Toronto Reference Library Blog

What do Margaret Atwood, Jeanette Winterson and Salman Rushdie have in common? They are all writers who engage in the social media phenomenon known as Twitter.

A 140 character tweet from a favourite author can be very satisfying indeed.

A recent tweet from Jeanette Winterson led me to read her stunning new autobiography, Why be happy when you could be normal?

The next time you are looking for something to read try Twitter -  it may lead you to something quite unexpected.

Salman Rushdie says he enjoys Twitter because “it allows one to be playful, to get a sense of what is on a lot of people’s minds at any given moment.”

Jeanette Winterson has written that " – to my surprise – I am enjoying my Twitter outings. I don’t do it everyday or back and forth – but it is fun…"

Margaret Atwood writes that "the Twittersphere is an odd and uncanny place. It's something like having fairies at the bottom of your garden. How do you know anyone is who he/she says he is, especially when they put up pictures of themselves that might be their feet, or a cat, or a Mardi Gras mask, or a tin of Spam?…..But despite their sometimes strange appearances, I'm well pleased with my followers – I have a number of techno-geeks and bio-geeks, as well as many book fans. They're a playful but also a helpful group".

Books by these authors are available at the Toronto Reference Library in the Languages and Literature Department (and at many other TPL branches).

Why be happy when you could be normal? is also available  in eBook format (Library card required)

If you are interested in learning more about Twitter consider attending a class at the Toronto Reference Library.

What do Margaret Atwood, Jeanette Winterson and Salman Rushdie have in common? They are all writers who engage in the social media phenomenon known as Twitter.

A 140 character tweet from a favourite author can be very satisfying indeed.

A recent tweet from Jeanette Winterson led me to read her stunning new autobiography, Why be happy when you could be normal?

The next time you are looking for something to read try Twitter -  it may lead you to something quite unexpected.

Salman Rushdie says he enjoys Twitter because “it allows one to be playful, to get a sense of what is on a lot of people’s minds at any given moment.”

Jeanette Winterson has written that " – to my surprise – I am enjoying my Twitter outings. I don’t do it everyday or back and forth – but it is fun…"

Margaret Atwood writes that "the Twittersphere is an odd and uncanny place. It's something like having fairies at the bottom of your garden. How do you know anyone is who he/she says he is, especially when they put up pictures of themselves that might be their feet, or a cat, or a Mardi Gras mask, or a tin of Spam?…..But despite their sometimes strange appearances, I'm well pleased with my followers – I have a number of techno-geeks and bio-geeks, as well as many book fans. They're a playful but also a helpful group".

Books by these authors are available at the Toronto Reference Library in the Languages and Literature Department (and at many other TPL branches).

Why be happy when you could be normal? is also available  in eBook format (Library card required)

If you are interested in learning more about Twitter consider attending a class at the Toronto Reference Library.