Category: books

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10 Libraries You’ve Got to Visit in Your Lifetime

Libraries are houses of learning, and oh my god are they beautiful. While some libraries are just plain old municipal buildings, there are others that completely surpass all expectations. Here’s a list of ten libraries so special, it may be worth your while to take a trip to see them.

1. Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, France

Home to 15 million books, it is beautifully French. Also, tourists.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

2. Trinity College Library, Ireland

The largest library in Ireland and home to the famous Book of Kells.

3. Library Hall, Clementinum, Prague

This baroque library was opened by Jesuits in 1622 when they had only one book to put in it.

4. Macquari University Library, Sydney, Australia

Robot cranes pick up your books and transports them to the desk for check out.

5. The Royal Library Copenhagen, Denmark

Part of the Royal Library, the Black Diamond holds a concert hall, cafe and exhibition spaces.

Photo Credit: Thue [Public domain]

6. Stuttgart City Library, Stuttgart, Germany

Everything is painted white so the only color comes from the books and the visitors.

Photo Credit: Pexels

7. New York Public Library, New York, NY

Founded in 1895, it is the largest public library system in the United States.

Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

8. Bodleian Library, Oxford, United Kingdom

Enacted in 1602 as Oxford University’s library and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe.

9. Yale University Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, New Haven, CT

One of the largest buildings in the world housing rare books and manuscripts.

10. The Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

The oldest federal cultural institution in the United States.

Photo Credit: By Carol M. Highsmith, Public Domain

From baroque to ne0-modern, these fantastic libraries were designed to treat all the senses. Support libraries!

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Cambridge University Library…

Cambridge University Library has run out of room for its 9 million+ books and built a huge store to hold 4 million more. The first book they put in was Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

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When Roald Dahl attended school…

When Roald Dahl attended school, the nearby Cadbury chocolate factory would occasionally send boxes of new chocolates to the school to be tested by students. It is believed that this likely inspired him in writing his third children’s book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

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6 “Game of Thrones” Fan Theories to Ponder Over While Waiting for the Last Season

To say that “Game of Thrones”, the HBO adaptation of a series of Fantasy books by George R.R. Martin, is a success would be putting it mildly. The show has inspired millions of fans worldwide and is easily among the most successful mainstream crossovers of the Fantasy genre.

While no new episodes were released in 2018, HBO announced that the show will return with its grand finale season sometime in 2019, most likely before summer.

If you think waiting that long is impossible (you sweet, summer child), then take a few minutes and ruminate on these 6 fan theories about how things may end for our friends in Westeros.

I mean, if the past is any indication, the general answer is ‘not well,’ but some folks like to get a bit more specific. Here we go!

#6. Viserion will return to the fight…alive.

Photo Credit: HBO

One Redditor (and mom) thinks that Daenerys’s love for Viserion will free him from the Night King’s spell, and he will return to her side — with a little help from the Red Woman. She’s got to be hanging around for some reason, right?

#5. Gendry is actually the only legitimate child of Cersei Lannister and Robert Baratheon.

Photo Credit: HBO

We know Cersei and Robert had a child — a “black-haired beauty” — who supposedly died shortly after his birth. Even though Cersei is a devoted mother, she never visits the child’s crypt or appears to mourn his loss. According to this theory, it’s because she knows he’s alive and well. Cersei placed him with a family and has been looking out for him all his life, even securing his apprenticeship and getting him out of the way of Joffrey’s purge of competitors.

Gendry only remembers that his mother had “yellow hair,” which, of course, also fits. If this is true, he has a legitimate claim to the Iron Throne. However, the jury’s still out on why Cersei faked his death and hid him in the first place.

#4. Arya will kill Cersei wearing Jamie’s face.

Photo Credit: HBO

Even though most theories predict that Jamie will reprise his role as Kingslayer and take out his sister himself (and fulfill the Volanqar prophecy in the process — the one where she’s to be killed by a younger sibling), this Redditor predicts Arya will kill them both — Jamie first, then Cersei while wearing Jamie’s face. The prophecy will still be (technically) fulfilled and Arya will have her revenge. #TheNorthRemembers

#3. Jon Snow will murder Daenerys.

Photo Credit: HBO

It might seem unlikely after the events of last season, but if Jon Snow really is the Prince Who Was Promised and the reincarnation of Azor Ahai, it could spell doom for everyone’s favorite Mother of Dragons. After all, Ahai wasn’t that intimidating until he plunged his fabled Lightbringer into his wife’s chest to imbue it with her power. If history repeats itself, Jon Snow will have to kill his one true love in order to save the realm.

