The Good Daddy Weekly Link Round-Up

Pulling weeds, pruning shrubs, and housework do not an interesting intro make, so... I thought I'd attempt to share something I've been experimenting with while I sit in the pool in the afternoon. I'm not just reading and sipping a tall, cold drink, I'm also photographing the wildlife that stops by. This week, I decided to try out the video function of my new camera:

This is Gregory the Gila (HEE-luh) Woodpecker feeding Greg Jr. Greg Jr. is perfectly capable of feeding himself, but he just can't help begging for a handout from dear old Dad. Kids! (By the way, I apologize if the camera seems to sway back and forth a bit, but when you're sitting in a pool, you're at the mercy of the water.)

You came here for some links? Well, I got 'em for you-- Head 'em up, move 'em out!

 

►Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Not that I'm trying to encourage you to read The Golden Age of Murder or anything, but I did find a nice article about it in Publishers Weekly.
• Barbra Streisand is donating a John Singer Sargent (one of my favorite artists) painting to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 
• Some data showing the lack of awards given to books about women.
• A first look at Matt Damon as an astronaut in Ridley Scott's The Martian.
• I loved this animated cover reveal of Stephen King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.
• The Conan Doyle Estate strikes again. This time they don't want any of us to see Mr. Holmes.
• What is the greatest TV finale ever?
• Is re-reading the ultimate guilty pleasure?
• Selling eBooks is a losing proposition for indie bookstores.
• George R.R. Martin won't be writing season 6 of Game of Thrones. 
• Showrooming is on the rise and bookstores are suffering. (I wonder how many people do this to save a couple of bucks on the price of a book and use up at least twice as much money in gas to do it?)

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• Ethiopian fossils represent a new member of the human family tree.
• A treasure hunter from Cape Cod is convinced he's found Captain Kidd's loot.
• Oops. This New York City nightclub doorman might want to be a bit more careful with those cocktail napkins. 
• The dragons of Xanadu: these sculptures have been discovered in a legendary city.
• Archaeologists have found a couple who've been holding hands for 700 years. 
• The secrets of the master forgers.
• The dark side of life has been discovered in a medieval Oxford nunnery.
• Ancient Viking armor did not look how we thought it did.

►The Happy Wanderer◄

• When you think of new islands forming in the sea, are you like me and think of the Pacific Ocean? Well... there are two new islands in the Red Sea.
• Tiny humans lost in the majesty of nature.
• This Arizona "castle" is beautiful even if it has the wrong name.
• 14 amazing road trips around the world.
• How would you like to live in the Munsters' mansion?

►I ♥ Lists◄

• 24 brilliant portmanteaus you should add to your vocabulary.
• 18 times Tumblr understood your bookshelf problems.
• Books about libraries and librarians.
• 10 Old English words you need to be using.
• The top selling eBooks of 2014. 
• 5 characters George R.R. martin wishes were on the TV series Game of Thrones.
• The BBC's thoughts on the 21st century's 12 greatest novels.

►Book Candy◄

• The BBC has rounded up what it considers to be the world's most beautiful libraries. It contains some different ones from the usual suspects. 
• Book's Calling.
• See how well you know your cover art on this classic books quiz.
• A rare early proof of The Bell Jar is going to be sold at auction.

That's all for this week. The link round-up is going out on a cattle drive and will return in two weeks.

Have a great weekend and read something fabulous!