Sunday, June 24, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
London's Instagrammable Bookshops
Standard: London's prettiest and most Instagrammable bookshops
Book heaven: We've rounded up London's best bookshops for you to browse in (Pixabay)
There's nothing better than spending an entire Sunday browsing one of London's bookshops.
The smells, the crisp snap of the pages and the countless great minds that stalk the shelves are as alluring as a bookstores architectural chic. Luckily, our city is home to an impressive selection of booktopias that celebrate the capital's extraordinary literary history. You'd think the digital age would have seen them close by now, but in fact, gadgets like the Kindle have only made their appeal even stronger.
Read more ...
Bookyards editor: London and New York City are IMHO the two best places to visit a bookstore.
The Story Of Beowulf
Bookyards editor: Beowulf may be the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. The link to download this ebook is here.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Saturday, June 16, 2018
The Canterbury Tales And Other Works by Geoffery Chaucer
Here Are All The Books That Bill Gates Has Recommended Over The Last Eight Years As Well As Some Interesting Links (Updated)
Quartz: All the books Bill Gates has recommended over the last eight years
Bill Gates has become a powerful influence on publishing. An endorsement from the philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder can cause tangible sales spikes, reminiscent of the golden ticket that once came with being picked for Oprah’s book club.
So just what does Gates read? Quartz manually compiled all 185 of the books recommended on his blog, which dates back to January 2010, and organized them by topic. We’ve included all titles, even those of which Gates was mostly critical, like Matt Ridley’s The Rational Optimist. But this is relatively rare; Gates usually only blogs about books he recommends.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: A few interesting links from Bill Gates on books ....
The blog of Bill Gates .... Gatesnotes
5 books worth reading this summer (Bill Gates, May 21, 2018)
Bill Gates’ Is Giving A Free Ebook To All US College Graduates This Spring (Bookyards, June 9, 2018)
Essays and commentaries from Bill Gates (Bookyards Library)
Bill Gates: "I read an hour almost every night. It's part of falling asleep." (Business Insider, August 22, 2014)
Friday, June 15, 2018
Louisa May Alcott's Novel "Little Women" Still Resonates 150 Years Later As The #MeToo Movement Gains Attention
Bookyards Editor: Louisa May Alcott's novel "Little Women" still resonates as the #MeToo gains attention .... ‘Little Women’ and author Alcott resonate 150 years later (AP)
The novel "Little Women can be downloaded from here (link here), and the works of Louisa May Alcott can be browsed and downloaded from here (link here).
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Was Albert Einstein A Racist?
Einstein described Chinese children as ‘spiritless’ and ‘obtuse’ but some Chinese say he depicted an accurate picture of the era. Photograph: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive
The Guardian: Einstein's travel diaries reveal 'shocking' xenophobia
Private journals kept by the scientist and humanitarian icon show prejudiced attitudes towards the people he met while travelling in Asia
The publication of Albert Einstein’s private diaries detailing his tour of Asia in the 1920s reveals the theoretical physicist and humanitarian icon’s racist attitudes to the people he met on his travels, particularly the Chinese.
Written between October 1922 and March 1923, the diaries see the scientist musing on his travels, science, philosophy and art. In China, the man who famously once described racism as “a disease of white people” describes the “industrious, filthy, obtuse people” he observes. He notes how the “Chinese don’t sit on benches while eating but squat like Europeans do when they relieve themselves out in the leafy woods. All this occurs quietly and demurely. Even the children are spiritless and look obtuse.” After earlier writing of the “abundance of offspring” and the “fecundity” of the Chinese, he goes on to say: “It would be a pity if these Chinese supplant all other races. For the likes of us the mere thought is unspeakably dreary.”
Read more ....
Update: Einstein was a genius of physics. But he wasn’t a saint (Philip Ball, The Guardian)
Bookyards Editor: The Chinese are defending Einstein .... Chinese defend Einstein's portrait of their people as 'filthy' and 'obtuse' (The Guardian)
Update #2: For ebooks by Albert Einstein, Bookyards has a collection that you can browse and download from here (the link is here).
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Become A Library Tourist
One of the reading rooms inside the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Book Riot: Why You Should Become A Library Tourist: Critical Linking, June 10, 2018
While plane-hopping around the globe on a mission to view libraries might strike you as excessively privileged (Kells acknowledges that it was very much a ‘first world’ library tour), the core idea can be adapted to wherever you are. Make a point of visiting the library in whatever new city you’re in, and get a feel for that library’s role in the city’s life.
There is a practical side to it, too. Libraries are free, quiet, relaxing, air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter. They offer a pleasant respite from the streets and sometimes a great view. Many North American libraries have good play centers for young children, when they need a break from touristing, and they’re full of locals who can dispense valuable recommendations.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: If there is a library that I would love to visit, it would be the Vatican Library.
Monday, June 11, 2018
The Canterbury Tales And Other works by Geoffery Chaucer
Bookyards Editor: The Canterbury Tales And Other works by Geoffery Chaucer can be downloaded from here.