I don’t know about you, but this theory sure leaves the feminist in me with a gross taste in her mouth…but it’s far from the first time that’s happened with this show.

#2. Daenerys will die beyond the wall.

Photo Credit: HBO

Poor Daenerys — it seems that many fans have no faith in her ability to survive the series and take her ancestor’s place on the Iron Throne. This Reddit theory goes way back to Season 2, when Daenerys has a series of (possibly prophetic) visions in the House of the Undying. In one of them, she sees Khal Drogo beyond the wall waiting for her. It seems to point to her going to fight the White Walkers and not returning.

#1. Clegane-bowl will happen.

Photo Credit: HBO

Some have waited with great anticipation for the eventual throwdown between brothers Sandor and Gregor Clegane, and the Season 7 finale hinted at the possibility of its coming to fruition when Sandor told his brother, “You know who is coming for you.”

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In 1969 an experimental book…

In 1969 an experimental book named The Unfortunates was published. It shipped as a ‘book in a box’ consisting of 27 unbound sections with the first and last chapter specified. The remaining sections range from a single paragraph to 12 pages in length and are designed to be read in any order.

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“The Worst Alphabet Book Ever” Might Be the Smartest Kids’ Book of the Year

Have you ever wondered why the X in “xylophone” sounds more like a “Z”? Or how about how the P in “Psychic” is basically silent and serves essentially no purpose?

Well, it turns out you’re not alone, because rapper Lushlife and his friend, computer programmer Chris Carpenter, wondered the same thing. Lushlife and Chris were playing some alphabet flashcards with their kids, when they pulled out a card that was a little bit odd. That moment inspired P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

Carpenter said in an interview with Bored Panda,

“We were hanging out with our mutual friends and their kid, playing with these alphabet flashcards. We both got a laugh out of the card for “Q” which read: ‘Q is for Quinoa.’ That was so entertaining to us because, well, what little kid knows or cares about quinoa? And also, isn’t that a terrible “Q” word, considering that it isn’t even phonetic? That was the moment that sparked the initial idea to create our own alphabet book with only words like quinoa.”

What started out being hilarious, later became a serious endeavor.

“Neither of us are children’s book authors by trade — Chris is a computer programmer, and I’m a rapper otherwise known as Lushlife,” he said. “When we started down the road to bring this book to life, I don’t think we realized just how long the process would take. From start to finish, the project took almost three years to complete.”

As they steadily found these mischievous words, they stumbled upon the lesson we, as parents, should teach our children at an earlier age.

Photo Credit: Bored Panda

“We tend to underestimate our children when we present an overly simplified version of the world in teaching certain subjects. It can be enormously frustrating, for example, to have a particular set of spelling rules drilled into one’s head, only to discover later that “I before E” is a giant conspiracy. Of course, the basics are important too, but why not hint at a more complete picture from a relatively early stage, and trust that our kids can handle it?”

And many parents agreed, rushing out to buy up the book.

Per The Guardian, the first print run of 10,000  sold out in a flash and over 100,000 orders are still needing to be filled.

Weeks later, it is still an Amazon #1 Best Seller.

Photo Credit: Amazon

“The first day we sold out of the entire first run; it’s been quite surreal from there,” said Haldar, whose book is now sitting at No 8 on the New York Times bestseller list. “It’s been totally unexpected.”

 

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Growing up in a House Filled with Books Is Good for You, Study Confirms

Books are the best, huh? I’ve got piles upon piles around my house. And I’ve actually read a decent bit of them! But there are still plenty I haven’t read yet, which makes me feel a little guilty.

Believe it or not, there’s actually a word for my affliction…

Photo Credit: did you know?

The good news, however, is my so-called “affliction” may mean I’m smarter than you. A study by researchers led by Joanna Sikora of Australian National University showed that people who had around 80 books in their home while growing up tend to have average literacy scores, which is defined as “the ability to read effectively to participate in society and achieve personal goals,” and people with less than 80 books tend to have below-average literacy.

According to the study, the literacy rate continues to rise as the number of books increases, but after 350 books, the rate remains steady. So, based on this study, I should be a genius (sadly, that isn’t the case).

Photo Credit: iStock

The subjects were between the ages of 25 and 65, and came from 31 countries around the world. Before they were tested, they were asked to estimate how many books they had in their home when they were 16 years old. The researchers found that “growing up with home libraries boosts adult skills in these areas beyond the benefits accrued from parental education, or [one’s] own educational or occupational attainment.”

