books

Woolf in 1927.

"Studio photograph of Virginia Woolf (c. 1927) reprinted by permission of the Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College" (p. XII) [, the Smith College having been presented by Esther Cloudman Dunn another print of the same picture].

The photograph was, according to the Smith College Library's web site, "used for promotion" by Harcourt Brace, the publisher of the American version of To the Lighthouse in 1927. In Virginia Woolf Icon (University of Chicago Press, 1999), Brenda Silver describes the photograph as an "(unidentified) studio photograph" and comments it "appear[ed] in in an number of Harcourt Brace ads and articles about Woolf and/or her works in the States during the late 1920s ans the 1930s" (p. 132).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Woolf#/media/File:Virginia_Woolf_1927.jpg

https://bookblabla.com/book/the-el

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109d

📚 The El by: Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

An ordinary day in August 1979 dawns hot and humid in Chicago. Teenager Teddy is living with his dad after being kicked out of his mom’s house due to his gang activity. But Teddy has thrived in the Simon City Royals, and today, he'll be helping to lead a posse of the group's younger members south across the city...

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #indigenousfiction #crimefiction

An ordinary day in August 1979 dawns hot and humid in Chicago. Teenager Teddy is living with his dad after being kicked out of his mom’s house due to his gang activity. But Teddy has thrived in the Simon City Royals, and today, he'll be helping to lead a posse of the group's younger members south across the city to Roosevelt High School to attend a gathering of gangs forming “the Nation”—a bold new attempt at joining forces across racial lines. This holds particular importance for Teddy, as his branch’s only Indigenous member.

But when the meeting breaks up in gunshots and police sirens, Teddy must guide the Royals back across hostile territory, along secret routes and back alleys, and stop by stop on the thundering tracks of the El. In the face of violence from rival gangs and a secret Judas in the Royals’ ranks, Teddy is armed only with a potent combination of book smarts and street smarts, and by the guiding spirit of Coyote, who has granted him the power to glimpse a future only he may survive to see.

Immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the author’s beloved city, The El will transport you to that singular sun- and blood-soaked day in Chicago. It is a love letter to another time, to a city, and to a group of friends trying to find their place and make their way in a world that doesn’t want them.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CHIRBY AWARD IN FICTION - From the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Never Whistle at Night, a semi-autobiographical nov

https://theconversation.com/can-a-new-blood-test-really-detect-me-cfs-an-expert-unpacks-new-research-267099

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"Read all about it: What to know ahead of the 2025 Portland Book Festival"

"Hosted by nonprofit Literary Arts, the festival covers all things literary..."

Saturday, November 8, 10 am to 6 pm

#Oregon #PDX #Portland #Books #Bookstodon #PDXBookFestival

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with events taking place at 10 stages across six venues in downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks.

Adult admission is $18 in advance and $25 on the day of, plus fees. Full-priced admission includes a $5 book voucher redeemable at the book fair on the day of the festival. Those aged 17 and younger can attend for free.

#BookReview #Books #Holidays #LGBTQ #YoungAdult

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110d

A Review of For the Rest Of Us - 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons: https://lydiaschoch.com/a-review-of-for-the-rest-of-us/

Book cover for For the Rest of Us - 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons by Dahlia Adler. Image on cover shows the title in a pink font against a dark blue background. Around each letter are various symbols of many different holidays and religious like a menorah, a bundle of grass tied up with a red ribbon, a box of Valentine’s Day chocolates, a lantern, and a Dia de Los Muertos sugar skull.

https://bookblabla.com/book/lessons-in-chemistry

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📚 Lessons in Chemistry by: Bonnie Garmus

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality....

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #feministfiction #humorous #generalfiction #literary

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

#1 GLOBAL BESTSELLER WITH MORE THAN 8 MILLION COPIES SOLD. Meet Elizabeth Zott: “a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention” (The Washington Post) in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show. STREAM ON APPLE TV+

This novel is “irresistible, sa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_of_Venice

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1y

#OTD in 1598.

William Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice (under the title "the Marchaunt of Venyce or otherwise called the Jewe of Venyce") is entered on the Stationers' Register. By decree of Queen Elizabeth, the Stationers' Register licensed printed works, giving the Crown tight control over all published material.

