Awesome Present For ME!!!!

My baby sis is back in the states from her world tour and she came bearing an early birthday present for me :-)

Private Worlds 

It's a book published and printed in 1937...and yes the first thing I did was smell it, and let me tell you it smells awesome!

Other then being a really cool find from overseas, where she got the book is pretty awesome too!  Shakespeare and Company in Paris is an old book store built...or should I say created by George Whitman who said "I created this bookstore like a man would write a novel, building each room like a chapter, and I like people to open the door the way they open a book, a book that leads into a magic world in their imaginations." —George Whitman

The builder of the bookstore and various authors who were passing through at the time used to be able to spend the night inside the bookstore.  There is a ton of history behind the store and the book and I cannot wait to explore both of them!  Thanks baby sis for a perfect present.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Why I Hate My Baby Sis

I think I have mentioned that my baby sis is on a tour around the world.  Her latest stop is in Ireland, and I pretty much hate her guts.  Mostly 'cause she gets to go see all this great stuff on my bucket list.  For example, her are just a few of her amazing pics from the library at Trinity College

Yep she is one of the top places on my bucket list...lucky duck.  She is charming enough that she got the security guard to get out one of the books that is several hundred years old and let her hold it!!!!!! At least I can say that she is as big a book freak as I am and actually appreciates it.  Hope she is having a blast and continues to smuggle me pictures...I'll be over here crying jealous tears.  Happy Reading Everybody!!!

Literary Bucket List

Today I was going to write a post listing my Literary Bucket List, and then I realized that was silly, as it is an ever changing list that needs to be constantly updated as I discover new places and things, and hopefully actually get to cross some off the list.  To this end (I use this phrase a lot don't I?)  I have created a new page called Literary Bucket List that I will fill with all the potential awesome I find and hopefully update it with posts on how I actually accomplished/visited/read/did each entry.  

Please send me any and all cool things and ideas related to the book world that I can add to the list, because seriously you can never have enough booky goodness.   Happy Reading Everybody!

Time To Head Outside!

Ahhhh Spring is in the air and it is finally warm enough to head outside to read.  I love reading outside, the sun on my face, the fresh breezes through my hair, the smell of growing things everywhere, adds the perfect atmospheric touch to my spring reading.  Here are some other people/places who obviously agree with me :-)

Outdoor Library

This is the coolest idea ever...I guess I know the next thing on my literary bucket list!

Book Tree

I love the idea of being able to walk up to a tree and "pick" a book

Hollow Log Shelves

I love this mix of urban and nature and of course books!

Woodshelves

I love love love this, it's like a bookshelf is growing out of the ground

I see nothing wrong with that :-)

Now that I have added these outdoor libraries to by literary bucket list, I must be off to see if I can't find some books hidden in the trees.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Tower Of Books

How cool is this?!?  The tower structure is a helical structure of 7 stories high covered with 30,000 books in different languages ​​and dialects.  It is made of all donated and recycled books.

Tower of Babel

Check out the website for in progress shots...I wanna go see this so bad!
Happy Reading Everybody!

Book Vending Machine

Just read an interesting article here about book vending machines.

What a great idea!

These have had limited success in some other countries, but sadly none here in my home country :-(  However the newest item on my literary bucket list is to find one and buy a book!  If anybody knows where you can find one let me know.  Happy Reading Everybody!

New York, New York!

Hello all, I got the chance to spend an amazing weekend in New York City with a good chunk of my family and let me tell you it was AWESOME!  Seriously I am so moving there...now who wants to pay me $3500 a month to read...anybody?  There were a zillion amazing things about this city that never sleeps, but of course most of my favorite parts involved literary awesomeness.  We started that day with a little Starbucks and meandering through lower Manhattan.  I knew it was gonna be a good day when I spotted a massive Barnes and Nobles.  We started with the WTC memorial

I have to admit now that I am part of the fire and rescue community this takes on even more meaning then it did before.  I am fortunate that I did not lose anybody, but being there really brings it home.
After that a little Tribeca film and food fest action

How creepy cool are those human puppets?  It was fun to watch them interact with the crowd, they creeped out the adults, but the kids loved them.
The next day we started off at Bryant Park, it was absolutely beautiful, and the best part was on the other side was the New York Public Library!!!!!!!!!!!

This place is the one place I really wanted to go while we were here, and it was so awesome.  I named the lions Author and Chester (supposedly they are called Patience and Fortitude, but I like my names better).  I did not get to go inside, but that just means I'll have to go back :-)
Times Square, Carnegie Hall, and another Starbucks run got us to Central Park.

 After the Library, Central Park was the other must see on my list, mostly because of all the literary awesomeness that can be found inside.

Here we have a statue of the great bard William Shakespeare

The famous Alice in Wonderland Statue

The Tempest statue from the Shakespeare Garden

And last but not least, Belvedere Castle...but I call it Rapunzel Tower.
It was a fast and furious two days, but I got to see a lot and hit most of the places I wanted to see.  Soon enough I will do a post on all of the books I love that are set in New York and be little miss know it all on the spots I've been too.  Hopefully you have enjoyed my frantic rush through New York and will share some of your own literary destinations.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Grave Authors

So between my trip to the old graveyard in Philadelphia and my absolute love for some of the spooky books I am in the middle of reading and the scary movies I have been watching non-stop I have been a bit obsessed with gravestones/crypts/tombs.  I know it is a bit macabre (man I love that word), but hey tis the season right :-)  Here are some grave sites of some of my favorite authors who are now writing from the other side.

