Anythink blog
Cozy Books Perfect for Winter
Dec 2 2024
Picture this: It’s a cold, wintery day outside. There’s snow on the ground and, even with the sun shining above, the temperature is below freezing. But you’re inside cuddled up on your couch with a fuzzy blanket and a warm cup of coffee/tea/cocoa (because, you know, beverages). Maybe even the smell...
Treasures in the Attic: Are Your Antiques Worth Anything?
Jun 6 2024
Have you ever wondered if you could resell your thrift store finds for a decent profit? Do you want to know once and for all if the family heirloom that’s collecting dust is your ticket to an early retirement, or at least a fancy dinner? Are you curious about the value of a cherished object to...
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Excuse Me While I Bawl My Eyes Out
Mar 18 2024
There are few things as cathartic for me as a good cry over a movie or book. Give me a doomed romance or devastating death in media form* and I’ll dissolve into a red-faced sloppy mess.
And I love it. For so long, I would fight emotion like this, avoiding things I knew would make me feel, but...
Wordless Picture Books: Some Possibilities
Jan 17 2024
Have you read a wordless picture book? To put the slightly obvious into words: a wordless picture book is a children’s book that tells a story using only illustrations. What might be less obvious, however, is how enjoyable it can be for an adult to read one while alone. Reading the following books...
A Year in Books
Dec 11 2023
There is something ridiculously satisfying and pleasant about logging books and other media I've consumed — at least for me. Anythink blogger Luke has written on this topic in the past, and while this became a happy pastime for me before I read his fascinating ...
Top 10 Digital Checkouts of 2023
Dec 1 2023
If you’re anything like me, you love a good Top 10 list. Am I in that upper echelon that has experienced all things popular? Have I eaten at the restaurants where I should be eating? Is my baby’s name unique enough to not have to be identified with a last name initial in school?
Book lists just...
A Beginner's Guide to Falling Back in Love with Science Fiction
Nov 9 2023
In recent years, I’ve begun to fall a little bit out of love with science fiction. I was first captivated by the genre in the early 2000s, when I discovered the neo-noir space western ...
A Paul Simon Primer
Nov 1 2023
Earlier this year, Paul Simon released “Seven Psalms,” a full album in a single, continuous 33-minute track. It is a...
The Art of the Antagonist
Oct 27 2023
Who doesn’t love a good villain? The entire plot of a story can be made or broken with something as simple as how the nemesis across the table from the hero is written. Whether the direct embodiment of malevolence or cunning or just enough of an unhinged edge that leaves us scared, they are the...
Impactful Science Fiction: Reading the "Lady Astronaut" series by Mary Robinette Kowal
Oct 25 2023
The story begins in “The Calculating Stars,” the 2018 novel by Mary Robinette Kowal, when...
A Beginner's Horror Book Primer
Oct 18 2023
Horror is easily my favorite genre. Each way of experiencing horror is unique.
Everyone has unique tastes and certain things that scare them; only you know what is scary to you. Being a horror fan is all about celebrating these differences, being happy for people when they find something that gave...
The Soundtrack of My Life, Or The Reminiscence Bump
Oct 17 2023
They say that the music you listen to when you’re a teen is the music you’ll love for the rest of your life. This makes sense to me: I feel like I had all the time in the world to listen to music and hang out with friends when I was a teenager. I’m too busy now to start liking new songs. I no...
The Debate on "Smelly Food"
Oct 4 2023
I want you to imagine your favorite food. Maybe it’s pizza, the dough made using a secret family recipe. Maybe it’s pasta with meaty red sauce or savory white sauce. Maybe it’s a bowl of deliciously cheesy macaroni and cheese. The choices here are endless. There are so many wonderful dishes to...
Misunderstood Sayings... and Books that Prove the Counterparts True
Sep 22 2023
Author's note: This post has been updated to include more accurate information about the origin of these quotes and their contexts.
Recently, it’s been coming up a lot that certain phrases, idioms and quotes have received somewhat of a “telephone game” treatment. These quotes have been given...
Warrior: The Resurgence of Bruce Lee's Vision
Sep 21 2023
During the pandemic lockdown in 2020, many individuals, including myself, indulged in binge-watching numerous shows, both old favorites and new discoveries. One of those discoveries for me was the underrated TV series...
A Reader's Rove
Sep 5 2023
I long to take a book lover’s journey around the world. But a very specific one. I guess we could call it a Reader’s Rove, because I want to visit all the marvelous places in the world that celebrate reading and libraries.
Anythink is such an incredible environment that fosters curiosity and...
How to Make This Halloween All Treat, No Trick!
Aug 30 2023
Happy spooky season! The first day of fall is just around the corner, and it’ll be October before we know it. Why wait until the last minute to get ready for one of the best days of the year?
It’s time to start planning the details of your costume, figure out your decorations, and decide what you...
Book Eight: For Lucinda Riley
Aug 23 2023
In 2013, author Lucinda Riley embarked on an ambitious quest: to write seven interwoven novels about seven adopted sisters. Each book would feature one sister, and each sister would set off on her own quest to learn about her heritage. All seven books would include dual timelines and multiple...
Fact or Fanfiction?
Aug 21 2023
When I say “fanfiction,” you don’t say it’s an embarrassment to the world of literature!
Just like any genre that has unorthodox origins, there are plenty of unfair preconceived notions about fanfiction. One is that fanfiction only serves the obsessive fans who want to nitpick, tear apart or...
When was the last time you went adventuring?
Aug 21 2023
Let’s go on an adventure! Not the kind where you have to stress about finding plane tickets for or invest a large sum of money in. Those adventures are grand, but they're too formal for every day. And sometimes they're even scary. Leaving the house for an unplanned grocery trip can even be scary,...