Ah, another month has come and gone, which means it’s time for March and Spring. So rejoice, Booklovers, unless you were born in a leap year, in which case I’m really sorry the world is skipping your birthday again.
1. Hot Covers. I have a confession to make. I judge books by their covers. Not so much in the metaphorical sense, but literally, when I’m in a bookstore, I will probably pick up the book with the prettiest outside. I’m sorry, it’s an illness. Likewise afflicted? Here are forty-five of the best book cover pin-ups–Enjoy.
2. BookBooth. Somerset, England is home to the smallest library in the world. Tucked into an old, red telephone booth, there are over 100 books, movies, and CDs. Locals can come and swap what they’ve read for what they want to read. And it’s soooo cute. Look.
3. Eat it, Gutenberg. You thought the printing press was revolutionary? Well, check this out. Yeah. The Espresso Book Machine prints pages at a rate of over 100 pages per minute and then binds the whole thing up for you, on the spot. You can be the first human to lay hands on the book you’re about to read. Something about this definitely appeals to my OCD side.
4. Kindle News. I understand the general concern over e-readers. You think you’ll lose the visceral experience of reading, you think it’s one step closer to letting the government put a chip in your brain. But, as one who travels a fair amount, I’m beginning to see the beauty in consolidating my seventeen books-to-read into one, lightweight reader. Need more incentive? The British Library has made 65,000 first editions of 19th century fiction available to Kindle users–for free!
5. Under Cover. What’s cooler than walking around with an antique, leather-bound volume under your arm? Oh, I don’t know, maybe that it’s actually concealing and protecting your MacBook! It’s really the best of both worlds. And you’ll look so smart! The BookBook by Twelve South. Get you one.
6. Morbid Curiosity. We love books. We love book accessories and news and innovations. But we also love the people who write the books that we so dote upon. Writers are strange, mysterious people, who take us to new places and introduce us to bizarre people. But sometimes, their truth is stranger than fiction (cue suspenseful music).
7. A Fond Farewell. Speaking of dear authors, departed–in January we said goodbye to J.D. Salinger. What a wonderful author, who taught generations of young readers to love literature.
8. Wallpages. Sometimes I wish I could curl up inside a book and just live there for a little while. Apparently, the folks over at ReadyMade magazine have a similar fantasy. Paper your walls with book pages! And then, if you’re ever trapped in your house for some reason, you won’t get bored.
Thanks for the thrills, February!
-Susannah
When you’re young, being out of work can be exciting, especially if you live in New York City. There’s so much to do, so many ways to keep busy—and maybe you can even earn a few bucks.Back in the mid-’70s, I was in that situation in New York, scraping by with some freelance editing. Another unemployed friend, an actor, landed an appearance on the quiz show The $10,000 Pyramid and recommended me to their casting people. He hadn’t won any money, just a consolation prize. (What, exactly, constitutes a year’s supply of Stella D’oro cookies, especially for the broke?) I figured, why not.
