Lots of bloggers create posts filled with interesting links from around the web. I always read them with interest and usually find a few great sites. It’s unheard of for me to love every link someone posts. Then came Susannah at the Algonquin Books Blog. Her recent post, January’s Why-I-Love-Books Roundup, is just great. Check out the post and the rest of the blog, you won’t be disappointed.

I love it when someone else does all the work for me!

[p.s. Susannah, recommends Book Mooch for trading books. It's a good idea as long as you continue to support your local bookstores!]

I want it. I don’t own a MacBook or MacBook Pro. I may buy one just so I can get this cover.

Go get yours at Twelve South. They come in red or black.

(We have no affiliation with the company, just severe object lust).

Wonderful news! This morning, Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me was awarded the prestigious Newbery Medal. You may remember that I recently announced this as one of my favorite books of 2009 (it was also #6 on the list of our listeners’ faves).

I’m thrilled to know that this book is getting the recognition it so deserves and I hope the award on the front of the book will lead even more people to discover it!

A note to the five Books on the Nightstand listeners who won a signed, first edition of When You Reach Me: make sure you don’t spill coffee on that book!

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There’s been much confusion about how to help the aid efforts in Haiti after the January 12th 7.0 earthquake that has destroyed much of Port au Prince. A reliable guide to reputable, responsible charities who are helping in Haiti comes from Charitynavigator.org.  I’ve chosen to send my contribution to Partners In Health.

Partners In Health was founded by Dr. Paul Farmer, who was profiled in the incredible book  Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.  For the past 20 years, they have been working to bring medical care to the people of Haiti, and Dr. Farmer himself has made incredible personal sacrifices to carry out his life’s work.  If you want to learn more about Haiti and the work that Dr. Farmer has done, I cannot recommend Mountains Beyond Mountains more highly.  It’s an incredibly inspiring book, and when I first read it, made me want to go off and try to save the world. It has even more resonance now.

Reading about Haiti:

Edwidge Danticat is an award-winning author who grew up in Haiti. Her short stories, novels and memoirs will add to the understanding of Haiti’s history and the lives of the people who lived there — those who stayed and those who left to create a better life. You may have seen Edwidge on major news programs speaking about the situation in Haiti. If you are looking for something to read about Haiti in order to get a better understanding of the tough conditions even before the earthquake, I highly recommend any of her work.

KRIK! KRAK! Short stories. A National Book Award finalist, this collection of short stories details daily life in Haiti under dictatorship. “If the news from Haiti is too painful to read, read this book instead and understand the place more deeply than you ever thought possible.” — The Washington Post Book World (review from 1995)

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The following post is reprinted from my Fit by Forty blog, something I started to chronicle my quest for weight loss and health by my fortieth birthday. I’m re-posting it here because it’s all about books.

Like my friend Kim, I’ve decided to make Sunday my official weigh-in day. I’m not sure of Kim’s original reasons for doing it, but I’m thinking it will keep me honest on the weekend when it’s a little harder to eat right.

I’ve had a great few days since New Year’s. I’ve lost a couple pounds! I also picked up a copy of The Mayo Clinic Diet book. I’ve looked at (and bought) many diet books before, but this one seems a little bit different. There’s no “fad” or “gimmick” element to it. It’s all about eating better and moving more. However, in my opinion, the information is presented in easily digestible and understandable bits. You start with a two week jump start program that has 5 habits to take on and 5 habits to break. They all seem pretty doable to me and I’m starting that two-week plan no later than next Sunday (I want to make sure I’ve got plenty of the right foods in the house. I’m also psyching myself up to really follow every guideline to the letter. Don’t worry, though. I’m not slacking until I start this. I’m already eating like I was back in late August. Lots of veggies, very little processed foods, smaller portions all around.)

