelves

This on skater Yuzuru Hanyu's fans is very interesting: The crush of the crowd

Harry Potter, the Arthurian Romance

Little House on the Prairie and Cheesemaking in America’s Dairyland

Morning Coffee (3/26/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

John Bolton Is a Gut-Check Moment for America in the Trump Era

How Trump helped inspire a wave of strict new abortion laws

Public lands are being sold in secret on the internet

Extensive Data Shows Punishing Reach of Racism for Black Boys

Civil rights pioneer Viola Desmond is first Canadian woman on currency

An Arizona girl vanished in 1999. Could her name scrawled on a dollar bill be a new clue?

Wreck of the Juneau Is Found, 76 Years After 5 Brothers Perished

Ooh: 2,000-Year-Old Mosaics Unearthed Under Florida Art Museum

Michael B. Jordan Set To Produce (And Probably Star) In WWII Action Film, ‘The Liberators’

Frank Miller to spin King Arthur legend into YA book Cursed

Afternoon Tea (3/9/18)

The case for Black Panther as a 2019 Oscar behemoth

Jessica Morgan (of Go Fug Yourself) is both a pal and a writer I really enjoy, so I'm excited to drive into her top 10 essential movies.

Very important journalism: 13 Of The Most Adorable Pets Owned By Famous Writers

How a Tiny Wisconsin Island Became the World’s Biggest Consumer of Bitters

An Arthurian castle in Slovenia: the history, legends and future of Castle Borl

Morning Coffee (11/28/17)

James O'Keefe and his buddies tried to con the Washington Post and it, uh, did not work because they are in fact Real News: A woman approached The Post with dramatic — and false — tale about Roy Moore. She appears to be part of undercover sting operation.

Of course: Trump Mocks Warren as ‘Pocahontas’ at Navajo Veterans’ Event (And in front of a portrait of Andrew Jackson!)

CBO: the Senate Republican tax bill takes billions from the poor

Uh... 2 Bosses Show Up to Lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Here we go: Could Pence Clobber Cruz? A Bettor’s Guide to the 2020 Republican Primary

After Tumultuous Week, Germany’s Politics Look to the Familiar

The Fug Girls have you covered with Harry and Meghan's engagement photos and interview. Oh my gosh they are ADORABLE.

Enjoying Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s romance doesn’t make you a bad American

Lev Grossman is writing a long Arthurian novel and it sounds so interesting!

Whoo! Lady Bird Just Broke a Rotten Tomatoes Record Previously Held by Toy Story 2

Morning Coffee (9/5/17)

Now that people are back from long weekends, I'm going to mention again: there are some changes around here and on my Patreon! As the month progresses I'll be highlighting some of the specific goals and rewards, but please check it out if you have a moment. Patreon really helps me devote the time necessary to put together link posts, and gives me some writing time too!

The questions that 800,000 people are waiting for Trump to answer about DACA

U.N. Group Accuses Burundi Leaders of Crimes Against Humanity

The N.F.L. Star Appealed for Donations. Then His Mom Got to Work.

Sad news: Poet John Ashbery has died.

And so has Walter Becker of Steely Dan.

Year of the woman: the Democrats inspired by Trump to run for office

A young girl pulled a sword from the lake where Arthur threw Excalibur!

Wow: A camera store shows off gear wrecked by the solar eclipse

Ruined ‘Apartments’ May Hold Clues to Native American History

Found: 381 New Amazon Species

Afternoon Tea (8/3/17)

King Arthur: Welsh, English, Brythonic or made up?

The Racism Behind Alien Mummy Hoaxes

Scientists Now Know Exactly Why Onions Make You Cry (Good but can they STOP it?)

Fascinating: Losing It in the Anti-Dieting Age

The Mischievous ‘Ghost Hoaxers’ of 19th-Century Australia

Morning Coffee (5/22/17)

Me elsewhere: The week's TV news.

