In a world dominated by screens, where adults spend hours watching TV, reading remains a powerful and enriching activity. Studies show that reading can reduce stress, improve memory, and even prevent Alzheimer’s. So, pick up a book and dive into these fascinating facts that celebrate the magic of reading!
Bibliophobia: The Fear of Books
Believe it or not, some people have an intense fear of books, known as bibliophobia. This fear can manifest in various ways, from fearing the book’s content to simply being in a library. Symptoms can include shaking, sweating, and even crying. Childhood experiences or learning disabilities can trigger this phobia.
Subtypes include ‘mythophobia’ (fear of false statements) and ‘metrophobia’ (fear of poetry). On the flip side, abibliophobia is the fear of running out of reading material!
The Most Expensive Book Ever Sold
The ‘Codex Leicester’ by Leonardo da Vinci holds the record for the most expensive book ever purchased. Bill Gates bought it in 1994 for a staggering $30.8 million. Gates, a big fan of Da Vinci, digitized the book, making it accessible online and even creating Windows wallpapers and screensavers from its pages.
Gates said, “Even though, in the age of free Wikipedia entries and YouTube videos, it’s easier than ever to satisfy your curiosity. It’s ironic that we can be reminded about the wonders of modern life by a man who lived 500 years ago.”
The Highest Library Fine in History
Emily Cannellos-Simms earned a Guinness World Record in 2020 for the highest library fine ever paid: over $345! The book, ‘Days and Deeds,’ a collection of children’s poems, was due back to the Kewanee Public Library in Illinois on April 19, 1955. The fine accrued at 2 cents per day.
Libraries impose fines to remind patrons of their responsibility and the importance of sharing resources.
Bibliosmia: The Love of Book Smell
Bibliosmia refers to the distinct and beloved smell of books, which many readers find essential to the reading experience. This is something that e-books simply can’t replicate.
The smell comes from the chemical breakdown of compounds in the paper over time. Author Ray Bradbury famously said, “There is no future for e-books because they are not books. E-books smell like burned fuel.”
The Book Balancing Record
In 2012, 998 female students and teachers from Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College in North Sydney broke the Guinness World Record for the most people balancing books on their heads in a single location. They walked five meters with books on their heads, surpassing the previous record of 939. The books were then donated to children in need.
Ashley James, the 11-year-old who came up with the idea, aimed to improve literacy levels and provide books to communities who needed them.
The First Book Written on a Typewriter
Historians believe that Mark Twain’s ‘Life on the Mississippi’ (1882) was the first typewritten manuscript sent to a publisher. Twain himself boasted about being the first to use a “typemachine” for literature.
Typewriter historian Darryl Rehr confirms that ‘Life on the Mississippi,’ written on a Remington No. 2, was indeed the first.
The Largest Library in the World
The Library of Congress in Washington D.C. is the world’s largest library. Founded in 1800, it holds over 38 million books. The total length of its bookshelves reaches 745 miles, and approximately 10,000 items are added daily. The library has books in 470 different languages.
It consists of three buildings connected by underground passageways: the Thomas Jefferson Building, John Adams Building, and James Madison Memorial Building.
The Longest Novel Ever Written
‘Remembrance of Things Past’ (also known as ‘In Search of Lost Time’) by Marcel Proust is the longest novel ever written. Published in seven volumes between 1913 and 1927, it tells the story of the author’s life and society. The novel contains 1,267,069 words and an estimated 9,609,000 characters.
Proust self-published the first volume, ‘Swann’s Way,’ after being rejected by publishers.
The Origin of the Term “Bookworm”
The term ‘bookworm’ originally referred to insects that damage books, such as the drugstore beetle and cigarette beetle. These insects eat the bookbinder’s paste, bindings, and leaves.
Initially, calling someone a bookworm was an insult, implying they were self-centered and antisocial. Today, it simply describes someone who loves reading.
The Most Popular Book of All Time
The Holy Bible is the best-selling book of all time, with over 2.5 billion copies sold between 1815 and 1975, and those numbers have since doubled. While exact sales figures are impossible to determine, its impact is undeniable.
In contrast, the ‘Harry Potter’ series, first published in 1997, had sold over 500 million copies by January 2020 and has been translated into 80 languages.
From the fear of books to the love of their smell, the world of books is full of surprises. Whether you’re a casual reader or a dedicated bibliophile, there’s always something new to discover about these treasured objects. So, keep reading and keep exploring!
What’s your favorite book fact? Leave your comment below!