The Merchant of Venice at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1515

#books #literature #theatre

Title page of the first quarto of The Merchant of Venice Transcript The moſt excellent Hiſtorie of the Merchant of Venice. VVith the extreame crueltie of Shylocke the Iewe towards the ſayd Merchant, in cutting a iuſt pound of his fleſh: and the obtayning of Portia by the choyſe of three cheſts. As it hath beene diuers times acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Written by William Shakeſpeare. AT LONDON, Printed by l. R. for Thomas Heyes, and are to be ſold in Paules Church-yard, at the ſigne of the Greene Dragon. 1600.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_London

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#OTD in 1897.

The writer Jack London sails to join the Klondike Gold Rush, where he will write his first successful stories.

His most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life".

Books by Jack London at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/120

Jack London (date unknown)
Bain Collection - Library of Congress

The photograph features Jack London, the renowned American author, best known for his adventure novels such as "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang." He is captured in a candid or semi-formal pose.

The background is either plain or slightly out of focus, ensuring the main focus remains on Jack London. It might be a studio setting or an outdoor scene, providing a neutral backdrop that highlights London himself.

https://bookblabla.com/book/im-glad-my-mom-died

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📚 I'm Glad My Mom Died by: Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, whatever it took, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what her mother called "calorie restriction"...

#books #reading #libraries #biographyautobiography #parenting #dysfunctionalfamilies

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, whatever it took, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what her mother called "calorie restriction", weighing herself five times a day and ultimately shrinking down to 89 pounds. She endured extensive at-home makeovers using knockoff whitening strips, hot curlers, eyelash tint, and gobs of bleach to enhance her natural beauty.

She was showered by her mother until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, an email account, and all her earnings. The dream finally comes true when Jennette is cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly and is thrust into fame. But for Jennette, the dream is a nightmare.

Practically overnight, her fake smile and cheesy airbrushed hair-do is plastered on billboards across the country. And though her mom is ecstatic, ordering her to smile for the paparazzi (with whom she's on a first-name basis) and sign endless autographs for fans who only know her by her character's name, Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction and a series of unhealthy relationships.These issues only get worse when Jennette's mother dies of cancer.

Finally, after discovering therapy and coldly examining the relationship with her mother, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wan

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"Science has "explained" nothing; the more we know the more fantastic the world becomes and the profounder the surrounding darkness."

Along the Road, Part II. Views of Holland (p. 108)

~Aldous Huxley (26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963)

Books by Aldous Huxley at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/780

Huxley in 1954.

Aldous Huxley - A Case For ESP, PK and PSI. Life Magazine. 11 January, 1954.

Aldous Huxley the English writer, novelist, philosopher was also a psychical researcher. He published an article in 1954 supporting extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis (PK) experiments.

Aldous Huxley is likely seated, engaging with the camera or deep in thought, fitting the contemplative nature of the subject matter (extrasensory perception and related phenomena). His expression is serious and reflective, matching the investigative and speculative tone of the article.

Huxley is dressed in mid-20th century attire, possibly a suit or a casual yet sophisticated outfit appropriate for a public intellectual of his stature. His clothing is neat and professional.

His hair is styled in a manner consistent with the time, possibly combed back. He may be wearing glasses, as he was known for his distinct eyewear.

https://bookblabla.com/book/zoey-punches-the-future-in-the-dick

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📚 Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick by: Jason Pargin, David Wong

Zoey Ashe is like a fish so far out of water that it has achieved orbit. After inheriting a criminal empire, the twenty-three year-old finds herself under threat from all sides as a rogue's gallery of larger-than-life enemies think they smell w...

#books #reading #libraries #fiction #sciencefiction #humorousfiction #superheroes

Zoey Ashe is like a fish so far out of water that it has achieved orbit. After inheriting a criminal empire, the twenty-three year-old finds herself under threat from all sides as a rogue's gallery of larger-than-life enemies think they smell weakness.

On the eve of the world's most lavish and ridiculous Halloween celebration, a steamer trunk-sized box arrives at Zoey's door and she is shocked to find that it contains a disemboweled corpse. She is even more shocked when that corpse, controlled by an unknown party, rises and goes on a rampage through the house. Speaking in an electronic voice, it publicly accuses Zoey of being its murderer. This is the kind of thing that almost never happened at her old job.

The city was already a ticking time bomb of publicity-hungry vigilantes with superhuman enhancements and Zoey knows this turn of events is unlikely to improve the situation. Now, she and her team of high-tech tricksters have to solve this bizarre murder while simultaneously keeping Tabula Ra$a from descending into chaos.