27 Insanely Clever Ways To Display Your Books
Bookyards Editor: Some ideas are crazy .... others are not. Here is the link to the article .... 27 Insanely Clever Ways To Display Your Books (BuzzFeed).
The Works Of H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Bookyards Editor: The works of H. P. Lovecraft .... American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction .... can be browsed and downloaded from here.
Sunday, June 10, 2018
To All Fans Of James Bond, You Can Now Read A Free Extract From The Latest Bond Novel 'Forever and a Day'
Bookyards Editor: To read an exclusive chapter from Anthony Horowitz's James Bond novel Forever and a Day (The explosive prequel to Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale) just go to this link and scroll down .... Forever and a Day: 007
Update: Here is an interview with the author Anthony Horowitz .... Interview: Anthony Horowitz: 'I've been asked if Bond would vote Brexit'
Publisher Penguin Random House Has Been Accused Of Putting Diversity Ahead Of Quality When Publishing Books
Writer Lionel Shriver has accused publisher Penguin Random House of putting diversity ahead of quality.
It says new authors should reflect the UK population by 2025, "taking into account ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social mobility and disability".
The company said: "Books shape our culture, and this should not be driven only by people who come from a narrow section of society."
It has also said job applicants would no longer need to have a degree.
The We Need to Talk About Kevin author said the publishers were "drunk on virtue".
Read more ....
Bookyards Editor: Readers always want to read something unique that also appeals to their personal interests. If Penguin Random House has decided to go politically correct in deciding who they should publish over quality, all that I can say is that with time the public will no longer buy their books in the numbers that Penguin Random House expects. Writer Lionel Shriver's commentary is here .... When diversity means uniformity (Lionel Shriver, Spectator)
The Works Of H. P. Lovecraft
Bookyards Editor: The works of H. P. Lovecraft .... American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction .... can be browsed and downloaded from here.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Bookyards Editor: This book never gets old .... Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The link to download this ebook is here.
Saturday, June 09, 2018
Bill Gates’ Is Giving A Free Ebook To All US College Graduates This Spring
Bookyards Editor: Bill Gates clearly loves this book .... Bill Gates shares the 2 best books he’s read this year (CNBC). To get this ebook .... It’s Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, just head over to the Gates Notes website and either sign-up or log-in as a Gates Notes Insider. Then select your university or college from the drop-down menu and download your free copy of Factfulness. The only downside is that due to international publishing rights, this gift is only available to US college graduates. If you are outside the U.S., you can still go to Amazon (link here), and click on the image of the book (at least I can do it in Canada), and read it from the Amazon website (but as I said .... you cannot download it).
Russia's Love of Literature Seen Through Instagram
Moscow Times: Russia's Love of Literature Seen Through Instagram
Last week, we asked you to show us your favorite bookstore, hardcover, library, personal collection or anything literary. Here are some of our favorite shots!
Next week, we’re looking for rivers around Russia. Still frozen, freshly melted or somewhere in between, show us your best shots of water around you. Submit your picture on Instagram by tagging us @themoscowtimes or using #themoscowtimes hashtag. The best submissions will be shared on our next Instagram gallery.
Check out last week's Women's Day gallery here.
10 Gorgeous Home Libraries for Nature Lovers
Bookbub: 10 Gorgeous Home Libraries for Nature Lovers
If you love nature and books, why not combine the two? Let us wow you with this list of beautiful libraries that integrate all the wonder of a room full of books with the peace and tranquility of the great outdoors. Hunkering down with a favorite book in any of these spaces would be pure bliss!
Read more ....
Bookyards Editor: There are some gorgeous home libraries in the above post.
15 Diagrams That Describe How A Book Is Made
EbookFriendly: 15 diagrams that show how a book is made
The diagrams and charts collected below show the art of bookbinding – the art of making a book an object of desire.
Some of us read on a Kindle or tablet because it’s convenient. However, there is probably no reader who is not addicted to the magic of a print book.
For ages, print books were tempting with the unforgettable smell, the beauty of a cover, or the subtle typography of chapter titles. These separate virtues needed to be bound together to create the ultimate magic of the book.
The diagrams listed below are simple and technical, but they describe the stage where the magic happens – the binding of the book.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This is (sadly) going to be history one day, and the day of making a printed book will be a limited and specialized art.
Stolen Christopher Columbus Letter Returned To Spain
The letter describes the people, landscape and gold Columbus found in the Americas
BBC: Stolen Christopher Columbus letter returned to Spain
The US has returned a 500-year-old stolen Christopher Columbus letter to Spain after a seven-year hunt.
Written in 1493, the letter describes the explorer's discoveries in the New World and was addressed to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.
However, authorities received a tip in 2011 that several copies had been stolen and replaced with forgeries.
Spain's US ambassador Pedro Morenes received the letter in a repatriation ceremony in Washington.
Mr Morenes described the event as "a showcase of the ties that bind the United States and Spain together".
Read more ....
