The Loss That Binds Us

"I wrote this book because grief, though an individual journey, is a universal experience we all endure."  ~The Loss That Binds Us, Sweta Vikram

The loss of a loved one is often a very difficult and painful emotional experience.   Grief may feel all-encompassing and crushing at times, especially at the beginning.  Grief may make us feel as if we are all tied up, bound by ropes that refuse to loosen up.

In The Loss That Binds Us: 108 Tips on Coping with Grief and Loss by best-selling author Sweta Vikram, published in April 2024 by Loving Healing Press, the author talks primarily about the most recent losses in her own life, which were devastating for several reasons.  In May of 2023, she lost her father, with whom she had a very close and loving relationship, and then her dear father-in-law, a mere two days later.  Her mother had died a few years earlier. It was a lot to bear--perhaps too much to bear.  A true writer, Vikram turned to writing to help her process these enormous, intense losses in her life.  She took her great emotional pain and turned it into a book to help herself, as well as others.

The Loss That Binds Us is well-written and thorough. Vikram provides an in-depth look at grief that includes the five stages of grief (DABDA) outlined by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, with a sixth stage later proposed by David Kessler (finding meaning), in the book On Death and Dying (1969).  However, Vikram knows that grieving is not a one-size-fits-all process, but a unique process, different for each person. This thoughtful, touching, personal account is full of ideas and suggestions to help individuals dealing with grief. The Loss That Binds Us presents 108 ideas to help guide people during the grieving process, designed to assist all with their own personal grief. (Why 108? The significance of this number is discussed in detail in this special manual.) 

I lost both of my parents just short of a dozen years ago. They died about one year apart (a charming friend of mine said that was because they wanted to be together again).  It was a very sad time in my life. When I read this book, I realized that many of the tips in this book rang true to me.  Since my parents died, I've done several of the things mentioned in the book, including reaching out to family members, sharing stories about the person who died, and remembering their birthdays (and celebrating them in some way). Quite recently, one of my sisters texted that she'd just added some trimming from my mother's sewing basket to adorn her jeans; I'd added some to the hem of my own jeans and capris a few years ago, a decorative touch in remembrance of our wonderful mother. Particularly after my mother died, it helped me a great deal to see and to talk to family members, especially my three sisters, and my mother's sister and her son. Together, we navigated our grief, and were able to get through emotionally difficult times. Grieving together brought us closer together, which is an integral part of what the author presents in her book.

The Loss That Binds Us is a profound book, a valuable manual for people who are dealing with grief after the loss of a loved one. It is worth reading, and rereading.  It provides understanding, ideas, insights--and hope!

Special thanks to Sweta Vikram for providing me with an advance reading copy of The Loss That Binds Us.

Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always.

A Piece of Peace: Everyday Mindfulness You Can Use

 

"I have learned to prioritize myself on a daily basis. It's given me a piece of peace." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

I will begin at the beginning, or right before the beginning.  In the introduction of the new book by best-selling author Sweta Srivastava Vikram,  A Piece of Peace: Everyday Mindfulness You Can Use, ideas about wellness and self-care are presented.

"Self-care and mindfulness are revolutionary and not optional for your healing and creativity." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

And I will now cut to the chase! I found myself highlighting a lot of the text in my advance reading copy of A Piece of Peace. This book is full of wisdom and wonderful ideas that will contribute to health, well-being, and creativity.  Countless great ideas are presented and elaborated upon in this slim volume!  My notes, and consequently the ideas in this review, may seem to be "all over the place". 

A Piece of Peace is a manual of sorts, filled with incredible ideas and concepts that will be a a gift to those who read it.  The different sections are clearly titled, so you can skip around a bit if you want to, and learn about or investigate ideas as you wish. There are special tips for writers, including yoga poses that may benefit writers and artists, Ayurveda and mindfulness tips, and tips pertaining to the pandemic, presented in a friendly and encouraging manner.  In A Piece of Peace, the author reveals her personal story of illness and hospitalization, and subsequent quest for a return to health. She doesn't preach but speaks kindly from the heart, and generously shares her wisdom.  She's upbeat and encouraging. 

