San Diego Public Library Created a Limited Edition Comic Con Library Card!!

 

This Comic Con Limited Edition Public Library Card looks awesome. Too bad I do not live in San Diego County.

Judy Blume says she's done writing

I'm a fan of Judy Blume's writing. I have only read her novels for young adults/children, but none of her novels for adults to date. I still have more of her young adults/children books to read as well.

I actually saw Judy Blume at the Bay Area Book Festival back in 2015 during one of the author talks where she discussed her recently published novel for adults titled, In the Unlikely Event.

I really enjoyed hearing Judy Blume speak about her writing and her novel, In the Unlikely Event. I was able to actually meet Judy Blume briefly  after the speaking event when she signed my copy of In the Unlikely Event.

Now, Judy Blume has decided to retire from writing books after 50 years. Good for her! 

Read the following NPR article, Judy Blume says she's done writing: '50 years is enough!', where Judy Blume discusses her writing!

"A Great, Good Place For Books" in Oakland, California Has Closed It's Doors!

 

It is so sad when independent bookstores shutter. 

A Great, Good Place For Books was in business for over two decades, but had to close its doors due to slow foot traffic since Covid-19 hit.

I feel like too many places are becoming book deserts. Anyone else feeling this way too?

Rip Marjane Satrapi -1969-2026

 

I'm saddened to learned that Marjane Satrapi has died!! She was my age! I read and enjoyed Persepolis I & Persepolis II and Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi. All three books were good reads.

Happy Ending For Planet Books Indie Bookstore in Signal Hill!

 

I'm thrilled to learn that after 30 years in business, Planet Books in Signal Hill, California is still thriving after a major move to a new location.

RIP - Scott Adams

Last November, I blogged about Scott Adams having metastatic prostate cancer. This morning I learned that he passed away today.

This morning, I came across an NPR article titled, Scott Adams, the controversial cartoonist behind 'Dilbert,' dies at 68 by Rachel Treisman. Rachel Treisman wrote the following:

Scott Adams, the controversial cartoonist who skewered corporate culture, has died at age 68, He announced in May 2025 that he had metastatic prostate cancer and only months to live.

Months later, in November, Adams took to X to request — and receive — some very public help from President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in addressing health insurance issues that had delayed his treatment with an FDA-approved cancer drug called Pluvicto.

Adams said he was able to book an appointment the next day. Despite the Trump administration's public intervention, Adams shared on his YouTube show in early January 2026 that "the odds of me recovering are essentially zero."

Adams' former wife, Shelly Miles, announced his death Tuesday during a YouTube livestream, and then read a statement from Adams who said, "I had an amazing life. I gave it everything I had. If you got any benefits from my life, I ask you pay it forward as best you can."

Rachel Treisman writes quite an in-depth article about the life of Scott Adams. Click on the top link to read the full obituary.

Inside Agatha Christie’s Favorite Hotel That Inspired Her Books - on the Today Show

 

I fell in love with Agatha Christie's novels when I was a teenager. I've have continued to read many of her books over the years. Christie's novels have a special place in my heart.

I came across this video clip on YouTube. It discusses Agatha Christie's favorite hotel, which inspired some of her novels! This hotel even hosts murder mystery parties, which is pretty nifty too.

Reading Rates Have Been Crashing!

 

I came across an interesting video on YouTube put out by the BBC Global. It features Katty Kay interviewing John Grisham for part of the video.

It is during this video I learned that between 2003 and 2023 reading rates declined by 40%! People aren't reading as much anymore. The above finding was published in a study in August 2025 by the University of Florida.

Katty Kay and John Grisham discuss the decline of reading. Additionally, they discuss Grisham's writing process. 

Take a look at the interview in the video above!

Why Reading Isn't 'Natural'

 

I accidentally discovered the above video on YouTube. As an avid reader, the title of the video is what captured my attention straight away. 

Apparently, neurotypical brains do not have the innate ability to read. From an evolutionary stand point, our brains haven't had enough time to develop a 'dedicated' reading brain according to what I learned from watching this video. 

To learn more, watch the above video. It's fairly short at nearly six minutes.

Author, Sophie Kinsella Passed Away!

 

Although, I've never read any books written by author, Sophie Kinsella, it's still sad to learn she passed away from brain cancer! 

Have any of you read her 'Shopaholic' series?

‘Outlander’ Author, Diana Gabaldon, Donates literary Archive to Texas A&M

My maternal grandmother was an avid reader like me. We often talked about books we were reading over the years. She turned me onto reading books written by Diana Gabaldon.

Yesterday, I’ve learned that Diana Gabaldon is donating her entire literary archives to Texas A & M in an article titled, ‘Outlander’ author donates literary archive to Texas A&M by Stephen Perez.

In the article, Stephen Perez wrote the following:

The “Outlander” universe, in which a time-traveling British nurse finds adventure and romance with an 18th-century Scottish warrior, is coming to Aggieland.

