Listening to the Confusion Weekly Link Round-Up

In many ways, this has been a very good week. We have a new car that we've been getting used to. I'm hoping a very dear friend has a wonderful time in Brazil. We had a great trip to The Poisoned Pen for an author event-- and I'll share a photo of the book haul I came home with. I've even spent some time out in the pool with more wonderful books. I know you've been waiting for the "but", and I'm not going to disappoint you.

Latest haul from The Poisoned Pen

A veil of sadness has been thrown over everything with the news of Robin Williams' suicide. Like many of the rest of you, Robin was a presence in most of my life. He's long been one of my top four comedians, joining Jonathan Winters, George Carlin, and Billy Connolly. Like many of the very best comics, Robin was no stranger to pain and depression. In much of the outpouring of grief that's shown up on the internet, over and over I've seen comments like "He couldn't have been depressed-- he was so funny!!!"

Ah my dears, those who have fought depression the hardest, those who have stared into the abyss, are often the funniest people you'll ever meet. Why? Because every single one of them has learned how to blend in, how to appear normal. It's something people who have never experienced depression will ever truly understand.  How do I know this? Because the only reason why I'm alive today is because I could never find a way to commit suicide that wouldn't make my family feel responsible. So I continued to find a way to hang on. Each and every day. My heart goes out to all those who couldn't hang on, and to all the loved ones they leave behind.

And on that sad note, let me round up some links for you....

Books & Other Interesting Tidbits

• Katie Hurley gets it: There's nothing selfish about suicide.
• Crime fiction writer Val McDermid's name is going to be plastered all over some soccer jerseys.
• Reading print versus digital increases comprehension.
• I've seen some lonely bus shelters in remote corners of Scotland, but this is a bus shelter with class!
• Have you read British police procedurals only to be put off by acronyms you don't understand? London's Metropolitan Police have a very helpful glossary that I've bookmarked.
• Barnes and Noble has unveiled same day book delivery service.
• 84% of publishers plan to make eBooks in 2014.
• Readers in the UK own more print books than eBooks. (So do I.)
• Women are spending more time and money on mobile games.
• The plot thickens as 900 writers battle Amazon.
• The Definitive Guide to Banned Books, Volume 1.

Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones

• American Civil War journals and historic letters are going digital.
• The first fire-scorched petrified wood has been found.
• 5 important artifacts that were lost-- and found-- in museum storage.
• Greece says that a vast, significant ancient tomb has been unearthed in the north.
• An evil eye box and other ancient treasures have been uncovered in a Nile River cemetery.
• A fisherman has discovered evidence of Early Americans.
• French workmen are facing charges for stealing hidden treasure.
• Florida workers find 2,000 silver coins during a home demolition.
• Details of the elaborate burial planned for King Richard III have been unveiled.
• An extremely rare elephant mosaic has been uncovered in a 5th century synagogue.

I  ♥  Lists & Book Candy

• The world's 20 most stunning bookstores.
• 14 places you'd never believe were in Scotland.
• Some of these are wonderful: 10 celebrities reading children's books.
• Take a look at this terracotta bookend vase.
• 13 things book lovers are tired of hearing.

That's all for this week. Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll have a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure. Have a great weekend!