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In a trendy coffee shop called Elixr, on a side street off of Philadelphia’s toney Rittenhouse Square, there is funky décor, loud music, strong coffee, and, by the door, a small vending machine. From this machine, for two dollars, one can purchase not cigarettes or candy or any of those other typically unhealthy vending machine wares, but, instead, a short story.
It is the time of year when we are awash in “Best of” lists, and many worthy publications have put forth their recommendations for the best books of the year that is about to pass us by. A friend of mine professed herself overwhelmed by the lists, and asked me if I would curate them for her. Here, for Julie and for the rest of you, is my “best of the best,” a list of books I think you should find a time and a place for in your busy schedule.
We are all thinking about the future, and trying to see through the haze of the crystal ball that will predict the future of our industry. Join us tomorrow as we convene the second get-together of our luminous Futurist Panel for a Futurist Friday conversation.
The Futurist Panel is now a regular monthly Google Hangout, and we invite you to attend. Join us for what we call “Futurist Friday.” The next one is coming up next week, on Friday December 13th (it seemed like a perfect date for this sort of thing!) at 2pm ET. Here’s where you can sign up, meet our panelists and listen in. Or if you’re not on Google plus, you can watch/listen here.
It’s official: I am a book groupie. I realized this last night as I watched the live stream of the National Book Awards presentation, and became teary over poet Mary Szybist’s acceptance speech. I went into this business in the first place because of one basic belief: books can change lives. So let’s hear it for the all the wonderful authors of potentially life changing books in the hall last night at the National Book Foundation’s annual gala!
Print or digital? Digital or print? Sick of that debate yet?
