Sometimes I get a hankering to read old books. Luckily I’ve found a website that allows me to explore some of the rarest books in the world for free. The Rare Book Room is a website created by Octavo, a company that has digitized hundreds of rare books from the greatest libraries in the world. The… Continue reading Online Resource: Reading Free Rare Books
Just as some readers turn up their noses at young adult fiction, many sneer at romance novels. But these books aren’t simply trashy bodice rippers filled with swooning and ridiculously attractive heroes. They may also increase self-reflection and empathy in readers. (There is often still swooning though. Lots and lots of swooning.) Romance novels can help… Continue reading Understanding Others: The Benefits of Romance Novels
At the turn of the 20th century, people couldn’t keep blogs about their dating adventures. They could, however, keep chap records. To modern ears, the phrase “chap records” sounds like a clumsy reference to a child’s first chapter book. But the phrase was a bit different. Young women used chap records, which were mostly blank… Continue reading Of Rakes and Dandies: Chap Records as Historical Dating Apps
I’ve talked a bit about the health benefits of writing, but what does reading do to the human body? Luckily the fine folks at the University of Virginia Library have put together an infographic on just that topic. During the first stages of reading, the tactile senses are engaged, and people enjoy things like that book smell.… Continue reading Hallucinations and Psychology: What Happens When You Read?
We often think of illuminated manuscripts as beautiful works of art fit only for nobility. In reality, however, these books often had more practical purposes. The Aberdeen Bestiary, a work filled with gold leaf and intricate drawings, is a perfect example of how these books could be used. Though the Aberdeen Bestiary was created in the… Continue reading Antique Books: A Most Royal Bestiary
How well do most published authors write? Would you be surprised to hear that Jane Austen wrote at just above a 5th grade level, Stephen King writes at about a 6th grade level, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote at slightly more than a 6th grade level, and Leo Tolstoy wrote at about an 8th grade level? To… Continue reading How Does Reading Level Matter in Fiction?
You are what you read. That is a simple enough concept, but it turns out that it means more than just that people who read mysteries may become better at writing mysteries. What a person reads fundamentally changes the structure of his or her writing. In June of 2016, the International Journal of Business Administration published “Syntactic… Continue reading How Different Types of Reading Change Your Writing
Sometimes writing requires inspiration from real sources, and American Journeys helps to fill that need. American Journeys is a digital library created through a partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, National History Day, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Though it focuses on eyewitness accounts of early American exploration, the archive contains the… Continue reading Writing Resources: American Journeys from Vikings to Mountain Men
When I was young, names fascinated me. That interest did not translate into a talent for actually naming creatures. (After all, I called my first pet, a very adorable Teddy Bear Hamster, “Teddy”. Not a terribly inspired choice.) Despite my increases in age and, theoretically, wisdom, I have not improved my ability to name people,… Continue reading Naming Your Darlings: A Guide to Character Names
We often talk about books as escapes from mental prisons, but they have a place in physical ones as well. In US prisons, libraries play a valuable role as centers of entertainment and knowledge for the over 2.25 million adults incarcerated. They also decrease the likelihood that inmates will reoffend once they are released. Prison… Continue reading Benefits of Books in Physical and Mental Prisons
Kristen Twardowski 