What would the masterpieces of Russian literature have been, if the main characters had been missing? See The Brothers Karamazov, War and Peace, and Anna Karenina, among others.

Russia: a country where some of the world’s greatest masterpieces were written, and at the same time a country where millions of people died in the name of the imperial mindset.

One day I asked myself a question: can you fight Russian imperialism using Russian literature?

What would Anna Karenina have been, if Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky had been killed in the first part? Can you imagine Mikhail Bulgakov’s famous novel without the Master? Which of the Karamazov brothers would you be desperate to protect from going to war?

Can you imagine the state of Russian literature, if the most famous writers were forced to fight in the imperial wars, and died before they could write a single page of their classic masterpieces? What if Mikhail Bulgakov (who, by the way, was born in Kyiv) had died of serious wounds he sustained during the First World War?

Take a look at these made-up book covers of the famous Russian literary classics. Would you miss the fictional characters from Anna Karenina, Fathers and Sons, or War and Peace?

Missing fictional characters, really? Real people are dying every day in Ukraine, Syria, and other wars around the world. Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are dying. Ukrainian civilians, innocent women and children among them, are dying.

Imagine that among those who will die of bombs today are brilliant minds that could bring to the world the new Anna Karenina or The Master and Margarita.

I have added some of these visuals to the Stand with Ukraine collection of my artist shop at Redbubble. I am donating my entire artist margin from the sales of these works to a fund helping displaced children from Ukraine.

Famous Russian novels…

… if the main characters had been killed in the war

Alyosha Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, if the main characters had been killed in the war.

War and Grief

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, if the main characters had been killed in the war.

Mothers and Sons

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev, if the main characters had been killed in the war.

Anna Karenina, a novella

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, if the main characters had been killed in the war.

Margarita

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, if the main characters had been killed in the war.

⇢ Stand with Ukraine

Check out my other designs and projects:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”original-projects”]

Some book lovers sometimes need a little reminder to reach for a favorite book or go to a library.

A literary calendar is a wonderful way to keep track of important events to celebrate and share with students or other book lovers.

The idea to design the calendars was inspired by fantastic literary calendars created by Emily Temple for Flavorwire, back in 2013.

I also used the Literary Birthday Calendar from Writers Write, and Literary Hub’s Fictional Dates in Literature (Emily Temple, again!).

For quotes and fun facts, I used our own lists, including most interesting facts about books and libraries.

Would you like to get the calendars in a quality that’s high enough to print them out in the US letter or A4 paper size? High-resolution calendar pdf files are available for download at our sister blog, Reader updated.

If you’d like to hang the calendars on a wall, I have made the designs to my Redbubble, Society6, and Zazzle shop. They are available in different sizes and finish options. Enjoy!

12 monthly literary calendars

January

January 1 – International Public Domain Day

The first day when copyrights expire and works enter into the public domain.

January 2 – Science Fiction Day

Unofficially celebrated by sci-fi fans to correspond with the birthdate of a prolific science-fiction author, Isaac Asimov.

January 3 – J.R.R. Tolkien’s birthday, 1892

An English writer John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

January 12 – Haruki Murakami is born, 1949

An Acclaimed Japanese essayist, short-story writer, and novelist. The author of Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore.

January 18 – National Thesaurus Day

Celebrating the birthday of the creator of the first English-language thesaurus, Peter Mark Roget.

January 19 – Edgar Allan Poe is born, 1809

An American poet and writer best known for his macabre works. The author of The Raven and The Masque of the Red Death.

January 27 – Lewis Carroll’s birthday, 1832

An inventor, photographer, and the master of word play. The author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

January 28 – Pride and Prejudice is published, 1813

The novel was originally published anonymously, as were all of Jane Austen’s novels.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A sci-fi book by a debut author
Week 2: A book set in a Victorian era
Week 3: A book recommended by Tolkien fans
Week 4: A book about travelling to a mysterious land

Did you know?

Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt houses the oldest continually operating library in the world, established AD 565.

Quote

If a book is well written, I always find it too short. – Jane Austen

February – Library Lover’s Month

February 3 – Johannes Gutenberg’s death, 1468

A German goldsmith who invented a movable-type printing press, starting the Printing Revolution.

February 6 – Brontë sisters send their poems to a publisher, 1846

Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë published the book using the male pseudonyms: Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.

February 7 – Charles Dickens is born, 1812

Regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian Era. The author of A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist.

February 9 – Alice Walker’s birthday, 1944

The author of The Color Purple is the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize.

February 9 – Read in the Bathtub Day

Reading a book while relaxing is the greatest enjoyment in life!

February 14 – International Book Giving Day

A worldwide volunteer initiative aimed at encouraging people to give a book to a child.

