A “bipolar rabbit hole of past and present” This Findings interview with Brainpicker Maria Popova about the future of reading taught me about fifteen things, as any encounter with Popova is wont to do. In other doings (she lives in hyperdrive): Popova’s book spine poetry (inspired by National Poetry Month and the delightful Sorted Books).

On the intimacy of Draw Something “Draw Something is a game where there’s nothing to decode. It’s less about pattern recognition, and more about a natural desire to communicate.” Why (and how) Draw Something works.

Masters of the Storyverse How Valla Vakili, “the latest white knight riding to the rescue of a beleaguered book industry,” intends to monetize perversion by creating a universe of books.

Sending poetry aloft Join the TRB’s Poetry Editor (and poet) Moez Surani along with Catherine Owen and Oana Avasilichioaei as the three celebrate sending their new books into the world. Tuesday, May 1, at the Magpie Taproom, 831 Dundas St. W., starting at 7 pm.

On Writing the Revolution The TRB will be at the Toronto Reference Library this Thursday afternoon to hear eh List author Michele Landsberg talk about Writing the Revolution. Take a long lunch and join us. Thursday, May 3, 12:30-1:45, Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., Atrium Stage. Free.

Party like a comic book lover And then it’s straight back to the Reference Library on Saturday and Sunday for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, the exhibition/vendor fair/comic book extravaganza. Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., Saturday, May 5, 9 am-5 pm, and Sunday, May 6, 11 am – 5 pm (I’m very impressed that they’ve scheduled in ample recovery time). Free.

Ange Friesen is among other things a librarian. She blogs about film and fashion at Cahiers du cinemode and about everything else at the new is the true.