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Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Most Joyful Fanboy Moments

It’s November! Or as we like to call it The Month Moana Comes Out. It’s no secret we’re huge Hamilton fans here at Quirk Books, so naturally we’re excited to see and hear what Lin-Manuel Miranda’s written for Moana. (Also, how do you have the time, Lin?) To celebrate the release of Disney’s newest film, here are our five favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda moments.

Posted by Danielle Mohlman

Louisa May Alcott’s “The Fast & The Furious”

“It's so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

 

“I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

Posted by Jadzia Axelrod

Quirky History: Fantastical Beasts in Medieval Bestiaries

The fictional universe of J.K. Rowling is filled with fantastical creatures, and no other movie takes better advantage of this than Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them, which opens in theaters today.

When creating her magical world, Rowling is tapping into a literary tradition that goes all the way back to the Middle Ages and the literary genre of the bestiary.

Bestiaries are books of animals, both real and fantastical, accompanied by a description and a Christian parable. Even though bestiaries peaked in popularity in the 13th century, they continue to influence us today. Especially when it comes to fantasy fiction.

Posted by E.H. Kern

Literary Roles of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Photo taken by Quirk Books

Moana is about to hit theaters, and one of its central characters, the demigod Maui, is voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Once known exclusively as a world champion pro wrestler, The Rock has since gone on to carve out quite the acting career for himself, as an action movie star, a television star, and now, a character in a Disney animated movie.

So what's next in The Rock's impressive career? Well, how about tackling some literary roles? While we haven't seen The Rock do anything quite like this before, he's been impressing us for years with his versatility, so we have no doubt he could handle it. Below are a few characters we would love to see him bring to life.

Posted by Lauren Thoman

Fictional Characters Who Need to Kick the Habit

Today is the Great American Smokeout. In the United States approximately 40 million people smoke some form of tobacco product. Created in 1977, the first of these annual events was held in San Francisco. Now with the help of the American Cancer Society, this once small event has grown to a huge movement. The idea is that for twenty-four hours on the third Thursday in November, smokers attempt to challenge themselves not to use any tobacco products. With luck, these people will be able to continue on to the next day and the day after that, eventually kicking the habit. In honor of this great event, we at Quirk wanted to take a look at some literary characters who could stand a little less smoke in their lungs.

Posted by David Winnick

Narnia Real Estate Listings

Miraz’s Castle

In Narnia, neighborhoods don’t get much trendier than Beaversdam, but this expansive abode next to the Great River, a popular place for jogging and picnicking, is timeless.

Posted by Jadzia Axelrod