The thing I really love about the book is that it’s in full-color and is very magazine-like: lots of sidebars and charts. My visual brain is responding very well to this book. Another book with a similar layout (though not full color) is True Food. It’s very much along the lines of books by Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman (whose Food Matters is wonderful) and covers local eating, whole foods, eating low on the food chain, etc. I’ve only flipped through it, but I’m impressed so far.

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Over the next few days, you might see some wonky stuff here at Books on the Nightstand — broken links, odd sidebar contents, etc. –. We are in the process of moving the blog from the Blogger platform to Wordpress, and it will take a bit of debugging. By Monday, January 4th, we hope to be fully up and running with all of the bugs fixed.

If you want to access the ‘old’ site, you will find it at http://booksonthenightstand.blogspot.com. Please note that any new comments made over there will not be integrated into the new Wordpress site.

Thanks for your patience!

Edited to add: The Books on the Nightstand mobile site is not working at all. It might take several days to iron that one out. I’m not sure if anyone actually uses it, but just in case, I thought I’d let you know. Right now it’s pretty far down the priority list. If you depend on the mobile site, please let us know.

As we mentioned in our last podcast, Michael and I are taking this week off from podcasting in order to spend time with our family. (Oh, who am I fooling? This week was spent shopping and wrapping and cooking and eating far too many Christmas treats).

We will be back on Wednesday, December 30th with a podcast that will announce the winners of our reader/listener poll for favorite book of 2009, and we’ll tell you our top picks as well.

In case you still need something to listen to today, we think you will find this special episode of NPR’s On The Media to be of interest. Titled “The Past, present and future of the book,” it’s a good overview of the turmoil and great change that is happening in the book industry today.
Stream it   Download the MP3

In addition, we’d like to share some of our favorite podcasts about books with you.  While we certainly hope you’ll stick with us at Books on the Nightstand, we encourage you to add other book podcasts to your playlist as well.

• Reading and Writing Podcast is produced by Books on the Nightstand listener and friend Jeff Rutherford. Jeff’s podcast features interviews with authors, many of whom write in the suspense and thriller genres. I will always be jealous that Jeff snagged an interview with one of my favorite authors, Lee Child.
  MP3 download page  iTunes page

• Nancy Pearl’s Book Reviews podcast airs on KUOW radio in Washington state as well as on the internet as a podcast (hey, how can Books on the Nightstand get a radio show??). Seattle’s most famous librarian (she even has an action figure!) provides book reviews and recommendations that are not stuffy and are fun to listen to.
  MP3 download page  iTunes page

• The New York Times Book Review podcast is always interesting, with author and book-reviewer interviews and my favorite segment, “bestseller news”.
  MP3 download page  iTunes page

• The Washington Post Book World podcast has sadly stopped publishing as of November 13th, but there are 97 episodes archived for you to explore. Featuring book industry news and author interviews, this was my favorite weekly listen.
  MP3 download page  iTunes page

Wishing you all the best this holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. Thank you for your friendship and support of Books on the Nightstand this past year; it’s a gift that we can never repay.

image credit: jmtimages via Flickr

I know Ann and I have given recommended many books to give as gifts this holiday season, but I’ve got just one more… I discovered this book too late to include it in the Gift Guide, but it still deserves to be wrapped up and given to all of your bibliophile friends.

50 Things to Do with a Book (Now That Reading is Dead) is written and illustrated by famed satirist Bruce McCall. You’d probably recognize McCall’s artwork if you’ve ever subscribed to the New Yorker. (One of my favorite covers of his features a mummy family posing for a photo in front the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art).

As the title implies, the book is filled with, shall we say, “alternative” uses for books, including this one which is illustrated on the cover:

“Kill a Mockingbird’ by hiding in the bushes and flinging a copy of this famous book at the first mouthy little avian to appear. A stuffed bird does just as well. A badminton bird is a last resort.

Each one is paired with a hilarious McCall image. As I said earlier, this a perfect gift for your book-loving friends. Let’s prove that parenthetical subtitle wrong!
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