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 (6/4/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Uh: Giuliani: Trump Could Have Shot Comey And Still Couldn’t Be Indicted For It

OF COURSE: What Happened to Jill Stein’s Recount Millions?

State Websites Are Hackable — And That Could Compromise Election Security

The Media’s Undeniable Pro-Trump Bias

Heh: Jeff Sessions no longer sparks joy

The sin of silence: The epidemic of denial about sexual abuse in the evangelical church

Trump’s Loudest Anti-Muslim Twitter Troll Is A Shady Vegan Married To An (Ousted) WWE Exec

Welp: Seniors Are More Conservative Because the Poor Don’t Survive to Become Seniors

New Rainbow Rowell book cover??

Morning Coffee (10/13/17)

Whew, we definitely need some happy Friday links this week.

Aaaah, Rainbow Rowell book news! I'm so glad she's writing a book taking place in a pumpkin patch. That is the MOST RAINBOW.

And the cover and an excerpt from Sandhya Menon's upcoming From Twinkle, With Love!

And the Toast came back very briefly to tell us Hey Ladies! wrote a book too!

I will continue to be unreservedly excited about new X-Files because we need things to be happy about. Anyway, here's the trailer.

This new podcast sounds cool! British Museum and BBC team up to explore belief through objects

Hey, sometimes bears need pizza too.

11 Shearling Coats to Snuggle Up in This Fall (I am glad shearling is in this year because I am OBSESSED right now.)

Ooh, let's run away to Lego House.

31 Amazing Literary Halloween Costumes

I get annoyed at leaf-peepers in person but I don't mind if you do it VIRTUALLY: Breathtaking Fall Leaves Around the World

Weekly Rec: Runaways by Rainbow Rowell

I should start by saying that I am not a comics person. Like, at all. I'm an extremely text-oriented person. (Please don't pivot to video.) Whenever I've tried to read comics or graphic novels in the past, I've felt very distant from the work as I constantly have to remind myself to pay attention and look at the pictures. Even when I could admire what they were trying to do, it wasn't a natural or fun reading experience for me.

However! Something that comes along with working and being friends with authors and other people who make things is the motivation to try things outside your own comfort zone so you can appreciate and support their work. (One of my friends has a horror novel coming out next week and I'm already pre-stressed about it.) So when news broke that my pal Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor and Park, Fangirl, Landline, etc.) was writing the new run of a Marvel comic, I figured I should give it a try.

And I'm actually glad I did! Runaways, which started this month, is a revival of an older series about the teen children of supervillains. I've never read the originals but this first issue grounds things pretty well: correct me if I'm wrong, people who know what they're talking about, but the characters have dispersed and are somewhat in hiding after taking down their parents, but now things are happening that are prompting them to get the band back together.

I'm sure my reading experience was helped by the knowledge that this was by someone I know, whose books I love, and that therefore I should find it more accessible - but I did! I enjoyed it! I know this sounds like faint praise - "Read this comic! I didn't hate it like I usually do!" - but honestly, I'm delighted. I didn't feel that detachment I usually do when I try to read this format. I'm already invested in the characters and looking forward to the next installment. So maybe you should check it out too!

Afternoon Tea (9/14/17)

I don't usually read comics but I'm going to try this one: Rainbow Rowell on her love of Runaways and the joys of comic collaboration

Ha: The Twelve Tiers of Fall Television!

The convoluted world of best-seller lists, explained

How the Unflappable Fred Astaire Survived the Fifties

Everything Serena Ever Wore on “Gossip Girl”

Morning Coffee (6/2/17)

Time for our traditional happy Friday links!

Aaah, we have a Murder on the Orient Express trailer! It's so gorgeous!

Victoria & Abdul also looks very pretty! JUDI DENCH EVERYWHERE.

Oh good - Hottest Heads of State has addressed Emmanuel Macron.

British GQ has a very cute new picture of Will and Kate and kids, and William is doing a really nice job of speaking out about mental health and his mother's death.

!!! Rainbow Rowell to write Marvel's new Runaways series (I don't have any particular Runaways feelings but yay Rainbow!)

In other exciting superhero news: The Flash and Supergirl to get middle-grade novels

This week in things I wish were relevant to my life right now: The best afternoon teas in London

Take a Long Walk Through the British Countyside With “Slow Radio” on the BBC

Wow: Architects have identified the 10 most beautiful gas stations in the world

! Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Professional Cat Cuddler?

Morning Coffee (5/5/17)

I think we all need some happy Friday links this week.

