The Ghost of Helen Gurley Brown Compels Kids to Read

Helen Gurley Brown is still encouraging people to read from beyond the grave thanks to a $15 million gift from the late Cosmopolitan editor to the New York Public Library.
I Declare These the Best Books of Summer 2013
Much unlike many a magazine editor who recommends you buy all sorts of crap that they most likely got for free, your Jezebel staff doesn't get jack shit (other than books, unsolicited). And that's how it should be. But on our own time, in our personal lives, we still buy stuff. So this is Worth It, our recommendation…
Do You Lie About Having Read Classic Books? This Guide Can Help!
A recent study in the UK showed that 62% of adults lie about having read the classics in order to appear more intelligent. Women lied about reading more than men did (though men were more likely to brag about fake academic achievements), probably because we're better at deceit even though our brains are smaller.
Jane Austen Novels Basically Cured WWI Depression
If the Dashwood sisters can find true love and Mr. Darcy can inspire a whole industry of erotic fanfiction, reading Jane Austen might really be the best thing to soothe one’s addled mind and remind us all that, sometimes, people really have adorable double marriages and miraculously recover from mysterious fevers. …
12-Year-Old South Bronx Girl Reads 300 Books A Year
Next time you're eyeing your dusty copy of Infinite Jest but end up in bed eating cheese fries and watching My Strange Addiction, remember the words of inspiring South Bronx sixth grader Neveah Mosher: "Being able to read is like the most wonderful thing ever. [...] If you give me a book and say it's good, I'll read…
I Learned About Feminism From American Girl's Felicity
The American Girl company leaves many feeling torn between its promotion of pricey consumerism and the dolls' celebration of history and education. One thing is certain though, the story of Felicity and her horse Penny is one that offers hope to the suburban girl-the horseless girl with a wild heart.
Can a Romance Novel Be Feminist?
If you've never read a historical romance novel — sometimes called "bodice rippers" — you might think they are full of retro and regressive tropes: The woman is almost always a young, delicate, virginal flower; the man is almost always older, experienced, a scoundrel and dominant brute. If you have delved into the…
A Serious Scholar's Secret Past as a Sweet Valley High Ghostwriter
In a lengthy, worth-your-while essay, Amy Boesky reminisces on the six years she spent ghostwriting Sweet Valley High books. Boesky was a poet and a graduate student in literature at Oxford before she attended a life-changing dinner party and was introduced to SVH creator Francine Pascal.
Reading with Dogs Program for Kids Is Arf-dog-rable (Too Much?)
Berkeleyside brings us word of a terrific program that matches dogs and kids in double trouble cuteness. Even better, it's double trouble cuteness with the intent of fostering literacy. Our liberal hearts just increased in size about five times; this is our catnip.
The Subtle Code of Inequality in Children's Books
As children, many of us encountered Richard Scarry's book, What Do People Do all Day? A classic kid's book, it uses animals to represent the division of labor that exists in "Busytown." The book is an example of a brilliant piece of analysis by sociologist John Levi Martin (full text).
Magical Used Book Store Dispenses Random Literary Treasures
Fellow word nerds, I've got some news that's sure to turn your pages! Toronto bookstore, The Monkey's Paw, recently added a machine that dispenses random old books to the tune of $2 a pop. How it works is, you walk up, give it two dollars, it does a magic spell, and out drops a vintage novel for you to take home,…
Pretty Soon, You Might Not Even Be Able to Judge a Book by Its Cover
Soon, in the fast-approaching dystopian future when the Fifty Shades saga is taught unironically at universities and the only ice cream flavor is strawberry, cover art for book jackets will be a lost skill, like long division or using a landline. That's a shame, considering artists like Chip Kidd, the art director at…
What Does a Romance Novel Have to Do to Compete With Fifty Shades of Grey?
Change the title and add some nipple clamps. [Slacktory]
For a Super-Smart Baby, Leave It in Your Uterus Forever
As medical technology has gotten amazingly advanced, and we've gained more and more control over how and when babies are born, we tend to think that as long as you're not extremely premature, it doesn't really matter exactly how long a baby cooks in its mother's womb. Well, think again. Two new studies have found that…
The Thrill Of a Juicy Retro Read
Much unlike many a magazine editor who recommends you buy all sorts of crap that they most likely got for free, your Jezebel staff doesn't get jack shit (other than books, unsolicited). And that's how it should be. But on our own time, in our personal lives, we still buy stuff. So this is Worth It, our recommendation…
15 Thought-Provoking Discussion Questions Every Book Club Should Ask Themselves
Book clubs can be a wonderful way for like-minded people to get together and share their love of literature. Maybe you're long out of college and miss the academic pleasure of "talking out" a book, or maybe you'd like to get more insights than reading alone can provide. Or maybe you just want an excuse to drink wine…
