The folks at bookmarks magazine have sent me their first two issues for free. I have to say that I'm really torn about this particular serial. Their tag line is "for everyone who hasn't read everything," and the November/December issue reviews more than 60 books. On the one hand, I think every public library should subscribe to it. I interlibrary loaned most of the children's titles recommended in the first issue, and the reviews were right on target (the kids loved them).

The downside to the magazine, if you can call it a downside, is that I feel like more of a stooge than ever that I don't read books anymore. I could list several titles from each issue that sound interesting, but I know I won't get to them, which makes me kind of sad. And thanks to publisher paranoia and short-sightedness, none of the books found in these pages that I would want to read are available via Audible. When I was a reference librarian at a public library, I avidly read all of the PW, LJ, etc. reviews, so reading bookmarks is a real treat for me.

So two thumbs up for bookmarks, two thumbs down for fear-based publishers, and two thumbs sideways for a growing list of titles I'll read when I retire someday far in the future.