 

Sweta Vikram presents her new book

Many claim that silence is golden. Why I spend 12 Hours a week in Complete Silence (maun vrat in Sanskrit) is a fascinating chapter of the book. It talks about the author's practice of staying silent for 12 hour periods, and how she finds perspective in silence. Her husband, Anudit, notices the many positive effects of this on her, and adopts this practice as well. I'm not sure that I could remain silent for that long, but the idea is certainly intriguing!

"In Ayurveda, body, mind, and consciousness work together in maintaining balance." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

I relished so many parts of this book, including the parts about Ayurveda (science or knowledge of life), which I am particularly interested in right now.  In addition to learning the proper spelling of the term, I've started to learn about the ways in which I may revitalize my health with Ayurveda. As a fan of spices, I love this quotation from the book:

"Ayurveda teaches us that the spice cabinet is our first access to the apothecary.  It can turn our pantry into a holistic medicine cabinet." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

 

I'm a Spice Girl

A Piece of Peace has already influenced me, although I feel as if I have only just begun to implement some of the ideas and approaches to health.  Specifically, I try to get to sleep earlier (emphasis on the word try) each night. I wish to incorporate more Ayurveda into my life, and to be mindful about food, exercise, and meditation (of some sort).  I've noticed that walking or running (without too much conversation with a partner) puts me in a more meditative, creative mode, and also brightens my mood; movement is medicine. I will continue to prioritize my own health and well-being, and refer to this book frequently for ideas, inspiration, and helpful reminders. 

Please note that I've taken the liberty to include quotations from my version of the book, which may change, as I do not have the final edition. The book will be released to the public on September 21, 2021.  You can pre-order the book from the publisher, Loving Healing Press, or on Amazon.  Goodreads is currently hosting a giveaway for A Piece of Peace.  Enter by September 21.

Special thanks to Sweta Vikram for providing me with an advance reading copy of A Piece of Peace. I am beyond excited about this new book, which is full of wonderful, helpful ideas that will contribute to health and well-being. 

Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed.
 

Writing Out Loud: A Guest Post by Cheryl Wilder

My guest today is Cheryl Wilder, author of Anything That Happens, published in March of 2021.  This debut poetry collection tells the story of what happens after a terrible accident that puts her friend in a coma and twenty-year-old Cheryl in jail. 

In this exclusive guest post, Cheryl shares a technique that helps her to write poetry, as well as tips that help her to read her poetry to others with confidence.  This post may boost your own writing and speaking abilities--enjoy! 

 

  

Writing Out Loud: A Guest Post by Cheryl Wilder

 

Writing Out Loud 

as Revision

One piece of advice given to me over the years has been to read my work-in-progress out loud. It’s a revision tool in the writers’ toolbox. At first, I was shy to read out loud to myself.  It’s one thing to construct a poem on paper: decide on stanzas, fret over line breaks, stare at commas. It’s another to hear a poem–my thoughts and emotions–outside my head. Now, reading aloud is integral to my writing process. (I even read my full collection out loud several times before submitting the final draft.) The advice to read out loud during revision is for all poets, whether they write narrative, dramatic, or lyric poems. I primarily write lyric poetry–short, subjective, personal, and song-like. The lyric form helps lighten heavy themes, allows the reader to catch a breath in the white space.  Rhythm adds to the texture of the content, provides another layer of enjoyment.  I want a poem to roll out of the mouth or jar the reader in the right places. To get there, I rely as much on my ear as anything else.  Reading aloud helps me hear what isn’t working rhythmically.  Reading out loud also helps me refine syntax.  As a poet, I rely on images.  Images come first, and then the structure.  I work to blend imagery with syntax.  Saying what I mean in a way that sounds how I want is imperative to the integrity of a poem. But, the poem also needs to make sense. When I read aloud, I walk around my office or, when the house is bustling, the master bathroom. I have paper and pencil in hand and stop to make notes as needed. It requires privacy and quiet. Why do I walk around? It could be that I’m stretching my legs after sitting at the computer.  Maybe it’s more like pacing around the room. But honestly, it’s not a conscious act, so I don’t know.  Once I start reading, I start moving.

