Librarian Mindell Dubansky has been collecting curious objects for two decades: objects that look like books but actually have another function. The secret function isn’t visible before the book is opened. A fake book may light up as a lamp, another hides a bottle, whereas another book is a complete … Read >
These neighborhoods are trending travel destinations in cities across the world
Online accommodation service Airbnb is disrupting a large segment of travel industry: ordinary people make a spare bedroom available at their apartment for tourists, and usually at lower price than hotels. Young city-dwellers who like to travel are probably the most frequent users of Airbnb, and it reflects in the … Read >
Classic books get modern cover designs by the Creative Action Network artists
Classic books, like War and Peace, Pride & Prejudice or Moby Dick have had so many cover designs over their lifespan that no one knows every design that exists. Every time a book is translated to another language or a new edition is printed, a new cover that reflects the … Read >
The castle of Amboise in France takes visitors to a virtual tour in time
The Loire valley in France is one of the most spectacular destinations for travelers who love history and centuries-old grandiose castles. When you drive or ride a bicycle along the banks of river Loire (or one of the nearby rivers that flow into Loire) you will find a charming village … Read >
Travel photography gallery 2015: Helsinki and North Europe
I have stayed in Finland for quite some time now, and many places, including the capital Helsinki have become familiar for me. Finland has its own unique culture (as explained by Russell Snyder and Irene de Benedictis in their own books), but I think I have learned the zen of … Read >
Top 20 tourist regions in Europe: Spain, France, Italy have the most popular destinations
Europe is the world’s number one tourist destination, but anyone who has traveled in the culturally rich continent knows how different the countries are. Which countries and which regions exactly are the most visited destinations in Europe? The European Union has vast databases of information on tourism that reveals interesting … Read >
Pen names maybe more common than you think
Even J.K. Rowling used a pen name when she wanted to publish different kind of book that had nothing to do with Harry Potter. Stephen King has used a pseudonym because he wanted to write more books than his publisher was willing to release under his own name. It makes … Read >
Hyperzoom video really takes you to places without having to travel
British photographer and filmmaker Geoff Tompkinson has worked for National Geographer and GEO, among other media companies. In recent years, he has been one of the pioneers who has been developing timelapse photography. Tompkinson has taken it even further and developed a technique he calls Hyperzoom. The technique is so … Read >
Online media subscription service Playster bundles ebooks, music, movies and games
After Netflix hit the big time with online movie subscriptions and Spotify made online music available at low or no cost to listeners, the book industry has been looking for a similar solution. Is it possible to create a low-cost service that lets readers consume as many books as they … Read >
A digitally connected pen for writers who like to write by hand
There are writers who still like to type on a mechanical typewriter or write by hand. We also like to sketch new ideas with a pen, but pretty soon those words and drawings must be retyped and redrawn on a computer. The idea of a pen that is connected to … Read >