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Notes on books and travel.

Get in the Mood for Mayhem with our Halloween Playlist
Get in the Mood for Mayhem with our Halloween Playlist
We get it: No one, including us, needs to listen to 'Master Mash' again. Tune into this playlist for 13 unusual, atmospheric, and super-fun Halloween-inspired songs that will put you in the mood for candy and costumes.
Vampire-Fighting Pork Stew Inspired By Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'
Vampire-Fighting Pork Stew Inspired By Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'
Stoker's Dracula is the OG vampire: intelligent, cunning, and even a little sexy. But you do not want that bad boy visiting your bed chamber! Simmer a big pot of this delicious, vampire-repelling magic.
For the Love of Fangs: 6 of Our Favorite Literary Vampires
For the Love of Fangs: 6 of Our Favorite Literary Vampires
We've selected our favorite literary vampires according to a very sharply honed list of criteria. They're all remarkable versions of this ancient creature, and they populate stories worthy of their dangerous charms.
7 Eerie Audiobooks to Fill Your Ears with Spooky Halloween Fun
7 Eerie Audiobooks to Fill Your Ears with Spooky Halloween Fun
The only thing better than reading a scary story is when someone TELLS you a scary story. Light a candle, grab someone you trust to share the terror, and let these stories creep you out in the very best way.
Train Travel, Books as Rihanna, Czech Melancholy & More: Endnotes 18 October
Train Travel, Books as Rihanna, Czech Melancholy & More: Endnotes 18 October
Every Friday, we share our favorite reading- and travel-related links. This week, we've got the science of old book smell, the inside scoop on train tickets, Czech melancholy, Rihanna as book covers & more.
Run Away with the Circus and Get Lost in 'Miraculum'
Run Away with the Circus and Get Lost in 'Miraculum'
This weekend, time travel to a 1920s Texas circus: Pontilliar's Spectacular Star Light Miraculum. Step right up to meet Ruby, the tattooed snake charmer who'll steal your heart while she saves the world.
Schnitzel Meatballs and Buttered Potatoes Inspired by the Novel 'Goulash'
Schnitzel Meatballs and Buttered Potatoes Inspired by the Novel 'Goulash'
The novel 'Goulash' reads like a memoir of an American expat's adventures in 1998 Prague. It was a dynamic time for the city, but some things stay the same: the pubs, the beer, and good, honest Czech food.
Learning to Read in Czech
Learning to Read in Czech
It's been 27 years since Melissa's last college French class. Now, as a resident of Prague, she's tackling the tricky grammar and pronunciation of the Czech language. Will she ever learn enough to read 'Jana Eyreova'?
7 Unusual Travel Guides That Will Inspire You to Visit Prague
7 Unusual Travel Guides That Will Inspire You to Visit Prague
As book lovers, we love dense little travel guides that feel good in our hands, are written by locals, and give us the inside scoop on the cool stuff that's not included in traditional travel guides. Join us off the beaten path.
The Týnská Literary Café in Prague has a Bohemian Vibe
The Týnská Literary Café in Prague has a Bohemian Vibe
Tucked behind the spiky Our Lady Before Týn Church in Old Town Square, the Týnská Literárni Kavárna can be a bit tricky to find. But the bohemian ambiance, homemade lemonade, and cheap beer make it worth the effort.
This is Why We Love The Union Coffee House in Leeds
This is Why We Love The Union Coffee House in Leeds
The Union Coffee House is tucked along a side street in Leeds. It's worth the trip to this cozy café to enjoy their excellent coffee, warm hospitality, zippy wi-fi, and surprisingly good selection of books.
Hobnob with the Queen and Enjoy A Proper Cuppa with 'The Royal We'
Hobnob with the Queen and Enjoy A Proper Cuppa with 'The Royal We'
This weekend, we recommend a getaway to Oxford University where you just might fall in love with a prince. And learn a proper curtsy. And be mobbed by paparazzi. And find yourself joining the royal family.
Fight a Deadly Ant Swarm and Sip a Piña Colada in Hawaii with 'Invasive'
Fight a Deadly Ant Swarm and Sip a Piña Colada in Hawaii with 'Invasive'
This weekend, we recommend a getaway to tropical Hawaii... to a billionaire's private island with pristine beaches, crystal blue water, and oops! genetically modified, weaponized ants. Don't forget your sunscreen!
The Search for 'Jane Eyre' and Legendary Strudel in Prague
The Search for 'Jane Eyre' and Legendary Strudel in Prague
On Melissa and David's first trip to Prague, they had a master plan for battling jetlag: Go on the hunt for the city's best strudel. Along the way, they discovered a cache of vintage books at a dusty used book store.
Why You Should Visit the Infinite Spire of Books at the Prague City Library
Why You Should Visit the Infinite Spire of Books at the Prague City Library
The Municipal Library of Prague (_Městská knihovna v Praze_) is close to the city center, and it's a quiet, magical place to escape the crush of Old Town and relax in the serenity of bookland. Visitors welcome.
Bookish Poetry: 'I Opened a Book' by Julia Donaldson
Bookish Poetry: 'I Opened a Book' by Julia Donaldson
We love this sweet poem that perfectly captures the magic of getting lost in a great book. If you think you don't 'get' poetry, give this one a try.
This is Why Daunt Books in London is One of Our Favorite Bookshops
This is Why Daunt Books in London is One of Our Favorite Bookshops
Daunt Books Marylebone is like Strong Sense of Place became sentient and took up residence in an Edwardian bookshop. Its collection of curated books, stained glass window, reading nooks make it a must-visit bookshop.
Lose Yourself in Thrilling Stories of the Balkans with 'The Tiger's Wife'
Lose Yourself in Thrilling Stories of the Balkans with 'The Tiger's Wife'
This weekend, we recommend a getaway to the Balkans where you'll be swept up in the enthralling story of a magical tiger, man who cannot die, and the mutual adoration between a girl and her grandfather.
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