February 18 – Toni Morrison’s birthday, 1931

An American novelist and Nobel Prize laureate in Literature. The author of Beloved and Song of Solomon.

February 22 – The first commercial audiobook is recorded, 1952

The record included five poems by Dylan Thomas and his holiday story A Child’s Christmas in Wales.

February 28 – Lemony Snicket is born, 1970

Daniel Handler (pen name: Lemony Snicket) is best known for his children’s books A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: An anthology of poems
Week 2: A contemporary Dickensian novel
Week 3: A full-cast audiobook
Week 4: A book by a foreign author

Did you know?

BiblioTech, the first ebook-only library, opened in Texas in 2013, with 10,000 titles, 45 iPads, and 40 laptops.

Quote

We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth. – John Lubbock

March

March 2 – Dr. Seuss is born, 1904

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was the author of children’s classics, including The Cat in the Hat.

March 4 – Sherlock Holmes gets his first case, 1881

As recorded by Dr. Watson in a first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet.

March 14 – The first mass-market ebook is published, 2000

Over 400,000 copies of Stephen King’s Riding the Bullet novella were downloaded in the first 24 hours.

March 19 – International Read to Me Day

Reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and expands their understanding of the world.

March 21 – World Poetry Day

UNESCO’s initiative to promote the reading, writing, publishing, and teaching of poetry.

March 25 – Tolkien Reading Day

The date is inspired by The Lord of the Rings. On this day, the Ring was destroyed, and Sauron was defeated.

March 31 – Alice for the iPad is released, 2010

One of the first books for iPad and a breathtaking interactive version of the classic tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

March 31 – The first part of The Pickwick Papers is published, 1836

Charles Dickens’ first novel was published in 19 installments, highly contributing to the success of serialized fiction.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: One of the Sherlock Holmes stories
Week 2: A collection of poems
Week 3: A book set in the near future
Week 4: A book recommended by a friend

Did you know?

John Steinbeck’s dog named Toby ate the original manuscript for Of Mice and Men. The dog, quite literally, chewed up half of the only manuscript of the classic.

Quote

Reading makes a full man. – Francis Bacon

April

April 1 – The beginning of Hay-on-Wye book town, 1977

Richard Booth proclaimed the town an “independent kingdom,” which sparked a surge in interest in local bookshops.

April 2 – International Children’s Book Day

The day is observed on the birthdate of Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author best known for his fairy tales.

April 4 – The day George Orwell’s 1984 starts

On this day, the main character of Orwell’s classic novel started a secret diary by writing a sentence “Down with Big Brother.”

April 6 – The Little Prince is published, 1943

A novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry became one of the most influential books of the 20th century.

April 23 – William Shakespeare is born, 1564

The greatest writer in the English language created almost 40 plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth.

April 23 – World Book and Copyright Day

An annual event by UNESCO to discuss publishing and copyright, as well as promote the enjoyment of reading.

April 24 – The Library of Congress is founded, 1800

The largest library in the world. Its collection is growing at about two million items per year.

April 28 – Harper Lee’s birthday, 1926

An American novelist best known for her 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: Your favorite childhood book
Week 2: A book with a number in its title
Week 3: A book about a prince or princess
Week 4: A book set in medieval England

Did you know?

A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading for just 6 minutes can help reduce stress by up to 68%.

Quote

If you wish to renew your mind, read. – Lailah Gifty Akita

May – Get Caught Reading Month

May 1 – Joseph Heller’s birthday, 1923

An American author of novels, short stories, and plays, best known for Catch-22 anti-war satire.

May 2 – International Harry Potter Day

On this day, the Battle of Hogwarts was fought.

May 3 – World Press Day

Celebrating the freedom of expression and raising awareness of the importance of the free press.

May 12 – The Internet Archive is founded, 1996

It’s the largest digital library, providing free access to well over 30 million books, as well as millions of video, audio, and image files.

May 17 – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is published, 1900

Written by L. Frank Baum, this children’s novel is one of the best known stories in American literature.

May 22 – Arthur Conan Doyle is born, 1859

A British writer and the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories, regarded as milestones in crime fiction.

May 26 – World Dracula Day

Lovers of literature and vampires celebrate the publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula on this day, in 1897.

May 30 – The word “audiobook” becomes official, 1997

The Audio Publishers Association officially adopted the word ”audiobook” to describe all non-music recordings.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A humorous or absurdist novel
Week 2: A detective story
Week 3: A book with a castle shown on its cover
Week 4: A steampunk book

Did you know?

The first ever spoken-word sound recording took place in 1877. Thomas Edison recorded “Mary Had a Little Lamb” nursery rhyme on his newly invented phonograph. The machine played his words back!

