What if the Tour de France nearly ground to a halt due to fiction? Imagine the best bikers in the world reading themselves into injury. At The Morning News, our own Matt Seidel imagines the chaos, making clear what happens when professional athletes meet page-turners. You could also read Matt’s essay on Tim Krabbé’s book The Rider.
Zen and the Art of Failing at the Tour de France
Foreign Policy Magazine’s Guide to The Stars
Want to know what David Petraeus' favorite book is? How about Jared Diamond's? Foreign Policy Magazine collects book recommendations from 142 (?) prominent thinkers and public figures.
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More YA for Grownups
The Atlantic is kicking off its new series, YA for Grown Ups, with an examination of "The Greatest Girl Characters in Young Adult Literature." Obviously The Hunger Games's Katniss Everdeen is up there, but don't worry, Ramona Quimby makes the list too.
Next Up, Denmark
After waking us up to their favorite Brazilian novelists, the editorial board at Granta is turning its gaze to Norway. In the first issue of Norwegian Granta, you'll find a slew of stories by illustrious contributors (among them Jennifer Egan, Roberto Bolano and Alice Munro) alongside new stories from authors native to the country. At Granta’s website, you can read an interview with the magazine's online editor, Ted Hodgkinson.
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Libraries Pitch In
Libraries are doing double-time. At NPRs Planet Money, a librarian writes in about how her local library is offering recession resources to those most affected by unemployment.
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