It’s Books and Authors Week on Cool Weird Awesome
We’re replaying some of our favorite shows about the printed page and those pages’ creators.
The Real-Life Kid Who Inspired Ezra Jack Keats’ “The Snowy Day”
Today in 1940, Life Magazine published a series of photos of a little boy in Liberty County, Georgia - photos that, two decades later, would inspire one of the most famous picture books ever published.
At Christmas In Iceland, It’s All About The Books
In Iceland, book lovers take part in Jólabókaflóð , which means "the Christmas flood of books." And they're not exaggerating.
“English As She Is Spoke,” A Guide To English Written By A Guy Who Didn’t Really Speak English
For International English Language Day, the story of the most unusual guide to the language ever published, the one called “English As She Is Spoke.”
Warren Harding’s Human Friends Hurt His Presidency, But His Dog Friends Were Great
Today in 1865, the birthday of Warren Harding. His presidency was full of scandals thanks to his so-called friends - if only those friends had been as good to Harding as his dogs had been.
How Font Sizes On Menus Could Help People Eat Healthier
There’s new research out that suggests that for those trying to eat healthy, bigger is better - at least when it comes to font sizes on parts of the menu.
In The 19th Century, Steamboat Racing Was An Extreme Sport
Today in 1811, the first known steamboat race takes place on the Hudson River. Yes, a couple centuries ago, racing steamboats was a thing.
How Choose Your Own Adventure Books Let Millions Of Young Readers Pick The Ending Of The Story
Today in 1931, the birthday of Edward Packard, who along with R.A. Montgomery founded a book series that let millions of young readers pick the ending to the story: Choose Your Own Adventure.
Ebeneezer Scrooge Might Have Been Based On These Real People
Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was first published today in 1843. The character of Ebeneezer Scrooge is said to be based on a real life person, though which person it was that inspired the story depends on who’s telling the story.
Meet Some Of The Oldest Books Ever Found
Today is National Read A Book Day, which reminds us of an article from HowStuffWorks that tries to answer a complicated question: “What is the oldest book in the world?”