Quote

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once. – C.S. Lewis

June

June 9 – The premiere of Jurassic Park movie, 1993

Based on a novel by Michael Crichton, and directed by Steven Spielberg, it’s one of the most successful movie adaptations of books.

June 9 – Dickens House Museum opens, 1925

Charles Dickens lived at 48 Doughty Street, London, with his wife and three of their ten children.

June 11 – Dickens completes writing Great Expectations, 1861

The novel was then published in three volumes that reflected the stages of expectations of the main character, a young Pip.

June 13 – A day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, 1923

The best guess when all the action of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway takes place.

June 16 – An idea for Frankenstein is born, 1816

Mary Shelley came up with the idea for the novel in a waking dream during a ghastly summer on Lake Geneva.

June 21 – Andrzej Sapkowski is born, 1948

Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy books from The Witcher series were adapted into popular video games, graphic novels, and TV series.

June 26 – The first Harry Potter book is published, 1997

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has been translated to more than 70 languages.

June 30 – The first issue of Action Comics magazine, 1938

The anthology, featuring the first appearance of Superman, begun The Golden Age of comic books.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A book that inspired a movie
Week 2: A book with a female as a main character
Week 3: A book about a monster
Week 4: A comic book

Did you know?

Thanks to a clever binding, a German religious book from the 16th century can be read in six different ways and contains six different texts.

Quote

The book you don’t read won’t help. – Jim Rohn

July

July 1 – The British Library is founded, 1973

The UK’s national library was created from several organizations, including the British Museum.

July 3 – Franz Kafka’s birthday, 1883

The author of The Trial and The Castle is regarded as one of the most important writers of the 20th century.

July 4 – The world’s #1 ebook is created, 1971

Michael Stern Hart transcribed the text of the U.S. Declaration of Independence into Xerox Sigma V computer.

July 11 – The first Reading Rainbow episode, 1983

The iconic show hosted by LeVar Burton was designed to encourage the love of books among children.

July 16 – The Catcher in the Rye is published, 1951

The main character of this iconic novel by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield, became an icon for teenage rebellion.

July 21 – Ernest Hemingway is born, 1899

An American novelist and the author of The Sun Also Rises.

July 30 – First Penguin paperback books, 1935

These inexpensive books revolutionized publishing. The “Original 10” batch included books by Agatha Christie and Ernest Hemingway.

July 31 – Harry Potter is born, 1980

Harry Potter shares the birthdate with his creator, J.K. Rowling, who was born in 1965.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: One of this year’s beach reads
Week 2: A book with a teenage as a main character
Week 3: A classic Penguin title
Week 4: A book with a title consisting of one word

Did you know?

In 1972, a literary magazine in communist Poland published a short story titled “Harry Potter.” The author, Jan Rostworowski, was a Polish writer and poet who spent twenty-eight years in Great Britain.

Quote

There is no friend as loyal as a book. – Ernest Hemingway

August

August 1 – Peter Pan’s first appearance, 1902

A famous literary character created by J.M. Barrie appeared in The Little White Bird novel, serialized in Scribner’s Magazine.

August 1 – Herman Melville is born, 1819

An American novelist, short story writer, and poet. The author of Moby-Dick.

August 9 – Book Lovers Day

An unofficial holiday observed to encourage bibliophiles to celebrate reading and literature.

August 10 – The Digital Bookmobile starts operating, 2008

The world’s first bookmobile dedicated to ebooks and audiobooks was launched in Central Park, NY.

August 10 – Suzanne Collins is born, 1962

She began her career as a writer for children’s television shows, but she’s best known for The Hunger Games series.

August 14 – Shakespeare and Co. opens in Paris, 1951

The world’s most iconic bookshop was founded by George Whitman. It was first called “Le Mistral.”

August 17 – Lois Lane’s birthday

A popular character from DC Comics publications is a Pulitzer Prize journalist who writes for the Daily Planet.

August 20 – H.P. Lovecraft is born, 1890

A popular science-fiction and horror writer best known for The Call of Cthulhu short story.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A book you can read in one sitting
Week 2: A recently released mystery novel
Week 3: A book set in France
Week 4: A book about a dangerous contest

Did you know?

The first bookmobile in the world was launched in 1857 in Great Britain. It was a horse-drawn wagon with bookshelves mounted on the outside.

Quote

I read for pleasure and that is the moment I learn the most. – Margaret Atwood

September – Library Card Sign-up Month

September 6 – Read a Book Day

An annual event to celebrate the joy of reading and get young people interested in books.

September 8 – International Literacy Day

Events are held across the world to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals and communities.

September 9 – Leo Tolstoy’s birthday, 1828

A master of realistic fiction, and one of the world’s greatest novelists. The author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina.

