When I Stop Believing in Fiction Like a late victorian clergyman sweating in the dark over his Doubts, I have moments when my faith in fiction falters and then comes to the edge of collapse. I find myself asking, “Am I really a believer?” And then, “Was I ever?” The 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World [Editor’s note: In celebration of the holidays, we’re counting down the top 12 Flavorwire features of 2012. This post, at #1, was originally published January 31.] With Amazon slowly taking over the publishing world and bookstores closing left and right, things can sometimes seem a little grim for the brick and mortar booksellers of the world. After all, why would anyone leave the comfort of their couch to buy a book when with just a click of a button, they could have it delivered to their door? Well, here’s why: bookstores so beautiful they’re worth getting out of the house (or the country) to visit whether you need a new hardcover or not.
Five Banned Books That You Should Read (That You Probably Haven't) This week is Banned Books Week, where librarians and other organizations highlight the books that have been subjected to threats of censorship – and actual censorship – in schools, libraries and nations around the globe. Among the frequently challenged books include classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and popular books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Many are books that you really ought to read, like Cat’s Cradle or Harry Potter. But then, you probably have read them – either because your school made you or because all your friends pushed them on you.
The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien Randy Schaub fiction The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien By no means recently published, Flann O’Brien’s The Third Policeman will, nevertheless, be perpetually new. The literary equivalent of a Tesla invention, The Third Policeman is an astonishingly great book that is so intricate, so improbably effective, that one cannot tell, merely by looking, what makes it tick. The story is a strange dream-journey that at times is so substantial that the reader will find himself double-checking the thickness of the book itself, amazed that the whole thing fits in so slim a volume. Ligonier It seems that every time a writer picks up a pen or turns on his word processor to compose a literary work of fiction, deep in his bosom resides the hope that somehow he will create the Great American Novel. Too late. That feat has already been accomplished and is as far out of reach for new novelists as is Joe DiMaggio’s fifty-six-game hitting streak or Pete Rose’s record of cumulative career hits for a rookie baseball player. The Great American Novel was written more than a hundred and fifty years ago by Herman Melville. This novel, the one that has been unsurpassed by any other, is Moby Dick. My personal copy of Moby Dick is a leather-bound collector’s edition produced by Easton Press under the rubric “The Hundred Greatest Books Ever Written.”
Book Igloo Home is a recent sculptural installation by Colombian artist Miler Lagos. The piece was constructed at MagnanMetz Gallery late last year using carefully stacked books to create a compact dome that is entirely self-supporting. (via chris moore, thanks megan) Barnes & Noble on the Brink September 10th, 2014 | Hugh C. Howey You know you’ve had a rough time when flatlining is a sign of good health. The Wonder that is Papercrete Recently, one of the bloggers I read decided it would be her last post on her website. All of her readers were told not to worry, as she had created a new site that would encompass more things and more information. Her new site (Mike and Mollys house) has a lot of great stuff, but one thing that really caught my eye was this article on papercrete. I had never heard of this before, immediately decided to do more research on the stuff. What I’ve found has been really interesting, and I’d like to let you all know more as well.
33 Of The Most Bizarre Books In The History Of Amazon I KNEW it. Some jail time required. What? Sometimes the gods like to shotgun beers and drive four-wheelers through the mud. A Doctor and a Reverend walk into a bar...and write a book about third legs.