An iphone app to find books by or about people of color; a listener asks, "is it stealing?" and new books by Alex Kershaw and Jennifer McMahon.

 

We were thrilled to learn about We Read Too, an iphone app that was developed by Kaya Thomas (http://innov8tiv.com/innov8tiv-interviews-kaya-thomas-founder-read-app-showcasing-literature-people-color/),  a young woman who couldn't find books with characters that reminded her of herself. The app is a great resource for booksellers, librarians, teachers and readers who want to discover literary works written by authors of colors with characters of colors that don't fall into stereotypes.

Find We Read Too in the iOS app store. (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAAahUKEwj-sN-255_HAhUQE5IKHd5aAbs&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fwe-read-too%2Fid908782619%3Fmt%3D8&ei=bEbJVf7KKZCmyATetYXYCw&usg=AFQjCNH_oJrYA5AHNPPmSbhNH1oa4wgcwQ&sig2=c9YmQ_DJUzSyqvJ7B6VfhQ&bvm=bv.99804247,d.aWw)

We Read Too on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WeReadTooApp)

 

 (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/audiobooks.jpg)Audiobook of the week (05:13)

 

(http://covers.audiobooks.com/images/covers/full/9781423373698.jpg)Serena by Ron Rash, narrated by Phil Gigante, is my pick for this week’s Audiobooks.com Audiobook of the Week.

Special thanks to Audiobooks.com (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook) for sponsoring this episode of Books on the Nightstand.

Audiobooks.com allows you to listen to over 60,000 audiobooks, instantly, wherever you are, and the first one is free. Download or stream any book directly to your Apple or Android device. Sign up for a free 30-day trial and free audiobook download by going to www.audiobooks.com/freebook (http://www.audiobooks.com/freebook)

 

A listener writes in with an ethical dilemma (10:22)

We received an email from Becky:

I have been a longtime fan and listener of your podcast and I recently took a book and I'm wondering if you would consider this stealing or not. . . 

I'm a hospice physician and do home visits to see patients. I visited a patient who lived in an apt building where you had to be buzzed in. I went up to the 2nd floor where my patient lived and in an open alcove next to the elevator was a library of perhaps 100 - 200 books. . . 

After the visit I perused the shelves and there was a lot of mass market stuff plus classics plus everything in between. I ended up taking an Everyman's library edition of "The Tin Drum" by Gunter Grass. I took it b/c it was a classic that I thought I should read, and also I felt it was probably sthg that was not in high demand so I felt less guilty about taking it, vs. some current best seller. . . I will say that I was slightly influenced to take the book  b/c of all of your talk on the podcast about how many books are pulped, etc. . . so if I did wrong then it's all your fault! Ha! just kidding. . . 

The other doctor that I work with was appalled at my action and considered that it was definitely stealing. . . maybe she is right?! What do you think?? 

Thanks for all your great work on the podcast!

Michael and I discuss this dilemma, and though we both agree it's not black and white, we do fall on somewhat different sides of the gray area. Please let us know your thoughts. Was it stealing? Does it matter that it was a classic and not a more popular title? What would you have done?

More information on Little Free Libraries here (http://littlefreelibrary.org/). Please consider putting one up in your community.

Two books we can't wait for you to read (21:38):

 

(https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435684342l/23648884.jpg)   (https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427845722l/24040551.jpg)

 

Michael talks about Avenue of Spies (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23648884-avenue-of-spies?from_search=true&search_version=service) by Alex Kershaw, about an American doctor's experience in Nazi-occupied Paris.