September 13 – Roald Dahl is born, 1916

A British novelist and poet. The author of popular children’s books: Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

September 15 – Agatha Christie’s birthday, 1890

An English novelist and playwright, best known for her works starring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple detectives.

September 17 – Oprah’s Book Club starts, 1996

The first book selected for The Oprah Winfrey Show was Jacquelyn Mitchard’s The Deep End of the Ocean.

September 20 – George R.R. Martin is born, 1948

An American novelist best known for his epic Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series, including A Game of Thrones.

September 25 – Comic Book Day

Fans, collectors, readers, and artists come together to celebrate the joy of reading comic books.

September 30 – International Translation Day

The date of the feast of St. Jerome, the patron saint of translators, is an opportunity to pay tribute to language professionals.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A book you can finish in one day
Week 2: A book with a librarian as one of the characters
Week 3: A fantasy novel
Week 4: A book recommended by online book clubs

Did you know?

Portuguese library Biblioteca Joanina is home to a swarm of bats that feed on book-eating insects every night.

Quote

There is no problem that a library card can’t solve. – Eleanor Brown

October

October 1 – The first book-to-movie adaptation, 1899

A French film director, Georges Méliès, released Cinderella, a 6-minute movie based on Charles Perrault’s fairly tale.

October 6 – American Library Association is founded, 1876

ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world. It promotes libraries and library education not only in the U.S. but also internationally.

October 12 – The New York Times Book Best Seller list #1, 1931

This superior list of book bestsellers started with five fiction and four non-fiction books for New York City only.

October 14 – Winnie-the-Pooh is published, 1926

The world’s favorite children’s book by author A.A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard became an instant bestseller.

October 16 – Oscar Wilde’s birthday, 1854

A controversial Irish poet and playwright, best known for his epigrams, plays, and a novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

October 19 – Fahrenheit 451 is released, 1953

Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel paints a future where books are outlawed and firemen burn any that are found.

October 28 – Gulliver’s Travels published, 1726

It’s the most famous work of Jonathan Swift, who is considered the foremost prose satirist in the English language.

October 30 – The War of the Worlds is aired, 1938

This legendary radio drama was based on a novel by H.G. Wells. Narrated by Orson Welles, it caused panic among its listeners.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A book becoming a movie this year
Week 2: A book borrowed from a library
Week 3: A current book bestseller
Week 4: A book about an alien invasion

Did you know?

The longest-ever book title consists of over 3,700 words and 26,000 characters.

Quote

A good book is an empathy engine. – Chris Riddell

November – National Novel Writing Month

November 8 – The Book Thief in cinemas, 2013

The movie is based on a novel by Markus Zusak. It received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.

November 13 – Robert Louis Stevenson is born, 1850

A Scottish novelist and travel writer. The author of Treasure Island.

November 14 – Treasure Island is published, 1883

This highly popular adventure novel significantly influenced the way pirates are portrayed in popular culture.

November 14 – Astrid Lindgren’s birthday, 1907

A Swedish writer best known for Pippi Longstocking.

November 15-30 – The final voting in Goodreads Choice Awards

It’s the only major book award decided by readers. The final round of voting usually takes place in the second half of the month.

November 19 – The First Kindle is launched, 2007

Kindle 1 had an asymmetric shape, full-size keyboard, and 6-inch E-Ink display. It was sold out in 5.5 hours.

November 29 – C.S. Lewis is born, 1898

The author of The Chronicles of Narnia and a close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien.

November 30 – Mark Twain’s birthday, 1835

The real name of the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A book about a treasure
Week 2: A Goodreads Choice Awards nominee
Week 3: A book you know nothing about
Week 4: A book from an author publishing under a pseudonym

Did you know?

The first electronic spell checker, Spelling Ace SA-88, was launched in 1986 by Franklin Computer.

Quote

There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island. – Walt Disney

December

December 2 – The First edition of Argosy pulp magazine, 1882

Inexpensive pulp magazines and books were one of the primary forms of entertainment.

December 10 – The Nobel Prize in Literature Ceremony Night

The Nobel Prize award ceremony is held on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

December 10 – Emily Dickinson is born, 1830

A prolific writer regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. During her lifetime, she wrote nearly 1,800 poems.

December 10 – The first Encyclopædia Britannica is published, 1768

With the first part of the first edition being published in 1768, it’s the longest running English-language encyclopaedia.

December 10 – Melvil Dewey’s birthday, 1851

An influential American educator and librarian. The inventor of the modern system of library classification.

December 16 – Jane Austen is born, 1775

One of the world’s most beloved writers. The author of Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma.

December 21 – The journey ends in Around the World in 80 Days, 1872

In Jules Verne’s famous adventure novel, the main character accepted a wager to circumnavigate the world in 80 days.

December 21 – Short Story Day

An annual event that celebrates short fiction takes place during the shortest day of the year.

