It’s true: librarians are always on the look out for a new book to love. But I’ve found, as a group, we’re also pretty savvy when it comes to other forms of entertainment as well. Never have I met a group so well read, listened, and watched as my fellow MLIS students. So, as sort of a Personal Readers Advisory 2.0, I will put together a weekly recommendation list for anything and everything I loved: amateur poetry anthologies, innovative websites, particularly delicious smelling Ikea candles. I get to practice my annotation skills, and you get a list of cool stuff to check out. Without further ado, here’s what I loved this week:

What I Read

On the Nature of Human Romantic Interaction by Karl Iagnemma. I discovered this little gem at the Goodwill Used Bookstore, and bought it for myself as a “Congratulations You Finished 2/3s of Your Masters Degree” present. So far it’s a delightful exploration of the battle between a logical mind and a romantic heart. If you’re into irony, poetic prose, love, science, short stories, or all of the above, definitely give it a try.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. I’ve already read through and loved this book once, but I decided to give it another read in preparation for the final book in the trilogy, MaddAddam. Oryx and Crake was the first dystopia I ever really loved, and it’s about time I finish what I started. I love the masterfully convincing construction of the new religion “God’s Gardeners,” and the uncanny similarities between Painball and The Hunger Games. I will definitely be including this series on reading lists for young adults and adults alike.

What I Watched

Bob’s Burgers. I can’t get enough of this show: it’s sassy, sincere, side-splitting, and slightly Simpson-esque. Thirteen-year-old Tina’s hilarious and brave declaration of “I am a smart strong sensual woman” went “viral” in a sense, bringing in a lot of new viewers, and setting the tone for an absurd feminist-friendly comedy. Airs Sunday nights at 7 on Global.

What I Listened To

of Montreal’s 2010 album False Priest. Any band that’s sometimes described as “psychedelic folk” is worth a listen in my books. False Priest is an especially interesting and strangely catchy album. Similar to Animal Collective, The Magnetic Fields, and Belle and Sebastian.

Galantis – a recent collaboration of non-stupid dance music between my (perhaps) all-time favourite music-maker Christian Karlsson of Miike Snow and Linus Eklow. The Heart that I’m Hearing and Smile have been on repeat lately. Apparently similar to these other little known dance artists.

Literary gems, paired thoughtfully with related songs: The Literary Jukebox. It’s a dream come true.

What I Ate

A couple batches of this great hummus recipe (the trick is to whip the tahini and lemon juice before adding anything else), and, since I’m back at my well-stocked parents’ house for the break, many fancy grilled cheeses with fancy double smoked cheese. The day when I can afford my own fancy cheese will be a great day. Also, my dearest friend Julie and I transformed a mountain of butter into these Havarti garlic biscuit pinwheels to reinforce what we all already knew: Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

What did you love this week?