as Oration

Practice and preparation are effective ways to become comfortable reading in front of others. But it’s not easy for a lot of people to get started, myself included.  Spending a lot of time alone with my poems felt counter-intuitive to reading them in public to strangers. It felt like sharing my diary.  To help with stage fright, I took two speech classes in college. I practiced at home alone.  When there was a chance to read at an open mic, I took it. I chipped away at my fear over many years.  What’s helped me the most: Reading out loud to revise. Not only does it provide practice, I know the poems backward and forward. Where they once tripped up my tongue and how they taught me to express my heaviest emotions. I’ve learned, with the practice of reading aloud and crying alone in my office, to find the right words. Words that connect me to the poem and, I believe, the poem to readers. When I read in public now, I use emotion to propel my oration–the tears in the rhythm and syntax. No matter how many people are listening, it’s just me and the poem, like it’s always been.

Video link:
Cheryl Wilder reads "Xing" from Anything That Happens

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Since poetry is often read out loud, reading it out loud during the writing process seems like a great idea.  In addition to conveying the intended meaning, how does the work-in-progress sound?  Like music, poetry is an auditory medium, so sound is quite important, especially poetry that's read later to an audience. Many of us dread speaking in front of a group (can I get a witness?), but according to Cheryl ample practice and preparation can help.  

While I read this collection of poems, I felt the poet's pain about the accident acutely.  These heartbreaking, heartfelt poems are poignant and piercing.  They explore many lasting emotions including guilt, suffering, and regret.  These poems tell a difficult story and pose difficult questions. Moving and artistic, Anything That Happens expresses the poet's vulnerability, honesty, and bravery.

 

Many thanks to Cheryl for this guest post, and to Kevin from Press 53 for sending me a copy of the book.  Special thanks to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this tour.  For more reviews of Anything That Happens and other features, please visit the other stops on the tour. 

Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always. 

Finding Magic: A Guest Post by Kathy Davis

Please extend a warm welcome to my guest today, poet Kathy Davis, the author of Passiflora, a book of poems published in 2021.  This eclectic debut collection features poems about children, relationships, nature, aging, loss, art, and more, that are unique, intelligent, and even a bit humorous at times.  In the exclusive guest post below, Kathy Davis talks about what led to the creation of some of the poems in the book.  I hope you will find it as inspiring as I did!

Finding Magic:  A Guest Post by Kathy Davis

What do you do when something’s niggling at you? Something you saw or heard that stays in your head for days, weeks or even years as if begging to be dealt with, explored?  For me, I’ve learned the only way it will stop nagging is if I help it find a home in a poem.

Once when I was checking out a book in the small rural library near my home, a woman came in and asked if the library would like a pony. I could tell by the librarian’s face that she, like me, was stunned into imagining what they would do with a pony.  Let it wander the stacks?  Use it to entertain children during story hour?  Turn it out to graze the surrounding lawn?  That momentary flight of fancy was enchanting, but the spell was broken when another woman brought the subject inside.  It was a life-size stuffed toy Shetland pony—a much more manageable donation which found a home in the children’s section. The librarian later shared other remarkable happenings, such as the flock of guinea hens that would occasionally wander over to loudly police the grounds, and the phone calls the front desk received asking them to keep an eye out for a loose cow that might pop by.  She described all of this with sincere delight, the same sense of wonder that stayed with me and turned into the poem “The Shetland.”

Volunteering at my sons’ elementary school, I met a student’s mother who was recovering from chemotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer.  An artist, she was too weak to paint like she used to but had discovered she could mix her dryer lint with glue and sculpt it into human figures and other forms.  She described how the lint colors varied based on the mix of clothes dried and the various creative possibilities she saw with each shade.  When her neighbors learned about her new passion, they began to collect their own dryer lint and leave it in her mailbox, ensuring she always had a steady supply of material.  I carried her story in my head for years, remembering again and again the resilience of her creative spirit, her community’s support, until a piece of dryer lint sculpture found its way into my poem “Eve: After the Fall.”  

