Magical Bookquotes

"A book is  proof that humans are capable of working magic."

-Carl Sagan

Bookquotes from Friends and Editors

"No one goes, I'm really hungry, I'm going to read a book." - George Machin, Fabulous Youtuber

(But they should!)

"Books! For reading and smartness..." -Sara Smith, Music Teacher Extraordinaire

(yea...)

"Life is better with sound effects" -Deb Werksman, Acquiring Editor at Sourcebooks 

(on making noises while reading)

"Well, it's Texas, that's closer to South  America than Connecticut!"
-Susie Benton, Associate Editor at Sourcebooks

(on why fictional Jaguar shapeshifters would be in a Houston club)

Time for the new single on my emo band album, "No One Understands How Much We Suffer"

Thank you,
 Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal,
 for this wonderful expression of the phrase,
"Story of My Life."

Fall craft time!

What a great book project for October! I've been fascinated by repurposed book art since I've started seeing it more and more, even if I feel like a tiny part of my soul dies each time I think about books being destroyed. (The idea that books themselves need repurposing hurts, but I admit that there are some books lying around that aren't doing anyone any good.) 

I'd like to try this...if I can find a book in my house that I'm willing to "repurpose" for art's sake!

Authors, Eye candy, etc

Here is a link to a post on my tumblr that distills a few of my favorite authors (and then some!) into a single sentence, with an oh so fitting surprise at the end. I particularly appreciated George R.R Martin, Suzanne Collins, Scott Westerfield, and John Green. Sorry for the profanity, but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's just makes it because I imagine Sherlock from Sherlock saying that.

But if books and profanity are your cup of tea, try this.

(Ancient) Authorquotes

"A room without books 

is like

a body without a soul."

 

-Marcus Tullius Cicero 

(106-43 BCE)

Cicero was a well-regarded orator in his time, now considered to be the greatest in Roman history. He was also a linguist and philosopher as well as wealthy statesman of Rome.

His works were revived and revered in the Renaissance and the Enlightenment and made an enormous impact on European language and thought.

All about the Beast and his Beauty

I'm a fan of creative revisions of the classic "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster, and I particularly enjoyed this one because Belle is obviously my favorite Disney princess (I was also Belle for Halloween 4 years ago.) 

Has anyone ever actually read the "original" version of The Beauty and the Beast? Being a traditional fairy tale, it has many versions, but the oldest published version is "La Belle et La Bête" by french authoress Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Her version, published in 1740 in La Jeune Américaine, et les Contes Marins, or "The Young American and the Sailor's Tales," was over 100 pages long, and the beast was actually a true savage, changed from a prince by an evil fairy, not Disney's "beautiful enchantress." Belle was also the youngest of six daughters and six sons, who were vain and selfish like Cinderella's stepsisters. 

Villeneuve's work was later pared down and republished by another french novelist, Jeanne Marie Leprince de Beaumont, in 1756 in Magasin des enfants, ou dialogues entre une sage gouvernante et plusieurs de ses élèves, or "The Children's Magazine, or Discussions Between a Wise Governess and Several of Her Students." This abridged version was republished in many magazines and became more widely known. Its more simplified, archetypal story is closer to the Disney version, though still very different.

Below are links to both Villeneuve's and Beaumont's versions, for our comparison and reading pleasure.

Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve

Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont