Looking for a good read? Then don’t bother asking friends what they’ve read lately or head to the nearest book store in hopes of stumbling upon something good. Instead, try checking out these 50 best literature blogs.

They can help you with choosing a new release, classic, specific topic, or just a good, all around read. In fact, many of them are as fun to read as the items they recommend.

Best General Literature Blogs

Written by lovers of literature, these blogs cover all aspects of the topic.

1. Blog of a Book Slut : The online magazine columns on this blog are worth the visit alone. They include interviews with various leaders in literature and other essays. The blog is also full of news and opinions on the world of books.

2. Edwards Champion’s Reluctant Habits : Ed is a writer whose work has appeared in “The Chronicle of Higher Education,” “The Los Angeles Times,” and many others. The blog is full of thoughts and review on literature, as well as daily life. He also hosts a show in which he interviews various writers.

3. DoveGreyReader Scribbles : Follow a Devonshire based bookaholic who is also a community nurse in her spare time. In addition to blog posts, there are also Q and A sessions with many writers. You can also take a look at her current reading list.

4. Baroque in Hackney : Ms. Baroque is a poet, critic, copywriter, and editor. A long time blogger, she is well reviewed by her peers. Top posts include inauguration day myth at work and Banksy and Zorro.

5. Chekhov’s Mistress : Bud devoted the site with few exceptions to discussing literature. Recent entries are on “Love in Infant Monkeys” and a press conference with Tom Waits. He also links to sites and topics of literature interst.

6. Literary Kicks : Levi Asher was bored by his tech job on Wall Street and as he pretended to work on PowerPoint presentations, he actually began this blog. Since then, LitKicks has become a popular online destination, gaining wide usage on college campuses around the world. There are a vast selection of literature categories on the site from American to Victorian.

7. Maud Newton : Maud lives in New York, where she works as a writer and editor. She started blogging in 2002 with the aim of meeting others who were passionate about books, culture, and politics. In addition to blog posts, she also has “remainders,” where she posts snippets on literary topics of interest.

8. The Elegant Variation : Mark Sarvas lives in Los Angeles, where he has been a newspaper editor, travel agent, and bass player. The blog is named after Fowler’s term for the inept writer’s overstrained efforts at freshness of expression. Posts are on the latest developments in the literary world, as well as recommendations.

Best Literature Columns

These literature blogs are sometimes featured as columns on popular national and international publications.

9. Paper Cuts : This is a blog about books and other forms of printed matter, written by the editors of the Book Review at “The New York Times.” Look here for book news and opinion, interviews with writers, regular raids on the archives, and other special features. They also have a weekly book review and searchable archive.

10. Jacket Copy : Get a blog on literature, authors, and all things bookish from “The L.A. Times.” Categories include everything from academia to writing. A recent entry took a look at the PEN awards.

11. Books Blog : Check out this book blog for a literature viewpoint from the United Kingdom. Hosted by “The Guardian,” a number of editors blog about literature and books. Topics include awards, fiction, biography, and even poem of the week.

12. The Book Room : Teresa Budasi is the Books Editor for the “Chicago Sun-Times.” She recently reviewed Sarah Palin’s new book. If you want to comment on her review, she is one of the few bloggers who includes her phone number and email on the site.

13. Short Stack : Book editors from “The Washington Post” weigh in daily on breaking news, book gossip, history, and publishing trends. Choose from categories such as fiction, politics, poetry, and more. Howard Bloom was a recent guest blogger.

14. Arts & Letters Daily : This blog is a service of “The Chronicle of Higher Education.” Blog posts concern articles of note. However, it also offers reviews of new books, as well as essays and opinion.

15. Readerville : Karen launched this blog as a space for readers, writers, librarians, publishers, critics, and anyone else who loves books to have thoughtful and engaging discussions. There are also forums and events for all readers of the blog. Although the blog has ceased new entries, there are still many useful resources.

Best Literature Blogs by a Group

The below literature blogs were written by two or more people.

16. GalleyCat : Three editors contribute on everything lit related. They even have popular posts such as a chat with Heather Thomas and the return of Jack O’Connell.

17. Three Quarks Daily : In addition to literature, the blog also brings topics related to science, current affairs, art, and more. The name of the blog was taken from James Joyce, who used it in “Finnegans Wake.” You can click on Literature to get entries solely on that topic or others such as gossip and philosophy.

18. Emerging Writers Network : The EWN was created to develop a community of emerging writers, established writers deserving of wider recognition, and readers of literary writing. Many recent entries were on holiday shopping guides for those who love literature. There are also book reviews, as well as recommendations.

19. The Millions : These bloggers believe that the internet can actually help literature coverage. Blog posts are on various aspects of literature from the newest to the classics. Recent entries are on a year in reading for 2009.

20. La Bloga : A community of Chicano bloggers write about literature for them. They also blog about children’s lit, news, views, and reviews. A recent entry was on Robert Bolano.

Best Literature Blogs by a Publication

Magazines that focus on literature also keep blogs on their findings.

21. The Literary Review : Get a blog with opinionated commentary on literary matters from the “Complete Review.” Their site has over 2,000 books under review with over 50 review-overviews. Blog entries often reprint findings of the site.

22. ReadySteadyBook : This blog works with The Book Depository in the United Kingdom. In addition to regular blog posts, there are numerous articles and book reviews. You can also get poetry and a word of the day from the site.

23. James Wolcott’s Blog : James is a “Vanity Fair” contributing book editor. Most popular posts include Bethany McLean, Erik Prince, and Stephanie Seymour. You can also get a list of books he has published, as well as notable books.

24. Bookninja : This Canadian publication presents original articles and reviews as well has humor and general interest pieces. There are even comics for the literature lover available online. The latest entry gave suggestions on ten books for non-readers.

25. Words Without Borders Blog : This publication is meant for writers across the world. It publishes selected prose and poetry both on the web and in print. In addition to blog posts, you can also stop by a forum.

26. The Book Bench : Get notes on books, publishing, and the literary life from the editors at “The New Yorker.” Categories include 1,000 words, eating our words, and many others. There are also similar blogs for other areas of cultural interest.

27. L.A. Black Book Expo News : This is the blog of an event by the same name. Visit here for date updates and other information relative to black literature. They also have information on other literature news in California.

28. Between the Covers : Connie Ogle reviews books for “The Miami Herald.” Categories include audiobooks, fiction, nonfiction, and more. Recent posts are on the top ten books of “The New York Times” and Florida based publishers.

29. Books in the Bay Area : This column is part of “The San Francisco Chronicle.” There are many sections to choose from such as Fresh Ink and Grabbers. You can also choose Top Shelf for the best in reviews and more on the site.

Best Literature Blogs on a Specific Subject

If your literary interests lie in one particular genre, take a look at these blogs.

30. FictionBitch : Elizabeth gives tart thoughts on the nature of fiction, with the occasional sweet. She is also a writer of prose fiction and plays. In typical fashion, a recent entry was entitled “Books Are Evil.”

31. Pepys’ Diary : The blog is a presentation of the diaries of Samuel Pepys, the renowned 17th century diarist who lived in London, England. A new entry written by Pepys is published each day over the course of several years. The first entry was originally written in January of 1660, with the most current in December of 1666.

32. The Blog of Henry David Thoreau : Greg maintains this blog and is an author of a book of the same name. Blog entries are excerpts from Thoreau’s own works.

33. ESSL Children’s Literature Blog : If you need a blog dedicated to literature for kids and teens, stop here. It is run by the Education and Social Science Library at the University of Illinois. Recent entries are on disabilities in books for youth and multicultural families.

34. I (Heart) Presents : This blog is dedicated to Harlequin Presents, or romance literature. The blog is on authors, editors, and readers of the books. There are tons of authors and reviews to choose from on the blog.

35. The Molten Notebook : Stop here for a literature blog on mostly Asian classics. You can choose by country such as India, China, Japan, and others. There are also options for movies, visual arts, and performance.

36. The Beiderbecke Affair : This is a blog that concerns itself with things literary while also indulging in jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke and Korean culture. There hasn’t been a new post in a while, but it is a useful stop if either topic interests you. It also contains recommendations on how to begin appreciating both.

Best Community Literature Blogs

These blogs are written by or for the literature community.

37. PEN American Center : Throughout its 85-year history, the PEN American Center has been host to such writers as Arthur Miller, Norman Mailer, Susan Sontag, and Salman Rushdie. In recent times, they have allowed members to write and share blogs on the site. Stop by to read the blogs of dozens of members from A to Z.

38. Library Thing
A community of 900,000 book lovers come here to blog. You can enter what you are reading or have read to instantly connect with others who have similar interests. They also have a blog that highlights the best of the community and literature.

39. WeRead : Similar to the above, this is another community for book lovers. Join for free to get recommendations and create your own personal profile page. You can also take the Never Ending Book Quiz and keep an online record of your own personal library.

40. The Literature Network : Use this site to read the essays and thoughts of others on literature or add you own. You can read the posts or search for writings on a specific author. There are also forums with even more.

41. The Book Club : Join other fans at “The New Yorker” to participate in this literature loving book club. Join in to begin reading the editor’s pick or take a look at some of their past reviews. They are currently reading “The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis.”

42. Spark Notes : This community is ideal for college students of literature. You can visit for study guides, help, and more. The top two Spark Notes are on “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “The Scarlet Letter.”

43. Today in Literature : This site covers a different figure of literature each day. You can read the most recent, or view the author index. You can also subscribe to their daily newsletter.

Best Expert Literature Blogs

These literature blogs are written by published figures in the world of books and beyond.

44. Neil Gaiman’s Journal : He has had impressive success in the world of both print and screen. His stories such as “Coraline” and “Stardust” where made into major motion pictures. The blog contains mostly what he is up to, but he also takes the time to answer reader’s questions.

45. Laila Lalami : This Moroccan writer studied at various universities across the globe. She has also published several books including “Secret Son” and “Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits.” Blog posts are on literature and anything else that interests her.

46. Lizzie Skurnick : She is the columnist for Jezebel.com’s Fine Lines and the author of ten teen books in the “Sweet Valley High” and other series. She also has a popular blog by the name of “Old Hag.” This one is more regularly updated and is often on topics of interest.

47. Nathan Bransford : He is a literary agent with many notable clients. He is also the author of “Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow.” A recent post was on the future of the print versus electronic book trends.

48. No Rules. Just Write : Inspirational author Brenda Coulter writes this blog for lovers of literature, writers, and fans. Blog posts are on what she is up to, along with items that interest her. There are also useful links on the blog.

49. Omnivoracious : The experts at Amazon blog specifically about books. There are regular entries on all sorts of new releases here. They also have specific recommendations.

50. Conversations with Writers : Haven’t found the author you hoped for? Then check out this blog full of interviews with writers, publishers, and literary activists. Recent entries are conversations with Maureen Myant and Dylan J. Morgan.

Whether written by a lover of literature or published author, there are tons of content to keep you busy in the above 50 best literature blogs. They can have you reading, writing, studying, and even meeting others with a similar love of books.