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This Is How Fredd Members Do Summer Reading
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on July 08, 2015
We polled Fredd members about their summer reading habits, and the votes—over 95,000 of them—are in. Guess where 63% of respondents will be doing their summer reading? (Hint: It's not at the beach.) Check out more summer reading revelations below!
What books will you be reading this summer? (And if you didn't get a chance to vote in our polls, let us know how you do summer reading in the comments!)
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on July 08, 2015
We polled Fredd members about their summer reading habits, and the votes—over 95,000 of them—are in. Guess where 63% of respondents will be doing their summer reading? (Hint: It's not at the beach.) Check out more summer reading revelations below!
What books will you be reading this summer? (And if you didn't get a chance to vote in our polls, let us know how you do summer reading in the comments!)
10 Great Cookbooks to Savor This Summer
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on July 03, 2015
J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."
This summer, take Tolkien's advice. Put aside your hoarded gold, gather up some friends, and start valuing your food. The following cookbooks can help. From decadent bacon chocolate chip cookies to delectable spicy honey and habanero shrimp, there's a little something to inspire every palate. Bon appétit!
The Lemon Cookbook: 50 Sweet & Savory Recipes to Brighten Every Meal
by Ellen Jackson
Sample recipes: Meyer Lemon Risotto with Dungeness Crab Tarragon, Lemon Buttermilk Panna Cotta
Summer Cocktails: Margaritas, Mint Juleps, Punches, Party Snacks, and More
by Maria Del Mar Sacasa and Tara Striana
Sample recipes: Peachy Keen Punch, Ginger-Lemongrass Piña Colada, Tomatillo and Coriander Tequila
Passion for Pizza: A Journey Through Thick and Thin to Find the Pizza Elite
by Craig Whitson, Tore Gjesteland, Mats Widen, and Kenneth Hansen
Sample recipes: New York-Sicilian Hybrid Pizza, Aloha Pizza, Rolled-Up Calzone with Ricotta and Salami
Simply Ancient Grains: Fresh and Flavorful Whole Grain Recipes for Living Well
by Maria Speck
Sample recipes: Spicy Honey and Habanero Shrimp with Cherry Couscous, Farro Salad with Roasted Eggplant, Red Rice Shakshuka
The Blender Girl Smoothies: 100 Gluten-Free Vegan, and Paleo-Friendly Recipes
by Tess Masters
Sample recipes: Green Mojito, Tastes-Like-Ice-Cream Kale, Antioxidant Avenger
My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season
by Sarah Britton
Sample recipes: Buckwheat Crepes with Purple String Bean Slaw, Life-Changing Loaf of Bread, Raspberry Macadamia Thumbprint Cookies
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
by Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay
Sample recipes: Sauces and rubs for all your meat, plus recipes for the fixings. (It's more of a comprehensive barbecue how-to than a straight-forward recipe book.)
Buttercream Dreams: Small Cakes, Big Scoops, and Sweet Treats
by Jeff Martin
Sample recipes: Peanut Butter Pretzel and French Toast with Bacon, Caramel Pecan Carrot Cake
Plant-Powered Families: Over 100 Kid-Tested, Whole-Foods Vegan Recipes
by Dreena Burton
Sample recipes: Sneaky Chickpea Burgers, No-Bake Granola Bars, Apple Pie Chia Pudding
Cookie Love: 60 Recipes and Techniques for Turning the Ordinary into the Extraordinary
by Mindy Segal
Sample recipes: Brown Butter with Hickory Smoked Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies, Crème de Violet Snickerdoodles
Have an irresistible summer recipe? Share it with us in the comments!
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on July 03, 2015
J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."
