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There was an ineffably disarming and safe quality about her designs. Like their self-effacing creator — who still makes a point of surfing in the ocean several mornings a week — they radiated good vibes. To creative innovators in the ’80s who didn’t see themselves as computer geeks, Kare’s icons said: Stop stressing out about technology. Go ahead, dive in!
Steve Silberman/Neurotribes

So, as many of us know, this time of year is sometimes referred to as book award season due to the number of major book prizes that are given out. For the bookish amongst us, it can be something that is difficult to stay on top of, despite a desire to do so.
via The Halifax Reader

Bookends is a vibrant and dynamic conversation about contemporary books and the world of literary genre. Justine Lewkowicz interviews authors, bookstore owners, and in- the- know literary geeks to find out what’s happening in the literary world.

As one of the oldest independent publishers in Canada, Goose Lane Editions celebrates story, ideas and cultural expressions. 26 years into it, Scriver still finds very new book a thrill. “Publishing in its most basic definition means ‘making public,’” she says. “In some ways, the print book holds and some manner defines the content….”
Shannon Webb-Campbell/The Telegraph-Journal

The question of why people read literature continues to perplex. The usual assumption is that people read for pleasure and, of course, reading is pleasurable. But does this mean it’s like eating chocolate? That doesn’t seem quite the right idea.

Yesterday saw the release of Joan Didion’s newest memoir, Blue Nights. Didion is the master of the memoir, but more specifically, she is the master of the genre of the memoir of loss, of teaching us something through her exquisitely rendered grief, of sharing her family and heart.
Emily Temple/Flavorwire

This year Canada Reads focuses entirely on non-fiction, specifically works of memoir, biography, and literary non-fiction. The five finalists will be selected from the longlist by yet-to-be-named celebrity panelists who will choose a title to champion over the airwaves.
Natalie Samson-Quill & Quire

Harper Perennial’s model isn’t unique, but it’s an intriguing case study in what an imprint needs to do to distinguish itself in an increasingly stratified market. What it does is innovative and exciting, but also traditional.
Kevin Canfield/Salon