I know, I know, blogging is—well, it is no more, essentially. And so it goes. Nonetheless, I come across various things that give me hope, and then I think, I ought to put them here, and why not?
So first of all, this piece about community college students seeing no one like them in the books they are reading, and so they began writing their own stories.
And then an opinion piece by Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket, Diana's primal literary influence) about putting sex into books for teenage boys, because that's what they care about. This seems so smart and good to me.
Libraries, which are awesome in so many ways, are also a place where kids can now get free lunch, when they need it.
I have been reading a whole bunch of excellent books! Maile Meloy's new novel is one of them, and so absorbing!
I am currently reading Victor LaValle's The Changeling, and it is amazing and mind-destroying. I hope to write more about it soon, if my brain cells hold out.
Books can't save us, but…we can still read them, and that is a great mercy.
marcialerner.com 
We are, like so often, on the same literal page. I still love blogging and reading the few that I’ve been reading for nearly ten years, including yours! I just finished Maile Meloy’s novel and thought it incredibly engaging. Every now and then I winced at the bias — the trials and tribulations of a certain class of people. I’m finding it so difficult to concentrate on fiction these days and am grateful when I do get a really well-written novel that keeps me going to the very end.
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Yes, reaching for a book instead of one’s phone, with its endless stream of terrifying news, is an amazing and wonderful thing. That was such an engrossing book! And truly, you should read The Changeling, except that it will melt your brain. But it is amazing.
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I just finished Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. It was so great on so many levels. I have begun to stash my book in my purse so I stay away from my phone. It has been lovely. I hope you keep blogging. I have been reading you since you began, and I would miss you!
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