This summer, take Tolkien's advice. Put aside your hoarded gold, gather up some friends, and start valuing your food. The following cookbooks can help. From decadent bacon chocolate chip cookies to delectable spicy honey and habanero shrimp, there's a little something to inspire every palate. Bon appétit!
by Ellen Jackson
Sample recipes: Meyer Lemon Risotto with Dungeness Crab Tarragon, Lemon Buttermilk Panna Cotta
by Maria Del Mar Sacasa and Tara Striana
Sample recipes: Peachy Keen Punch, Ginger-Lemongrass Piña Colada, Tomatillo and Coriander Tequila
by Craig Whitson, Tore Gjesteland, Mats Widen, and Kenneth Hansen
Sample recipes: New York-Sicilian Hybrid Pizza, Aloha Pizza, Rolled-Up Calzone with Ricotta and Salami
by Maria Speck
Sample recipes: Spicy Honey and Habanero Shrimp with Cherry Couscous, Farro Salad with Roasted Eggplant, Red Rice Shakshuka
by Tess Masters
Sample recipes: Green Mojito, Tastes-Like-Ice-Cream Kale, Antioxidant Avenger
by Sarah Britton
Sample recipes: Buckwheat Crepes with Purple String Bean Slaw, Life-Changing Loaf of Bread, Raspberry Macadamia Thumbprint Cookies
by Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay
Sample recipes: Sauces and rubs for all your meat, plus recipes for the fixings. (It's more of a comprehensive barbecue how-to than a straight-forward recipe book.)
by Jeff Martin
Sample recipes: Peanut Butter Pretzel and French Toast with Bacon, Caramel Pecan Carrot Cake
by Dreena Burton
Sample recipes: Sneaky Chickpea Burgers, No-Bake Granola Bars, Apple Pie Chia Pudding
by Mindy Segal
Sample recipes: Brown Butter with Hickory Smoked Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies, Crème de Violet Snickerdoodles
Have an irresistible summer recipe? Share it with us in the comments!
12 Beautiful Quotes of Hope and Inspiration from Helen Keller
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 27, 2015
June 27, 1880: On this day, Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was a happy and confident baby, precociously starting to talk at 6 months.
"Then, in the dreary month of February," Keller wrote in her autobiography, The Story of My Life, "came the illness which closed my eyes and ears and plunged me into the unconsciousness of a newborn." Her family doctor called it "brain fever." (Modern experts believe the illness was likely scarlet fever or meningitis.) The fever finally passed, but when it did, she was left, at 18 months old, permanently deaf and blind.
In the face of such adversity, Keller persevered, earning a bachelor of arts degree at the age of 24—the first deaf-blind person ever to do so—and going on to become an author, lecturer, and political activist. Read on for words of wisdom and encouragement from one of the most inspiring women in history.
1."I wonder what becomes of lost opportunities? Perhaps our guardian angel gathers them up as we drop them, and will give them back to us in the beautiful sometime when we have grown wiser, and learned how to use them rightly."
2. "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
3. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."
4. "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
5. "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."
6."Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."
7. "Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows."
8. "Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye."
9. "What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us."
10. "I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."
11. "Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content."
12. "Literature is my Utopia."
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 27, 2015
June 27, 1880: On this day, Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was a happy and confident baby, precociously starting to talk at 6 months.
"Then, in the dreary month of February," Keller wrote in her autobiography, The Story of My Life, "came the illness which closed my eyes and ears and plunged me into the unconsciousness of a newborn." Her family doctor called it "brain fever." (Modern experts believe the illness was likely scarlet fever or meningitis.) The fever finally passed, but when it did, she was left, at 18 months old, permanently deaf and blind.
In the face of such adversity, Keller persevered, earning a bachelor of arts degree at the age of 24—the first deaf-blind person ever to do so—and going on to become an author, lecturer, and political activist. Read on for words of wisdom and encouragement from one of the most inspiring women in history.
1."I wonder what becomes of lost opportunities? Perhaps our guardian angel gathers them up as we drop them, and will give them back to us in the beautiful sometime when we have grown wiser, and learned how to use them rightly."
2. "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
3. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."
4. "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
5. "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."
6."Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."
7. "Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows."
8. "Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye."
9. "What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us."
10. "I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."
11. "Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content."
12. "Literature is my Utopia."
6 Reasons to Add the Bodleian Library to Your Albooms Bucket List
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 23, 2015
If "books are a uniquely portable magic," then libraries must be one of the most magical places on earth (and librarians must be magicians). Oxford University's Bodleian Library certainly looks the part. This historical institution—and part-time Hogwarts stand-in—is a must-see for any traveling book worm. If it isn't on your book bucket list already, we think we can change your mind.
