Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials that Shape Our Man-Made World, by Mark Miodownik was about something called materials science, which I don’t think I’d ever heard of before. Who knew one could ‘study stuff’? ;-) It’s a rather fun, and interesting book about, well, all the stuff that we use and/or see every day: steel, concrete, rubber, graphite and so on. My favorite chapters were on paper (in all sorts of shapes and forms), and chocolate.

For one of those delightful, charming books that is hard to put down, read The Bookshop Book, by Jen Campbell. Full of descriptions and comments about book stores around the world, and proof that the electronic versions are not going to be the end of the printed book. Book stores come in all shapes and sizes. Many have store pets (there’s a bunny in one, named Napoleon Bunnyparte), others have kitchens (to try out recipes), or even beds if someone needs a place to sleep. Some stores travel … by boat, burro, or camel. And, in one, at the bottom of a box of old books, was a WWII poster from England that was never used. The store owner liked it, brushed off the dust, and framed it. It is now found on mugs, t-shirts, book marks, magnets … can you guess what it might be?

Reading Hermit With Dog