Inside Russia’s Social Media War on America

Any Half-Decent Hacker Could Break Into Mar-a-Lago. We Tested It.

Report: Trump’s Team Tricks Him Into Reading by Preying on His Narcissism

She fixed Ukraine’s economy -- and was run out of her job by death threats

How To Remember Roger Ailes (As A Liar And Enabler Who Hurt Women)

Fun: What White House Correspondents Pack

I love the spoiler alert on this one: King Arthur: not just a man of the sword?

I think anyone who texts at the movies should be immediately thrown in jail, so I'm kinda siding with this guy.

Ooh: 3D-Printing ‘Archinaut’ Spacecraft Will Assemble Massive Structures in Space

Morning Coffee (9/1/16)

Yay, it's September!

This piece about the erasure of women's achievements, both historically and currently, is phenomenal.

Former Models for Donald Trump's Agency Say They Violated Immigration Rules and Worked Illegally "These days, Kate said, she believes that Trump has been fooling American voters with his anti-immigrant rhetoric, given that his own agency had engaged in the practices he has denounced. 'He doesn't like the face of a Mexican or a Muslim,' she said, 'but because these [models] are beautiful girls, it's okay? He's such a hypocrite.'"

Yay: Debbie Wasserman Schultz fends off primary challenge from insurgent backed by Bernie Sanders

"Consider the contrasting situations: Donald Trump, who wants to be the president, recently hired a purveyor of white ethno-nationalism who had been accused by his wife of assault and who is alleged to have fired a woman suffering from MS while she was on maternity leave, as the CEO of his campaign. Hillary Clinton, who wants to be the president, has employed since the 1990s a woman who in 2010 married a guy who turns out to be really skeezy."

"Weiner is like the Icarus of dick pictures and sexts, if Icarus were given three sets of wings and multiple chances not to burn and drown in the sea."

Heh. The Borowitz Report: Obama Pays Mexico Five Billion Dollars to Keep Donald Trump

How the ‘alt-right’ checkmated the media

You're the Worst came back last night and Alyssa Rosenberg has a great interview with creator Stephen Falk.

Fox is developing an Arthurian show, but as a modern police drama. Art is a graffiti artist. Hahahahaha. This is going to be amazing.

"The people we admire for being resilient are not hard; they are ardent."

Morning Coffee (8/6/16)

President Obama wrote an essay on feminism and it is great and I love him.

This is big and worth a read: I Ran the C.I.A. Now I’m Endorsing Hillary Clinton.

This profile of Anne Holton made me like her a lot, and like Tim Kaine even more than I did.

Is Georgia Becoming A Battleground State?

Trump's economic team has no women or people of color but five white guys named Steve. (Also very few... economists?)

Would Donald Trump Really Consider Dropping Out? (No.)

How Clinton quelled an insurgency (By compromising and doing the work and not stooping to the level of others' immaturity, which are QUALITIES I WANT IN A PRESIDENT, for what it's worth.)

Twitter “progressives” bombard Jen Kirkman with death threats after missing the point of a joke

Aaah, exciting Tintagel discoveries!!

NOPE: Meet the Allens, the “Off-Grid” Family That Wants Your Support to Survive

Morning Coffee (7/24/16)

Brie Larson is our new Captain Marvel. I honestly know nothing about Captain Marvel, but I'm always happy to see a female superhero, and Larson did an amazing job in Room.

How a freelance journalist broke the Melania Trump plagiarism story in 3 tweets

Well, Nicholas Kristof pulls no punches: Is Donald Trump a Racist?

Trump Lawyer Sends ‘Art of the Deal’ Ghostwriter a Cease-and-Desist Letter

Whoa: When ‘Everyone’s Grandma’ Is the Town’s Little League Thief

The new King Arthur movie looks completely insane. Even not counting the inexplicable presence of David Beckham.

Everything is terrible but at least we now live in a world with Star Trek makeup.

