The National Book Awards longlist, Oyster e-books, and more

News, Reviews, and Interviews

The 2015 National Book Awards longlist is out, and Flavorwire has compiled a post that summarizes each of the books. 

A recent article from the New York Times points to positive data that show e-books are not overtaking print sales. 

The Wall Street Journal recently listed 10 notable novels about the immigrant experience.

United States poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera has launched a nationwide poetry project called “La Casa de Colores.” The project will combine submissions from the public based on a theme that will change each month, and they will form one giant epic poem over the course of his laureateship. 

Banned Books Week is next week, and publishers will be supporting the event with social media outreach and activities. 

The e-book subscription service Oyster is officially shutting down.

Fun Finds and Inspiration 

This video from Brain Pickings animates Margaret Atwood’s meditation on how technology shapes storytelling.

“What Does a Grammar Nerd Look Like?” is an infographic that shows fun facts about grammar lovers using data from the Grammarly community.

In this article from the BBC, Keith Houston explains the mysterious origins of commas, semicolons, and other punctuation marks.