Looks like the Bard might have written more than his already prolific canon of plays. A Shakespeare scholar from the University of Nottingham is fairly certain of the confirmation a new play was written by Shakespeare. According this article from the AP via Yahoo! News:

After years of literary investigation, a professor at the University of Nottingham said Tuesday he’s certain “Double Falsehood, or the Distressed Lovers” was born out of “Cardenio,” a play Shakespeare scholars believe existed…”There is definitely Shakespearean DNA,” said English literature professor Brean Hammond, who has worked since 2002 to determine if “Double Falsehood” has Shakespearean roots.

As the article mentions, there is not enough proof with 100% certainty that “Double Falsehood” is based off of this mysterious “Cardenio” play.

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I’ve been reading Stephen King since high school. Most of his novels are okay, and there have been a few I really loved. So when I bought his most recent magnum opus, Under the Dome (aff link) as an ebook, I didn’t know what to expect.

The basic premise of Stephen King’s Under the Dome is very simple: A mysterious dome falls over the town of Chester’s Mill, cutting the town and its inhabitants off from the rest of the world. Families are split apart. Electricity is cut off. No more shipments of food or other supplies. Worst of all, even the town’s air supply is isolated and quickly becomes stale and filled with pollutants. And like a window left unwashed, the dome gets dirty, blurring the sun and turning the stars strange colors.

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Last night the first thunderstorm of 2010 whipped through the Chicago area. I loved it! One of my favorite parts of spring and summer is thunderstorms. They are especially cool during the summer, when it’s warm outside and you can see the dark clouds rolling in. Thunderstorms are one of those simple joys that make life a little more bearable.

Weather aside, this has been another busy week. It seems like I’m either really busy or bored to death. There is no comfortable median between the two. But I can’t complain because I really love all the writing projects that keep my so busy. I’m very lucky to be able to do something I love.

I’m going to leave things short and simple today. As always, have a happy and safe weekend.

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I know I’m a little late jumping on the horse here, but this week from March 7-13 is officially Read an E-book Week – meant to promote ebooks to the general public and to celebrate the new era of digital publishing that ebooks have ushered in.

I’ve been reading ebooks for a while now, so I’m already reading an ebook. More specifically, I’m reading Stephen King’s Under the Dome (aff link). It’s the perfect novel to read as an ebook because the hardcover version is heavier than a brick. No way I’m lugging that thing around town with me.

I’ll be posting a review right here on Brad’s Reader when I’m finished with King’s magnum opus.

How are you celebrating Read an E-book Week? What ebook are you reading? Leave a comment below and share your answer!

This always annoys me – every time a movie is released that’s based on a classic book, the respective book suddenly skyrockets in popularity. It’s not surprising that the same thing has happened with Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (aff link). Ever since the movie had been announced, sales of the book have shot through the roof. My local bookstore even has a special ‘Alice in Wonderland’ display.

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So this what the sun and sky look like! I’m sitting at my desk looking out the window and it’s a clear day with a deep blue sky and a bright sun. Spring must be just around the corner. Don’t get me wrong, I love the winter and a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, but after several months of it, I’m ready for a change.

As you can see below, I’m back to publishing Friday Link Love in the new, easier to read format. I hope this makes your weekend reading a little more pleasant. And speaking of weekends, make it a happy and safe one.

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The largest book retailer in the United States is making the bold move of considering bundling ebooks and print books. Barnes & Noble, who came out with their own ereader Nook last November, will begin testing the idea within the next few months. This is according to a recent article on Publishers Weekly and the Teleread blog.

I’ve been advocating for this type of bundling for a while now. The obvious advantage is that you can read the print version in the comfort of your own home, and then take the ebook version with you while you’re on the go. This would work especially well with dinosaur-sized books like Stephen King’s Under the Dome (which I’m currently reading as an ebook). If I had bought King’s latest magnum opus as a hardcover, you certainly wouldn’t see me lugging it around so I could read a few pages in the doctor’s office waiting room.

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Science fiction author Philip K. Dick died 28 years ago. If you haven’t read any of his books and/or short stories, you are probably still familiar with his work. His writings have been adapted into such films as Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Screamers and more. I’ve seen the movies Total Recall and Minority Report, but as usual, I enjoyed Dick’s writing a lot more than the Hollywood adaptation.

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I had another busy week, and it looks like things may remain busy for the foreseeable future. Don’t worry, however, because I just need to find a system to get everything done in a timely manner (writing projects, blog posts, etc.). Once that happens, my blogging will be back to normal. If anyone out there has any suggestions to better time management, I’m all ears.

That’s really all I have right now. 2010 is clipping along at a fast pace – February is almost over and March is almost here. I hope March brings sunnier skies, warmer weather and less snow (for those of us in Chicago).

As always, have a happy and safe weekend.

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Over the last year I’ve talked to a lot of people with e-readers. A majority of them have the Amazon Kindle, a few Sony Readers and a handful of the new Barnes & Noble Nook. Everyone says the same thing: They love their ebook reader. Those with the Kindle or Nook, which can download ebooks wirelessly tell me that they read a lot more with the e-reader than before.

Surprisingly (at least to me), the one subject that never comes up is DRM. I’ve “educated” a lot of newbies to the world of ebooks about the dangers of DRM, and most simply aren’t that worried about it. Their main concern is ease-of-use. Downloading an ebook via  a wireless network with the touch of a button is quick and easy – instant satisfaction with no tech skills required.

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