When my husband and I lived in Chicago during the early 80s, Lake Michigan always froze over in late winter, becoming a massive plain of ice and snow.  So, I was shocked when I returned in February a few years ago and saw it as blue and ice-free as during the warmer months.  In fact, the lake had not frozen over for many years—a startling reminder of the damage done by climate change.  Then, on the walk back to where I was staying, I saw a group of teenage boys in the distance playing chicken on the railroad tracks as a train was approaching.  I felt helpless to do anything but watch and hope they’d be OK. The anxiety produced by the change in the lake and the boys’ risky behavior stood out as a sharp contrast with my experience of Chicago as a young newlywed, when I had not yet had much experience with grief and loss and everything good seemed possible.  It made me think about how I had changed over the years and ultimately led to the poem “Freeze.”  

We can’t force inspiration to happen. And if we’re always looking for something big and lofty, supernatural or divine—we may miss the transcendent nature of moments in our day-to-day lives. When something seemingly ordinary keeps niggling at us, I think that’s the universe saying: Look! There’s magic here.

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Photos from Kathy Davis

 

 

Photo notes: The photos of the poet's writing space, where some of the magic of creating poetry occurs, are quite lovely; I'd be inspired to write in this pretty room with the pretty view! The Georgia O'Keeffe art print (on the bright orange wall) depicts clouds, but it reminds the poet of the ice chunks she used to see on Lake Michigan (as mentioned in her guest post). 

Learning about the inspiration of some of the poems in the book, "The Shetland", "Eve: After the Fall",  and "Freeze", added another dimension to this work for me.  All of the poems in Passiflora are lovingly crafted, and capture different moments, moods, and details with beauty and finesse. They tell stories of everyday life in an extraordinary fashion. I didn't read the poems out loud, but I did read some of them, including "The Shetland", more than once.  That's what I do when I really like a poem (unless it's extremely long).  These poems are outstanding, and touched me in various ways.  

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Special thanks to Kathy Davis for this guest post and for graciously sending me a copy of Passiflora, and to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to join the tour.  For more reviews of this book and other features, please visit the other stops on the Passiflora tour.  I wanted to do something special for National Poetry Month, and reading this book was the perfect way for me to celebrate. There are still a few more days in April if you're also interested in celebrating by reading, listening to, or writing(!) some poetry, though of course poetry may be enjoyed all year long. 

Thank you very much for reading!  I welcome and appreciate your comments.

Letter to My Daughters Upon the Release of My Grown-up Book: A Guest Post by Elizabeth Kropf

My guest is the author of a new book of poems, What Mothers Withhold: Poems by Elizabeth Kropf, published in January 2021.  I haven't read this book yet, but I've read several reviews of the book, and it's been described as beautiful, honest, and hopeful.  It sounds like my kind of book.  Elizabeth Kropf  has graciously written an exclusive guest post for my blog, a special, sweet letter to her young daughters, infused with joy and love.  Enjoy!

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Letter to my daughters upon the release of my grown-up book
 

By Elizabeth Kropf

My chapbook “what mothers withhold” has just been published from Finishing Line Press. This has presented an interesting paradox as my children are 10 and 5 and the book appropriately includes things that have been withheld from them. For now, neither of them have asked to read it, but some day they might want to. I have written a letter to them for this occasion. The letter refers to chocolate chip cookies, which references one of the poems my oldest daughter has heard.

January 2021

To my delightful, exuberant daughters,

     Someday, you might read my chapbook, or at least have an interest in it beyond chocolate chip cookies and announcing that I am famous while jumping on the couch. You may not understand why there is not more about your adventurous spirits. When that day comes, I hope you do understand how fiercely I love you and how protecting you is my strongest desire.  If, someday, you choose to have children, you will have a deeper understanding of this, as I have a deeper understanding of my parents love for me.

     Someday you may wonder why your dad is not in the book more.  Every poem written, every critique group and workshop was attended while your dad was taking you on all of the adventures you have had. Writing is a way to process hard things, and while I was going through difficult times, your dad was next to me for all of it.

     This book is only the beginning.  I will write more about what each of you have taught me and how each of you will change the world.  I will write about how much I enjoy watching you practice TaeKwonDo and how much I love your confidence.

      What I hope you learn from me publishing a book is that your voice matters, your story matters. Choose who holds your pain and when.  Do not put a deadline on dreams.

