Books & Media Archives

10Apr By Ana ValdezNo Comments

Best Book Towns in Europe

Redu, Belgium In a charming little village tucked away in the hills of Belgium, Redu is celebrating its 41st birthday as the second book town since 1984. This cozy spot is filled with the lovely scent of old books. Every year, they throw a big book festival with about 30 bookstores that attracts hundreds of folks who come to soak in the culture, history, stunning buildings, and beautiful nature. Just recently, Redu along with nearby towns of Lesse and Séchery made it onto the list of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Wallonia” in July 2024. Wigtown, Scotland Sitting on a hillside with views of the ocean and surrounded by rocky shores, woodlands, and forests, Wigtown is celebrating 20 years as Scotland’s Book Town. With over 250,000 books on offer, both old and new, Wigtown was one of the fir...

6Apr By Noah BennettNo Comments

Books & Media

Book about “John & Paul” comes out

Beatlemania - John & Paul In our world, when we chat about music, we often get stuck on things like sales numbers, streaming stats, and how songs rank on charts. But honestly, that’s not the best way to really get or talk about music.Ian Leslie’s book “John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs” isn’t about that at all. Instead, it dives into how two incredibly talented guys helped each other out, pushed each other, taught each other, and learned from one another.Looking back at famous composer duos before John Lennon and Paul McCartney—like Rodgers and Hart or Bacharach and David—you’d usually see one person making the music while the other worked on the lyrics. But John and Paul flipped that script; they both pitched in on the music and the words. Right from the start, they agreed to...

29Mar By Riley QuinnNo Comments

Books & Media

Michael Caine writes "Don't look back"

Michael Caine the Writer Michael Caine knows a thing or two about success. With a crazy film career that has spanned over 70 years, he’s bagged two Academy Awards. On top of that, he’s dipped his toes into the restaurant game and even penned a few books.In his latest book, "Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life," the 91-year-old touches on a bunch of topics, from how he got his start in acting to how a director, Christopher Nolan, picked him for his Batman trilogy.Caine figured out pretty early on that no matter how hard he worked, there would always be folks who were better and some who weren't as talented in the acting world."Jealousy is a nasty thing that can really drag people down," he says. "If you start thinking, 'I need to be better than him as an actor,' you’re...

BookTok reviews "Sunrise on the Reaping"

23Mar By Noah BennettNo Comments

Books & Media

BookTok reviews "Sunrise on the Reaping"

BookTok likes "Sunrise on the Reaping" Suzanne Collins has just dropped her new prequel to the Hunger Games series called Sunrise on the Reaping and fans have been buzzing about it since it came out. It’s the first new entry since 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. People are surprised by some of the plot twists and are watching the films on their laptops getting all emotional during scenes that hit differently now that they've read the prequel. Now I know it’s easy to poke fun at BookTok if you’re not into it but I bring up these quick reactions to show how much has changed since Collins released the first Hunger Games book back in September 2008 which was just a couple months before Barack Obama got elected. There was no TikTok or Instagram back then and Twitter and Tumblr were s...

Women Writers Discuss the Power of Stories

9Mar By Maya HuangNo Comments

Books & Media

Women Writers Discuss the Power of Stories

The impact of storytelling and why reading and readers matter Last month a popular literary event brought together four Asian women authors: Gong Ji-yeong from South Korea Li Zishu from Malaysia and Qiao Ye and Liao Jing from China. This event organized by the Beijing October Arts and Literature Publishing House attracted over 1.4 million viewers through its live online broadcast. In a two-hour chat they dove into topics like how to start a writing career the link between writing and reality and the messages writers share through their work. Qiao who won China's top literary award the Mao Dun Literary Prize in 2023 for her novel Bao Shui (Precious Water) says she kicked off her writing journey while teaching in a small village in Henan province. "When I was about 20 I felt lonely and unsat...

Suetonius Wrote a Bestseller: The Twelve Caesars

1Mar By The MillerNo Comments

Books & Media

Suetonius Wrote a Bestseller: The Twelve Caesars

A sensational narrative about the lives of Roman emperors has made its way onto the bestseller lists, two millennia after it was penned. Biography of Caesars It appears that sex scandals and foreign policy missteps are not just issues facing contemporary politicians; even in the early second century, the historian Suetonius documented the exploits of the initial Roman emperors. Their misbehaviors and peculiarities have now been rediscovered in a newly translated work that is gaining popularity in bookstores. The book comprises a series of 12 biographies that detail the period of governance of Julius Caesar and the initial eleven Roman emperors. When he learned that it was on the charts, Holland was "thrilled for Suetonius, glad to see the young man has managed to make it onto the bestselle...

Gratitude Journal: Spiritual Growth Edition

25Feb By The MillerNo Comments

Books & Media

Gratitude Journal: Spiritual Growth Edition

"Gratitude Journal: Spiritual Growth Edition" is a gratitude journal crafted for women seeking to deepen their spiritual journey. It serves as a reflective space for cultivating inner peace, exploring personal beliefs, and nurturing faith.Description:The journal encourages women to express gratitude for their spiritual experiences, explore their connection to the spiritual world, and practice mindfulness. With prompts focused on faith, personal growth, and spiritual awakening, it guides women on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.✓ Daily supportive prompts and affirmations along with soothing yet empowering reflections.✓ The Perfect 6’ x 9’ size with plenty of writing space, while still being small enough to be conveniently carried around.✓ Every other day inspirational image to h...

23Feb By Noah BennettNo Comments

Books & Media

Bill Gates releases his Bio Source Code

Microsoft Founder Releases His Memoir Bill Gates has written about a lot of topics like climate change, health issues, and tech advancements but he hasn't really shared much about his own life. This month, he’s finally come out with his first memoir, and you can get it in both English and Chinese.The new book, Source Code: My Beginnings, dives into his early years, covering his childhood all the way to his decision to drop out of college and start Microsoft. Bio Source Code available in English and Chinese "I look back on my life as a smart kid who could be a bit tough sometimes, caught between two parents who were totally dedicated and ambitious but often found it hard to understand me. Writing this book helped me gain a better grasp of the people who shaped my life and the moments that...

16Feb By Maya HuangNo Comments

Books & Media

Is AI really a writer?

AI is Evolving Are sci-fi authors thinking about using AI to help them out now that AI is already stepping in to handle some writing jobs that humans used to do? Famous sci-fi writer Liu Cixin, who’s known for The Three-Body Problem, says that right now it’s not really happening, but he’s not sure what the future holds. “At the moment I don’t plan to use any AI-generated stuff in my writing,” Liu mentioned in a video at a sci-fi forum in Beijing this December. “But with how fast AI is developing, it could be pretty skilled in writing five to ten years from now. By then, I might think about it and be open to getting some AI help.” Liu, who has won a Hugo Award, believes that if AI keeps advancing at this pace, he and other sci-fi writers could end up being “the last generation of authors wh...

4Feb By Maya HuangNo Comments

Books & Media

The Earth Used to Be Green

A Jurassic-era story about a Dinosaur Picture yourself as a paleontologist investigating the Jurassic-era rocks in Utah. You stumble upon the remains of a massive herbivorous dinosaur measuring 20 meters in length and weighing 20 tons. Now, ponder this: How could such a creature reach such enormous size? According to science writer and paleontologist Riley Black, the key to this lies in the availability of plants.Centering on plants, Black skillfully employs scientific insights to bring to life ancient environments inhabited by some of our beloved prehistoric creatures. Each chapter is structured as a vignette, accompanied by an appendix that clarifies the scientific concepts underpinning Black’s narrative decisions, showcasing a distinct time and setting. When the Earth was Complete...