Update: US returns stolen copy of Christopher Columbus letter to Spain (AFP)
Bookyards Editor: You can read one his letters (translated into English) by going to this link.
Friday, June 08, 2018
'Pride And Prejudice' And Other Works By Jane Austen
Bookyards Editor: Pride And Prejudice and other works by Jane Austen can be browsed and downloaded from this link.
The New York Public Library Has A Human Google
From YouTube: At the New York Public Library, you can call a librarian who will answer any researchable question you might have. The help-line has been around for over 40 years, and to this day it receives more than 30,000 calls a year. Need to know the color of an arctic fox's eyes? Ever wonder if there are full moons every night in Acapulco? Well, if Google isn't your thing, these librarians have got your answer
The Great Gatsby And Other Works By F. Scott Fitzgerald
Bookyards Editor: The Great Gatsby and other works by F. Scott Fitzgerald can be downloaded from here.
Thursday, June 07, 2018
J.K. Rowling Is Planning To Write Another Book For Kids But It Will Not Be Harry Potter-Related
J.K. Rowling (JKRowling.com)
Kristian Wilson, Bustle: J.K. Rowling Is Planning To Write Another Book For Kids — And It Won't Deal With Wizards
Like any author of a bestselling children's book series, J.K. Rowling has a lot on her plate, collaborating with other writers to pen scripts for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film series. Now, Potterheads have just learned that J.K. Rowling is writing a children's book that isn't Harry Potter-related, and everyone has questions for the U.K. author.
The news that J.K. Rowling is writing a children's book comes directly from the writer's website, which has an "Answers" section for all her fans' burning questions. Under the heading "What are you writing right now?," Rowling writes:
"I’ve just finished the fourth Galbraith novel, Lethal White, and I’m now writing the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts 3. After that I’ll be writing another book for children. I’ve been playing with the (non-Harry Potter/wizarding world) story for about six years, so it’s about time I get it down on paper."
Read more ....
Bookyards Editor: As I had mentioned in a previous post, it is good to see her writing new stuff, and exploring new projects.
J.K. Rowling Is Writing The Screenplay For 'Fantastic Beasts 3'
JK Rowling announces she's started writing the screenplay for 'Fantastic Beasts 3' https://t.co/veoA1PiAq2 pic.twitter.com/cx3USlncs8— NME (@NME) May 31, 2018
Floor 8: J.K. Rowling Has Begun Working on the 'Fantastic Beasts 3' Screenplay
J.K. Rowling has added a new section to her website, in which she addresses and answers common fan questions, most notably "What are you writing right now?"
She responded to this popular question, sharing that she has just finished the fourth Galbraith novel, Lethal White, and even though the second movie of the Fantastic Beasts series still hasn't been released, she's already working on the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts 3.
Read more ....
Bookyards Editor: It is good to see her continuing to write and explore new projects.
Pew Research: One-Fifth Of Americans Now Listen To Audiobooks
Ebook Friendly: Almost one-fifth of Americans now listen to audiobooks
According to a new Pew Research survey, the share of American adults who listen to audiobooks has increased to 18%.
Pew Research Center has recently released results of a survey that takes a closer look at reading habits in the United States.
The newest survey was conducted between January 3 and 10, 2018. Respondents were asked how many books, and in which format, they have read in the previous 12 months.
The most significant change is seen in the use of audiobooks. 18% of surveyed American adults claimed they have listened to an audiobook in the last year. It is 28% more than in April 2016, when the previous survey was conducted.
Read more ....
Bookyards Editor: This number is only going to grow with time.
Charles Dickens And Other Works by G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
Bookyards Editor: Charles Dickens and other works by G. K. Chesterton can be browsed and downloaded from here.
Wednesday, June 06, 2018
'Science And The Common Understanding', A Science Book By J. Robert Oppenheimer, The 'Father Of The Atomic Bomb'
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Bookyards Editor: For those who enjoy science, A science book by J. Robert Oppenheimer, the Father of the Atomic Bomb title .... "Science And The Common Understanding". It can be downloaded from here.
88 Fun Ways to Display Books
Broke and Healthy: 88 Fun Ways to Display Books
Last week I was hunting down fun, cheap, easy ways to display books, as I was tired of those cheap, clunky, particle board bookshelves in my room. Naturally, Pinterest was the first stop in my research. I ran across so many ideas, I made a Fun Ways to Display Books Pinterest board. Click on the photo to find out how to buy or make these things. [If you’re curious, the first picture is of my bedroom and the cheap, simple solution that I found.] Oh and here’s Broke & Healthy’s Pinterest board.
Read more ....
Bookyards Editor: I would not use a piano to shelve my books .... but I guess someone does.
Tuesday, June 05, 2018
Inside The New York Public Library
From YouTube: Discover the story behind one of New York City's most iconic buildings, the New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Located at 42nd St and 5th Avenue, the landmark building is the center point of the NYPL system which includes 88 neighborhood branches and four scholarly research centers across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.
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