Awards season is a great time to add to your TBR (to be read) list. A link to a review of Kowal's Lady Astronaut works is at the end of the first article, but beware -- it contains spoilers. https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/19/20812571/hugo-award-2019-winners-worldcon-mary-robinette-kowal-best-novel-into-the-spider-verse Women swept the Hugo Awards — again Honoring the best science fiction and fantasy literature … Continue reading Women Sweep the Hugo Awards (again) →

Barnes & Noble was recently acquired by a private equity fund. The deal closed just last week. Unlike many of the financial acquisitions, this purchase was not motivated by a desire to strip and kill the chain. Instead, the intent is to rebuild Barnes & Noble as a more tempting and profitable place for readers … Continue reading Can this man resuscitate Barnes & Noble? →

I've begun this book and put it aside as deserving a slower pace than I usually allow my reading material. Definite vacation reading when you have leisure time and (hopefully) few demands. https://mashable.com/article/summer-books-must-read-overstory/ The decade's most important novel is your summer must-read Bring the wisdom of trees with you to the beach. Image: Irina Dobrolyubova … Continue reading A fervent recommendation for your summer reading →

Once a year, in the period around Amazon Prime Day, you can extend or buy a new Kindle Unlimited membership at a great price. The extension periods are 6, 12, and 24 months. The downside is that you pay now. But the discount is worth it for me. The usual monthly fee is $9.99. If … Continue reading Once-a-year sale on Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription →

Despite the language on the web that says we "buy" ebooks, there's a real lack of established law as to what the rights of the purchaser include. In the case of Microsoft, it appears that all you've bought is a free, long-term lease with a right to an eventual refund. Interesting approach. https://www.npr.org/2019/07/07/739316746/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content Microsoft Closes … Continue reading Is this what will eventually happen to Nook and Kindle libraries? →

Altho I absolutely love Amazon Kindles, I have stayed completely away from their devices that include Alexa. This article bears out some of my concerns. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/07/amazon-confirms-it-keeps-your-alexa-recordings-basically-forever/

http://fortune.com/2019/06/23/barnes-noble-local-bookstore/ Why Barnes & Noble May Soon Look Like the Local Bookstores It Killed Off Jeffrey Greenberg—Universal Images Group via Getty Images By PHIL WAHBA June 23, 2019 The Barnes & Noble saga may yet have a happy ending. The retailer, still the largest U.S. bookstore chain despite years of shriveling sales, was bought by hedge fund … Continue reading Barnes & Noble stores apt to look like older forms of bookstores soon →

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