Reading Challenge

Week 1: A book by a Nobel Prize winner
Week 2: A book about a long journey
Week 3: A collection of short stories
Week 4: A romance novel

Did you know?

Written in AD 123, Chariton’s “Chaereas & Callirhoë” is the oldest existing novel in the world.

Quote

An hour spent reading is one stolen from paradise. – Thomas Wharton

Keep exploring. Here are other popular lists:

The 6th-generation Kindle Paperwhite could feature a fully symmetric design, hard-press page-turn buttons, and adjustable warm light tone.

The 2021 Kindle Paperwhite 6.8 has just started shipping, but it’s never too early to think of how the next-generation model could look like.

Having in mind that Amazon is launching new Kindle models not every two but three years, the next all-new Paperwhite should arrive in 2024.

Three years seems like a lot of time, but only when you don’t plan considerable improvements. But you have to improve the e-readers. A lack of new features, the ones that answer readers’ growing needs, could make the e-reader category fade out.

And no, I don’t think the color display is the most promising new feature. The color e-reader will be more like a tablet, and users will expect it to have more tablet features. The thing is that the e-reader, with the slow e-paper display, will never be a tablet.

What features would you like to see in the next-generation Kindle (or e-reader in general)? What is the current Kindle Paperwhite still missing? My wishlist includes four main features. For more ideas, please read the original post on Geek Updated.

6th-generation Kindle Paperwhite concept and features

Fully symmetric design

The moment you get rid of the logo at the bottom of the front is the moment you can think of new ways of using the Kindle.

I like the idea of using the e-reader in both the vertical and horizontal position, fully rotatable.

If you move the power button to the top, it will be more convenient to press it rather than trying to find it on the bottom edge of the device.

Plus, when the USB-C port and power button are in the same place on the top and bottom, you will be able to put on the case the way you want, also upside down.

Wider bezel on the sides with hard press page-turn areas

Page-turn buttons are a very helpful feature. Why should I move my finger far to the center of the device to turn the page? Could I move the finger just a little?

You can use physical buttons with an all-glass front, but I think another idea would be better: to have sensors that are triggered by pressing them a bit harder. You can have your finger resting on the side of the Kindle and press it a bit harder for, let’s say, one second, to turn the page.

Also, I would love to have the setting that would allow me to choose which areas in the screen and on the bezel are for next page, and which for previous page.

Adjustable warm light tone

Warm light is a fabulous feature, and it’s 50% of what I love about Kindle Paperwhite 5.

The thing is that an adjustable warm light lets you decide only about the intensity of the yellow light.

However, the light seems too yellow for me. I would love to have a chance to decide on the color of the warm light, a range from very yellow to very orange.

Front light on/off by the schedule

Auto-adjusting front light in e-readers is tricky. You don’t need it during a day, especially when you are reading in the direct sunlight.

However, when you set up a brightness at the most suitable level, you forget about that feature once and for good.

The problem is that an enabled front light, especially if its level is high, may drain the Kindle’s battery much faster.

A setting that would give the user a chance to set up a schedule to turn off the front light is something to consider, especially that it’s not that expensive as a light sensor needed for auto-adjusting brightness feature.

Via Geek Updated.

Are you interested in all things Kindle? Keep exploring:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”kindle”]

The design of these vintage-style book quotes was inspired by title pages from 18th-century books.

One may say that, when it comes to book quotes, everything has been done.

All most interesting book and library quotes have been already discovered, and many book lovers know them by heart.

What’s more, the quotes have been visualized in numerous ways, making them easy to share in social media.

Most of the designs share the same style: cozy and somehow messy. They mix font faces and styles with bright colors, and fill the entire space. As a result, you see something that may be too overwhelming.

On the other side, it’s surprising that the iconic book design of 17th, 18th, or 19th century has not yet been picked as a style inspiration. It’s so beautiful, and – what’s most important – so very bookish!

That’s why I have decided to pick up some of my book quotes and design them in the vintage style of 18th century book titles, with a spacy layout, a decent use of ornaments, and the classic Baskerville font face as a style hero.

The quotes are available in my idea pool at Geek Updated. You can also find them on over 70 products in my Redbubble, Zazzle, and Society6 stores.

[ef-reco id=”140890″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

Original vintage-style book quotes

1

Life is like a novel, with you being both its author and main character.

2

Reading is an act of selfless help to oneself.

3

My brain is proudly powered by books.

4

Movies are the keyhole. Books are the key.

5

Life is lighter with a heavy bookshelf.

6

I see a book, I see a coffee, I see a good day ahead.

7

A book is not an escape from life, but a shortcut to a better one.

8

A book is a first-aid box for the mind.