Love, Mom

 

                                            
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Special thanks to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this book tour.  Like the poet, I have two daughters (and a son), so I think I this collection of poetry will resonate with me as a mother, and as a daughter.  I look forward to reading it.  Please visit the other stops on this tour for reviews and other related features.  The dazzling photograph above is by Alejandra Alumbaugh Photography.

Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed.

Out of No Way

Out of no way is an old African American expression that means to thrive in spite of impossible odds.  This expression fits perfectly as the title for this book by producer, author, and poet Rojé Augustin, Out of No Way: Madam C.J. Walker &  A' Lelia Walker, A Poetic Drama.  Published in 2020, this debut poetry collection uses poetic verse to tell the story of Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919).  Born Sarah Breedlove, the first free-born child of former Louisiana slaves, she achieves great success in spite of a humble and difficult beginning. Sarah was orphaned at 7, married at 14, became a mother at 17, and became a widow at 20.  She went from earning pennies as a laundress and maid to becoming a very wealthy hair care entrepreneur, activist, and philanthropist. 

Personal struggles with hair loss led Sarah to develop a hair care product for herself and other black women, which was the start of her lucrative career in business.  With the help of her daughter, A' Lelia, and third husband, Charles J. Walker, the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company became a very successful business.  Madam C.J. Walker trained thousands of women to become independent sales agents for her beauty products.  Equipped with drive and tremendous resilience, Madam Walker became the first self-made female millionaire in America, and one of the first African American millionaires in America.  It's remarkable that she achieved this feat during one of the most racially violent periods in American history, during the Jim Crow era.  Based on biographies and archival materials, this book tells her story, using dramatic verse.  It's a unique collection of poems in different poetic forms, including narrative and lyrical poems, haiku, and blackout poetry, which depict an extraordinary story of entrepreneurial success, and the extraordinary love between a mother and daughter.

                                         

                        Sarah, Mother       A' Lelia, Daughter                    

 

I have long been interested in biographies and stories of success, stories that illustrate our ability to improve our lot in life. When I read them, I want to learn about the character traits that aid success, and to be inspired. This collection of poems had that effect on me.  Although Out of No Way is serious and delves deeply into themes such as racism and hate, it's also uplifting at times.  It depicts the rags-to-riches story of Madam C.J. Walker through dramatic, varied verse,  presented as an exciting, absorbing story, and features A' Lelia's perspective as well. I relished the illustrations and advertisements of her hair and skin products in the book. As a woman, I'm interested in these products (recently, I've rediscovered henna for the hair, which I first used when I was in high school). I greatly enjoyed reading this book.

Because poetry is especially wonderful to listen to, here are links to some of the poems in Out of No Way, performed by poet Rojé Augustin on YouTube.  I could use many adjectives to describe these poems.  But these beautiful, touching, heart-wrenching poems speak for themselves.

Elegy for my Mother

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyB2_FTY4_4

Why Our Hair is not Straight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bFKpoVSzAE

The Lost Letters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD5DmJr6xE0

Graves & Thrones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS3VIuLhHuU

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Rojé Augustin is a native New Yorker who grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  Her first novel, The Unraveling of Bebe Jones, on which her drama series pitch BEAU REVE is based, won the 2013 National Indie Excellence Award in African American fiction. She wrote the novel while living in London and Sydney as a stay-at-home-mom.  She established Breaknight Films shortly after her move to Sydney in 2009 to develop and produce projects across a range of formats, including television, web, and audio. Her first Sydney based project was a podcast and visual web series called The Right Space, which explores the relationship between creatives and their workspace.  In 2013 Rojé's script, The Weekly: Women Who Shaped a Nation, was selected for the Australian Writer's Guild Pathways Program.  In 2020 Rojé published a debut poetry collection titled, Out of No Way: Madam C.J.Walker and A' Leila Walker, A Poetic Drama, which tells the story of Madam Walker's phenomenal life. Rojé continues to work as a producer while also writing in her spare time. She is an Australian citizen who currently lives in Sydney with her Aussie husband and two daughters.

