AbeBooks' Reading Copy

My colleagues Richard and Christi put together this great video (above) about the importance of reading to children, and even provided some helpful guidelines on how to get started, and how to get the most out of your bedtime (or anytime!) reading. I’ve added the tips below as well, for reference, as well as a [...]

To describe this video in only one word would never do it justice, but if I had to: bizarre. Featuring a stern, turtlenecked librarian named Betty Glover, this is nearly five minutes of surreal, spoof workout advice for librarians, made in 1987 by an Arizona State University student. While disturbingly sizeist and focused on the [...]

Think you know everything about Jane Austen? Don’t be so sure. Our colleague Julie has compiled a list of 10 fascinating tidbits about Ms. Austen, and presents them in a most compelling – and creatively costumed- way in her video. Don’t miss out.

This ir our first “Ask AbeBooks” video, in which we recommend unusual cookbooks to Marjorie, who wrote to us from Wichita asking for gift suggestions. Enjoy. And if you’d like, you can read about even more weird cookbooks.

I blogged once about the difficulties of comfortable reading in bed and revealed that I am a tummy-and-elbow reader. When I asked around I discovered there were side readers, back-with-the-book-in-the-air readers, propped-against-headboard-or-pillow readers, and more – but the youtube user below gets into some positions I’ve never even attempted. Perhaps she’s into yoga.

Here at AbeBooks we love books of all shapes and sizes. Here Lindsay – an account manager in our Victoria office (and creator of – Long Live the Book) shows us how to make a tiny origami book. Want to know more about tiny books? Check out our feature Small Talk about Miniature Books. Long [...]

Often called uncut or untrimmed edges, deckle edges are a topic of some confusion and debate in the book world. Once largely unavoidable and probably annoying, the pages are now a conscious design choice, and while some are for it, and some are against it, a lot of people are just confused by it. Here [...]

Boy, does this ever look labor intensive. All that type-setting, all those machines and fumes and people and copper and wax involved in the making of one book. But it sure is charming. And am I alone in missing the days when men used enough pomade in their hair to retain comb marks?

Have you ever heard of a trick poem? What about this one, from the 17th century, called I Saw A Peacock With a Fiery Tail? Depending on the way the poem is read, with what line breaks, it takes on two very different meanings for the reader. This edition, breathtakingly illustrated by award-winning, central Indian [...]

It’s been 11 years since the publication of Yann Martel’s book of mystery, metaphor and magical realism, Life of Pi, was published. At long last, there is a snippet available – albeit very brief – of the upcoming film adaptation to stoke our excitement. The film is due for release in the United States in [...]