Top Ten Tuesday Trends

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they, and other bloggers/readers, make a top ten list from a given topic.

 This week's topic is...

Trends I’d Like to See More of:

1) Independent presses:

Companies like Melville House are doing cool stuff, like finding ways to support brick and mortar booksellers and getting excited about blogger projects like the Art of the Novella Challenge. (Even if that means readers are getting their novellas from alternate sources.)

2) Library Use:

In the face of the attack on Toronto Public Libraries, Margaret Atwood has been tweeting up a storm about the importance of libraries. I use my library a lot, and while it isn’t perfect (by any means), I truly appreciate its being available.

Photo Credit: mikeyfranz

3) Children in the Library:

                Yeah, I know this is similar to #2, but it deserves its own place on the list. I love seeing kids at the library, no matter what they’re doing. Even if they’re being loud, even if they never venture from their computer games, they are there. Hopefully they will understand that libraries can provide them with a place to learn, a place to be with friends, or even a place to get out of the brutal summer heat.

4) Feminist bloggers:

                Maybe this is cheating, as I count myself in this group. Before I started blogging (oh, what, less than a month ago?) I didn’t realize this awesome community of feminist bloggers even existed. I love it and want the community to grow ever bigger.

5) Young bloggers:

                As I’ve explored the book blogging world, I’ve been impressed to see that there are a number of young people – teenagers! – active in the blogging community. That is awesome! I love to see teenagers reading, and the fact that they are making their voices heard about what they want to be reading is even better.

6) Works in Translation:

                According to Three Percent, a website from the University of Rochester’s translation program, less than three percent of all books published each year in the US are works in translation (hence the site’s name).  There are some great people out there trying to change that, and to build recognition for translated works. I’ve got a review scheduled to post tomorrow on a great example of a translated book (Jenny Erpenbeck’s Visitation), so come back by and check it out.

7) Books from People of Color:

                In the last several years, I’ve noticed a ton of books by people of South Asian ancestry. There’s also the popularity of Chimamanda Adichie, from Nigeria, as well as many others. But we need more! Adichie gave a TED talk back in 2009 discussing the danger of a single story being used to define a group of people. We need many narratives to help us see without blinders. 

8) Graphic Novels

                I love graphic novels. They don’t take the place of “regular” books, but they are terrific in their own right.  And if they get people reading who would otherwise be put off by a 400 page picture-less tome, then great!

Fun Home, Alison Bechdel

9) Strong Female Leads

                I don’t know if this is so much a trend as it is a hope. There’s been a lot written about the need for strong, well developed female characters.  I enjoyed Tamora Pierce’s “Circle of Magic” series, which features a group of young magicians, three of whom are girls.

Daja's Book, Tamora Pierce

10) Books Turned into Movies

                Okay, I might not go watch them, but if they inspire people to read the book to get more from a favorite character or story, then what’s not to like? I do wish there were better books being made into movies, though (yes, I’m side-eyeing you, The Help.)