The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World

This originally appeared in our Today in Books daily newsletter, where each day we round up the most interesting stories, news, essays, and other goings on in the world of books and reading. Sign up here if you want to get it.

_____________________________________________________

The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World

In my time on the bookish internet, I have seen a beautiful library or two. And most of the libraries in this round-up have come across my IG/FB/Twitter at some time or another, but a couple are new to me. I lean toward liking modern libraries better (I know I am in the minority on this one) for actual use, rather than for photographing. Among these, the Beitou Public Library in Taiwan seems to be the best of both worlds: a new modern, eco-friendly building that leans on historical style.

2024 Young Lions Fiction Award Finalists

I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had read four of the five finalists for this year’s Young Lions Award for Fiction. There are many years where I am lucky to have read one. I can complete the list with relish by reading Eskor David Johnson’s Pay As You Go. Monica Brashears’ House of Cotten was one of the more striking debut novels I have read in awhile, but all of these finalists are terribly exciting. And young.

Between the Book Club and BookTok

Terrific story about what happens when a little, out-of-the-way bookstore suddenly finds itself the object on online attention. A quiet, intentionally digital-free silent reading hour turned into a mini-phenomenon when a TikToker noted Page Break’s little event as one of the best free things to do in Montreal. And now it is overrun to the point of a needing a reservation system. Not sure that there is a moral here so much as a microcosm of online fame: no one has exactly the amount they want, really.

Hey, Look. A Totally Unforced Segue Into a Little Self-Promotion

Speaking of TikTok, I am messing around a very little bit on the BR account. Not going to be trafficking in the most stereotypical kinds of TikTok things, but seeing if there is space for us to play in our kinds of ways. Check it out if you’d like. Very rough at this point, but I have to admit there are parts that are pretty fascinating. More as we go.