Vintage book quotes on Redbubble

All the designs are available in my Redbubble shop light or dark color. You can get them printed on over 70 products, both apparel and home decor, naming only essential t-shirts, throw pillows, laptop sleeves, phone cases, or stationery.

Redbubble is a leading online marketplace for print-on-demand products, offering artwork uploaded by over 700,000 artists from around the world.

⇢ Redbubble

Don’t stop exploring. Here are other gift lists:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”gifts”]

Famous quotes that creatively describe the benefits of books and libraries are among the most efficient tools to encourage people to rediscover the joy of reading.

The problem with the classic book quotes is that, when repeated too often, they become less and less inspiring. One could say: Beware of the person of one quote.

There are thousands of fascinating new books being published every year, yet we are still using a pool of well-known classic thoughts to promote them.

In the digital times, our lives are changing at unprecedented speed, so are the reasons we read books. Nowadays, books are not only about loneliness, imagination, or happiness. Technology creates a powerful new frame of reference, and is, in my opinion, the biggest challenge for book lovers.

In the recent years, I have jotted a few hundred quotes about books and reading. You will see the best ones below. I have visualized some of them to help you easier spread the word. Feel free to share them across your social media. You can also check out the original list that includes older (and crazier) visualizations.

For the newest book quotes, make sure to follow NJ State Library and The Paris Review on Twitter. Lesser-known quotes (but at least as inspiring as classic thoughts) can be found in the Goodreads’ quote directory. In a separate list, we picked and visualized the best Goodreads’ quotes about the importance of books and libraries.

You can also connect with us on Twitter to tap into a continuous flow of ready-to-share image quotes that motivate to read books and use libraries.

Note: The following quotes were coined and designed by Piotr Kowalczyk, the founder of Ebook Friendly, who is passionate about how books evolve in the digital times.

50 quotes about books, libraries, and reading in the digital times

1

There is only one thing that can replace a book: the next book.

2

Reading a book is like sitting in an autonomous car driving into an unknown paradise.

3

You can always read a book tomorrow, but make sure you will have started yesterday.

4

A day without a book is like a latte without coffee.

5

Choosing between print books and ebooks is like choosing between first and second sip of a coffee.

6

Think of your future as a list of books you want to read.

7

Books are your own stories served from another mind.

8

You can read one chapter and take a rest, or you can read one chapter and read the rest.

9

You either borrow books or money.

10

Reading is like installing a new operating system inside your brain without the need to make a backup.

11

Life is like a novel, with you being both its author and main character.

12

If you want to focus, start reading a book. If it’s a good book, you won’t be able to focus on anything else.

13

There are two kinds of books: read and missed opportunities.

14

My brain is proudly powered by books.

15

Start reading books, and you will stop complaining about your life. Or the other way around.

16

The web is full of wrong answers. Books are full of right questions.

17

Movies are the keyhole. Books are the key.

18

We have to improve books if we want books to improve us.

19

Prove you are a human. Read books.

20

A book is like a cold drink vending machine on an endless desert of information overload.

21

An audiobook is your mind reading a book in a nice voice.

22

Except books, no existing technology is capable of taking you through time and space.

23

If you want to move the world, move your finger to the book-reading app and tap once.

24

Reading is an act of selfless help to oneself.

25

A book is a login to an exciting world, no password required.

26

Nobody can force you to read, just like nobody can force you to breathe.

27

The only space you have to reserve for books should be inside your brain.

28

Bookshops and libraries are a backstage of success.

29

In the back garden of your mind, there should always be an opened book.

30

There are two kinds of magic: the one captured in sparks and the one captured in words.

31

If you want to hear a sound of happiness, turn the page of a book.

32

A book is a humble messenger from paradise to a daily life.

33

A library card is a gift card you can use to pay your brain for getting smarter.

34

A librarian is a shop assistant who sells you a better version of yourself.

35

If a brain were an app, books would be a programming language.

36

A library card is the only card in your wallet that costs you nothing and gives you everything.

37

Even a bad book can teach you something. For instance, how to avoid choosing bad books.

38

Delight the book to the last stop.

39

A book is not an escape from life but a shortcut to a better one.

40

Reading the wrong book doesn’t harm as hard as applying the wrong technology.

41

A book is a picturesque mountain road where your imagination chases that of the author.

42

Make books a part of your day, and they will make happiness a part of your life.

43

One picture is like a thousand words, and one book is like a million pictures.

44

A book is a thought-vending machine.

45

It’s better to have a small bookshelf and a big mind than the other way around.

46

I see a book, I see a coffee, I see a good day ahead.

47

Pretending you read books is worse than admitting you don’t.

48

Sometimes between the lines of a book you can find the meaning of your entire life.

49

Books are the deadliest enemies of your ignorance.

50

A book is a social network for your thoughts.

