Annie Cardi's Blog, page 104

Links Galore

Lots of links to start your week off right:

I know this guy! Matt walked across the country, so now he's walking every street in New York City.
"It's not surprising that writers, historically technophobic and requiring either sequestered mental space for composition or greater proximal awareness for gathering material, would recoil from smartphones." Has the New York Times seen #yalit?
I'd attend "How to Explain to Your Parents That Your Novel is Not Based On Them" and other rejected AWP panels.
New thesis topic: cultural myths and literary tropes in pizza delivery menus that I will never throw away.
Why can't scientists write like poets? I know a few who certainly could handle/appreciate that kind of language.
Is our personality in our genes? Maybe not.

Early Intervention and Inclusion for Students with Learning Disabilities

From PBS NewsHour, a very interesting look at keeping kids with learning disabilities engaged in education while not segregating them from peers without similar challenges.

Very exciting to hear about programs that help kids learn to love reading, despite struggles like dyslexia.

Surnames from Shore to Shore

I have a hard time coming up with last names for my characters, especially minor ones that might need last names but don't get much page time. This National Geographic map detailing the most might be a big help when I need to pick a fairly random one. Lots of Smith and Jones, but it's fun to see the more regionally common last names like Pelletier in Maine and Trujillo in the southwest.

A Big Year for Epic Book Adaptations

Like pretty much everyone else in the YA world, I saw The Hunger Games this weekend, and I was very satisfied by the adaptation. Overall I think they edited well in terms of what they could/couldn't add into the movie (even if it got a little exposition-heavy at times; tracker jackers, anyone?). The performances were all fantastic. I'd been hesitant about Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss just because she looked older than I'd imagined Katniss to be, but she was fantastic. Lots of the more minor characters were excellent, too. (Rue destroyed me!) I'm very excited to see upcoming versions of Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

Another big movie adaptation coming up this year is The Hobbit, which is set to be released in December. The trailer for this one looks great, so hopefully it's going to be an excellent year for book adaptations.

If you're so excited about these movies you just want to squish them together into one giant epic, check out this fun quiz, which examines your knowledge of quotes from The Hunger Games and Lord of the Rings. Probably not too hard for fans, but I like getting validated for my knowledge of movie/book trivia.

Your thoughts on The Hunger Games or The Hobbit adaptations?

Friday Fifteen

We made it to Friday! Time for a Friday Fifteen, in which I review fifteen books in fifteen words or less.

1. How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer

A favorite collection of short stories. Sharp and evocative, potential for YA crossover.

2. Fodor's In Focus Barbados & St. Lucia, 2nd Edition by Fodor's

Picked this up before going to St. Lucia. Moderately helpful.

3. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Nice balance of sweet and serious, with charmingly beach-y setting.

4. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

A dynamic novel and a cool look at the history of comics, but the Pulitzer?

5. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

A must for writers of any level, with lots of humor and tenderness.

6. Miss Manners' Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding by Judith Martin

Didn't agree with everything, but made me feel more sane about my own wedding.

7. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Still want to read this every time I have a day that cannot go right.

8. Walking to Martha's Vineyard by Franz Wright

A gorgeous collection of poetry. "The Only Animal" is a favorite.

9. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (The Penderwicks #1) by Jeanne Birdsall

Sweet and cozy family story set in Massachusetts. I would have been obsessed with this at nine.

10. Antigone (The Theban Plays #3) by Sophocles

My English teacher had to explain Oedipus to us. First use of fuck in class.

11. Hip Hop Til You Drop (Full House Stephanie) by Devra Newberger Speregen

When you can't take dance, you read about it in a bad television spin-off book.

12. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Lively fairy tale-esque adventure with a fallen star. Not as deep as other Gaiman books.

13. The Gardner Museum Cafe Cookbook by Lois McKitchen Conroy

Haven't tried anything yet, but it's a fun look at culinary history.

14. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

One of my very favorites. Thoughtful and touching, with New York fifties chill.

15. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

Beautifully written saga of love, plus old people hooking up.

Links Galore

More links to take you into the weekend:

Love this list of superstitions, most of which I'd never heard of.
Lots of great events (YA and otherwise) at the LA Times Festival of Books. West coasters, check it out and report back!
I have a no guilt policy when it comes to the New Yorker, but I understand the pressure.
Who exactly was behind that giant pot shipment to St. Martin's Press? Famous literary characters, that's who! (If only.)
Great round-up of non-traditional families in YA/children's lit. So glad to see Ballet Shoes included!

YA Rocks and It's That Simple

At the Guardian, Maureen Johnson talks about YA and why it's appealing to people who aren't teens. My favorite quote: "I think that the reason it's taken off so much is that it's good. I think it's actually that simple….It has its detractors and its detractors generally don't know much about it."

Totally agree. Much like any other genre, there are bad books in there are well, but overall YA is a fantastic category and adult readers should feel no awkwardness checking out that section of the bookstore.

The Literary Secretary

It's no secret that writers need day jobs. Nowadays, a lot of writers try to break into academia or publishing. Another option: the secretarial position. At NPR, All Things Considered looks at the literary secretary with Lynn Peril, author of Swimming in the Steno Pool: A Retro Guide to Making It in the Office.

Maybe Mad Men will reveal that Don's secretary/wife Megan is actually a novelist and I'll like her more. (Probably not though.)

(image: Adolph B. Rice Studio, via the Library of Virginia)

"The Landyard" and How You Will Never Repay Your Mother

Late by a day, but to celebrate Poet Billy Collins' birthday, here's a video of him reading his poem "The Lanyard." I've seen Collins read a couple of times, and he works the comic tone nicely:

Maybe I should have saved this one for Mother's Day instead.

Links Galore

More links to get you through Thursday:

I'd have a hard time telling my hypothetical kids they were too young to see The Hunger Games.
You can be too young for Three-Minute Fiction, too, but NPR will still help you out.
Bootleg Harry Potter doesn't quote stand up.
Great interview with Melissa Sweet, illustrator of Balloons Over Broadway .
10 most awesome movie sword fights ever. Try not to watch these and get jazzed up.