Good news!!! Hillary Clinton to launch political group as soon as next week

Also! You can now buy a new story by Rainbow Rowell and help the ACLU!

This is a fun interview (by Andrew Rannells!) and your Friday could probably be improved by looking at his face: Matt Bomer: The King of Summer TV

What the world needs now: Dorie Greenspan Gets a New York Times Magazine Column and It’s All About Dessert

I assume you want to see Justin Trudeau dressed as a firefighter (kinda).

In Praise of Agatha Christie's Accidental Sleuths

This is GREAT for those of us who like poring over genealogical tables in history books: Royally Connected

Speaking of, Princess Charlotte had her birthday this week and she's very cute.

The Most Ridiculous Jeans Styles of the Year, Ranked

Let's go! New 'Downton Abbey' Exhibit Lets You Walk Through Mrs. Patmore's Kitchen and More

Morning Coffee (12/16/16)

Time for some happy Friday links!

My friend Beck reviews Oprah's gift guide every year and I look forward to it SO MUCH.

I have Rainbow Rowell's Carry On in hardcover but LOOK AT THE PAPERBACK. I may need that too.

This is COMPLETELY DELIGHTFUL: Michael Caine Loves The Muppet Christmas Carol as Much as You Do

Attention: WORLD'S LARGEST GINGERBREAD VILLAGE

Playbill made a Broadway baking playlist! Perfect for all your cookie baking this time of year.

Aw: Mom Didn’t Sell Any Knitted Goods At A Fair, So Twitter Bought It All

Oh fun: New York City's Holiday Vintage Subway Trains Are Back

Why Hershey's Kisses Have Been Part of the Cultural Fabric of the Holidays Since 1907

Bookish snowmen!

Happy 200th Birthday, The Nutcracker!

Holiday Ornaments for Book Lovers

The 15 Most Beautiful College Libraries in America

2016 Books: Carry On

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
St. Martin's Griffin, 2015
522 p.

Carry On is the story of Simon and Baz, the fictional characters mentioned within Rainbow Rowell's novel Fangirl - except it isn't, because it's Rainbow's own version of their story, not the one discussed (or the fanfic written) in the previous novel. I expected to like this, because I like everything Rainbow writes, but I did NOT expect to be so completely into it that I had to finish most of it in one sitting. It's obviously deliberately drawing on and commenting on Harry Potter and other Chosen One stories, but it's also very much its own thing, with its own fantasy world and magic system that I found very compelling. And as usual, Rainbow's dialogue is perfect and makes her characters feel entirely real.

See everything I've read in 2016!

Morning Coffee (5/21/15)

Ooh, IndyCar is coming to Boston.

Science proves there were exactly three pop music revolutions, so that’s settled.

Matt Czuchry, feminist.

Did they find Captain Kidd's treasure? (I'm always skeptical, but these stories are still fun.)

Whoa: Airbus had 1,000 parts 3D printed to meet deadline. We're living IN THE FUTURE.

A Palace Chef on What the Royal Family Really Eats

Did you see that DFTBA is now selling delightful Rainbow Rowell things?

Did you follow Mallory Ortberg's kitten saga this week? Here and then here.

Morning Coffee (8/29/14)

Happy Friday!

Crisis averted: Hello Kitty is a cat after all. Sort of. Basically.

This dog, however, is also a cat. Sort of. Technically.

"The pumpkin spice latte tastes like the man of your dreams coming up to you on the sidewalk and saying he thinks the Oxford comma should be standard."

Related: Here's how to make Levi's Pumpkin Mocha Breve from Fangirl.

Emma Approved fans, go vote for Show of the Year in the Streamy Awards.

Eee, Gwenda Bond is writing a Lois Lane YA novel!

Delightful Tumblr of the day: Mugs of NPR

I'm looking forward to starting this Forever YA Photo-A-Day thing on Monday.

Classic First Lines of Novels in Emojis: A Quiz

Documentary The Mystery of Agatha Christie is airing on PBS soon and looks intriguing.

McDonald's is testing mozzarella sticks!

The Outlander Drinking Game

Morning Coffee (8/27/14)

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday - technical difficulties.

Zara has pulled its wildly misguided "sheriff" shirt for children featuring stripes and a big yellow star. For what it's worth, I believe them that it wasn't intended as a Holocaust reference, but someone somewhere along the way should have said "Hey, wait a minute . . ." long before it got to the point of going on sale to the public.

In other "someone should have considered how this would look" news, the British embassy sparks anger for tweet celebrating 1814 White House burning.

Who wants to come see Rainbow Rowell in Cambridge with me? (MA, not England.)

