T is for tome.
It is after all World Book Day, the annual celebration founded by UNESCO to promote reading and writing. What better day to talk about books?
I find the word tome somehow amusing. I know it’s meant to be weighty and connote a big scholarly volume, but the word rolls off my tongue and it makes me smile nonetheless. Which is why I think Fool would appreciate it.
I have great book plans for today. (Bonus feature! Because Tome also happens to be the name of a designer fashion line, in the spirit of inclusivity and fashionista fabulousity, I’ll mention what hat I’ll be wearing. And no, it won’t be a Fool’s Cap!)
First I’ll be devoting some time to working on my book(s). Yes, dear friends, I am writing books. I’m not sure I’ve mentioned that here before but the truth is I have a LOT of books inside me waiting to see the light of day and it’s past time I started to get seriously cracking on those projects. So I’ll be putting on a writer’s hat for this project. Perhaps a whimsy, which is the name given to small headpieces in the 1950s and 60’s. I think all writing projects should be entered into with a bit of whimsy don’t you? Fool certainly agrees.
I’ll also be donning my creating chapeau as I work on some prototypes for handmade book forms I’m experimenting with. That’s always something that delights my heart. Sit me amongst paper and scissors and waxed linen thread and you’ll no doubt find a smile on my face. For this creative venture I think I’ll wear a Gibus, which was patented in 1937 and is a man’s collapsible silk opera hat that when collapsed allowed it to be carried under the arm. I do like a clever good design.
But most importantly today I’ll find time to read. In fact I’ve put together a little reading pile. Which when stacked does look like a serious tome doesn’t it?
It’s a rather random gathering of things that is appealing to me in the moment. While I don’t expect to get through them all today, I’m sure I’ll get through several and started on them all. I always have a number of books going at one time – my treasure-gathering mind likes a variety of things to delight in.
Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang explores how shapes, color and composition “make us feel the way things look.” Sounds fascinating doesn’t it?
Pablo Neruda Poet of the People, written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Julie Paschkis is a kid’s book. I’ve read it before, but I’m drawn to doing so again because I’ve just been reading some of Neruda’s poems. The book is charming and has wonderful illustrations and I know I’ll delight in it again.
Egyptian Magic: The Quest for Thoth’s Book of Secrets by Maarten Raven. Ah, what can I say – this appeals to me on all levels. I love all things ancient Egyptian, I’m fascinated by Thoth, and it’s written by someone named Raven. It’s filled with wonderful photographs of museum objects and I can’t wait to get started reading it.
The Secret Museum by Molly Oldfield is one of my secret pleasures that I dole out to myself in measured doses, so I’ll just be dipping into this one today. It’s a compendium of fabulous objects and treasures that are held in secret archives in museums across the world and not on public display for innumerable reasons. But here within the book you get to see them. It delights me to simply open up a random page and see what I find. And then another. And another.
Space – Information Graphics by Jennifer Daniel. I’m looking forward to reading this one as well. Aimed at mid-school aged kids, it’s printed on neon-colored pages and filled with infographics. I may well like the cosmos as much as I love Egyptology, so I know I’ll enjoy this one.
And finally in my pile is a tree book. Okay, let’s add trees to my list of loves. But this isn’t about actual living beings with leaves and roots. This is The Book of Trees: Visualizing Branches of Knowledge by Manuel Lima. It explores the use of tree diagrams for organizing information over more than 800 years. It’s filled with lots of fabulous illustrations, and I suspect this is going to one I need to do in small doses like The Secret Museum. We’ll see.
In any case, whether I get them all read today or not, I know I’ll be celebrating World Book Day in good style. And speaking of style, perhaps I should don a bluebonnet for this reading adventure. A bluebonnet is a broad, slat cap of dark blue wool woven in one piece, with a narrow tartan headband and a colored tuft on top. With the proper color leggings I might well be properly dressed as a bluestocking.
What about you? Got plans for World Book Day? Suggestions of things to add to my gazillion-items-long booklist? Have a favorite hat? Consider yourself a bluestocking? Do tell – you know I love to hear..
O my Deborah, the books all sound wonderfully fascinating! One of my greatest pleasures is reading. And munching on something delicious at the same time. Put me in a motor car with someone else driving, 1000 miles, or on an aeroplane and a book, and I’d be the happiest fool.
And such good luck with your writing adventures! May the bonnets and hats and gibus and stockings and headband all protect your head while your muse/s wing their way in, along with the happy Fool.
Thanks for the kind wishes Susan. And count me in as full supporter of something delicious to munch on while reading – doubles the fun for sure.
Lately Hecate is on my mind. I’m reading The Temple of Hekate by Tara Sanchez and I even started to stitch a new project Hecate
Something must be changing in my life… it looks like I should make room for new things to come by removing old things that aren’t in any use any longer.
Evalina, This and that…
Making room for the new sounds like a wonderful intention Evalina. And I can’t wait to see your Hecate stitching!
