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| The book will be published by the Minneapolis-based Graywolf Press | ||
| The Thread's Must-Read: A tribute to Little Free Libraries | ||
| "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser Buy this book If you’ve ever picked up a book from a Little Free Library, you have Todd Bol to thank. Bol kicked off the craze in 2009, when he built the first one at the end of his driveway. The concept was simple: Need a book? Take a book. The pay-it-forward trend spread around the world: Today there are 75,000 Little Free Libraries in 88 countries. Bol died earlier this week at 62, and I just want to thank him for his work. I moved to Minnesota eight years ago, right when Little Free Libraries were beginning to pop up around the Twin Cities, and I was instantly hooked. I built one up in my front yard out of an old bread box, and I was thrilled every time I peeked inside to see what had been picked up (There goes “Bunnicula!”) and what had been dropped off (A field guide to Midwest mushrooms?). The possibilities were endless. I moved a few years ago, leaving my first library behind, but I still find myself stopping at nearly every Little Free Library I pass — and there are a lot of them in the Twin Cities. This summer, out on a run, I saw the familiar blue spine of one of my favorite books poking out of a little library. It was William Zinsser’s “On Writing Well.” This book is witty and sharp, and it will make you a better writer. I grabbed it out of the library and ran all the way home with it, excited to think about who I would give it away to. (Yes, I recommended a book on writing, and I just ended with a sentence with a preposition.) That is the magic of Little Free Libraries: They put hundreds of thousands of books directly into people’s paths. They're everywhere: You run by them; you walk by them; you bike by them. They’re at your bus stop or outside your grocery store. You stop to pick a book for yourself, or something for a friend. You spend an extra five or ten minutes of your day interacting with the magic of books. What was the last book you picked up from a Little Free Library? Was it an old favorite or something new? Was it something you never would have found otherwise? Whatever the book was, thank you for that, Todd. -Tracy Mumford | ||
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| This Week on The Thread | ||
| Little Free Library creator Todd Bol dies Todd Bol launched the freestanding receptacles for books in 2010 as a tribute to his mother, who was a teacher. More | ||
| Anna Burns wins Man Booker prize for "Milkman" "Milkman" by Anna Burns Buy this book Burns' story set in Northern Ireland was awarded the 2018 Man Booker Prize for fiction. The book will be published in the U.S. this December by Minneapolis' Graywolf Press. More | ||
| What would Eleanor do? "If You Ask Me" revisits Roosevelt's advice columns "If You Ask Me" edited by Mary Jo Binker Buy this book For 20 years, Roosevelt answered reader questions on topics monumental, mundane and everywhere in between. A new book presents a selection of her essential advice and practical wisdom. More | ||
| Stephen Hawking's parting gift to humanity "Brief Answers to the Big Questions" by Stephen Hawking Buy this book The physicist's posthumous book highlights his belief in the rationality of nature and in our ability to uncover its secrets — and a faith in science's ability to solve humanity's biggest problems. More | ||
| "There's no excuse for the lack of diversity in comedy" "Everything's Trash, But It's Okay" by Phoebe Robinson Buy this book "There are so many talented, amazing people and if you're not booking them, it's either out of laziness or the fact you really don't care," says the co-host of the 2 Dope Queens podcast. More | ||
| Sen. Sasse aims to find ways to move America beyond divisive politics "Them" by Sen. Ben Sasse Buy this book "Them" doesn't read like a campaign book: There's no humble-bragging about accomplishments. Sasse instead focuses on building relationships, but doesn't go deep enough or propose tangible solutions, according to NPR reviewer Michael Schaub. More | ||
| A soaring tale of enslavement and escape "Washington Black" by Esi Edugyan Buy this book Esi Edugyan's new novel centers on a boy who escapes slavery via hot air balloon — before crashing down to hard historical realities. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls the book "a wonder." More | ||
| "Vietnam" takes on all sides with a critical gaze "Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy, 1945-1975" by Max Hastings Buy this book While historian Max Hastings may break no new ground in his tome, it's how he crafts his story with color, detail and pathos that makes it great — and likely to become the standard on the war. More | ||
| New biography reminds us why Justice Ginsburg is a true legal icon "Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life" by Jane Sherron De Hart Buy this book Jane Sherron De Hart's biography sheds light on personal and professional challenges Ginsburg faced on the way to the top and puts the Supreme Court justice's life in context. More | ||
| Bearing witness to our worst, loneliest moments "Melmoth" by Sarah Perry Buy this book Sarah Perry's new novel isn't subtle. It's full of ominous birds, guttering candles and mysterious figures in gloomy windows. But there's something satisfying about its emotional flamboyance. More | ||
| "Heavy" brilliantly renders the struggle to become fully realized The book is at once a paean to the Deep South, a condemnation of our fat-averse culture, and a beautiful memoir of being black, bookish and part of a family that's as challenging as it is grounding. More | ||
| A book that proposes "every living thing has two bodies" "I just finished it the other night, and I have been thinking about it for three days," bookseller Daley Farr said of "The Second Body" by Daisy Hildyard. More | ||
| Definitely for the birds Legend says that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, England will fall. Luckily, ravenmaster Chris Skaife is there to care for them, and he's got a new book about these extraordinary birds. More | ||
| A book to help kids with addicted parents feel less alone Jarrett J. Krosoczka was raised by his grandparents. The author and illustrator says he got a lot of practice telling stories as a kid, "making up excuses for where my biological parents were." More | ||
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