books

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23 Writers Who Were Famous by Age 23

While it's not as easy for authors to become famous at a young age as it is for pop singers, it's still not unheard of for barely legal authors to find fame, success, and even fortune. Here are 23 authors who manager to achieve fame—though not always positive—by age 23. 1-2. Guptara Twins Date of Birth: November 22, 1988 Best Known For: The Insanity Saga (fantasy... READ ON

Article

The Book That Comes With an Expiration Date

Argentinian publishing house Eterna Cadencia wants to make sure new authors' first books don't just sit on the shelf, so they're forcing readers to get through their newest anthology, cleverly titled The Book That Can't Wait, in two months. How can they ensure you've actually read the whole thing in that time? Well, if you don't finish the book within two months of the date you first cracked it open, the words literally start disappearing from the pages. What can you do with the blank book after that... READ ON

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11 Brilliantly Inaccurate Scientific Explanations

A few years back we wrote about a hilarious blog called Fake Science, which deals in intentional pseudo-science. Now, the creator of that blog is unleashing Fake Science 101, a 272-page textbook for the fake-fact-loving science nerd in all of us. I had a chance to read the book. It’s really funny and packed with fantastically colorful and exceptionally fake pictures and diagrams. We've teamed up with the man behind Fake Science, Phil Edwards, to share some snippets of the book with you and give one... READ ON

Big Question

What Causes "Old Book Smell"?

“A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness” is how an international team of chemists describes the unique odor of old books in a study. Poetic, sure, but what causes it?Books are made up almost entirely of organic materials: paper, ink, glue, fibers. All these materials react to light, heat, moisture, and even each other over the years, and release a number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While the blend of compounds released by any... READ ON

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10 Famous Literary Characters Based on Real People

“Write what you know,” they say. So it makes sense that many authors take a good look around at friends and family when creating characters for their books. 1. Mark Twain once admitted that he wasn’t terribly creative in creating Huckleberry Finn - he based the character almost precisely on his childhood friend Tom Blankenship. From his autobiography: "In Huckleberry Finn I have drawn Tom Blankenship exactly as he was. He was ignorant, unwashed, insufficiently fed; but he had as good a heart... READ ON

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11 Wonderful Libraries in Africa

We’ve brought you beautiful European, South American, North American and Asian libraries, so now it’s time for some of the most amazing libraries in Africa. 1. Library of... READ ON

Article

A Crudely Drawn Penis Almost Derailed Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is about as American as it gets. Funny, then, that the book was released in England well before it hit shelves in the U.S. Funny, except to author Mark Twain, whose greatest work was almost derailed by a strange... READ ON

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11 Authors Who Hated the Movie Versions of Their Books

Some of the most beloved movies ever were based on books. But just because we loved them doesn’t mean the original author... READ ON

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11 Country Stars and Their Cookbooks

1. Kitty Wells Country Kitchen Cookbook by Kitty Wells... READ ON

Article

The Late Movies: Ray Bradbury, Interviewed

Today we learned that we had lost Ray Bradbury. Tonight, let's listen to the author speak about his life and career. If you watch nothing else in this list, scroll down and pick one of the short clips from 1968 -- they're all terrific. On Books, Literacy, and Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury interviewed in a short film for the National Endowment for the Arts. This is all about the library. Sample quote: "We should learn from history about the destruction of books. When I was 15 years old, Hitler... READ ON