Friday Links: Reading-List Wrap Up

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful week and that those of you participating in this year’s December Writing Challenge have lots of new pages accumulating on your projects. Be sure to keep an eye on the blog, because next week I’ll have some fun writing prompts/ideas for anyone struggling to keep the words coming daily and/or anyone interested in some quick writing exercises to get their imaginations pumped up.

But first we have Friday Links! This time of year we see all of the “best of” book lists popping up, from retailers and bloggers and various media outlets, etc. It’s a great reminder of titles that came out earlier in the year but you might have missed or forgotten about, whether you’re looking to replenish your own TBR pile or shopping for gifts. It’s also a perfect time to round out any reading goals you might have made early in the year, whether you wanted to read more diversely or more books in translation or whatever. So while I’ve a couple of writing-related links here, the majority are bookish this week. This is just the tip of the iceberg, obviously, but I think it’s a nice, well-rounded collection of lists that will help anyone with their next bookish shopping expedition. Enjoy, and happy reading!

NPR’s Book Concierge – NPR did this last year, as well, and I just love it. They’ve accumulated a list of more than 300 of the best reads of 2016, and it’s searchable by a variety of categories, from genre to length plus a few more amusing definitions they’ve thrown in. Some amazing titles on this list, several of which I’m itching to read.

The Books We Loved: Australian Writers Nominate Their Favourite Reads of 2016 – For anyone seeking to broaden their range of global reading, some titles that may or may not have caught your attention.

Homicide Detective Roy Grace’s Reading List – A fun list compiled by crime fiction writer Peter James, imagining what his fictional detective hero puts on his nightstand.

Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” as a Parable of Our Time – A look at how this modern classic resonates in today’s world.

Let Down By the Lists – A reaction to some of the “to read” book lists that have come out featuring few female authors or authors of color, this list offers up “The Sixty Best Books by Women Every Man Should Read,” which is a nicely diversified list as well.

Notes from the Resistance: A Column on Language and Power – The rise of the euphemism. Regardless of your politics, any writer concerned with writing strong, truthful work should read this and consider the importance of precise wording.

Best Books of 2016 – The staff of Bookriot.com shares their favorite reads of the year.

Ann Patchett’s Guide for Bookstore Lovers – The author and bookstore proprietor shares a list of spots she considers to be “destination” bookstores — big, small, and quirky — and all well worth a trip.