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Summer Reading
Must-Read: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles
If you've ever cracked open a fortune cookie — and I bet you have — then see this book in your future. Far more satisfying than those sugary slips of paper, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, by New York Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee, explores the American obsession with Chinese food, from delightful trivia to dark realities.
lilsugar's Summer Reading List For Mommies Short on Time
Sneak in time to get lost in the pages of a few texts this Summer. Nothing can breathe new life into a tired mama like a literary escape! It's a quick and easy indulgence, and won't set you back too many bills.
Summer Reading: 12 New Books to Check Out
Every Summer, book publishers dress up new titles in breezy, summery covers that feature ladies on the beach, or a house on the beach, or flowers, or flowers on ladies — it's sometimes hard tell the whimsical poolside read from the heart-wrenching memoir. So when I came across a helpful article that sorts through this Summer's new releases , I just had to share. May you spend many long, lazy Summer days reading!
Summer Reading: Conan Takes On Tonight
I hope you've got big plans to grill up some food and sip some drinks (ideally with little umbrellas) on this Memorial Day, but if you need some light reading to keep you company, I recommend checking out the New York Times Magazine's take on Conan O'Brien. O'Brien, whom a lot of you have been missing these past few months, steps into The Tonight Show's vaunted hosting seat on June 1, and the Times profile explores whether his brand of humor can work on the legendary show.
Writes reporter Lynn Hirschberg:
O’Brien’s approach to comedy and television is analytical and exact.
Summer Reading: Tots Choose Favorite Books by Age Group
Final class celebrations are in full swing at many schools around the country and while lil ones are counting the minutes until Summer vacation, it's our job to keep their brains growing while they are out on break. Keeping up the routine reading throughout the warm months is one way to ensure that your tot doesn't regress.
The Children's Book Council recently invited children to select their favorite books of the year by age group.
Summer Reading: Is Summer Blockbuster Hype Too Much?
After seeing Tropic Thunder, I felt a teensy bit of relief that the Summer blockbuster events of 2008 seemed to be over at long last. Not that I didn't have fun, but I'm a little maxed out on major hype, epic special effects, and huge box office totals. I'm ready to dig out my warm jackets and sweaters and settle down with some little Fall movie gems.
Summer Reading: Is Independent Film Dying?
One of the more interesting entertainment-related stories I came across this past week is a Salon "Beyond the Multiplex" column about a subject near and dear to my heart: independent film. In the story, writer Andrew O'Hehir looks at the signs that indie films — so hot just a few years ago — are undergoing a pretty serious slide at the box office. Among the evidence:
- Several "independent" divisions of major studios are slashing their workforce or shutting their doors.
- Though Juno was a success last year, none of this year's indie films have broken through in a big way at the box office.
- The "digital revolution" has led to more films being produced than the market can hold, and many of them aren't great quality.
- Despite all that, more people than ever are saying they'd rather see independent films than studio fare.
Summer Reading: The NYT Delves Into Mad Men
If you've got some extra time today, I recommend taking a read through this New York Times Magazine story about Mad Men (it's also out in today's edition of the print magazine, if reading thousands of words online isn't your cup o' chai). It's a fascinating look at the show and its creator, Matthew Weiner. Among the best tidbits:
- Weiner wrote the pilot of Mad Men while working on the show Becker; it got him a job on The Sopranos but his series pitch was rejected by both HBO and Showtime.
- At least one prominent ad man of the '60s is annoyed by the show, which he think plays down the work he did in favor of "three-martini lunches" and ogling women.
- If someone's tie is tied wrong on the show, that's probably because the actor tied it himself.
Do You Read Food Books?
Now that Summer reading season is upon us, I'm wondering how many of you read food books. I'm not talking about cookbooks, but the nonfiction, narrative works that, when done well, can read like novels.
I'm a big fan of The Omnivore's Dilemma, so I might check out Michael Pollan's latest, In Defense of Food.
Summer Reading Roundup
Can you believe that August is over already? We hope that you all enjoyed August's summer reading month features. We've had thirty-one options that range from vegetarian cooking, shopping list mockery, world history, children's cooking, vacations, fine dining and more.
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