Emily Dickinson said “Some keep the Sabbath going to Church — /I keep it, staying at Home — / With a Bobolink for a Chorister — /And an Orchard, for a Dome –.
If I had my choice, I might keep the sabbath in a bookstore.  What if I could combine the two? They managed in Maastricht in the Netherlands:

If you worship at the altar of your reading list, this one is for you: Selexyz Bookstore, a gorgeous converted Dominican church dating back to the 13th century in Maastricht, the Netherlands. But it wasn’t just church-to-bookstore: in 1794, it became a parish, and since then it has been a warehouse, an archive, and an enormous place to park your bicycle. Oh yes, and now a bookstore. (See the whole list at Flavorwire)

It’s always been a dream of mine to do a long barge tour around Europe. When I lived in Toulouse France, the Canal du Midi ran right through town and a houseboat seemed the perfect place to curl up and read. Seems like I’m not the only one!

Ahoy! The Book Barge is exactly what it sounds like — a bookstore in a canal boat that sails around the UK. Though it certainly is speedier than your average bookstore, owner Sarah Henshaw conceived of the shop as a way to encourage slower reading — as she told The Guardian, “we hope to promote a less hurried and harried lifestyle of idle pleasures, cups of tea, conversation, culture and, of course, curling up with an incomparably good Book Barge purchase.” We’re totally on board. (See the whole list at Flavorwire)

I love bookstores and Flavorpill assembled some pictures of amazing ones all over the world.  Forget the seven wonders of the world — I want to visit here:

When you stop by the Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a gorgeous converted 1920s movie palace, you can take a break in one of the theater boxes, now as reading rooms. But be quick about it — El Ateneo is one of the most famous (and popular) bookstores in Argentina. (See the whole list at Flavorwire)

I got the chance to write a letter to my younger self at DearTeenMe.com.  Check out what I wish I had known back then… (and there’s a picture of me at 15!)

The one surviving photograph of Emily Dickinson was considered a poor likeness; it was too plain and severe.

Small wonder that Emily preferred to craft her own self-portrait in words, “I am small, like the wren, and my hair is bold, like the chestnut burr, and my eyes like the sherry in the glass that the guest leaves.”

But now there’s a second one — if it proves to be her (and experts are leaning towards YES!), it was taken after 1855 with a close friend.

(That’s Emily on the left)

The Emily Dickinson museum has a terrific description not only of the image but the scholarship behind it. I recommend the article.

It’s exciting to see a new version of her — but I prefer to think of her like a wren with eyes the color of sherry left behind in a visitor’s glass!

The one picture we have is a daguerreotype that Emily did not

My good friend, Sari Bodi and I are writing a play for Scholastic about Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer. Have you ever noticed that as soon as you start learning about something new.. you see it everywhere.

I just came across this charming picture of Mark Twain at his favorite pasttime…

Mark Twain Playing Billiards, via Flavorwire

Flavorwire.com likes to accumulate interesting items on a theme… I couldn’t wait to click through and see thier “Gorgeous and Innovative Bookcases”. Not all of them are practical, but they are all interesting!

Like this one… do you really want a visual (and heavy) representation of how far behind you are?

Read-Unread Bookshelf, designed by Niko Economidis.

Or for those of us with the enviable ability to walk while we read….

Circular walking bookcase designed by David Garcia.

I just came across some really interesting bookshelf designs on Flavorwire.com. I love bookcases, always have. I can’t  bring myself to throw away the veneer covered plywood ones that you assemble from Staples (even after they got wet and the plyboard swelled in all sorts of unpleasant ways). The most satisfying renovation I’ve done to my house is to replace a 20 foot recess in my living room with built-in bookcases. But never in my wildest imagination did I consider bookcases like these!

What do you think? Why don’t they fall down?

Or this one? Isn’t it evocative and beautiful?

Take a look. This work by Italian artist Mario Mariotti and it’s spectacular. I bet you’ll wonder (like me)… HOW?

OK, this one isn’t a book — it’s 400,000 strips of the New York Times, the old grey lady herself, makes the walls of this kiosk in Grand Central Station….