Just what am I debating, you ask? Well... it's been about two years since the last time I attended an author event at The Poisoned Pen, and I miss it. The reason why I stopped going was because of Paratransit. Denis and I wound up being stranded on a cold, dark street corner for 2½ hours until the Paratransit bus finally showed up to take us home. Now that I'm "flying solo," I've been even more cautious about taking Paratransit to The Poisoned Pen. But...
There are two upcoming events, one in July and one in August, that I really want to attend. In July, David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Winter Counts) will be there with his new book, Wisdom Corner. In August, British author Tim Sullivan will be here for his book, The Tailor. You've all been reading how crazy I am about his George Cross mysteries. How could I not want to attend this event?
Should I continue to err on the side of caution, or should I gird my loins, cross my fingers, and go?
Virtual hugs to you all. Enjoy the links!
►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
- The Massachusetts House passed a bill to protect free expression and guard the state against book bans.
- What actually happens to the $20-$30 you spend on a book.
- A bookstore boom in a time of literacy decline.
- Thanks to BookTok, authors are the new "rock stars," and Hollywood is taking notice.
- Paperback vs. Hardcover: which is better for readers (and for writers)?
- After a victory in Rhode Island, Connecticut libraries are calling on more states to address predatory eBook pricing.
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
- A lavish Roman villa discovered outside Rome's walls may have been frequented by Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius.
- Roman bath clog: The world's oldest shower shoes were found at a fort along Hadrian's Wall.
- Archaeologists unearth a marble Aphrodite, a pharaoh's cartouche, and a Roman basilica, all in one ancient Egyptian city.
- This rare, intricate brooch represents the Roman Empire's long, disjointed attempt to conquer Scotland.
- The first shipwrecks linked to real pirates of the Caribbean have been found in the Bahamas.
- An "exceptional" drilled tooth reveals Neanderthals practiced dentistry in Siberia 60,000 years ago.
►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄
- The world's rarest great ape was decimated by four days of extreme rain, with 7% of its population lost to a cyclone.
- Scientists have discovered a 5 million-year-old whale graveyard stretching for hundreds of miles in the Indian Ocean.
- Scientists discovered a tiny blue species of octopus by the Galápagos Islands.
- A released squirrel comes back every day to play with the dog who helped raise him.
- Rare red-necked ostriches have been introduced in Saudi Arabia to replace birds that went extinct more than eighty years ago.
- This wild cat is considered "possibly extinct" in Thailand. Researchers just caught it on camera for the first time in thirty years.
►The Wanderer◄
- Mail between heaven and earth: Japan's post office for letters to the dead.
- Seven of the best things to do in Paris.
- The Great Salt Lake is in crisis.
- Coiba Island Penal Colony. An infamous former prison is now a biodiverse national park.
- These 15 photos invite you to take a peek at the people, places, and cultural legacy of picturesque Portugal.
- The events that took place in this Selma, Alabama, home were key to the civil rights movement, and you can now visit it.
►Fascinating Folk◄
- Jerry Lawson, an unsung Black developer, unlocked the code to turning a video game console into a virtual living room arcade.
- When Clarence Birdseye tasted the trout that had been frozen by Inuit fishermen, it changed the way we buy food.
- A moment of divine inspiration helped Melvil Dewey bring obsessive order to the infinitely disorganized stacks in the library.
- One of the quietest leaders in the civil rights movement, Ella Baker led by encouraging everyone to get involved.
- Born in 1810, Margaret Fuller was labeled a child prodigy. She later used her intellect to ask important questions about women's roles in America.
- During the Revolution, American women fought for freedom, spied on the British, cared for the sick, and fell in love. A new exhibition reveals their rich wartime stories.
►I ♥ Lists◄
- 20 biographies for deep-dive reading.
- Best mystery and thriller movies of the 1950s.
- Gordon Jack's 5 steps to writing senior sleuths who solve cyber crime.
- 12 books set at charming bed-and-breakfasts.
- 7 thrillers and mysteries where the celebration turns deadly.
- These cozy mysteries will delight you.
That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!