Reason #1: It has over 11 million printed items.
Not to shame your local library, but we're betting your usual book haunts can't quite compare to Bodleian's veritable army of tomes. Among the 11 million items to browse are a rare copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, unbound and unrestored, along with the largest collection of pre-1500 printed books in any university library in the world.
Reason #2: This is what it looks like on the outside.
Be still our bookish hearts. The image above is of Radcliffe Camera, which serves as a reading room for the Bodleian (because the Bodleian is so massive that architectural wonders like this are used as a "room").
Reason #3: Its history goes back to the fourteenth century.
While the Bodleian Library officially opened to scholars in the seventeenth century, the collection truly began with Thomas Cobham, Bishop of Worcester, in 1320. At the time, all of the books were chained to the wall to prevent theft. With generous contributions from Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and Thomas Bodley, the library was refitted and re-opened under the name Bodleian Library on November 8, 1602.
Reason #4: You may have seen your favorite fictional wizards here on the big screen.
Duke Humphrey's library, the oldest reading room in the Bodleian, was used as the filming location for the Hogwarts Library in the Harry Potter films. And, in case you were wondering, The Bodleian staff is "experienced in working with both small and large scale filming projects." Other film credits include The Golden Compass, Brideshead Revisited, and The Madness of King George III.
Reason #5: It has a pretty sweet nickname.
Just call it "Bodley" or the "the Bod," and you'll fit right in with the rest of the Oxford students. (Well, maybe not, but it's worth a try.)
Reason #6: Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and more browsed its shelves.
Some of the greats have found inspiration here. Including the above writers, five kings, 40 Nobel Prize winners, and 26 prime ministers (and counting!) have all studied at the Bodleian.
Know of any other magical places for our book bucket list? Let us know in the comments!
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 23, 2015
If "books are a uniquely portable magic," then libraries must be one of the most magical places on earth (and librarians must be magicians). Oxford University's Bodleian Library certainly looks the part. This historical institution—and part-time Hogwarts stand-in—is a must-see for any traveling book worm. If it isn't on your book bucket list already, we think we can change your mind.
Reason #1: It has over 11 million printed items.
Not to shame your local library, but we're betting your usual book haunts can't quite compare to Bodleian's veritable army of tomes. Among the 11 million items to browse are a rare copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, unbound and unrestored, along with the largest collection of pre-1500 printed books in any university library in the world.
Reason #2: This is what it looks like on the outside.
Be still our bookish hearts. The image above is of Radcliffe Camera, which serves as a reading room for the Bodleian (because the Bodleian is so massive that architectural wonders like this are used as a "room").
Reason #3: Its history goes back to the fourteenth century.
While the Bodleian Library officially opened to scholars in the seventeenth century, the collection truly began with Thomas Cobham, Bishop of Worcester, in 1320. At the time, all of the books were chained to the wall to prevent theft. With generous contributions from Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and Thomas Bodley, the library was refitted and re-opened under the name Bodleian Library on November 8, 1602.
Reason #4: You may have seen your favorite fictional wizards here on the big screen.
Duke Humphrey's library, the oldest reading room in the Bodleian, was used as the filming location for the Hogwarts Library in the Harry Potter films. And, in case you were wondering, The Bodleian staff is "experienced in working with both small and large scale filming projects." Other film credits include The Golden Compass, Brideshead Revisited, and The Madness of King George III.
Reason #5: It has a pretty sweet nickname.
Just call it "Bodley" or the "the Bod," and you'll fit right in with the rest of the Oxford students. (Well, maybe not, but it's worth a try.)
Reason #6: Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and more browsed its shelves.
Some of the greats have found inspiration here. Including the above writers, five kings, 40 Nobel Prize winners, and 26 prime ministers (and counting!) have all studied at the Bodleian.
Know of any other magical places for our book bucket list? Let us know in the comments!
Words of Wisdom from Your Favorite Fictional Albooms Dads
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 20, 2015
Albooms dads don't have it easy. After all, it's never just about raising kids—there are always criminals to apprehend, apocalypses to avoid, and winters to plan for! So this Father's Day, let's remember to appreciate the dads who did it all from the page.
