What’s the longest book you’ve ever read? Flavorwire has collected a list of long, long books in the post, “10 Novels That We Dare You to Finish.”

If you are interested in taking the challenge, we’ve listed links below to free eBook copies of five massive novels. This GalleyCat editor loves reading digital copies of long, long novels–it seems like the perfect way to interact with these unwieldy titles.

Here’s more from Flavorwire: “we’ve compiled a list of 10 novels that could also function as doorstops if you decide to give up on them. Maybe you’ve tried to impress your friends by casually mentioning that you’re finally reading Proust, or you’re the annoying person on the train with the weighty tome in both hands, jostling into your fellow passengers because you can’t spare a free hand — whatever the reason, we salute you, foolhardy readers.

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The eBook version of the New York Writers Workshop’s Portable MFA in Creative Writing is currently free on Amazon and on Barnes & Noble. It’s a great value for any writer during these tough economic times.

Check it out: “Get the core knowledge of a prestigious MFA education without the tuition. Have you always wanted to get an MFA, but couldn’t because of the cost, time commitment, or admission requirements? Well now you can fulfill that dream.”

We know that for many of our readers, the student loan debt load for a creative writing MFA would be unrealistic in this ongoing recession. Earlier this year, we collected five alternatives to creative writing programs–add your suggestions and commentary in the comments section.
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The Amazon books editors unveiled their top ten picks of the biggest releases coming out this fall.

Senior editor Chris Schluep had this statement: “This is one of the best seasons for literary novels to come along in several years … We’ve highlighted Murakami and Eugenides in our Amazon Editors’ Top 10, as well as three of the finest debuts–by Amy Waldman, Erin Morgenstern, and Chad Harbach–to come across our desks in a long time.”

We’ve listed all the books below–what books are you looking forward to this fall?

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The Millions collected a list of 66 highly anticipated new titles coming out in the second half of 2011. The listed included George R.R. Martin with A Dance with Dragons in July, Haruki Murakami with 1Q84 in October and Stephen King with 11/22/63 in November.

Here’s more from the article: “But, even as fans look forward to books from these favorites, there will undoubtedly be many new discoveries in the coming months as well, some of which, hopefully, we can introduce you to today. The list that follows isn’t exhaustive — no list could be — but these are some of the books we’re looking forward to.”

The list excluded forthcoming children’s and YA books. In the coming months we will see Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein (September), The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (October)  and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney (November). What titles are you looking forward to in the second half of 2011?

Have you picked out your Father’s Day gift yet?

Instead of building our own list of Father’s Day gift books ideas, we’ve compiled a meta-list of Father’s Day gift lists from all corners of the Internet. Below, we’ve provided links to all the book lists.

We’ve probably missed a couple great lists, so add your favorite links in the comments section. (Photo via)

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We’d like to wish everybody a very happy Bloomsday, the day when the literary world remembers Leopold Bloom‘s fictional journey across Dublin in James Joyce‘s masterpiece, Ulysses.

While there are plenty of Ulysses-related events being held around the world, we’ve collected ten ways you can explore Ulysses online.

1. Download a free eBook copy of Ulysses.

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From cookbooks to murder mysteries to business books to children’s classics, donuts have played a major role in American literature.

To celebrate National Donut Day, we’ve rounded up tasty free samples of ten donut-focused books. Follow the links below to read the samples.

1. Donuts: An American Passion by John T. Edge: “Acclaimed food writer and cultural historian John T. Edge conjures nostalgia by revealing portions of our history through our most cherished foods. Donuts is the cap on a scrumptious series toting comfort food, belying calorie-counting, and embracing those cornerstone, iconic dishes that have come to define American cuisine and customs over the years.”

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Nearly all writers launch some sort of blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page and/or Tumblr blog to promote their book online. But most of them have no idea how to get people to actually read these sites.

Over at Splitsider, author and Tumblr blogger Jill Morris (pictured, via) explained How to Become a Published Author in 237 Simple Steps–a useful and funny guide to online promotion.  Below, we’ve highlighted a few tools we never knew existed.

1. Listorious: “the best Twitter people search on the web so you can find anyone by topic, region or profession — powered by data from the tens of thousands of list curators. Once you find the right person, you can interview them by asking questions over Listorious.”

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Many publishing companies allow employees to leave early on Fridays during the summer months–do you get Summer Fridays?

It is a semi-controversial practice. Some feel publishers should be working straight through the week during this time of revolutionary change, while others think it is a nice reward for employees.

What do you think? This GalleyCat editor thinks it is a good idea. Here are six reasons why.

1. You can save your employees’ lives! Some scientists now think that “people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die.”

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What’s the last book you want to read before you die? This GalleyCat editor wants to cozy up with a copy of The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler.

Religious leader Harold Camping has decided that The Rapture will happen tomorrow–inspiring ten music critics to choose Last Song They Want to Hear Before They Die. Below, a few GalleyCat readers chipped in last book suggestions.

Here’s more from Camping’s site (cached, because the link has crashed): “The End off the World prediction for May 21st is spreading all over the internet, but it is not what you think it is.  The May 21st End of the World prediction only applies to those who will be saved on Judgment Day 2011 in the Rapture.  Those who aren’t saved in the May 21 Rapture will suffer a different fate, and an End of the World date 5 months after May 21st.”

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