The ‘New York Times’ Books Desk Will Make You Read Again – This article reads like one long advertisement for the still-under-construction books section of the Times, which will apparently debut in November. Never mind the departure of Michio Kakutani (she took a buy-out!), and don’t mind the fact that they’re “slimming” ... more >
The best Black Friday book deals from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more – Even though it’s now technically Cyber Monday, most of these deals are still valid (Barnes & Noble has changed their discount to 15% for Cyber Monday), and with the holidays coming… While most people tend to focus ... more >
Plan ‘B’: How A Feminist Comic Book Found Devoted Fans Through Absurdity – A great interview with Kelly Sue DeConnick on the origins of the comic Bitch Planet, the first five issues of which were released this week as a graphic novel. DeConnick talks about how being pigeonholed as an “angry feminist,” ... more >
Rethinking Pink: A New Feminine Aesthetic in Tech Toys for Girls – Sparkle Labs’ Amy Parness writes about the persistent use of pink and blue in the marketing of items to boys and girls. Although retailers like Amazon have actually eliminated the boys/girls categorization, the distinction, Parness argues, is discouraging girls from pursuing ... more >
Do Critics Make Good Novelists? – This week’s Bookends column — between Daniel Mendelsohn and Leslie Jamison — is a pretty interesting contemplation of the relationship between literary critic and novelist. Mendelsohn seems to suggest that critics are unsuited to writing fiction, while Jamison suggests that the prejudice against critics ... more >