Bluestockings

Jane Robinson's book 'Bluestockings: The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education' looks back to 1869, when five women enrolled at university for the first time in British history. Doctors warned that if a woman studied too hard, her womb would wither and die!! Find out more in this interview with her.

You can find out more about Jane Robinson from her website, where she reveals that she was banned from the local library, at the age of seven, for "using a jam-tart bookmark in their copy of Squirrel Nutkin." Fabulous!

There's Nothing Like Books

"Oh, but books! There's nothing like reading a well-printed, well-bound book. Because there's nothing like books to soothe the mind – they reach parts that yoga and acupuncture and winning the lottery cannot. Reading is the most calming thing I know, the thing most likely to ensure that I enjoy my day and sleep calmly full of voices other than the incessant ones that whirr and wail inside my head."

I couldn't agree more! Read the rest of this article, by freelance journalist Sophie Heawood, all about thriving indie bookstores in LA.

The Future of Publishing

Larry Kirshbaum, former CEO and Chairman of Time-Warner Book Group said that books have an edge over newspapers, magazines and even the internet (on its own), as they can provide you with "(...)a more complete discussion by an expert in a field, of a subject, in a way that is very palatable, easy to understand and in many cases, entertaining as well as elucidating."

Watch the rest of this interview with him and Jane Friedman, former President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide. They talk about the future of the publishing industry, digital media and self-publishing.

Soft Pages

Whilst looking for something the other day, I came across a copy of O, The Oprah Magazine (from three years ago). I had kept it because it was their first ever summer reading issue.

In it was a letter from Harper Lee, author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (one of my favourite books). She describes the books she grew up reading and how, in an age of computers and cell phones, she still prefers books. She says "(...) some things should happen on soft pages, not cold metal." I agree!

The Book vs. The Kindle

When I was in San Francisco last year, I visited the fabulous indie Green Apple Books. They have produced a series of videos pitting the book against the Kindle (personally I'd go for the book every time).

Here is espisode one: The Buy Counter.



If you enjoy it, check out their blog for further episodes.