dating

The Yenta Takes It All

November 15, 2011

As the weather grows colder in New York, one need grows more urgent:

We have to find winter boyfriends.

Annie has done a bang-up, fantastic job of matching me with the perfect literary boyfriend (#literarybf). This holiday season, I plan on hunkering down indoors with King Aragorn and the perfect hot toddy. Happily matched, it’s now time for me to return the favor.

Annie’s top 3 qualities were: sense of humor, confidence (sans arrogance), and forthrightness. In my humble, entirely unbiased opinion, Annie is sweet, smart, and authentic. She’s travelled the world and is totally comfortable in her own skin. I think she needs a man who is equally sure of who he is, and what he wants. It would help if he was down-to-earth and totally hilarious—not to mention dreamy.

The contenders:

Jean Valjean, Les Miserables
Our pals at Penguin Library suggested Jean Valjean—eligible bachelor and ultimate redeemed man. He’s forthright and confident, which fits the bill, but at the end of the day, might not be enough fun for Miss Annie, whose sense of humor is matchless.

Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games
Annie already has a soft spot for Peeta, who is “gentle and kind, but when he is threatened, fights like a maniac. He's bold…thinks very well on his feet and has a very likable personality and a flair for showmanship.” Peeta is pretty impressive but, ultimately, he’s a bit on the young side. Which brings us to the final bachelor…

Henry DeTamble, The Time Traveler’s Wife
I know what you’re thinking—Henry has a medical condition which causes him to involuntarily time travel, so he might not be the best boyfriend. But if anyone is secure enough to handle a bit of extra personal space, it’s Miss Mazes. Besides, Henry is kind, funny, handsome, honest, and smart. Also, he’s a librarian—which, on account of Annie’s MLIS, would make them a library science power couple.

Voila, I've done it! If you'd like us to find you a literary bf, join the conversation on Twitter (#literarybf). Happy dating, and happy reading!

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Looking for Literary Lurve (Part 2)

November 10, 2011

So we received some excellent boyfriend-status options for Kayleigh via Twitter (#literarybf)…Odysseus, Aragorn, Heathcliff. I am carefully considering each while I ponder who to pair her with. (Can we pause to discuss how lovely it is to read Kayleigh's prose? From her you get "the machinations of our young hearts," with me you get "lurve" and "boyfriend-status." Ever so slightly different). Anywho…now it's my turn to be matched up. Can you find me a literary fella to get my practical heart pitter-pattering?

NAME: Annie Mazes

NICKNAME: Annie Bananny, Annie Nickel

OCCUPATION: Librarian cum Library Marketing aficionado

CURRENT LOCATION: Astoria, Queens

HEIGHT: 5’4”

AGE: 29

SIGN: Leo

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: “But no sooner had [Mr. Darcy] made it clear to himself and his friends that [Elizabeth Bennet Annie Mazes] hardly had a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.”

FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING: Fuzzy socks and grandpa sweaters (probably why I need a matchmaker)

COCKTAIL OF CHOICE: Vodka/Tonic or Guinness

FAVORITE BOOK/FILM ADAPTATION: The Princess Bride

TOP 3 QUALITIES IN DESIRED MATE: Sense of humor, confidence (sans arrogance), and forthrightness

Comment below, follow the conversation on Twitter (#literarybf), or make suggestions on Facebook…I look forward to hearing beau-friend options!

Uncategorized

For Every Girl, A Darcy

November 9, 2011

Recently we came across a feature on the Huffington Post which crossed time and genre to couple characters from classic and contemporary fiction. Most of us have read books and developed crushes on literary types—from Sydney Carton to Scarlett O’Hara—but this time around, we’re more effectively playing yenta. The structure is as follows: Annie finds a mate for Kayleigh, Kayleigh returns the favor. Over the course of the next week, we—Kayleigh George and Annie Mazes—will expose the machinations of our young hearts in the hopes of finding suitable literary paramours. Take a gander at our first profile and see if you can pair this bourbon-devoted Brooklynite with a gent that meets her needs.

NAME: Kayleigh George

NICKNAMES: Kay, Kaybear, Sprockets, George

OCCUPATION: Library Marketing maven, part-time writer of short fiction

CURRENT LOCATION: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

HEIGHT: 5’7

AGE: 26

SIGN: Virgo

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: “Scarlett O'Hara Kayleigh George was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were. In her face were too sharply blended the delicate features of her mother, a Coast aristocrat of French descent, and the heavy ones of her florid Irish father. But it was an arresting face, pointed of chin, square of jaw.”

FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING: Short trenchcoat

COCKTAIL OF CHOICE: Bourbon on the rocks, or a French 75

FAVORITE BOOK/FILM ADAPTATION: Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence

TOP 3 QUALITIES IN DESIRED MATE: Intellectual curiosity, kindness, and devotion. Though rough-hewn, masculine features never hurt anybody.

What do you think? Would the smoldering charms of Rhett Butler fit the bill? Perhaps the cool composure of a Mr. Darcy, the unerring moral compass of Mr. Knightley, or the passionate possessiveness of Edward Cullen?

We strongly encourage you to comment, tweet, or join the conversation on Facebook. Find a hero for this heroine!