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6 TV Shows That Are Actually Books (& Why You Should Probably Read Them)

Tyrion approves of your plans to do some reading.

Book adaptations are wonderful things. Seeing our favorite characters and settings come to life is a rare occurrence. However, there is a certain charm and authenticity in the written word, which is why you should probably pick up the original books if you watch any of the following TV shows.

Posted by Maria Vicente

Five Little Ways To Make Your Book Club Even Cooler

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When I tell people I’m in a book club, I’m almost always met with skeptical faces. It’s like I’m being challenged to prove that book clubs aren’t just for dorks.

I assure you, they aren’t, and while I’ve always thought thatreading is cool, here are a few tips to ensure your book clubs is a most awesome good time.

Posted by Meredith Wolff

Ten of Our Favorite Librarians Found in Pop Culture

Look I get it, at some point someone had a horrible experience in a library, and as a result we librarians are doomed to be typecast as grey haired old biddies who wear horn-rimmed glasses while we shush everything in sight. Thankfully we have used this stereotype to our advantage over the years to hide our true purpose; a purpose I am about to reveal to you know.

 
Librarians the world over are all part of a secret ninja society dedicated to protecting your right to read. 
 
And we have superpowers.
 
Don't believe me? Let's take a look at ten of the awesomest librarians out there, shall we? Then let's see how many of you rush out to attend library school.

Posted by Gemma Noon

Twelve Bookish Songs That Rock

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Bibliophiles all over the world spend their times pouring over the stacks of books at libraries and book stores, looking for that next classic book that will become an instant favorite. It can be hard sometimes to determine which books to read. There are so many options and they all have their pros and cons. How to choose is the question.

It occurred to me just the other day that a simple look at my playlist would point me in the right direction. I know it sounds a bit bizarre but by listening to some of my favorite rock songs, I have a perfect guide to some of the best novels ever written.

Plug in your earbuds and prepare for one hell of a read.

Posted by David Winnick

A Quirky Easter Egg Hunt: Find The Eggs, Win Some Books!

Easter is this weekend. Me, I'm heading home to run around my house looking for Easter baskets and plastic eggs with my little nephews. Over the years, the difficulty in finding Easter swag at my parents' home has escalated from the obvious to the damn near impossible.

When I was five, the Easter baskets would sit in the middle of the living room. When I turned 30, they hid my basket under a loose board in the attic, which led to a lovecraftian portal to the nether realms. I found the basket, but was gone for thirty seven years in the Old Ones' time. I'm not sure where I was, but I am their king now.

But I digress. 

I've decided to celebrate here at Quirk, and I've hidden four Easter eggs around the Quirk Books website. They look that one, right there. If you find an Easter egg on the bottom of a page, there is a hidden Rafflecopter for you to enter, with some sweet bookish swag you can win.

Here are your hints!

One: It's the end of the world as we know it, and I solve crime. 

Two: Something Wookie this way comes… 

Three: Come on man, you should know this stuff! 

Four: I got a fever, and the prescription… is more cowbell. 

Good luck! 

Posted by Eric Smith

Six Literary Characters We’d Love To Picnic With

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Spring is the perfect time for a picnic in the park. Like any food event, the company you keep is what makes a picnic as delightful as can be. The structure of a picnic has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it more casual and intimate than a fancy dinner party. It’s the perfect time to dive into someone’s brain and learn more about them than is probably necessary.

For these reasons, I’ve chosen six of the perfect literary characters to bring with you on a picnic. (If they were real people, of course.)

1. Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling): There’s no way I would miss this opportunity. Dumbledore is smart. He has years of knowledge tucked away inside his mind (and even more memories stored elsewhere). A picnic date with Dumbledore would be like meeting with a mentor.

He’d also bring some delicious snacks from the wizarding world, ‘cause we all know Dumblore is all about his sweets.

2. Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote): Holly may be a little scattered, but a picnic date with her would certainly be entertaining. I may do nothing but sit and listen to her talk, all the while shaking my head with disbelief, but it’d be an afternoon to remember.

She walks a fine line between endearing and annoying, but at least she’d be content with a simple bagel for lunch with a side of coffee.

3. Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald): It’s a well-known fact that Jay Gatsby can throw a party, but what about a picnic? I’d leave the planning up to him. I can picture it now: a lavish picnic blanket, a catered lunch from only the finest of restaurants, and a bottle of expensive champagne.

The champagne is a vital ingredient: a constant buzz will be necessary to survive Gatsby’s therapy-like rambling about the ups and downs of life.

4. The Mad Hatter (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll): I can’t begin to imagine the nonsense that would result from having a picnic with the Mad Hatter. Tea and sandwiches cut into four small triangles are the obvious choice for food, and I assume half the conversation would actually be rhymes recited in song-song voices.

I also expect a fabulous hat.

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5. Holden Caulfield (The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger): I can’t lie: I’d choose Holden as a picnic partner solely for the chance to shut him up. Am I the only person who finds Holden insufferable? I’d probably let him whine for a little while before abandoning him completely. Or pushing him into a lake.

6. Matilda Wormwood (Matilda by Roald Dahl): As a book lover myself, a picnic with Matilda would be the perfect chance to learn about every book I need to read that I have yet to find myself. That girl reads like a champion. There’d also be very little work on my part, since Matilda can set up and put away all the food and supplies with a look in her eyes.

Maria Vicente is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency. She likes books, coffee, design, & magic. You can find her on Twitter (@MsMariaVicente) or her blog, ibelieveinstory.com.

Posted by Maria Vicente