The best-selling book series author, Dr. Diana Gabaldon, has selected Texas A&M University’s Cushing Memorial Library and Archives as the permanent home for her literary papers, notes and memorabilia from the historical science fiction, adventure-romance series and its hit streaming adaptation.

The collection will capture the evolution of Gabaldon’s storytelling and offer a glimpse into how her 1991 debut novel “Outlander” grew into a global phenomenon spanning novels, companion works and a long-running television adaptation.

“The acquisition of a collection of this magnitude marks a pivotal moment in the growth of our Libraries’ collections,” said Julie Mosbo Ballestro, university librarian and assistant provost. “We have long admired Diana’s contributions to the field, and we are eager to integrate her work into our Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Collection that ranks among the finest in the world.”

What I didn't know, until reading the above article, is that Texas A & M has a rich science fiction tradition! Click on the link to read the full story.

Poisonous Books!

 

Wowza! Watch the above, short video I discovered on YouTube! These green covered books contain arsenic. Interesting information for those who collect and love books.

Dilbert Cartoonist, Scott Adams, Makes Pleas to Donald Trump to Save Help Save His Life

I'm late in making this post as I'd read an article about this situation regarding Scott Adams last week. 

I am always on the look out for news pertaining to books, libraries, authors, reading, bookstores, the publishing industry, book festivals and events, etc. This post about Scott Adams falls into the topics I like to blog about it.

I recently read that Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert cartoon series, has metastatic prostate cancer and has had difficulty in receiving treatment for metastatic prostate cancer.

I read an article found on Patch's website titled, 'Help Save My Life' — Dilbert Cartoonist Begs Trump To Fix Kaiser Treatment Battle by Angela Woodall.

In the article, Angela Woodall wrote the following:

Adams first posted a public plea on X, saying on Sunday that he planned to ask Trump for his help getting a specific treatment for metastasized prostate cancer from Kaiser Permanente.

"On Monday, I will ask President Trump, via X, to help save my life. He offered to help me if I needed it," Adams wrote Sunday.

"I need it," he added.

Adams wanted Trump to use his influence to persuade Kaiser to schedule treatment of Pluvicto, a radioactive drug approved for men with advanced prostate cancer who had received hormone therapy and chemotherapy, according to reports.

Kaiser had approved the treatment for Adams, but a scheduling snafu was delaying it, he said.

"I am declining fast. I will ask President Trump if he can get Kaiser of Northern California to respond and schedule it for Monday. That will give me a fighting chance to stick around on this planet a little bit longer," Adams wrote.

"Scott. How do I reach you," wrote Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "The president wants to help,"

“On it,” Trump wrote in response shortly after.

On Tuesday, Adams posted that he would receive the cancer treatment he is seeking the next day.

Wow! First off, I'm sorry to learn that Scott Adams is suffering from metastatic prostate cancer and having difficulty with Kaiser in booking an appointment for the treatment he needs.

Secondly, it must be nice to know people in high places that can help resolve a scheduling snafu with your healthcare provider. The rest of us have to fix/solve the problem without such interventions from someone like the POTUS. Btw, we should all be so fortunate to receive the healthcare we so need without hiccups from the healthcare system or such interventions from people in high places.

I also read in Angela Woodall's article that some readers were angry, accusing Scott Adams of using his influence to obtain his healthcare needs. See the following quote from Woodall's article:

One user reposted a 2023 comment attributed to Adams, "Don't ask a president to make healthcare or moral decisions for you. No one would respect that process."

Interesting quoted comment from Scott Adams, if true! On one hand Scott Adams stated that one shouldn't ask the president to make healthcare or moral decisions for you as no one will respect the process. Yet, Scott Adams does exactly what he says one shouldn't do. 

I also learned from the above article that Scott Adams has made some controversial statements about race.

Adams experienced repercussions from his controversial comments about race when distributor Andrews McMeel Universal announced Feb. 26 it would no longer work with the cartoonist.

In an episode of his YouTube show, Adams described people who are Black as members of “a hate group” from which white people should “get away.

Scott Adams has also been a Trump supporter.

I learned a lot of new to me stuff about Scott Adams from reading Angela Woodall's article.

And the Nobel Prize For Literature Goes to... Hungarian Writer, László Krasznahorkai

 

Congratulations to László Krasznahorkai on winning the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature!!

I read an online article titled, 'Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai wins the Nobel Prize in literature' by Kostya Manenkov, Jill Lawless, and Mike Corder.

In the above mentioned article, I learned the following information:

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, whose surreal and anarchic novels combine a bleak world view with mordant humor, won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for work the judges said upholds the power of art in the midst of “apocalyptic terror.”

The Nobel judges said the 71-year-old author, whose novels sometimes consist of just one long sentence, is “a great epic writer” whose work “is characterized by absurdism and grotesque excess.”

Frankly, I'd never even heard of László Krasznahorkai until this morning. So, I am curious to read one of his novels in the future. Have you read any of his novels before now? If so, what did you think of the novel?

Click on the very top link to read the full story about László Krasznahorkai winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Book Riot - What Books Do Readers Find Most Confusing?