I love books!! I have quite the stack of books that I’m in the middle of right now. Just about to do some reading. 😀 Good luck with the books you are writing!
Thanks for the kind wishes Bonnie and happy reading.
Hi Deborah .. my piles are similar to yours posted here .. an eclectic mix – I haven’t heard of the Secret Museum .. but have similar books here .. I think I’m taking the summer off to read and rejuvinate my life .. but reading being the priority – I just need to get to the books.
I keep buying books … but they quietly arrive and more quietly get piled up! I know it was Tome Day today .. it’s unfortunate it comes in the middle of the A-Z or perhaps nearly at the end … which is better! Still we’re all readers here – so the Fool with his Tome is very welcome .. Cheers Hilary
Oh Hilary what a fabulous idea. Taking the summer off to read sounds like such a delicious plan.
World Book Day is not wildly popular, is it? I’m a book worm and I didn’t even know about it, I had to find out from you. And to make things worse, I haven’t been even reading anything this week… very unusual for me, but I’ve been sick and falling asleep at every opportunity. Feeling better now, so it seems like it’s time to grab a book! Even though it’s no longer book day where I am 🙂
I’m glad you’re feeling better Tat and was able to get some rest. I don’t suppose World Book Day is wildly popular, but perhaps it doesn’t need to be amongst us bookworms. It’s really meant to encourage those understanding of the importance of books and writing. Happy reading!
I really, really, super duper want to see a photo of you wearing your Gibus. And I think I want a Gibus too. In fact, I’m positive I do.
That’s a deliciously eclectic collection of reading materials you have stacked up there. Coincidentally, I just bought he Book of Trees: Visualizing Branches of Knowledge by Manuel Lima a couple of weeks ago. So far I’ve just drooled over the images, but I’ll be reading it after April. Right now I’m reading short things–literary magazines (Room, Glimmer Train) and poetry (Sharon Olds–Stag’s Leap, Mary Oliver–A Thousand Mornings). Oh, and Stephen Fry’s The Ode Less Travelled. Everything else is waiting until May.-
As for the writing, what kind of books do you have in you that the whimsy will help elicit? Literary fiction? Mystery? Romance? Science fiction? As long as you’re not writing engineering textbooks, I’m first in line to read something you write. (Well. Maybe not first in line. I won’t shove your family out of the way. I do possess some small measure of decorum.
LOL – oh Kern you do my heart good! I can promise there are no engineering textbooks in my writing future, but I’m playing in a lot of other genres. Given that my basic life intention is to keep my feet on the joy trail I think inviting whimsy into everything is a super helpful policy. And no worries, I have a very small family, so the line to see my work currently is quite manageable. 🙂 I think I’ll save sharing photos in a Gibus until signing parties or some other time when I’m ready to pull some rabbits out.
Love what you’re reading. And May will be here before we know it. Feel free to explain to me how we’re already almost five months into the year. My mind boggles.
I just LOVE your book choices, especially The Secret Museum. Why does the word SECRET always get me? How fun! If I had a day to read, I think I would want to start with A and read your entire Abecederium! Good luck with your own book!
As for my own books, I am reading The Conscious Parent right now for our May online book study. In June, we are studying The Untethered Soul which I am also looking forward to. I’ve always been one to dip in and out of books so this will be fun to change it up and do a deep dive.
You make me smile Amy. You are the epitome of diving deep AND laughter is never far from your lips. A pretty amazing combo and one I adore.
What a great collections of books to read. Being a visual person – I can related to these choices. The tree book and the Secret Museum really speak to me – I am checking them out now – but alas, I don’t need any new books. In my cleaning out process, I’ve vowed to read what I have. Currently – I’m reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes for fun!
I totally get the not-getting-any-new-books-until-I’ve-read-my-piles policy. I’ve been doing my best to implement that as well. Although now I have to confess my written list of to-reads is getting unwieldy as well. I think we need about 24 hours more in each day to be allotted as reading time. How fun would that be? 🙂
Wow, you ARE interested in so many things! I would love to read any book you write. I wish you steady progress as you devote time to that. 🙂
LOL – indeed I AM curious about so much Naomi and my interest are nothing if not eclectic. And I truly appreciate your kind words and wishes Naomi – thank you!
I, too, would love to see a picture of you in your hat! Tell me how to read more than one book at a time! I have never been able to do that. I always think I have to finish one before I start another. And, interestingly enough, my prompt today in April Love is “trees”!
May I say I love reading your blog and would definitely look forward to reading your books! Carry on.
I like options when reading depending on my mood, so I always have several books going. I always find it fascinating these rules we set for ourselves. I used to feel like I “had” to finish reading a book, even if I wasn’t actually enjoying it. Now I think that’s crazy ridiculous.
Thanks for the kind words Janet – they make my heart happy! And I’m popping over to read your post now.
You know I am always reading–just finished “N-Space” by Larry Niven; review to follow.
I always look forward to your reviews.