Mary Daniels Brown

My mother always insisted that, as soon as I was old enough to sit up, she’d find me in my crib after my nap babbling away, with a Little Golden Book on my lap. I’ve had my nose in a book ever since. I grew up in a small town, with the tiny town library literally in my backyard. As an only child in an unhappy home, I found comfort and companionship in books. As an adult I wanted to be Harry Potter, although I admit I’m more Hermione. My life has been a series of research projects. Reading has taught me that human lives are deliciously messy and that “it’s complicated” isn’t a punchline.

Last Week's Links

Literary Links

The Dreariness of Book Club Discussions Novelist and critic Naomi Kanakia, who belongs to two book clubs, uses the context of her book group discussions to examine why we read fiction. The point of novels, she writes, “is that something happened. Something was at stake in this story. Characters made decisions. Those decisions had consequences. […]

Literary Links Read More »

book review

“What About the Baby?” by Alice McDermott

I don’t write fiction, but I do enjoy reading it. I also enjoy reading about the writing of fiction, because understanding the issues that writers consider about their writing process makes me a more competent reader and critic.  I grabbed this book when I saw it on the “Featured” shelf at the library. I was

“What About the Baby?” by Alice McDermott Read More »

Discussion

I’m Joining the #TwitterMigration to #Mastodon

Background Last week you-know-what hit the fan over at Twitter when Elon Musk took over. A lot of folks, concerned over the return of hate speech and disinformation, talked about finding an alternative to Twitter. Also, Stephen King and Elon Must got into a well publicized dust-up over account verification and its related cost. I’m

I’m Joining the #TwitterMigration to #Mastodon Read More »

stack of 3 books plus open book with pen. Title: Top Ten Tuesday

#TopTenTuesday 10 Series I Want to Start or Catch Up On

Related Post: 5 Series I Want to Catch Up On V.I. Warshawski novels by Sara Paretsky Child psychologist Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman Psychologist Alan Gregory novels by Stephen White Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series by Val McDermid Olive Kitteridge books by Elizabeth Strout 5 Series I Want to Start IQ books by Joe Ide

#TopTenTuesday 10 Series I Want to Start or Catch Up On Read More »

Last Week's Links

Literary Links

PEN America Rejects Calls to Cancel Coney Barrett Book Last week’s Literary Links included an article about Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s book advance as well as an article about PEN America’s report on diversity in the publishing industry.  This week we have a link to Publishers Weekly’s news that PEN America has condemned the

Literary Links Read More »

Banner on purple background: Nonfiction November, Notes in the Margin. Photo of stack of books with the following titles: Hidden Valley Road, Words Are My Matter, The Self Delusion, The Power of Regret, Women in White Coats, The Doctors Blackwell, A Kind of Mirraculas Paradise

This Year I’m Doing Nonfiction November

Introduction I had all sorts of good intentions to read more nonfiction during 2022, but here it is November and, according to my spreadsheet, I’ve read exactly one nonfiction work all year (a memoir that wasn’t very good and that I therefore didn’t review).  I like alliteration and have heard of Nonfiction November, so I

This Year I’m Doing Nonfiction November Read More »

stack of 3 books plus open book with pen. Title: Top Ten Tuesday

#TopTenTuesday   10 Unlikable Characters I Couldn’t Help but Like

I present this list with minimal explanations to avoid spoiling the stories for you. 1. Robbie Feaver in Personal Injuries by Scott Turow I was amazed at how Turow was able to make me appreciate this shady lawyer. 2. & 3. Patty Watts and Rose Gold Watts in Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel This

#TopTenTuesday   10 Unlikable Characters I Couldn’t Help but Like Read More »

Last Week's Links

Literary Links

Book Banners Are Weaponizing Legitimate Resources: Book Censorship News, October 28, 2022 Danika Ellis writes, “One of the strategies book banners are using that makes me nervous is that they are weaponizing resources that were never meant to defend book banning.” She’s particularly concerned about “resources that were specifically made to help teachers and parents

Literary Links Read More »

stack of 3 books plus open book with pen. Title: Top Ten Tuesday

#TopTenTuesday 10 Lists of Books About the COVID-19 Pandemic

Today’s suggested topic for Top Ten Tuesday is a Halloween freebie. I love Halloween just as much as the next reader, but I published my Suggestions for Spooky Halloween Reading early in the month, and that’s all I’ve got on that topic. So today, instead of Halloween, I’m presenting another topic I’ve been interested in lately,

#TopTenTuesday 10 Lists of Books About the COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »

Scroll to Top