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It’s #wolwednesday, the day of the week when we celebrate the animal that #wolwednesday’s originator author Sam Sykes calls the most perfect creation in nature, the furious and ruthless feathered bag of wisdom and anger—the mighty wol. Or, as it is known to the rest of the world, the owl.

We'd like to highlight this weekly day of celebration by taking a closer look at owls in medieval manuscripts. Because as we all know, the owls are not what they seem.

Have you ever wondered where the expression “monkey on my back” comes from? Fret no longer. Quirk Books is here to help with that dang monkey.

August 18 marks the anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. What’s the big deal with the Nineteenth Amendment? It gives American women the right to vote! To celebrate this victory we here at Quirk Books would like to introduce you to some kick-ass women throughout history whose legacy lives on long after they passed away.

The American Revolution was all about a bunch of freedom-loving guys with names like George, Benjamin, Alexander, and Thomas kicking out the British and declaring independence on July 4. Right?

Not if you ask English poet William Blake (1757–1827). According to Blake the American Revolution was a struggle of universal proportions involving spirits, angels, mythology, and history.

Here at Quirk Books we are of the opinion that medieval manuscripts are among the most amazing works of book art there are. We especially like the manuscripts where weird things happen in the margins. And especially when sweet, innocent animals, such as rabbits, turn into lean, mean killing machines. Who knew that Thumper could be so vicious?

There are many ways for a journalist to spice up the newsfeed these days. Scary anecdotes about spiders living in women’s ears or bizarre science discoveries for example. But not too long ago, the go-to sensational pieces in respectable newspapers were about ghosts and haunted houses.