• The Philadelphia Center for the Book held their first literary salon.

• Save the date for Read and Romp 2010 (January 31, 2010)

• Waldo Hunt, 88, the king of the pop-up novel is dead

My favorite question:

So let’s get down to the business of your new book. What are Spanx?
You know what? Spanx are a sham. Spanx are an evil hoax perpetrated upon womanhood. It happened to me when I was in a store. I don’t have time to shop so I grabbed a pair of tights and figured I would try them on at home. I put them on and I can’t get them on. I try to put these on and it’s like a tourniquet … So I thought, what is this garment? I started to do the research. It is in fact body-shaping underwear and it says things on the website like, “It’s power panties.” The only thing I could think, truly, is that if women had power, they wouldn’t need Spanx. Aren’t I right? So I threw them away.

• Elizabeth Wellington at the Inquirer profiles Posing Beauty: African American Images From the 1890s to the Present.

• The National Council of Teachers of English comes Philadelphia for their 99th annual convention. Among the speakers: Julie Andrews, Junot Diaz, and Joyce Carol Oates.

• Q&A with author Ali Eteraz over at Philly Weekly

• Listen to over 400 author podcasts courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia

• Something New: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Christmas Special drops November 17th, followed closely by Hack’s Hanukkah special.
• Something Borrowed: Language Log cites a rarely used, backdoor meaning of “going rouge”

• Something Blue:

• Something New: Barnes Breaks Ground for New Museum on Parkway. 20 people show up to protest. That’s 18 more people than the organized SEPTA protest a week ago, if you’re keeping track.

• Something Borrowed: Phillies win Best Medical Staff in Baseball. Ticker-tape parade to follow? (via D-Mac)

• Something Blue:

Photograph from cjelli on Flickr

• Penn selects water as it’s academic theme for the 2010-2011 school year. In preparation, pipes will burst in Stouffer College House.

• Not sure if uwishunu.com’s profile of restaurant Rouge was product tie-in for Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue. Gonna go with probably.

• Philebrity makes a penis joke for the 456th time this year. Did not find way to work in hatred of Inquirer, though I’m sure Joey Sweeney made a valiant attempt to do so.

• Early to bed, early to thighs. (Under the Button)

• Free this weekend? Go see a wacky rocking movie unless you don’t care for tedious plot bits or aggressively irritating floating frat-party romps.

• And remember don’t impregnate your best client. It may bite you in the ass.

• Finally, never take your picture with McGruff the Crime Dog if you’re gonna be indited. It WILL bite you in the ass.