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Special thanks to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this tour.  I'd never heard of Madam C.J. Walker before joining this wonderful tour.  Poet Rojé Augustin brought her to life for me. Now, I want to learn as much as I can about Madam Walker's life and legacy.  She made a way out of no way, and then used her wealth and influence to help and empower others.  I'd love to visit Madam Walker's grand home, Villa Lewaro, in Irvington, NY, a National Historic Landmark that was purchased in 2018 by the New Voices Foundation, which helps women of color achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.  This book affected me deeply.  For more reviews of  Out of No Way and other features, please stop by Poetic Book Tours.

 Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always.

Reading during the Coronavirus Pandemic

15 Super-Nerdy Book Facts for Bibliophiles: A Guest Post by Desiree Villena

Calling all bibliophiles!  I loved reading this incredible guest post written by Desiree Villena from Reedsy, and think my readers will, too.  Enjoy!

15 Super-Nerdy Book Facts for Bibliophiles:  

A Guest Post by Desiree Villena

Fans of Jane Austen might pride themselves on being able to recite the opening lines of lesser-known titles like Lady Susan as easily as Pride and Prejudice. Potterheads might know the series so well, they can list off the fictional birthdays of each character. Avid Tolkien readers might have encyclopedic familiarity with Middle-earth lore. In general, book-lovers tend to be deep wells of knowledge when it comes to their favorite stories or authors.

In this post, however, I want to talk about the world of literature as a whole and reveal my top 15 pieces of biblio-trivia. How many did you already know?

1.  Longest novel

Words just seem to flow more easily in French. Both of the world’s longest books were written by French authors: Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus by Georges de Scudéry goes on for 1.95 million words, while Men of Good Will by Jules Romains has an astounding 2.07 million word count across 27 volumes. That’s about twice the size of the entire Harry Potter series combined  — and well above the average length of a novel. (And here we were all wondering if Order of the Phoenix could have done with some editing!)

2.  Most expensive print book

Drumroll, please! The most expensive book in the world is none other than the Bay Psalm Book, a pamphlet of hymns produced by Puritans who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay in 1640. These days, there are only 11 original copies in existence. The copy I’m speaking of here was sold for a whopping $14.2 million in 2013 — making this slender pamphlet more expensive than the “Marie Antoinette” necklace and the Moussaieff Red Diamond combined.

3.  Smallest book

How small is the smallest book in the world? Try this on for size: 70 micrometers by 100 micrometers. (That’s about the width of a human hair.) Perhaps fittingly, it’s a reproduction of a book titled Teeny Ted from Turnip Town — a tale about a small bear at a county fair. You won’t be able to read it with your naked eye, so if you want to find out who wins the turnip-growing contest, grab the nearest electron microscope and get ready to squint.

4. tsundoku

For all you bibliophiles out there, there’s actually a Japanese word to describe the act of buying books and not reading them. 積ん読 (tsundoku) is a pun that combines the word tsundeoku (which means to “to pile things up”) and dokusho (which means “to read”). Literally: to pile up things to read. No word yet on whether there’s a cure for this behavior.

5.  Bestselling author of all time

There’s a bit of a debate over who occupies the top spot, with both Agatha Christie and Shakespeare having sold somewhere between 2-4 billion copies of their books. I’m sure that no one would mind if I call it a virtual tie for now. Here’s some more trivia for the road, as well: Danielle Steel sold more total books than J.K. Rowling, and out of the top 10 bestselling authors ever, nine out of ten wrote in English.

6.  Bestselling novel of all time

It’s Don Quixote’s world, and we’re just living in it. This tale of a delusional, romantic knight and his trusty squire has sold an estimated 500 million copies. To be fair, it had a massive head start: Miguel de Cervantes published it in 1605, more than 250 years before the number-two bestselling novel of all time, Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. That gives the next two entrants — Lord of the Rings and The Little Prince — something to aim for in the next quarter-millennium!

7.   Shortest chapter

Taken from Allen Carr's The Easy Way to Stop Smoking, the shortest chapter in existence is titled "The Advantages of Being a Smoker" and is, quite appropriately, blank. Some more famous examples come from William Faulkner’s five-word chapter in As I Lay Dying and Lewis Carroll’s eight-word chapter in Alice In Wonderland. For more wee chapters in literature, check out this page. As it points out, if you read them all, you’ve practically read an entire book, right?