51

An algorithm to live a good life is coded between the lines of the books you have read.

52

Delete old files and read new books.

53

My world consists of two parts: places that are close to my library, and places that are not.

54

Read books before robots do.

55

Owning a Kindle and not reading books is like owning a theme park and sitting at home.

56

Book lover’s Sunday dream: to read in bed as if there were no Mondays.

57

Life is lighter with a heavy bookshelf.

58

A book is a first-aid box for the mind.

59

Reading is a lifetime pass to adventure.

Keep reading. Here are other lists and posts to explore:

Look how The Three Musketeers, Romeo and Juliet, or The Brothers Karamazov would look like if they were written in a time when self-isolation and social distancing were a forced way of living.

The coronavirus pandemic dramatically changes they way we live and work. It forces us to rethink our priorities and plans for the future.

How our world would look like if social distancing replaced social interactions? Dozens of ideas appeared on the web, most of them are clever and funny modifications of well-known visuals: iconic photos or classic paintings.

I asked myself a different question: how would books like if their authors were living in a time when self-isolation and social distancing were something common?

Take a look at some visuals below. Would you imagine Romeo and Juliet stripped from interactions between the main characters? Two separate and, most probably, much more boring worlds instead of one that’s full of tensions and emotions?

When designing the visuals, I realized that they, in fact, help promote reading books. Reach for Romeo and Juliet or The Brothers Karamazov in their original form and enjoy them to the fullest!

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Famous books rewritten for a time of social distancing

1

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

2

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

3

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Keep exploring. Here are other projects created by the team at Ebook Friendly:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”original-projects”]

Take a look at “Keep Calm” meme images rewritten for the times of coronavirus. Feel free to share them with your friends and followers.

We have heard you. Following the Wash Your Hands series, we have prepared a set of images that relate to the famous “keep calm” meme by replacing the original text by “stay home.”

Many people find being locked down at home extremely difficult. However, many people realize they have finally enough time to read books.

You can start re-reading The Plague by Albert Camus to find answers to existential questions that appear out of nowhere. Or you can discover other novels about plagues and virus outbreaks.

Or you can do thousands of other things at home. You will never bet bored as long as you use 1% of your imagination.

The images you see below are free to share. You can publish them on your blog, post to Facebook and Twitter, or pin to your Pinterest board.

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“Stay Home and Keep Calm” images to share

1

Stay home and keep calm.

2

Stay home and read a book.

3

Stay home and write a book.

4

Stay home and study on.

5

Stay home and borrow an ebook.

6

Stay home and listen to audiobooks.

7

Stay home and read together.

8

Stay home and keep learning.

Keep exploring. Here are other projects created by the team at Ebook Friendly:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”original-projects”]

Here are the “Keep Calm and Read Books” images for the times of pandemic. Feel free to share them with your friends and followers.

What are the most effective protective measures against the new coronavirus – SARS-CoV-2?

World Health Organization recommendations are clear: wash your hands frequently and thoroughly; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; stay at home and maintain social distancing.

Washing your hands can effectively prevent you from getting infected. It’s like the new “keep calm.” That’s why we have created a series of posters with the original wording being replaced by “wash your hands.”

Feel free to share the images with your friends and followers. You can publish them on your blog, post to Facebook and Twitter, or pin to your Pinterest board.

[ef-reco id=”144421″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

“Wash Your Hands and Read Books” images – full list

1

Wash your hands and keep calm.

2

Wash your hands and read books.

3

Wash your hands and drink coffee.

4

Wash your hands and carry on.

5

Wash your hands and eat cookies.

6

Wash your hands and stay positive.

7

Wash your hands and test negative.

8

Wash your hands and read to your kids.

Check out other projects created by the team at Ebook Friendly:

[ef-archive number=5 tag=”original-projects”]

How could artificial intelligence handle thoughts from the wisest of humans about objects that make humans smarter: books?

When talking about artificial intelligence, most of us still use words like “stupid,” “random,” “nonsense,” or “ridiculous.”

However, already now, some AI systems can be smarter than people who don’t read.

One such tool has been released to the public recently, and you can test it yourself. It’s called Talk to Transformer and you can access it in your web browser.

Created by Adam King, this text generator completes your custom snippet using a modern neural network. Opposite to predictive keyboards, which suggest single words and wait for your next input, the tool generates entire paragraphs of text.

Talk to Transformer is simple to use, but it’s based a cutting-edge technology – a modern GPT-2 language model released by OpenAI, and trained on a dataset of 8 million web pages.

Jump to the list

As a result, your text sample, be it a single word or a long passage, is processed against 345 million parameters to predict the next word, taking into consideration all previous words within the same text.