Biting humor and blatant digs at modern society overlay a subtly brilliant and thoughtful plot” (Publishers Weekly) in John Dies at the End author Jason Pargin’s first installment of the Zoey Ashe Series, Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. Now, one of today’s great satirists (Nerdist) is back with Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick, the second installment in a Technicolor tomorrowland. (Kirkus Reviews)

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER

New Yo

#books #writing #writersofmastodon #WritingCommunity #bookstodon @bookstodon

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"From sweeping historical novels to tragicomic romps to speculative dystopias, Elese's Eleven will submerge you in the way only very special fiction can." Check out Elese of Flyleaf Books 2025 Gift Guide (which includes The Expert of Subtle Revisions!)

https://flyleafbooks.com/2025-elese-favorites

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1y

German humanist, scholar, & historian Beatus Rhenanus died #OTD in 1547.

Rhenanus worked as a proofreader & editor for the famous printing house of Froben in Basel. His work "Rerum Germanicarum Libri Tres", published in 1531, provided a comprehensive history of Germany from ancient times to the present & was noted for its use of original sources. The Beatus Rhenanus Library houses many of his manuscripts & personal collections, preserving his legacy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatus_Rhenanus

Beatus Rhenanus (1485-1547), German humanist. Engraving by Johann Jacob Haid.

Beatus Rhenanus is depicted in a half-length pose, turned slightly to his right. Rhenanus is dressed in traditional Renaissance clothing, which includes a doublet with a high collar and a fur-trimmed mantle, indicative of his status and the period's fashion.

Title page of the Libri tres institutionum rerum Germanicarum.

The title "Libri tres institutionum rerum Germanicarum" is prominently displayed at the top of the page, often in a bold, ornate font that reflects the importance of the text. Below the title, the author's name, "Beatus Rhenanus," is typically printed, acknowledging his role as the compiler or author.

The typography is characteristic of the Renaissance period, with a combination of Roman and italic typefaces. Ornamental elements, such as decorative borders or flourishes, often surround the title, enhancing the page's visual appeal.

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"Nevertheless, it remains conceivable that the measure relations of space in the infinitely small are not in accordance with the assumptions of our geometry [Euclidean geometry], and, in fact, we should have to assume that they are not if, by doing so, we should ever be enabled to explain phenomena in a more simple way."

Memoir (1854) Tr. William Kingdon Clifford.

~Bernhard Riemann (September 17, 1826 – July 20, 1866)

#books #mathematics

An Image of Georg Friedrich Bernhard Riemann taken in 1863.

Riemann is depicted seated, with a composed and serious expression, typical of formal portraits of that era.
His demeanor reflects the intellectual intensity and depth of thought characteristic of his work.

He is dressed in formal 19th-century attire, wearing a dark suit and a white shirt with a high collar, complemented by a bow tie or cravat.

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1y

Canadian writer Mazo de la Roche died #OTD in 1961.

Her first novel, "Possession," was published in 1923. Although it did not achieve significant success, it marked the beginning of her career as a novelist. De la Roche achieved international fame with the publication of "Jalna" in 1927. The "Jalna" series comprises 16 novels, written over a span of more than three decades.

Books by Mazo de la Roche at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/31212

Photo of Mazo de la Roche taken by Melvin Ormond Hammond on December 18, 1927.

Mazo de la Roche is depicted in a formal and composed manner. She is seated, facing slightly to the side but with her gaze directed towards the camera, creating a sense of engagement with the viewer.

Her expression is thoughtful and serene, reflecting the introspective nature of a writer. There is a hint of a smile, suggesting a moment of quiet confidence and contentment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unua_Libro

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110d

Farmers' Almanac announces final publication after 208-year run Takahe has limited support for this type: See Original Page

story?id=127277448

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1y

#OTD in 1887.

L. L. Zamenhof published Unua Libro, the first publication to describe Esperanto, a constructed international language.

First published in Russian on July 26 [O.S. July 14] 1887, the publication of Unua Libro marks the formal beginning of the Esperanto movement.

Books in Esperanto at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/bookshelf/34

This is the cover page of Dr. Esperanto's International Language, the 1889 translation of Unua Libro by Richard Geoghegan, which is also the standard English translation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Well_of_Loneliness

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1y

#OTD in 1928.

The novel The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall

Publication, originally scheduled for late 1928, was brought forward when he discovered that another novel with a lesbian theme, Compton Mackenzie's Extraordinary Women, was to be published in September. The Well appeared on 27 July, in a black cover with a plain jacket.