Someone in New York please go to the Museum of Ice Cream and report back!

Ooh, these pictures from excavations in 1910s Egypt are great and make me want to read an Amelia Peabody novel.

Wow: The East Village D.J. Who Became the Savior of a Decaying British Estate

Friday Five: Literary Songs

Books AND music, all at once! What are your favorites I don't know?

1. "Ariel" by October Project A lot of things I liked in high school are a little iffy in retrospect, but THIS ALBUM REMAINS PERFECT.


2. "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush I enjoy making people who have never heard of Kate Bush listen to this without warning them what they're in for.


3. "The Wendy Trilogy" by S.J. Tucker is - let's face it - the only version of Peter Pan worth its salt. "Wendy when she'd had her fill of Pan and the other Lost Boys"? Yes please.


(Here are parts two and three.)

4. "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits I have a lot of questions about this music video. But the lyrics! "The dice was loaded from the start, and I bet, and you exploded into my heart." Perfect.


5. "The Lady of Shalott" by Loreena McKennitt I appreciate McKennitt's commitment to Poems Beloved By Anne Shirley. (See also: "The Highwayman")

Morning Coffee (2/20/15)

Happy Friday!

This Sound of Music fiftieth anniversary profile of Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer is great and the ending made me cry.

Jenji Kohan's HBO pilot sounds intriguing - historical hysteria, possibly Salem? Whee.

Also sounding intriguing: Ishiguro's new Arthurian novel.

Whoa: This Teeny Chair Can Assemble Itself

This Nick Hornby interview is delightful and made me wonder why I've only read a few of his books.

Oooh: A Glimpse Inside the Hidden Vault Where Harvard Keeps Millions of Books

Jacqueline Wilson is writing an update of What Katy Did!

"If Chris Evans were your boyfriend, New England would not be covered in snow right now."

And to make sure your Friday gets off to a good start, here's Eddie Redmayne playing the piano.

Morning Coffee (2/10/15)

If you somehow managed not to see 3000 social media updates about this in the last few hours: Spider-Man is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Adnan Syed Of “Serial” Wins Motion To Appeal Against His Murder Conviction

Female Leads A Hollywood Rarity, Study Finds

How Men's Rights Leader Paul Elam Turned Being A Deadbeat Dad Into A Moneymaking Movement

I love this word cloud of common passwords.

The Things Adaptations of King Arthur Should Be Including

Nifty: Cunard Ships Will Travel Back in Time

"If Stanley Tucci were your boyfriend, Nora Ephron would still be alive somehow."

Morning Coffee (11/17/14)

Me elsewhere: TV news, Haven recap, Bones review.

Every year, my friend Beck writes a hilarious review of the Oprah's gift guide. Here's this year's.

This potential New Yorker documentary series sounds interesting.

Jude Law as an Arthurian villain? Yes please.

So, on New Year's Eve, Ryan Seacrest's show will have Taylor Swift in New York and now Harry Styles in Hollywood. Hee. I hope she plays "Style."

Huh. Greg Berlanti is writing the Oscars.

Fascinating: Some Guy Scooped The Baseball Media On The Biggest MLB Contract Ever

This cannot actually be efficient: Westminster gardener ordered to remove autumn leaves one by one

you guys didnt have to do this!
i honestly would have been fine with just like half a dozen putti
and three or four handmaidens
like a dozen handmaidens max would have been FINE honestly

Morning Coffee (7/23/14)

A Court Ruling Just Blew a Huge Hole in Obamacare

Grocery shopping around here has been interesting recently.

The New Yorker's Biden profile is worth a read.

Here's the Man Booker Longlist!

Idris Elba as a knight of the Round Table? Awesome.

Prince George is one!

This is the kind of week when you need to see a random picture of Taylor Kitsch carrying luggage, right? Right.

Here's Blake Lively's new lifestyle site, and I still can't believe they didn't use some sort of pun for the title. But it's pretty!