So many books, so little time
Vol. 2 Issue 1
"Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world." --Voltaire
BOOK NEWS & NOTES
It's back!: After 36 years, Salman Rushdie's 1988 novel, "The Satanic Verses," is once again available for sale in his homeland of India. And, despite its hefty price tag, booksellers say readers are clamoring for it. The book was banned there soon after its release due to riots over its content. Iran’s then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, also issued a fatwa against Rushdie for writing the book. In response, Rushdie was forced to live in hiding for a decade. Even when he returned to the public eye, the danger continued to follow him. In 2022, he was nearly killed while giving a speech at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y. Rushdie later chronicled the attack in his wonderful 2024 book, "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder." (The Guardian)
Embrace fantastical snugs: Winter has begun and it’s the perfect time to dive into a cozy fantasy novel. If you're unfamiliar with this subgenre of fantasy, author David Green has a great definition: "Character-driven, personal tales promoting found families and happy endings, best read in your favorite, comfiest chair, under your warmest blanket and with a cup of tea in hand. And don’t forget the steady supply of biscuits." Here are 10 titles to get you started. (Pan Macmillan)
How to build a reading habit
Challenge yourself: Like many other bibliophiles, I set a reading goal every year. In general, I read about 50 to 60 books annually, which is not bad considering I also work full-time and run several newsletters on the side. Last year, when I was unemployed for three months, I dedicated a bit more time to reading in between my job-searching efforts. By the end of December, I had finished 82 books -- a new record. This year, I aim to read 75 books (i.e., more than usual but still doable). If you're looking for a unique reading challenge, here are 10 to consider. (The Literary Lifestyle)
Track your tomes: How do you measure your reading-challenge progress? Are you the type to buy a dead-tree journal each year and slowly fill it in? Or, perhaps you're more partial to an online option, like Goodreads or The StoryGraph. If you can’t decide, Julianne Buonocore has put together a list of 10 decent options. (The Literary Lifestyle)
My January bookmark:
It's a business card inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. I obtained it from Susie Humby, a British graphic designer who runs the fabulous Book Ephemera shop on Etsy.
What's between your pages? Take a photo and share!
SUPPORT THE MOONLIGHT READER SOCIETY
The Moonlight Reader Society is a reader-supported newsletter featuring book news and reviews, interviews, reading quotes, polls and more. New issues come out every Friday and subscriptions are free. But, if you want to aid my efforts — and can afford to do so — paid subscriptions are only $5/month, or $50/year. Everyone who purchases a subscription will also receive extra subscriber content, gain full access to the archives and be automatically entered into a monthly giveaway for bookish prizes.
MEET A MOONLIGHT READER
Name: Jade Walker
Short bio: I'm the book lover behind this newsletter. I also publish newsletters about good news, death and writing.
State or country: New Hampshire, USA
Who are your favorite authors?
I have many but at the top of the list: Stephen King, Diana Gabaldon and Helene Hanff.
How many books do you own?
Thousands. And I try to cull the collection every year but more just magically appear.
Do you read each book in a series as it's published or wait for the whole story to be finished?
As a reader, I vastly prefer to wait until the entire series is out. But as a writer, I'm well aware that the publishing industry doesn't react well to that. So, I just dive in when I can and hope for the best.
Are you a member of a book club?
Yes, I'm a founding member of the Manchester, N.H. chapter of the Silent Book Club.
Do you like to eat while reading?
Yes, but I'm not a heathen. I cut the food into bite-sized pieces and use a fork so I don't mess up the pages.
What book have you habitually reread?
"84 Charing Cross Road" by Helene Hanff. I just love it. I’ve also read the first three books in the “Outlander” series about 20 times.
Do you have a favorite fictional villain?
True evil is found in the form of one "Black Jack" Randall. Grrr.
Will you finish a book even if you don't enjoy it?
Absolutely not! I follow librarian Nancy Pearl's advice: If you’re 50 years old or younger, give every book about 50 pages before you decide to commit yourself to reading it, or give up. Over 50? Subtract your age from 100 and use that as your guide. Life is short and there are simply too many books I want to read to waste time with ones that don't interest me.
Who is the subject of your favorite biography?
Oooh, that's a tough question. I tend to prefer memoirs to biographies. However, I really enjoyed "The True Tails of Baker and Taylor: The Library Cats Who Left Their Pawprints on a Small Town . . . and the World" by Jan Louch and Lisa Rogak.
What are you reading right now?
Fiction/print: “When Among Crows” by Veronica Roth
Nonfiction/print: “The Untold Story of Books: A Writer's History of Publishing” by Michael Castleman
Kindle: “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Want to be a featured reader? Just drop me a line!
READER POLL
LAST WEEK’S POLL
HOOKED FROM THE 1ST PAGE
"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice."
25-WORD REVIEWS
Rating System:
* * * * * One of the best books I've read in a while
* * * * A wonderful book, recommended
* * * Good book, worth the read
* * This book was fine, but not my favorite
* This book wasn't for me
Your husband is terminally ill and you've lost your home. What do you do? In Winn's case, you take a walk. A sad, memorable read. --Jade Walker
Rating: * * * * stars
Looking for an oddly prescient novel from the late '70s? Look no further. King's clairvoyant main character faces his scariest villain yet — a corrupt politician. --Nikki Clark
Rating: * * * * stars
FMI: Click here.
LITERARY HOLIDAYS
January is: National Book Blitz Month
January 3 is J.R.R. Tolkien Day
January 4 is World Braille Day
January 9 is National Word Nerd Day
WRITER BIRTHDAYS
Jan. 3 - Cicero, Erik Larson, J.R.R. Tolkien and Charles Yu
Jan. 4 - Harlan Coben, Natalie Goldberg, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Isaac Newton
Jan. 5 - Tananarive Due, Umberto Eco, Seanan McGuire and W.D. Snodgrass
Jan. 6 - E.L. Doctorow, Carl Sandburg, Karin Slaughter and Elizabeth Strout
Jan. 7 - William Peter Blatty and Zora Neale Hurston
Jan. 8 - Terry Brooks and Wilkie Collins
Jan. 9 - Simone de Beauvoir, Philippa Gregory, Judith Krantz and Anne Rivers Siddons
RECOMMENDED SUBSTACKS
MOMENT OF GRATITUDE
Thanks to The Guardian, Pan Macmillan, Dr. Jack, YouTube, The Literary Lifestyle, Book Ephemera, Etsy, A Bit of Good News, Freedom Forum, Holidays Calendar, National Today, National Day Calendar, A Wandering Scribbler, Good Good Good, Writers Write, Keeping Up With the Penguins, Brainy Quote, Wikipedia, The End Files, Poetry Today, Canva and Deposit Photos for art and story suggestions.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and Amazon and earn a commission when you click through these links and make a purchase. Thank you for being so supportive!
KEEP IN TOUCH
If you want to share book news, odd titles, memorable dedications, catchy hooks, reader poll ideas, 25-word reviews, reading-related quotes or just say hello:
Like this newsletter? Please forward it to your friends and encourage them to subscribe.