Literary tourism is booming. Between 2016-17, 1 in 4 Brits went beyond the pages of their favourite books at one of the UK’s literary hotspots, whilst over half of us are actively interested in exploring one.
A New Chapter for Literary Tourism
The Changing Face of the Cookery Book
Recipes and cookery books have been a long-standing bastion of elitism, copied down by the literate, and preserved by head chefs in royal kitchens. One example, The Forme of Cury from 1390, documents several hundred dishes, and a list of ingredients for a feast held by king Richard II.
Historical Fiction: A Responsibility To Educate?
Historical fiction provides an enjoyable means of learning about the past, making history accessible for those who haven’t, or don’t want to, read a scholarly dissection of the French Revolution or the Tudor Court. Learning about history through fiction provides a fun and engaging alternative, but what are the perils and pitfalls for both authors and consumers?
Smartphones: The New Manuscripts
Books have been part of our existence for thousands of years. In the Middle Ages books and manuscripts were one of the main source of “material” knowledge. Through books, a small number of people learned their history, how society works, how to flirt… almost everything.
Turning Back To Movement By Turning A Page
Art is part of our everyday life. We read when we travel, we turn on the stereo after a long day, we coexist with art. However, even though we are strongly connected to art, we are drawing away from it by separating ourselves from the process of making art.
The not so rewarding history of the Man Booker Prize
By Rohail Karim The Man Booker prize, one of the highest recognized awards for literature, at least that’s what they want you to believe. Whilst the award does help the winning […]
Marinetti’s Metal Book: A Vision of the Future?
In 1932, the father of Futurism, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, unveiled his Futurist Words in Freedom: Olfactory, Tactile, Thermal, an object now known as the ‘tin book’. Comprised of 30 aluminium pages lithographed […]
Graffiti: Literature in the Streets
When graffiti artists look at walls and pavements, trains and vans, lamp-posts and railings, what do they see? They see a blank page, a canvas on which to exhibit their art, their […]
The Business of Borrowing: 250 Years of the Leeds Library
by Lizzy Holling Book buying has increased, but what about borrowing? The New Year brought reasons to celebrate within the publishing industry, as The Bookseller reported the UK print market has grown […]
The Material Value of Books – Random or Justified?
by Elżbieta Piepiórka Value is relative. To some, Jane Austen is a genius. Others can’t comprehend why she was published. Sentimental, literary, academic values – these vary depending on our individual experiences and […]
