Guardian Unlimited Books' top 10 literary blogs Our pick of the best the online books community has to offer
BOOKSLUT www.bookslut.com/blog Yup, it really is one of the biggest and the best - one of the most comprehensive blogs out there, Updated several times daily with wide-ranging gossip from every area of the books world, and well-judged links that guide you around both the brightest lights and dustiest corners of the net.
SO MANY BOOKS somanybooks.blogspot.com/ Subtitled 'The agony and the ecstasyof a reading life", this is the chatty, witty diary of Stephanie Hollmichel, who "loves reading and spends an inordinate amount of time at it." Regularly updated with a mixture of Stephanie's reading diary and her links to and opinions on all things literary, Eclectic and absorbing.
READYSTEADYBLOG www.readysteadybook.com/Blog.aspx A home-grown treasure, this one, with smart, serious analysis by blogger (and editor of the ReadySteadyBook site) Mark Thwaite. Again, strong links for readers who want to follow up posts - several of them are to us, which doesn't hurt.
THE LONDON NEWS REVIEW DIARY http://www.themidnightbell.com/tmb/ Updated only sporadically - once or twice a month, on average - but definitely worth following - it's like taking a peek inside the mind of your oddest, funniest friend, Recent entries include the shocking revelation that the plot of Police Academy has been lifted wholesale from Enid Blyton's The Naughtiest Girl in the School and a post on Richard Dawkins "sticking his nose where it doesn't belong". Light on the links, heavy on the humour.
LAURABLE'S POETRY WEBLOG http://laurable.com/index.html The weblog of New York-based poetry nut 'Laurable'. She's particularly interested in audio links to poets reading their work, so there are lots of those, but also plenty of pointers to poetry news and comment around the net. Fairly State's-centric, but a great read even if you're on the other side of the pond.
THE ELEGANT VARIATION marksarvas.blogs.com/ A blog that focuses primarily on literary life in Los Angeles: essential reading if you're a resident, an enjoyable diversion if you're not. Well-written and well-presented, with lots of interesting tidbits.
GRUMPY OLD BOOKMAN grumpyoldbookman.blogspot.com/ "A blog about books and publishing" from Michael Allen, who does his best to live l to the title of his weblog. Long, personal entries, posted daily, on all aspects of the book trade. Intelligent and unfailingly interesting.
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS www.pepysdiary.com/ Winner of the 'best specialist' category of the Guardian British blog awards. Since January 1 2003, Phil Gyford has been posting an entry a day of Samuel Pepys 16th century diary on the web-and he plans to continue the entire diary is online-in about eight years time. Great stuff.
RAKES PROGRESS http://rakesprogress.typepad.com/ A good all-rounder. Sifts through the quirkiest things the web has to offer book lovers and does the work for you by picking out the best bits.
SCRIBBLINGWOMAN http://www.unbsj.ca/arts/english/jones/mt/ Subtitled "Probably about books, c18, detritus, parenting, poaching, print, sf, or writing", this is a lovely, personal, meandering blog by Miriam Jones, an assistant professor of English at the University of New Brunswick. Thoughtful, insightful and pleasingly diverse.