Last week we asked on Facebook and Twitter: Who's your favorite book dad? Today we've got your top answers! Did your pick make the list?
Did we miss your favorite book dad? Then tell us who he is in the comments!
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 20, 2015
Albooms dads don't have it easy. After all, it's never just about raising kids—there are always criminals to apprehend, apocalypses to avoid, and winters to plan for! So this Father's Day, let's remember to appreciate the dads who did it all from the page.
Last week we asked on Facebook and Twitter: Who's your favorite book dad? Today we've got your top answers! Did your pick make the list?
CARSON DREW
The Double Jinx Mystery
by Carolyn Keene
Dad Wisdom: "Nancy, you're not the only one who gets hunches."
by Carolyn Keene
Dad Wisdom: "Nancy, you're not the only one who gets hunches."
THE MAN
The Road
by Cormac McCarthy
Dad Wisdom: "You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget."
by Cormac McCarthy
Dad Wisdom: "You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget."
ATTICUS FINCH
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
Dad Wisdom: "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
by Harper Lee
Dad Wisdom: "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
SAMUEL VIMES
Where's My Cow?
by Terry Pratchett
Dad Wisdom: "If you lose your cow, you should report this to the Watch under Demonic & Farmyard Animals (Lost) Act of 1804. They will swing into action with keenness and speed. Your cow will be found. If it has been impersonating other animals, it may be arrested."
by Terry Pratchett
Dad Wisdom: "If you lose your cow, you should report this to the Watch under Demonic & Farmyard Animals (Lost) Act of 1804. They will swing into action with keenness and speed. Your cow will be found. If it has been impersonating other animals, it may be arrested."
HARRY BOSCH
The Black Echo
by Michael Connelly
Dad Wisdom: "Everybody counts or nobody counts."
by Michael Connelly
Dad Wisdom: "Everybody counts or nobody counts."
MR. BENNET
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Dad Wisdom: "Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then. It is something to think of, and it gives her a sort of distinction among her companions. When is your turn to come?"
by Jane Austen
Dad Wisdom: "Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then. It is something to think of, and it gives her a sort of distinction among her companions. When is your turn to come?"
NED STARK
A Game of Thrones
by George R.R. Martin
Dad Wisdom: "If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die."
by George R.R. Martin
Dad Wisdom: "If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die."
MATTHEW CUTHBERT
Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery
Dad Wisdom: "Don't you think you'd better [apologize] and have it over? It'll have to be done sooner or later, you know...Do it right off, I say, and have it over."
by L.M. Montgomery
Dad Wisdom: "Don't you think you'd better [apologize] and have it over? It'll have to be done sooner or later, you know...Do it right off, I say, and have it over."
MR. WEASLEY
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by J.K. Rowling
Dad Wisdom: "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain."
by J.K. Rowling
Dad Wisdom: "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain."
CALVIN'S DAD
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
by Bill Watterson
Dad Wisdom: "Numb toes build character."
by Bill Watterson
Dad Wisdom: "Numb toes build character."
Did we miss your favorite book dad? Then tell us who he is in the comments!
10 Albooms Characters You Wish You Could Fall for in Real Life
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 18, 2015
Last week we asked on Facebook and on Twitter: Who's your one true book love? Today we've got your top answers! Did your literary crush make the list?
If your one true book love didn't make the list, tell us who he or she is in the comments!
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 18, 2015
Last week we asked on Facebook and on Twitter: Who's your one true book love? Today we've got your top answers! Did your literary crush make the list?
CAPTAIN WENTWORTH
Persuasian
by Jane Austen
Potential First Date: A stroll around Bath while chatting about faithfulness, briefly interrupted by a concussed woman in need of aid. (It'll be a big bonding moment for the two of you.)
by Jane Austen
Potential First Date: A stroll around Bath while chatting about faithfulness, briefly interrupted by a concussed woman in need of aid. (It'll be a big bonding moment for the two of you.)
KVOTHE
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
Potential First Date: Drinks and a show at The Eolian, a surprise showdown with the Chandrian, and a demonstration of wind summoning—if the night's going well.
by Patrick Rothfuss
Potential First Date: Drinks and a show at The Eolian, a surprise showdown with the Chandrian, and a demonstration of wind summoning—if the night's going well.