Can a robot which has “read” millions of web pages be smarter than you? Why not testing it? I’ve played with book quotes, but you can start typing anything you are interested in, for instance “Artificial intelligence is…”

Initially, I wanted to play with Talk to Transformer purely for fun. Everything had changed when I typed the first part of Stephen King’s “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” First results were unimpressive, but after a few times, I saw a text: “Books are a uniquely human medium.”

That’s why you are reading this list. Can a thought generated by a machine be as bright and inspiring as the one created by a human? Can a word “stupid” used to describe AI be replaced by “this is quite interesting”? Can a machine trick you into thinking it is a human?

We have to keep reading books, if we don’t want algorithms and artificial neural systems to overcome us with their intelligence.

You know, as two humans named “King” and a machine called “GPT-2” say: books are a uniquely human medium.

Famous book quotes completed by artificial intelligence

1

Original

A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.

– Neil Gaiman

Completed by AI

A book is a dream that you keep because it’s worth it, even when it doesn’t live up to your expectations.

A book is a dream that you can reach.

A book is a dream that you can’t put down, a dream that you can’t get rid of, and it’s that dream that makes you believe in something bigger.

A book is a dream that you will never be able to live without.

2

Original

In a good book the best is between the lines.

– Swedish Proverb

Completed by AI

In a good book the best is between an editor and publisher.

In a good book the best is between 5% and 7%.

In a good book the best is between 2.5 and 4.5, with a slight range between 4.5 and 5.0 depending on if the book is about literature, literature in general, or literature for the educated in general.

In a good book the best is between an individual’s intelligence and their intellectual ability.

3

Original

Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.

– Frederick Douglas

Completed by AI

Once you learn to read, you will be more confident.

Once you learn to read, you will always have fun.

Once you learn to read, you will be surprised at what you can accomplish.

Once you learn to read, you will be able to say no to alcohol!

4

Original

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.

– Paul Sweeney

Completed by AI

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and think, “Oh, god, my brain is on fire.”

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel compelled to start over again.

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and are sitting cross-legged and wondering if the book you were reading was one of the best ever.

5

Original

The book you don’t read won’t help.

– Jim Rohn

Completed by AI

The book you don’t read won’t make you smarter. Not really.

The book you don’t read won’t matter; the book that you’re reading is the most valuable thing you’ve ever had.

The book you don’t read won’t change the rest of your life – and it might not change your life at all.

6

Original

A room without books is like a body without a soul.

– Marcus Tullius Cicero

Completed by AI

A room without books is like a classroom without a teacher.

A room without books is like living in the middle of a cemetery without a grave.

A room without books is like a lonely forest.

A room without books is like a blank page in your mind.

A room without books is like a cell without air.

7

Original

So many books, so little time.

– Frank Zappa

Completed by AI

So many books, so many hours in bed.

So many books, so little word count!

So many books, so many experiences, yet somehow they are still so much the same.

So many books, so vernal-colored.

So many books, so many movies.

8

Original

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.

– Joseph Brodsky

Completed by AI

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is burning our bookstores.

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is the taking of books from people.

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is trying to force people to pay $2M for non-fiction on an unknown author.

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is burning books for profit.

9

Original

Books are a uniquely portable magic.

– Stephen King

Completed by AI

Books are a uniquely rich vehicle of expression.

Books are a uniquely powerful tool to help us build new insights and understand complex systems.

Books are a uniquely portable vernacular for our time.

Books are a uniquely human medium.

10

Original

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.

– C.S. Lewis

Completed by AI

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once every few years.

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it in the middle of the night for an hour.

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only if it gave him a good buzz at one point.

I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it while riding.

More lists to check out:

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How would popular abbreviations look like if they were to be decided by book lovers?

Abbreviations are a symbol of digital revolution. They let save time and space because you write down three or four characters instead of a dozen.

Unfortunately, among hundreds of abbreviations, you can hardly find anything that would be of use for a book lover.

Why not changing it?

If you were to give a meaning to TGIF (which arouses so many associations with the weekend devoted to books), what would you come up with?

A couple of abbreviations decoded by book geeks are listed below. As you see, many popular ones are still missing. TGIF, LOL, DIY, WTF, IMO…

How would you decode them to satisfy the book lover in you?

Have fun!

[ef-reco id=”90919″ title=”Read also” info=”Top article”]

Popular abbreviations as seen by book geeks

1

FYI – for your imagination.

2

VIP – very interesting plot.

3

IRL – in a real library.

4

B&B – bed & books.

5

WWW – words, words, words.

6

ROTFL – reading on the floor laughing.

7

HTML – hugging the marvelous librarian.

8

NBA – new book arrived!

All background images via Unsplash.

Popular abbreviations in the eyes of book nerds – infographic

Feel free to share the visual on your blog or in social media.

Keep exploring. Here are more lists for book lovers:

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