This post originally appeared on the Masters in English site in March of 2013. For authors who want to know where the readers are, and where the influential book bloggers are, this list is indispensible.
The advent of e-readers has allowed people to carry a lifetime of books in their backpack for convenient, backlit reading anywhere. This proliferation of reading gadgets has not only been a boon for passionate readers, but for writers as well. It is easier and less expensive than ever for independent authors to publish their works to a possible audience of millions. This is a huge benefit to both writers and readers, and has led to an outpouring of independently published e-books for lovers of all genres. This list is a celebration of reading and writing for both academic and general audiences.
General Literature & Publishing
From e-publishing gurus to literature critics, authors, and bookshop owners, many people in the business of selling words have blogs and online storefronts to reach an ever more electronically connected audience of voracious readers.
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Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg provides a library of over 42,000 free eBook titles in the United States due to expired copyrights. The project categorizes the free e-books that are available and offers links to download locations.
Must Read: eBook Catalog
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New York Times – Books
The well-known New York Times Review of Books is one of the largest and accessible sources concerning literature. You’ll find countless interviews, reviews, and exposés of some of the finest contemporary authors.
Must Read: Harvest by Jim Crace
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The American Literary Review
The American Literary Review was created through the creative writing program at The University of North Texas and publishes a wide range of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction from writers with varying degrees of experience. Spring 2013 will feature the final issue in print before exclusively embracing the digital medium.
Must Read: American Literary Review Current Issue
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The American Literary Blog
The American Literary Blog focuses on 19th century literature, encompassing not only very popular books of the period, but more obscure titles as well. The blog includes links and dates to various talks and appearances.
Must Read: Curry: The Better Years Begin
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Reader’s Almanac
The Readers Almanac is the official blog of The Library of America, a nonprofit publisher whose goal is ensuring the most significant works of American literature stay in print.
Must Read: Forthcoming From Library of America
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The Elegant Variation
Mark Sarvas runs this acclaimed literary blog that has a casual tone, while still maintaining a substantive style.
Must Read: Five Authors to Watch in 2013
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TeleRead
TeleRead features “news and views on e-books, libraries, publishing, and related topics” with special emphasis on reading related technologies such as e-readers, e-book managers, and the general creation and distribution systems used by Amazon and others to purvey written media in electronic form.
Must Read: Amazon Isn’t Evil
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Maud Newton
Maud Newton’s literary blog is colored with a significant amount of cultural commentary. The depth of the blog is furthermore accentuated due the amount of travel he does and his ability to blend history into his reviews.
Must Read: Letters From Jerusalem
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Girlebooks
Girlebooks has a 21st century view on being a book blog and exclusively handles ebooks, particularly those with women as authors. The blog aims to take a more active role in breaking out of the cycle of women being the only readers of literature authored by women.
Must Read: Summer Promotion 2012
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The Bookshop Blog
The Bookshop Blog is an in-depth blog compiling Top 100 lists for various genres, bookstore profiles, and general musing over different philosophies concerning how we read and interact with books.
Must Read: Remembrances of Bookstores Past
Read the rest of the post, which includes 90 more sites categorized by type, on Masters in English.