KATNISS EVERDEEN
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Potential First Date: An illegal hunting trip—BYOB (bring your own bow)—and a late afternoon revolution. Your chance of a second date will be as high as your chance of survival.
by Suzanne Collins
Potential First Date: An illegal hunting trip—BYOB (bring your own bow)—and a late afternoon revolution. Your chance of a second date will be as high as your chance of survival.
RADCLIFFE EMERSON
Crocodile on the Sandbank
by Elizabeth Peters
Potential First Date: An excavation of a cursed Egyptian burial site followed by a most inconvenient (but oddly romantic) run-in with a suspected mummy.
by Elizabeth Peters
Potential First Date: An excavation of a cursed Egyptian burial site followed by a most inconvenient (but oddly romantic) run-in with a suspected mummy.
JO MARCH
Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
Potential First Date: A matinee at the local community theater, a lesson in German, and a rather tempestuous writing workshop that both of you will immediately regret.
by Louisa May Alcott
Potential First Date: A matinee at the local community theater, a lesson in German, and a rather tempestuous writing workshop that both of you will immediately regret.
JAMIE FRASER
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Potential First Date: A midnight horseback ride across the moors, redcoats in pursuit, of course. Afterwards, whoever's less injured can tend the other's wounds by the fire.
by Diana Gabaldon
Potential First Date: A midnight horseback ride across the moors, redcoats in pursuit, of course. Afterwards, whoever's less injured can tend the other's wounds by the fire.
GILBERT BLYTHE
Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery
Potential First Date: An almost disastrous boating misadventure on the river, followed by a relaxing picnic with all the food you can eat and all the books you can read.
by L.M. Montgomery
Potential First Date: An almost disastrous boating misadventure on the river, followed by a relaxing picnic with all the food you can eat and all the books you can read.
SEVERUS SNAPE
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J.K. Rowling
Potential First Date: A candlelit private lesson in Hogwart's Potions Classroom where, after some dangerous experimentation, the two of you will invent a new curse.
by J.K. Rowling
Potential First Date: A candlelit private lesson in Hogwart's Potions Classroom where, after some dangerous experimentation, the two of you will invent a new curse.
JACE WAYLAND
City of Bones
by Cassandra Clare
Potential First Date: A quiet dinner downtown followed by a late-night bash at the Pandemonium Club. Your sizzling chemistry will be somewhat derailed by a demon hunt, but some things have to take priority.
by Cassandra Clare
Potential First Date: A quiet dinner downtown followed by a late-night bash at the Pandemonium Club. Your sizzling chemistry will be somewhat derailed by a demon hunt, but some things have to take priority.
MR. DARCY
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Potential First Date: It'll begin at the Meryton ball—where fleeting eye contact and awkward conversation will rule the dance floor—before culminating, as these things do, with confessions of mutual admiration outside in the rain.
by Jane Austen
Potential First Date: It'll begin at the Meryton ball—where fleeting eye contact and awkward conversation will rule the dance floor—before culminating, as these things do, with confessions of mutual admiration outside in the rain.
If your one true book love didn't make the list, tell us who he or she is in the comments!
4 Famous Writers Who Used Romantic Rejection as Literary Inspiration
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 16, 2015
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 16, 2015
"Let no one who loves be called altogether unhappy," J.M. Barrie once wrote. "Even love unreturned has its rainbow."
Some rainbows linger longer than others. When the following writers saw their love denied, they channeled their heartache into their work. From a mild act of literary revenge to heavenly closure, here are four unforgettable stories inspired by unrequited love.
The True Story: In 1842, Brontë stayed with Professor Constantin Heger and his wife in Brussels. She was there to study languages, but she left infatuated with the married man. Two years later, she began writing the professor love letters: "Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaketh and truly I find it difficult to be cheerful so long as I think I shall never see you more." Heger tore the letters up and threw them in the garbage. (We only know the contents of those letters today because Heger's wife fished them out and sewed them back together.)