C.S. Lewis

 I love this clean and simple just like his stories.  I also like that he was buried with his brother because family was very important to him.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Buried with his wife they have the names Luthien and Beren inscribed under there names, referring to the most beautiful of the Children of Iluvatar becoming mortal for the love of Beren...even his grave site is a story

Anne McCaffery

Note the curled up dragon forever guarding our Dragonwriter of Pern.  Up above is a curled up kitten to also keep her company.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Though avowedly not a Christian (he considered himself a Spiritualist) he was eventually buried under a cross in a church with his wife.  The last words he ever spoke were to his wife telling her "You are wonderful"

William Shakespeare

He is actually buried inside of a church instead of in a traditional graveyard.  His epitaph is also a curse on anybody who would try and remove his bones from this place!  

Well there you have it, a little glimpse into my slightly twisted frame of mind this morning.  I hope you found it informative and only a little creepy.  Have duty this weekend so come back on Monday to see what kind of blood and guts mood I am then.

What authors grave site would you like to visit?  What sort of blessing/curse would you put on your headstone?  Am I really weird or just in the Halloween mood?

The Most Wonderful Places On Earth

I've been planning my next trip to the book store which takes almost as much care as some people spend on their vacations.  What books do I need, what books do I want, which books will have to wait until next time, what is my back up in case they don't have one on my list, how much time should be devoted to just wandering the stacks until  a book speaks to me?  All of this planning got me thinking about doing a world tour, so to help myself plan I have compiled a list of all the book stores I want to visit in the world, here is the start of that never ending list.

Livraria Lello Bookshop

This absolutely gorgeous bookstore is in Porto, Portugal and yes that is a double red carpet staircase.  This stunning shop also features a stain glass skylight.

El Ateneo

This Brazilian book store combines my two loves, books and theatre.  This shop is actually in a converted theatre, retaining it's dramatic charm while giving me BOOKS!

Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore

This Holland bookstore is inside of a converted 13th century Gothic church.  History, beauty and books all rolled into one.

The Bookworm

This English language book store in Beijing, China has Whiskey Wednesday's.  That and it's fabulous name make it totally worth the trek.

El Pendulo

This book store in Mexico feature live greenery and trees, not to mention a cafe to load up on caffeine.  The perfect spot to enjoy the outdoor reading experience without all those pesky bugs.

What is the coolest bookstore you have ever been to?  How sad is it that so many of these great places are closing, especially here in the USA?  How many books do you think I have to buy to keep them all in business?

O. Henry Book

The weather is beautiful at the moment, making me want to get outside and explore.  This sculpture, which is part of a three piece set, is in honor of the author O. Henry

O. Henry Book Sculpture

O. Henry is famous for stories such as The Gift of the Magi which has been retold in many forms through out the years. I love artwork like this because it combines my love of books with my insatiable need to be out doors.

Poe Bowl

So I missed posting again yesterday (hanging head in shame), but I had a good excuse, I was recovering from watching my Ravens WIN THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!  We couldn't make to New Orleans to watch in person, so we did the next best thing and went to Baltimore and watched with all of the fans there, had an amazing time. Hubbin and I stayed the night in room overlooking the Harbor, perfection.  Baltimore is also home to one of America's great authors Edgar Allan Poe

This man is one of the most recognizable writers in history, who's books and poems are a staple in many a high school classroom.  His mix of drama, suspense and imagery keeps his writings stuck in your head long after you have read them. I still remember reading The Fall of the House of Usher for the first time, every little detail driving you relentlessly to the tragic and almost foreseeable end.   He is also the inspiration for many a tale here in modern times as well, including the new TV show The Following in which a serial killer, bases his cult of killing on the life and works of Poe.

The Raven

Of course the perfect book to sum up both my Poe experience and my Superbowl experience is The Raven, which may be just about as suspenseful as that game!

Who were you rooting for in the big game?  Are one of those people who only watches for the commercials?  How cool is it that I can combine my love for the Ravens and my love for Poe in one trip?!?

Book Fountain

Here is another place on my literary bucket list.  The book fountain at the Cincinnati Ohio Public Library.

Amelia Valerio Weinberg Memorial Fountain

The best part about this one, I mean besides its obvious awesomeness, is that it is kind of on the way to visit my lil sis and her boys!  Also when I finally build my dream manor complete with 33 story library tower, I think I would love to have a fountain like this in my garden.

Alice In Central Park

Here is another place on my literary bucket list the statue of Alice holding court from her mushroom in Central Park, New York.

Alice in Central Park

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has always been one of my favorites, and I'm pretty sure New York City is on most peoples list of cities to visit so I guess I could kill two birds with one stone (anybody else think that is a really violent and disturbing saying?)

What is on your literary bucket list?  Have you seen this statue yet?  What book would you like to see made into a huge piece of art?

Climb With Care And Confidence

Climb with Care and Confidence

Crazy cool book arch/sculpture in Atlanta Georgia, another statue on my literary bucket list.

Wanna Go See

Peter Pan at Kensington Gardens

This another on my literary bucket list...hm maybe someday I will actually put up my whole list.

How far would you travel to see a statue? Do you think I can do a world tour based only on literary things and places?  What's on your literary bucket list...you do have a literary bucket list don't you?