And in other local-ish news, this is INSANE: The Strange & Curious Tale of the Last True Hermit

The Emmys put Sofia Vergara on a rotating pedestal, and it was terrible

Hi, I'm the one person you know who is completely and unironically excited for season three of The Newsroom.

My friend Christine writes hilarious Reign recaps and has also started sharing history links. Highly recommended.

Also via Christine: The National Archives (U.K.) offers Latin tutorials!!

Book Recommendation: Landline

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
(Goodreads, Amazon)

TV writer Georgie's marriage is in trouble - and then she accidentally happens upon a way to communicate with her husband in the past. Can she fix things? Should she fix things? Will she somehow mess up the timeline? I've loved all of Rainbow's books, but this one just might be my favorite so far. The characters - both Georgie and Neal as well as the supporting cast - immediately captured my interest and my heart, and I'm in awe of the way that Rainbow gets them to a satisfying ending without sacrificing any of the very real pain they (and the readers) feel along the way or implying that everything has magically turned to sunshine and rainbows. (Er, no pun intended.) And the writing is such that I kept having to put the book down - even as I wanted to race through it - to absorb certain perfect sentences. If you like stories about relationships or family or friends or self-discovery or writing or TV or Christmas, read this book.

Landline comes out two weeks from today, on July 8th, so preorder or put yourself on your library's hold list now!

(Disclaimer: I know Rainbow, but I would not lie to you - I loved this book.)

Morning Coffee (4/3/14)

The Supreme Court Just Gutted Another Campaign Finance Law. Here’s What Happened.

Exciting news: DreamWorks acquired Eleanor and Park and Rainbow Rowell is writing the screenplay!

If you have Xfinity and are behind on any shows, you might want to check if they're currently on demand for Watchathon Week.

If you, like me, missed the adorable Jimmy Fallon/Billy Joel duet, it is absolutely worth a watch.

Whoa: Just Tap Your Phone On Every Wall and This App Will Draw a Floorplan

Rhys Ifans is doing Under Milk Wood in English and Welsh.

The Catholic Roots of Obama’s Activism

Which Annoying Type Of Person On “House Hunters” Are You?

Morning Coffee (1/31/14)

Happy Friday! How is it the last day of January already??

As someone who is probably not planning to watch the Super Bowl, I actually agree that nobody cares that you're not watching the Super Bowl.

Whee, the delightful Rainbow Rowell has a new book deal!

UConn’s New Mascot is AN ADORABLE PUPPY, YAY!

This headline wound up meaning something less interesting than I'd first hoped: Wolverine Ice Dancing Contingent Leads USA to Sochi

EW's "deep dive" into the The Fault in Our Stars trailer is surprisingly witty and fun.

House Hunters: 7 Mini Games You Can Play While Watching the Show

Hilarious book comic: "We are classics!"

Literary Valentines For The Romantic Reader In All Of Us

How To Tell If You’re In A Hemingway Novel

Morning Coffee (1/27/14)

The White House is doing a real (online) Big Block of Cheese Day, and they got Bradley Whitford and Josh Malina for the video.

Ezra Klein, Matt Yglesias, Dylan Matthews, and Melissa Bell are founding a new publication at Vox.

This quick video interview with Sleepy Hollow's Tom Mison is basically the most charming thing I've ever seen.

Ooh, they made an arrest in that Goodfellas Lufthansa robbery.

Oh, Blackberry. Pentagon says 'absolutely no new orders have been placed' for BlackBerry phones.

Heh: FiOS customer discovers the limits of “unlimited” data: 77TB a month

Utah is Ending Homelessness by Giving People Homes

I second all of this about Fangirl.

Morning Coffee (9/18/13)

Me, elsewhere: I wrote about new Fox comedies Brooklyn Nine-Nine (good) and Dads (not good) at TheTelevixen.com
And I reviewed the Sleepy Hollow pilot and wrote up a few thoughts on the Bones premiere at Read the Screen.

Why The New Fox Comedy “Dads” Is Actually Evil

Here's the Bryan Goldberg piece you've been wanting.

Ooh, here's the trailer for the Grace of Monaco biopic.

Delightful: Literary Trysts It Gives Me Great Joy To Think About: Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman

A Chat With Rainbow Rowell About Love and Censorship (Eleanor and Park is great. You should read it.)

This gorgeous chart attempts to represent the whole Civil War.

Dog: Medieval Man's Best Friend

Pretty Pincushions, Embroidered by British Soldiers in WWI and Sent To Their Sweethearts Back Home