Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
- How Aladdin’s story was forged in Aleppo and Versailles
- Why you should spend more time in bookstores
- Browsing the Stacks: A Photo Appreciation of Libraries — thanks to loyal reader, Paul N., for the link.
- #R3COMM3ND3D2018 — Over at damppebbles book blog, they’ve kicked off their 2nd annual #R3COMM3ND3D posts — book bloggers suggesting 3 must-reads from this past year. Three days into these posts, I’m already seeing somethings I need to add to my TBR. Check it out.
- Why Isn’t There More Crime Fiction from The Bronx?: Angel Luis Colón on Searching for Noir from His Home Borough — I didn’t realize there was a shortage, but now that I think about it — yeah, most NYC crime books that I’ve read aren’t set there.
- The Book Cover Evolution of ‘Not Famous’ — Over on his website (with a spiffy new design), Matthew Hanover has been chronicling the process of getting his first novel ready for the world. I enjoyed reading this piece on cover design and the thinking an indie author has to put into it.
- Over at Mom Loves Best, Jenny Silverstone has assembled The Ultimate Reading Guide For Your Child — a handy collection of resources. This Infographic is a great summary.
- A Book-ish Related Podcast Episode you might want to give a listen to:
- Reed Farrell Coleman – Robert B Parker’s Colorblind — I think this Stephen Usery interview is the fourth podcast interview I’ve heard with Coleman about this book, and I still learned something new. A good listen, as usual.
- This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon is a short list this week — but it’s a good one:
- Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly — Bosch and Ballard team up. ‘Nuff said. Well, okay, a little more — this is the best thing Connelly’s done in years, I’m hoping to post on it early next week, but there’s the super-quick version.
- Just the Clothes on My Back by Naked Blue — an album of songs about Jack Reacher, made in collaboration with Lee Child. I’ve got my (signed) CD sitting next to me. Just need some time to listen to it.
Lastly, I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to mithilamohan0123 and Redeemed Three for following the blog this week. 
Read Irresponsibly, but please Comment Responsibly