 Yesterday, I came across an interesting article published on Book Riot's website titled, What Books Do Readers Find Most Confusing? by Kelly Jenson.

In the article, Kelly Jensen wrote the following:

To start, the team at Aura Print generated a seed list of titles from multiple sources, including the 100 bestselling books, as well as other resources like user-generated lists of “confusing books” and book-to-screen adaptation lists. They also sought titles that appeared among the best selling and highest rated in outlets like The New York Times, Amazon, and Goodreads. The team then searched each of those books on Goodreads and stuck to titles with 50,000 or more reviews. From there, they searched the reviews of each title for the word “confusing.” It’s a pretty straightforward methodology, focusing on reviews that readers write for themselves and for other book lovers on the site, if not all together the most scientific.

So what topped the list of most confusing books?

The most confusing book according to Goodreads users was Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. Over 8,000 of the reviews include the word “confusing” to describe their experience with the book.

Click on the top link to read the full article and to view which books made the list. I was surprised to find many classics made the list, like Little Women and Fahrenheit 451.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton made the list as well. I've read this novel and although I found it to be a unique read, it was difficult to keep track of the characters and the storyline.

Have you read any of the novels in the list of books seen in the above article? Did you find any of them confusing? Which other books would you add to the list of confusing books?

Director of Eisenhower Library in Kansas Ousted After Refusing to Give Trump Administration a Sword

I am tired of the Trump Administration's bullying!! It seems like every time you turn around someone is being called out by President Trump for being a bad person and/or fired for no good reason.

Case in point, I recently read an article titled, 'Director of Eisenhower Library in Kansas ousted after refusing to give Trump administration a sword' by Zane Irwin. 

In the article, I learned that Todd Arrington, the "director of the  [Eisenhower] presidential library and museum in Abilene, Kansas, said he was suddenly told to resign or be fired."

I also learned the following information from the above mentioned article:

Todd Arrington’s resignation came shortly after Arrington refused to relinquish one of President Eisenhower’s swords from the museum’s collection. President Trump’s administration wanted to give one of the artifacts as a gift to King Charles III on Trump’s most recent state visit to the United Kingdom.

Arrington said his direct superior informed him on Monday evening that he would be asked to resign. The supervisor, who Arrington declined to name, said he was passing down orders from unknown higher-ups.

All Arrington heard is that he “could no longer be trusted with confidential information” due to conduct related to the sword disagreement.

“I was obviously shocked and saddened and heartbroken,” Arrington said in an interview with the Kansas News Service. “I have almost 30 years of government service. I've never had a bad mark against me.”

The National Archives and Records Administration, which operates presidential libraries like Eisenhower’s, replied to a Kansas News Service inquiry with an automated message that said it was closed due to the U.S. government shutdown that began Wednesday. The White House Press Office sent a similar message.

Click on the first link above to read the full news story. 

I feel like I am living in a fascist/authoritarian regime right now when I read articles like the one cited above. How dare Trump request a sword from a presidential library to give as a gift to King Charles III... And then proceed to fire Todd Arrington for not relinquishing the sword to him!!

A 14-year-old boy from Sacramento, CA is leading a movement to end “book deserts”!!

 

I love it when a youngster creates ways to bring books to other youngsters to promote literacy!! I learned the following from the above short video:

Sacramento teen Ethan Minton, 14, is tackling “book deserts” through his nonprofit E-Train Talks Inc., which has donated more than 7,000 books to children’s hospitals, libraries, and underserved communities. Inspired during COVID-19 by the comfort books provided him, Minton launched the nonprofit in 2022 to spread what he calls “book joy.” His work earned recognition as a Nonprofit of Distinction from Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty. Alongside book drives, Minton also runs a podcast interviewing authors and reviewing books, while balancing school and his dream of becoming a sports journalist. His goal is to reach 10,000 donated books by 2025.

Sadly, Best-selling Author and Mississippi Native, Greg Iles Passes Away!

 

Cookbook ONLY Themed Bookstores Are Thriving Right Now!!

 

Wow, just wow, this is spectacular news!!

I'm loving the idea of cookbook only independent bookstores

are thriving big time right now as more Americans are taking 

to cooking again.

Checkout the short video above from CBS Mornings

for more information!

Man accused of stealing $10,000 in video games from Marin County libraries!!

I came across another newsworthy article regarding libraries in Marin County in California titled, 'Man accused of stealing $10,000 in video games from Marin County libraries' by Tim Fang. In the article, Tim Fang wrote the following:

On Tuesday, detectives arrested 45-year-old Jamal Reed-Obafumi of Oakland in connection with the thefts. Reed-Obafumi was booked into the Marin County Jail.

"Our libraries are pillars of the community and must be safeguarded for everyone to enjoy," the sheriff's office said in a statement Thursday.

Reed-Obufami is facing 12 felony charges, including multiple counts of burglary and committing a felony while on bail.

I can't figure out why it took seven burglaries between April and June of this year to FINALLY catch the suspect!!! $10K in stolen video games is a lot of money.