Photo Credit: Unsplash,Chris Benson

The study also showed that there is a relationship between having books at home and having positive skill sets such as reading comprehension, math skills, and the ability to use digital technology to communicate.

So get back to reading (and buying) those books!

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Check out These 9 Hilarious and Enlightening ‘Condensed Versions’ of Famous Books

Reading is good and fun and all of that, but when faced with the choice between Gillian Flynn’s latest thriller or that classic you’ve been meaning to get to for the past, oh, three decades or so, it can be a tough call. Or an easy one, I guess (go ahead and grab that thriller – you’ll want to be able to chat with your fiends!).

In the meantime, check out these 9 condensed versions of famous books – they’re funny and, used correctly, can surely get you through a snooty party conversation or two.

#9. To Kill a Mockingbird

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#8. Grapes of Wrath

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#7. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#6. Emma

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#5. Pride and Prejudice

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#4. A few not-so-favorites.

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#3. The Brothers Karamazov

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#2. The Great Gatsby

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

#1. The Lord of the Rings

Photo Credit: John Atkinson

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19 Police Sketches of Famous Book Characters Compared to How They Look in Movies

Authors spend a lot of time crafting character descriptions so you can quickly paint a picture and get a sense of what their personalities are like. For many, these introductions are among the most enjoyable parts of reading a novel.

Photo Credit: NBC

So it should come as no surprise that fans of a book often cry foul when film roles are cast with actors who don’t match their vision of how a particular character is supposed to look.

Photo Credit: Disney

Artist Brian Joseph Davis explores this conundrum with The Composites, his series of police sketches based on characters’ book descriptions.

Davis uses basic law enforcement sketch software to create eerily accurate black and white portraits of some of literature’s most famous faces, which has given us the perfect opportunity to compare them to their movie counterparts.

Some can be remarkably accurate, as you can see with Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Javert in the 2012 screen version of Les Misérables…

Javert, Les Misérables, written by Victor Hugo, portrayed by Russell Crowe

Or Rooney Mara’s take on Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo…

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Columbia Pictures

Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, written by Stieg Larsson, portrayed by Rooney Mara

…but others were wildly off.

Frankenstein’s Monster looked much different on screen than it did in the book.

The Monster, Frankenstein, written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, portrayed by Boris Karloff

Take a look at these famous characters and let us know which ones you think were accurately represented and which ones seriously missed the mark.

Annie Wilkes, Misery, written by Stephen King, portrayed by Kathy Bates

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Red Bank Films

Carrie White, Carrie, written by Stephen King, portrayed by Sissy Spacek

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Focus Features

Christian Grey, Fifty Shades of Grey, written by E. L. James, portrayed by Jamie Dornan

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Orion Pictures

Clarice Starling, The Silence of the Lambs, written by Thomas Harris, portrayed by Jodie Foster

Count Dracula, Dracula, written by Bram Stoker, portrayed by Bela Lugosi

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Warner Bros

Daisy Buchanan, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrayed by Carey Mulligan

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Zoetrope Studios

Dallas Winston, The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton, portrayed by Matt Dillon

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Orion Pictures

Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs, written by Thomas Harris, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins

Humbert Humbert, Lolita, written by Vladimir Nabokov, portrayed by James Mason

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Warner Bros

Jack Torrance, The Shining, written by Stephen King, portrayed by Jack Nicholson

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Lionsgate

Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Zoetrope Studios

Kurtz, Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, portrayed by Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now.

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, American Zoetrope

Lux Lisbon, The Virgin Suicides, written by Jeffrey Eugenides, portrayed by Kirsten Dunst

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, 20th Century Fox

Marla Singer, Fight Club, written by Chuck Palahniuk, portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter

Norman Bates, Psycho, written by Robert Bloch, portrayed by Anthony Perkins

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Warner Bros

Sam Spade, The Maltese Falcon, written by Dashiell Hammett, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart

Photo Credit: Brian Davis, Miramax

Tom Ripley, The Talented Mr. Ripley, written by Patricia Highsmith, portrayed by Matt Damon

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In 1895, UK prime minister William Gladstone…

In 1895, UK prime minister William Gladstone founded a public library. Aged 85, he wheelbarrowed his personal collection of 32,000 books the ¾ mile between his home and the library. His desire, his daughter said, was to “bring together books who had no readers with readers who had no books”. 00