The Well of Loneliness at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/73042

Cover of The Well of Loneliness
Radclyffe Hall - Banned Books (Cornell University Library Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections)

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Italian poet, writer, literary critic and teacher Giosuè Carducci was born #OTD in 1835.

His poetry collections, such as "Rime nuove" and "Odi barbare", are notable for their classical forms and themes, often drawing inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek literature. In addition to his literary work, Carducci was a respected academic. He taught Italian literature at the University of Bologna for many years.

Books by Giosuè Carducci at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/43982

Carducci, c. 1900
R. Borghi - http://benignomigliarino.blogspot.com/2010/04/carducci-giosue.html

Carducci is seated, exuding an air of wisdom and intellectual gravitas. His expression is serious and contemplative, suggestive of a man deeply engaged with his thoughts and scholarly pursuits.

He is dressed formally in a dark suit, complete with a waistcoat, white shirt, and a bow tie. His attire is indicative of his position and the era, presenting him as a respectable and authoritative figure.

Carducci's face is marked by his prominent features: a broad forehead, bushy eyebrows, and a full, well-groomed beard and mustache that frame his face. His eyes, though seemingly stern, carry a depth that hints at his reflective nature.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

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"The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!"
Hamlet, Act I, scene v.

#OTD in 1759.

The earliest known professional performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet in North America (in Garrick's version) is given by the American Company in Philadelphia, with Lewis Hallam Jr. as Hamlet.

Hamlet at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1524

#books #literature #theatre

David Garrick expresses Hamlet's shock at his first sighting of the ghost (artist: unknown).

https://bookblabla.com/book/wonder

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📚 Wonder by: R. J. Palacio

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get...

#books #reading #libraries #juvenilefiction #disabilities

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Beginning from Auggie’s point of view and expanding to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others, the perspectives converge to form a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope.

R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” —indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME. Millions of people have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face—who shows us that kindness brings us together no matter how far apart we are. Read the book that inspired the Choose Kind movement, a major motion picture, and the critically acclaimed graphic novel White Bird.

And don't miss R.J. Palacio's highly anticipated new novel, Pony, available

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention

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1y

#OTD in 1886.

The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works is signed. The treaty provides authors, musicians, poets, painters, and other creators with the means to control how their works are used, by whom, and on what terms.

#books #art #copyright

The Pirate Publisher—An International Burlesque that has the Longest Run on Record by Joseph Ferdinand Keppler, published as a centrefold in Puck, v. 18, no. 468 (1886 February 24). A commentary on the state of copyright laws that, prior to a 1911 treaty, generally offered no protection to foreign authors and works. In the cartoon, hordes of German, Norwegian, French, English, and American authors surround a publisher who republishes their newly-created works without attribution or royalties in a foreign country, as international law then allowed. Of note is W. S. Gilbert, fifth from the right in the front row, as the many unauthorised or "pirate" productions of H.M.S. Pinafore caused him and Arthur Sullivan to première The Pirates of Penzance in America, to at least gain the initial profits there before anyone else could exploit it, and the title and subject of The Pirates of Penzance is sometimes - although somewhat dubiously in my opinion - considered to partially be a reference to the issue of pirate productions of their works. Other authors shown include Mark Twain, Tennyson, Robert Browning, F. C. Burnand, Émile Zola, Jules Verne, Victorien Sardou, Wilkie Collins, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., as well as many others.

Original artist: Joseph Ferdinand Keppler (1838-1894) Restoration: Adam Cuerden - https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2011661385/ by way of http://adamcuerden.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d5onmxh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Clarke

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1y

English-born Australian novelist, journalist, and poet Marcus Clarke died #OTD in 1881.

He is best known for his 1874 novel For the Term of His Natural Life, about the convict system in Australia, and widely regarded as a classic of Australian literature. The novel is based on historical facts and it was originally serialized in the Australian Journal before being published as a book.

Books by Marcus Clarke at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1193

Australian author Marcus Clarke, albumen silver photograph.
Unknown author - State Library of Victoria.

Clarke is posed in a formal, seated position, which was customary for portraits of notable figures during this era.

He is dressed in formal Victorian attire, likely a dark suit with a waistcoat and a tie, reflecting his status as a respected literary figure.

Clarke's face is captured in clear detail, showing his full beard and mustache, which were typical of his appearance. His expression is serious and contemplative, perhaps indicating his deep engagement with his work and the serious themes he explored in his writing.