The Aquatic High Jump Weekly Link Round-Up

I've pretty much gotten acquainted with my new computer. I've resigned myself to some of the "improvements" in the operating system, and I've found workarounds for others because I refuse to toe the line for a bossy machine. I've started calling it "Roadrunner" because of its speed, and perhaps it says something about our sometimes contentious relationship when I say that I've always had a soft spot for Wile E. Coyote.

Other than running errands and a very enjoyable trip to The Poisoned Pen, the past week has been quiet, with me still spending time in the pool during the afternoons. I've read two "A+" books out there in the past few days: Reavis Z. Wortham's The Rock Hole (which is comparable to William Kent Krueger's Ordinary Grace) and Gregg Hurwitz's Don't Look Back. I was so engrossed in both books that when Denis came out to ask me questions, he startled me so badly that I almost jumped out of the pool from a seated position, hence the title of this round-up!

And speaking of round-ups, I have a huge herd of links raising quite a dust cloud. Head 'em up! Move 'em out!

Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits

• New management could threaten the world's largest Sci-Fi library. 
• Cote de Pablo and Rachel Brosnahan will be starring in "The Dovekeepers" miniseries.
• Since I graduated from high school in 1973, I got quite a few laughs reading this post about the differences between getting your children ready for school back then and getting them ready now. The 1970s may be before your time, but you'll probably get a laugh out of it, too.
• An original Superman comic has sold for $3.2 million on eBay.
• The oldest public library in the U.S. is in danger of closing.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art has put 400,000 high-resolution images online and makes them free to use.
• The "Sherlock" team plans to top their Emmy-winning season by making us all cry.
• A customer has to call the police after getting locked in a book shop.
• Is it time to take prices off book covers?
• British readers are the reason behind an increasing demand for translated books.
• Harvard Classics are available as free eBooks.
• It's being proven (over and over) that eReader owners tend not to remember key plot points.
• What children's drawings say about their future thinking skills.
• Not all of you have a live-in pronunciation guide as I do, so you might find this pronunciation guide to strange British place names both enlightening and entertaining.
• There is one new book on Amazon every five minutes.
• Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale have signed on to an adaptation of The Jungle Book.
• The U.S. is going to have two floating libraries: one in Minnesota, and one in New York City.

Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones

• The oldest metal object in the Middle East has been discovered in a woman's grave. 
• The protected site of ancient dinosaur tracks will be unveiled in Utah.
• Scientists have figured out how lizards regrow their tails, and that's good news for us.
• In grave robber territory, the locals are abuzz about an Alexander the Great-era tomb.
• A fascinating article about British prisoners in a World War I German internment camp.
• Archaeologists have discovered 15 previously unknown monuments buried around Stonehenge.
• Possibly the oldest shipwreck in the Mediterranean has been discovered with 2,700-year-old artifacts aboard.
• A dig at Hadrian's Wall in the UK has unearthed a 2,000-year-old toilet seat.

Book Candy

• Well, it's not exactly "book" candy, but I love this knife block. It makes me want to swash my buckle!
• I love the artwork created by Patrick Girouard for the 2013 Illinois Library Association's summer reading project.
• 10 beautiful Australian libraries.

I  ♥  Lists

• 100 actual titles of real eighteenth-century novels.
• 25 great pieces of life advice from literature.
• 20 curious Victorian words and sayings.
• 10 must-read books about teachers. When I saw this title, I immediately thought of four books, and I was pleased to see that-- beginning with Up the Down Staircase-- all four are on this list... one right after the other!
• The 10 most valuable (US) Antiques Roadshow items.
• Mysteries with a sense of place. (I was happy to see that I've read 11 of 13 series mentioned in this list.)

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!