Pimp my Billy May 9, 2008

German designers have designed a gadget to go along with the famous Billy bookcases by IKEA. Since a couple of weeks, I too have these cases. They are not only cheep, but you can buy loads of accessories for them. The best part is, you do not have to be afraid that any additions will not be sold anymore next year.

The Pimp my Billy is a fun thing. I was immediately interested in it. It looks interesting, fun and the color is just right for my library. Until I saw the price. One can buy a whole room full of Billy’s for the price of this gadget. Click here to learn more.

PS. I will be out of the country next week for business. If I find any great bookstores in the German city of Heidelberg, I will let you know!

(Literary) Remembrance May 4, 2008

Each year on the 4^th of May we, the Dutch, take a couple of minutes to remember the people who died in WWII. And the wars after that. The next day, the 5^th we celebrate the ending of the war. I also do a little ‘remembrance’ on Kimbooktu,but in a bookish way. I bring you a post related to the Second World War and books. Last year I wrote an article on Anne Frank, to be seen here. This year’s topic is the destruction of books during WWII. Click ‘more’ to read the article.

Personalized books May 1, 2008

If you are looking for an original gift (for a book lover) a personalized book might be an idea. There are several websites which provide this service. Usually you can choose a book of your liking. You can then choose one or more names that you want to have featured in this book. Below you will find a small selection of websites that provides this type of book. If you have any books or experience with personal books to add, please do so in the comments.

A2Z Personalized Children’s Books

You can choose out of 150 books for children. There are also some titles available for adults. All the books are hardcover and it will cost between twelve and fifteen dollars to have a book made.

Printakid

This website sells ‘personalized stories for children’. The fun part is that the illustrations are also personalized to look like the child.

Created4Me

This company has only one book on offer, but it adds first, middle and last names to the book. Most other personalized books only have first names.

MadLuck Books

Here you can pick from a variety of themed books for babies, children and adults. The books can have the name, age, home town and other names printed in the story.

Boekado.nl

A Dutch website that has a choice of books in different themes. You can also choose children’s books and books by The Netherlands most popular crime writer, Appie Baantjer. It is also possible to pick by price.

I’m back! April 30, 2008

Thank you so much for your patience during our move. The new house is wonderful! Even more so, because I now have an entire room for my books. Click ‘more’ to see some before and after shots. The library is not finished yet, but I wanted to give you an idea.

Since most of the jobs around the house are done now, I will be posting again on the regular basis you are used to. If you see anything that might fit my site, e-mail your suggestion to this address.

For your home library April 12, 2008

How cute! This will look so good on the new table in my new library. It will be a useless accessory, since I almost never lend out my books. I always get them back damaged. Paperbacks usually have a ‘broken back’ when they are returned to me. I hate that. Therefor I have decided not to let other people handle my books anymore. But this gadget is very nice, I have to say. Click here to find out more.

What do you use for a bookmark? April 9, 2008

A recent post (to view here) made me wonder what you use for a bookmark. The comments of the post revealed that probably most of you use something different than a ‘proper’ bookmark. Even though I collect bookmarks, I have to admit that I usually use cash receipts to find my way back to a page. Or a napkin.

Let me know in the comments what your bookmark of choice is!

Moving house and bookish blogs April 9, 2008

We are working hard in our new house at the moment. This is why I have been a bit silent. This Monday is the day of ‘the big move’. Hopefully I have a bit more time to post after that. If our internet provider does not forget to move our subscription.

After we are settled I will work hard to post all of your blog links, home libraries and suggestions for posts. Until then, I invite you to take a look at the new setup for the bookish blogs. I have been working on it behind the scenes. I am moving all of the links, which are hundreds, to another place with its own URL. Since I have to copy past all of your links and descriptions, it is quite a lot of work.

I think it is worth it. Check the new site to see what is new and improved: www.bookishblogs.com. If you own a website, I would appreciate a link. If you like an image (200×162) to go with it, click here.

Weirdest bookmark March 26, 2008

There cannot be enough bookish gadgets in my mind. Therefor I applaud designers who take the effort to create something for us readers. Every now and again a designer takes it overboard and makes something that makes me wonder. It makes me wonder about how designers view readers.

This gadget, the ABRACADABRA bookmark, made me wonder alright. It took three designers to come up with this ‘gadget’: Jung-Hyun Lee, Won-Sik Chae & Rhea Jeong. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when they discussed the creative process of it. Maybe it went something like this:

Jung-Hyun Lee: I wanted to read last night and I could not find the last page I read.

Won-Sik Chae: Don’t you use a bookmark?

Jung-Hyun Lee: Sure, but they suck. I have used receipts from the supermarket, nice paper bookmarks with teddy bears on it and even fancy silver ones with Yin-Yang on them.

Rhea Jeong: I know what you mean. It is so hard to get your fingers in between the book and the bookmark!

Won-Sik Chae: Don’t you just hate when that happens? Let’s make something easier to save the readers. Think life vest, like on a aeroplane!

This is what they actually came up with:

You can find out more here and here.

Pop-up alphabet March 25, 2008

This book has gone straight to my Amazon.com wish-list. It is called the ABC-3D and it is made by Marion Bataille. I love it! Never has the alphabet been this pretty. I cannot wait to flip trough this book and admire all the different shapes. Click here if you want to learn more about the book, or even order it!

Origami book March 19, 2008

Get a piece of square paper, loosen up your fingers and give it a go!