8.  Longest sentence

Until quite recently, the longest sentence in literature came from Jonathan Coe’s 2001 novel The Rotter’s Club. It’s a bonafide mouthful that lasts a whopping 13,955 words (roughly half the word count of Of Mice and Men).

However, that record has since been usurped by Lucy Ellman’s Ducks, Newburyport, a finalist for the 2019 Booker Prize which famously contains nearly the entire novel in a single sentence of over 400,000 words (!!!).Though Ellman’s gargantuan sentence is clearly the technical champion here, I thought I’d include both in case readers were curious about the longest sentence within a book, as well as comprising the entire thing.

9.  Biggest library ever

Hermione Granger’s secret? “When in doubt, go to the library.” Even if the Library of Congress doesn’t contain any magical books, it is the biggest in the world, boasting over 150 million items and the largest collection of rare books in history (including one of the three perfect copies of the Gutenberg Bible). On top of all that, the Library of Congress receives 15,000 new books every day — which might be enough to keep even the hungriest reader occupied.

10.  Longest word

The longest word in history is the chemical name for the protein ‘titin’: 

methionylthreonylthreonyglutaminylarginyl[…]isoleucine.

The ellipses, by the way, are there for your convenience. Otherwise, this word could take you a solid minute to scroll through on a screen. At a total of 189,819 letters, it would take about 3.5 hours to pronounce from beginning to end.

In comparison, the longest word to ever appear in literature seems practically compact: Lopado­temacho­selacho­galeo­kranio­leipsano­drim­hypo­trimmato­silphio­karabo­melito­katakechy­meno­kichl­epi­kossypho­phatto­perister­alektryon­opte­kephallio­kigklo­peleio­lagoio­siraio­baphe­tragano­pterygon, which is a fictional Greek dish in Aristophanes’ Assemblywomen.

11.  Largest population of bookworms

Since Asia is the biggest continent, it makes sense that it would also have the most bookworms! According to the 2014 NOP World Culture Score Index, India is the country that reads the most, clocking on average more than 10 hours per week per person. That said, people in Thailand and China aren’t far behind — they read 9.24 and 8 hours per week per person, respectively. Meanwhile, the United States only reads a measly 5.6 hours per week per person, ranking it 22nd on the list.

12.  Longest series ever

A Song of Ice and Fire doesn’t even come close. This title goes to Perry Rhodan, a German science fiction series whose first installment was published in 1961. It’s come quite a way since then: as of April 2017, the original series consists of more than 2,900 novels. That pushes Perry Rhodan to just over 300,000 pages in total. To put that into perspective for you, Terry Pratchett's entire 45-book Discworld series comes out to 15,497 pages — and A Song of Ice and Fire totals “only” 4,228 pages so far.

13.  Thickest book published

HarperCollins has the distinct honor of publishing the thickest book in the world: a complete collection of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories that measures 12.6 inches (322 mm) in width. As the Guinness Book of World Records points out, that’s 68 crimes committed, 11 philandering paramours, 68 secrets, 12 poisonings, 6 strangulations, 2 drownings, 1 death by an arrow, 2 people pushed, and 66 maids. All in a day’s work, as Miss Marple might say.

14.  abibliophobia

Fear of spiders? Nope. On the contrary, abibliophobia describes a reader’s worst nightmare: it’s an extreme fear of running out of reading material. Signs of abibliophobia include:

●      Reading receipts when there’s nothing else around;

●      Panicking because you forgot to bring a book with you on a flight; and

●      Re-reading novels more than six times in a row.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, consult your local bookstore immediately.

15.  Most words invented

Sure, Paris Hilton thinks that she invented the word “selfie” — but could she come up with more than 1,700 new words? That’s the number of terms that we owe to Shakespeare, without whom we wouldn’t have such commonly-used words as “anchovy,” “addiction,” “compromise,” “drugged,” “auspicious,” “bedazzle,” “bloodstained,” “assassination,” “negotiate,” “radiance,” “torture,” “dauntless,” “summit,” “frugal,” and “excitement.” I could go on, but I’ll let Shakespeare have the last word: “amazement.”

