Fika is the leisurely consumption of carbs and caffeine that's a standard part of every day in Sweden. More than a coffee break, it's a pause to connect with people, recharge, and appreciate the good things in life.
A sinful but repentant monk, an assist from the devil, an 800-year-old book, potential madness, and a rivalry between Bohemia and Sweden. This story of the Codex Gigas, also known as The Devil's Bible, has everything.
Gotta love a place that embraces contrasts — and Sweden is all about it: the warm snuggly vibe of a Swedish Christmas or afternoon fika (coffee and cake) — and the magnificent, twisty murder mysteries of Scandi noir.
It's a hard time to be an empathetic human right now. From us to you: hope and love and peace. In this brief episode, we talk about life in Prague with social distancing rules and send you safe-as-pie air hugs.
With most of us home 24/7 with a variety of real-life characters, now is an excellent time to turn to fictional friends. They're entertaining, inspiring, and very human. Basically, the perfect quarantine companions.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got stunning trains, fantasy fiction needlework, your IKEA name, a perfect cartoon about libraries, Pieter Bruegel's art & more.
This weekend, travel back to the 1940s with Bernie Gunther, a good detective and good man in bad circumstances. You'll visit Yugoslavia, go toe-to-toe with Joseph Goebbels, fall in love — and oh! solve a murder.
How about a delicious meal to go with your immersive reads?! This is just the recipe to give you a taste of Sweden. It's comforting with luscious contrasts between hot, cool, tart, sweet, and savory in every bite.
Sweden is one of the happiest places on Earth. It gave us ABBA, IKEA, and some of the darkest crime fiction on the bookshelves. In this ep, we discuss all of that and share five great books that transported us there.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got Weeki Wachee mermaids, cozy British villages, the Save Our Bookstores app, Irish Gothic novels, the cats of Istanbul & more.
An isolated hotel. A brutal snowstorm. A mysterious death. And a high school music festival?! This novel has everything! It's a thrill ride, and we love when an author bends our favorite literary tropes to her will.
Bookshop.org is a new online book retailer that shares its revenue with local, independent bookstores. It's bridging the significant gap between online sales and the neighborhood bookshop (you love) down the street.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got the best hangouts in Chicago, streaming shows from UK National Theater, a short story from Andrew Sean Greer, and more.
Let this story enthrall you as it travels from you from WWII-era Czechoslovakia to modern Los Angeles with a family of unforgettable characters. It will make you believe in the pure, unstoppable magic of love.
Treat yourself to a recipe for homemade Chicago-style hot dogs! It's an all-beef dog 'dragged through the garden' with colorful toppings for a taste explosion, inspired by Erik Larson's brilliant romp through history.
If you're looking for a zine about awesome pizza, indie magazines, or a Q&A with your favorite graphic novelist, Quimby's Bookstore in Chicago is your kind of place. Fulfilling all your weird book needs since 1991.
We visit the Windy City for a deep-dive into what makes Chicago different from every other city in America. We discuss books we love that explore Chicago's culture, food, and history of rabble-rousers and heroes.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week: a day in the life of a bookseller, virtual garden tours, literary paper dolls, Britain's naughtiest dogs, Scottish Highlands, and more.
Literary mysteries abound in this smart, suspenseful love letter to literature set at Oxford University. Our heroine Samantha has known too much tragedy for her young age, and her life is about to be upended again.
Chill some vodka, rustle up a few sausages, find a comfy seat, and get lost in stories that will transport you to the vast tundra and deep, dark forests of Mother Russia. A little sweet, a little sour, big adventure.
Let these stories whisk you away to the beaches of Mexico or the castles of Prague, to Japan or Morocco and the Sea, to a country manor house or a delightfully spooky place that makes the real world tame in comparison.
