Wish me luck! I don't, unfortunately, have the self-confidence that made Zora loudly exclaim the title of her own second-place-winning play upon arriving at a 1925 awards dinner. 😅 4/4

I'm in the middle of re-reading THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD for the third time in my life. It really is that good a book. And I'm hoping to celebrate Zora in greater detail next month, when I finally get The Book Rambler's YouTube channel going.

3/4🧵

Zora contributed greatly to the Harlem Renaissance, a more-than-just-literary movement that elevated Black artistry in America and beyond. But Zora was often controversial among her peers, too...

2/4🧵

Judy-Lynn del Rey proved that sometimes "underdogs" are in fact the toughest in the pack – they just need someone to see their worth. So thank you, Judy-Lynn, for being the unsung hero of science fiction and fantasy! 👽🛸 6/6

#booksky #sciencefiction #sciencefictionday #delreybooks #funfacts

Unfortunately, the Hugo Award for Best Best Professional Editor was only given to Judy-Lynn after her untimely death at the age of 43. Her husband, Lester del Rey, turned down the posthumous award, saying that Judy-Lynn should have received that recognition while she was still alive.

5/6 🧵

She also believed in THE PRINCESS BRIDE when no one else did; after its initial run fizzled out, she reissued it with a beautiful cover that finally clinched its success.

4/6 🧵

Judy-Lynn believed in STAR WARS before its 1977 release proved skeptics wrong; she acquired the novelization rights in advance, earning her publishing house millions.

3/6 🧵

As a young woman with dwarfism, Judy-Lynn del Rey couldn't have had it easy when she entered the tough business of publishing during the 1960s... but her talent spoke for itself. Arthur C. Clarke, Philip K. Dick, and Isaac Asimov all praised her as the best in the business. 🏆

2/6 🧵

So disconnect from your phone and resist the temptation to watch ELF for the fifth time this year. Instead, mix up a fancy hot beverage and snuggle into a silent reading night with your loved ones. 🥰 4/4

#booksky #Christmaseve #merrychristmas #jolabokaflod

Paper products were among the few goods left unaffected. So the national book trade sent Bókatíðindi (a catalog of new book titles) to every household, inspiring Iceland's long-standing literary spirit to launch Jólabókaflóð.📚🎄

3/4 🧵

Iceland stayed out of WWII, but that didn't make them immune to its consequences. Although their own economy stayed strong, the island country faced a rough reduction of trade leading up to Christmas 1944, meaning there weren't many options for presents.

2/4🧵

So, yeah, I'd say it was a pretty good Christmas present. I'll take two, please 😅 5/5

#booksky #harperlee #merrychristmas

Harper used this chance to finally write her famous American classic. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD became an instant bestseller, got an award-winning film adaptation, and is still widely taught in schools to this day.

4/5🧵

She found a card attached to her tree on Christmas morning. Inside was written the most Santamazing thing an aspiring author could dream of reading: "You have one year off from your job to write whatever you please. Merry Christmas." 🎅🎄

3/5🧵

Struggling to make ends meet in New York City, Harper vented her frustration to mutual friends Michael and Joy Brown. The couple sympathized, and since they'd happened to have a good year, they decided to pay kindness forward to young Harper.

2/5🧵

So don't turn your holiday reading into a chore. Read because you love it. Whether you finished 2 books or 20 or 200 this year, Teddy and I are proud of you! 💪📚📚📚 4/4

#booksky #readinggoals #teddyroosevelt