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Desiree Villena is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors with the world's self-publishing resources and professionals. In her spare time, Desiree enjoys reading contemporary fiction, writing short stories, and boning up on literary trivia!

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Thank you for this nifty, nerdy, noteworthy guest post, Desiree.  I learned a lot of fascinating, new biblio-trivia (at least I knew the word tsundoku)!  I appreciate the time and effort that went into this well-written post, which includes terrific links to various related sites.

What do you think?  Your comments are welcomed as always, so please feel free to add to the conversation.

Kafka on the Shore

For several years, I've been interested in reading the work of Haruki Murakami, so I was very pleased to find the novel, Kafka on the Shore, translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel, on a small table in my daughter's room.  Over the years, I've read a lot about Murakami's work, and was interested in several novels by this prolific, bestselling author, as well as his memoir, What I Talk about When I Talk about Running, which caught my interest even before I'd begun to run on a regular basis.

"On my fifteenth birthday I'll run away from home, journey to a far-off town, and live in a corner of a small library."

Published in 2005, Kafka on the Shore focuses on protagonist Kafka Tamura, a fifteen-year-old boy who lives with his father in Tokyo.  Kafka runs away from home to escape from his troubles with his father. The first five chapters in this book are told in the first person narrative by Kafka.  On the run, Kafka travels to a shore village called Takamatsu, and discovers the Komura Family Library, where he meets Oshima, who works at the library.  Throughout the book, Oshima helps Kafka in numerous ways.  Kafka also meets the lovely but sad Miss Saeki, who's in charge of the library.  In Chapter 6, we meet Satoru Nakata, an older man who refers to himself in the third person throughout the book simply as Nakata.  He "used to be smart",  but due to a strange accident Nakata became mentally disabled, and lost his ability to read.  Oddly, though, Nakata can talk to cats, and he helps find missing cats. (Chapter 16, "the scary cat chapter", was very difficult for me to read. Without saying too much about it, what happens in this chapter is horrific; I felt as if I were suddenly, temporarily reading a Stephen King horror story.)  Later Nakata meets Hoshino, a truck driver, and they become good friends. Nakata reminds Hoshino of his grandfather, and together they embark on a special quest. The lives of all of these characters, and other, secondary characters, like Sakura, Johnnie Walker, and Colonel Sanders, intersect in numerous, unusual ways, creating an unforgettable story. 

There are so many things I could say about Kafka on the Shore.  It's a story unlike any other I've read.  It's a beautifully written book that features a passion for books and libraries, music, nature, food (mostly delicious Japanese food), cats, and perhaps most importantly, friendship.  The protagonist's very name, Kafka, reflects themes of writer Franz Kafka's work, of alienation and loneliness. The wonderful friendships that develop in this book, especially between Kafka and Oshima, and Nakata and Hoshino, are antidotes to this alienation; the characters help and care for each other, and in doing so, provide companionship and solace. Throughout the book, Kafka seeks close, familial connection to others; he wonders if Miss Saeki is his mother, if Sakura is his sister. He craves connection.

Kafka on the Shore is a magical story which also has some magic, or more precisely, magical realism, in it, in just the right amount. At times, readers are left to wonder what's real and what's imaginary. I read the book at a leisurely pace, often at night before I went to sleep, a chapter or two at a time. I looked forward to my time with this novel because the book is original and fascinating. The main characters in this novel are unique and I enjoyed spending time with them.  I've been to Japan twice (my daughter lives in Japan so we have a good "excuse" to travel there), which enhanced my enjoyment of the book.  I'd like to reread Kafka on the Shore soon, while it's still fresh in my mind, because I enjoyed it a great deal and would like to understand it at a deeper level.  There are several puzzles and mysteries in the book, and although I'm not sure I will ever solve all of them, a rereading would at least bring me closer.  It would also be a pleasure.   

Special thanks to Bellezza from Dolce Bellezza for hosting the Japanese Literature Challenge 12.  She has hosted this challenge for many years, and in doing so has introduced me to the rich world of Japanese literature, for which I'm grateful.

Thanks for reading!  Your comments are welcomed, as always.