The Fictional Story: Lucy Snowe, Brontë's heroine in Villette, falls for a Belgian teacher—but it's strongly suggested he dies in a shipwreck by the end of the novel. And then there's Jane Eyre, who does find her happy ending, even after falling for a man with a crazy wife in his attic.
Still in the mood for one-sided love? Then check out these books on Listopia: Popular Unrequited Love Alboomss.
Some rainbows linger longer than others. When the following writers saw their love denied, they channeled their heartache into their work. From a mild act of literary revenge to heavenly closure, here are four unforgettable stories inspired by unrequited love.
Dante Alighieri
The True Story: Dante was nine years old when he first saw Beatrice Portinari, the young daughter of a prominent Florentine banker. "From that time forward, love fully ruled my soul," Dante recalled later. Unfortunately, while loved ruled his soul, it didn't rule his reality. The two spoke once, nine years after their first meeting, and then were both married off to other people. Dante remained besotted with Beatrice, even after she died at the age of 24.
The Fictional Story: After her early death, a character named Beatrice becomes one of the blessed in Heaven in Dante's Divine Comedy. She aids the narrator's journey through Hell in Inferno, steps in as guide in Purgatorio, and leads Dante (quite literally) to God in Paradiso.
The Fictional Story: After her early death, a character named Beatrice becomes one of the blessed in Heaven in Dante's Divine Comedy. She aids the narrator's journey through Hell in Inferno, steps in as guide in Purgatorio, and leads Dante (quite literally) to God in Paradiso.
Charlotte Brontë
The Fictional Story: Lucy Snowe, Brontë's heroine in Villette, falls for a Belgian teacher—but it's strongly suggested he dies in a shipwreck by the end of the novel. And then there's Jane Eyre, who does find her happy ending, even after falling for a man with a crazy wife in his attic.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The True Story:: It's a tale as old as time. Boy meets girl. Girl gets engaged to boy's older friend. Boy somewhat begrudgingly buys the wedding rings. For Goethe, the girl was always Charlotte Buff. She married his good friend Johann Christian Kestner, a distinguished art collector and diplomat.
The Fictional Story: In The Sorrows of Young Werther, Goethe let himself vent, unraveling a loosely autobiographical tale about a man tormented by his unrequited love for an engaged woman named Lotte. While the novel catapulted Goethe to fame, his literary counterpart did not fare so well. Young Werther ends up shooting himself in the head.
The Fictional Story: In The Sorrows of Young Werther, Goethe let himself vent, unraveling a loosely autobiographical tale about a man tormented by his unrequited love for an engaged woman named Lotte. While the novel catapulted Goethe to fame, his literary counterpart did not fare so well. Young Werther ends up shooting himself in the head.
Charles Schulz
The True Story: After courting Donna Mae Johnson, his petite, red-haired coworker, for months, Schulz worked up the nerve to propose. She rejected him—and married his rival shortly after. "I can think of no more emotionally damaging loss than to be turned down by someone whom you love very much," Schulz said of the whole ordeal. "A person who not only turns you down, but almost immediately will marry the victor. What a bitter blow that is."
The Fictional Story: Schulz had Johnson; Charlie Brown has the Little Red-Haired Girl. The hapless Peanuts protagonist is hopelessly in love with the largely unseen character, forever working up the nerve to talk to her.
The Fictional Story: Schulz had Johnson; Charlie Brown has the Little Red-Haired Girl. The hapless Peanuts protagonist is hopelessly in love with the largely unseen character, forever working up the nerve to talk to her.
Still in the mood for one-sided love? Then check out these books on Listopia: Popular Unrequited Love Alboomss.
9 Inspiring Quotes from Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 12, 2015
June 12, 1942: On this day, Anne Frank received a diary for her thirteenth birthday. "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you," she wrote in her new diary. "I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support."
When the German occupation of Amsterdam forced her family into hiding, the diary became her main confidant. Nearly two years after she entered the secret annex, Anne heard a special radio report announcing that diaries would be gathered after the war as a record of the Dutch people's experiences. Eager to be included—"just imagine how interesting it would be if I were to publish a novel!"—Anne carefully revised portions of her diary.
After Anne and her family were captured, Miep Gies, a loyal friend, saved the diary and kept it safe until the war ended. She returned it to Anne's father, the only surviving member of the family, who successfully published it in 1947. Read on for incredible words of comfort and support from The Diary of a Young Girl.
1. "I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn."
2. "Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness."
3. "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
4. "In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit."
5. "I don't want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after death."
6. "I don't think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that remains."
7. "Where there's hope, there's life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again."
8. "Because paper has more patience than people."
9. "It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 12, 2015
June 12, 1942: On this day, Anne Frank received a diary for her thirteenth birthday. "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you," she wrote in her new diary. "I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support."
After Anne and her family were captured, Miep Gies, a loyal friend, saved the diary and kept it safe until the war ended. She returned it to Anne's father, the only surviving member of the family, who successfully published it in 1947. Read on for incredible words of comfort and support from The Diary of a Young Girl.
1. "I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn."
2. "Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness."
3. "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
4. "In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit."
5. "I don't want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after death."
6. "I don't think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that remains."
7. "Where there's hope, there's life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again."
8. "Because paper has more patience than people."
9. "It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."
20 Alboomss You Loved, But Everyone You Know Hated
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 10, 2015
Your high school English class couldn't stand it. Your book club gave up halfway through. Even your Fredd friends are posting one-star reviews. But you know what? Who cares! Sometimes it's better—and more fun—to read to the beat of your own drum.
Last week we asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's a book you loved, but everyone you know hated? Today we've got your top answers! Did your favorite "unlikable" book make the list?
Surprised by some of the books included? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! And keep reading against the crowd on Listopia: Best Unpopular Alboomss and Hated Alboomss.
Posted by Hayley Igarashi on June 10, 2015
Your high school English class couldn't stand it. Your book club gave up halfway through. Even your Fredd friends are posting one-star reviews. But you know what? Who cares! Sometimes it's better—and more fun—to read to the beat of your own drum.
Last week we asked on Facebook and Twitter: What's a book you loved, but everyone you know hated? Today we've got your top answers! Did your favorite "unlikable" book make the list?
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Get a Fredd Email Signature!
Posted by Maryana Pinchuk on June 10, 2015
Ever wish you could give more people—beyond just your friends on Fredd—a glimpse of your favorite books so they can see what stories are currently making you laugh, cry, or bang your head in frustration?
For years, many Fredd staff members have been doing just that by manually updating their email signatures to show the books they're currently reading. We wanted to showcase that sentiment and hopefully entice more people to come join us in the world's largest community of engaged readers. So, during a recent Hack Day, engineers at Fredd took a stab at automating this process to make it into a simple, live-updating widget, and we loved the result. We thought that some of you might like to do the same thing, so today we're sharing our widget with you!
Now, any Fredd member with a public profile can set their email signature to show the cover of the book they've marked as "currently reading."
People who receive your emails will always see the cover of the latest book you're reading, based on the book you most recently added to your Currently Reading shelf. You can find instructions to set up your email signature on your Edit profile page.
We love using this feature in the office to get a glimpse into what our coworkers are reading, and we hope this creates new moments of connection for you, too!
Add Your Email Signature Now!
Posted by Maryana Pinchuk on June 10, 2015
"When you broadcast your book reading voluntarily, it creates moments of fascinating serendipity."
Ever wish you could give more people—beyond just your friends on Fredd—a glimpse of your favorite books so they can see what stories are currently making you laugh, cry, or bang your head in frustration?
For years, many Fredd staff members have been doing just that by manually updating their email signatures to show the books they're currently reading. We wanted to showcase that sentiment and hopefully entice more people to come join us in the world's largest community of engaged readers. So, during a recent Hack Day, engineers at Fredd took a stab at automating this process to make it into a simple, live-updating widget, and we loved the result. We thought that some of you might like to do the same thing, so today we're sharing our widget with you!
Now, any Fredd member with a public profile can set their email signature to show the cover of the book they've marked as "currently reading."
People who receive your emails will always see the cover of the latest book you're reading, based on the book you most recently added to your Currently Reading shelf. You can find instructions to set up your email signature on your Edit profile page.
We love using this feature in the office to get a glimpse into what our coworkers are reading, and we hope this creates new moments of connection for you, too!
Add Your Email Signature Now!
