#books

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The Madrid Codices: Leonardo da Vinci's treasure trove digitised by Spain's National Library

On 13 February 1967, the Spanish National Library announced the discovery of the Madrid I and II codices, two manuscripts by Leonardo da Vinci that had remained poorly catalogued for more than a century. But they are being digitised to make them accessible to the public.

By Lucia Blasco

https://www.euronews.com/culture/2026/02/20/the-madrid-codices-leonardo-da-vincis-treasure-trove-digitised-by-spains-national-library

Leonardo da Vinci at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1629

Leonardo da vinci, Double manuscript page on the Sforza monument. The left page is devoted to mechanical studies — five carefully rendered technical drawings arranged vertically, each showing wooden joining or clamping mechanisms in three-quarter perspective. They appear to depict interlocking beams, bolt fastenings, and timber joints of increasing complexity, with short annotating notes flanking each drawing on both sides. The right page is dominated by a large, commanding drawing of what appears to be the lower torso and hindquarters of a horse rendered as a structural armature — a grid of horizontal and vertical ribs forming a curved, basket-like framework that captures the swelling volume of the animal's form. The gridded surface suggests a mold or internal scaffolding for casting, with the waist cinching inward before flaring out again at the haunches. Dense blocks of mirror-script text surround the drawing on the left and bottom, and a folio number — 157 — is visible in the upper right corner. A faint institutional stamp appears near the bottom center. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Madrid_(Leonardo)#/media/File:Leonardo_da_vinci,_Double_manuscript_page_on_the_Sforza_monument.jpg

A White Historian Claimed That Black People ‘Had No History.’ This Trailblazing Scholar Dedicated His Life to Proving Otherwise

Carter G. Woodson, the “father of Black history,” founded the celebration now known as Black History Month in 1926. A prolific writer and activist, he viewed his efforts to educate the public as a “life-and-death struggle”

by Meilan Solly

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-white-historian-claimed-that-black-people-had-no-history-this-trailblazing-scholar-dedicated-his-life-to-proving-otherwise-180988144/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550

Carter G. Woodson at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3835

The formal portrait shows Dr. Carter Woodson in a suit and patterned tie, representing him as a distinguished scholar and educator. During the dawning of the twentieth century, it was widely-presumed that people of African descent had little history besides the subjugation of slavery. Of course, it is obvious today that Africans have significantly impacted the development of the social, political and economic structures of not just the United States but also the world. Credit for the evolving awareness of the true place of blacks in history can, in large part, be bestowed upon one man, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Dr. Woodson's parents had been enslaved, so he understood the importance of a proper education. Though he didn't begin his formal education until the age of 20, he earned his high school diploma, bachelor's and master's degrees in the span of a few years. Then, in 1912, he became the second African American to earn a PhD from Harvard and was the first person of enslaved parents to earn a PhD in history! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_G._Woodson#/media/File:Dr._Carter_G._Woodson_(1875-1950),_Carter_G._Woodson_Home_National_Historic_Site,_1915._(18f7565bf62142c0ad7fff83701ca5f6).jpg

"The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death."
Salomé (1893)

Oscar Wilde’s Portraits, Poems, Letters and Manuscripts Head to Auction 125 Years After His Death

Other rare items, available for purchase in February, include illustrations, theater programs, telegrams and newspapers

by Christian Thorsberg

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oscar-wildes-portraits-poems-letters-and-manuscripts-head-to-auction-125-years-after-his-death-180988023/

Oscar Wilde at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/111

"The Climax" by Aubrey Beardsley, created in 1893 as an illustration for Oscar Wilde's play "Salome". This is one of Beardsley's most famous and controversial images, depicting the moment when Salome kisses the severed head of John the Baptist (Jokanaan). The illustration shows: Salome as an elongated, stylized figure with elaborate hair The severed head she's holding Dramatic black and white contrast, flowing Art Nouveau lines, and decorative patterns The pond/pool of blood at the bottom rendered in stark black Organic, decorative elements including the elaborate pattern in the upper left corner https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/42704/pg42704-images.html

150 años de Jack London, el gran aventurero, lobo de mar y cronista de lo salvaje

> El autor de 'Colmillo Blanco' fue uno de los primeros escritores superventas de Norteamérica y retrató como pocos la naturaleza, la miseria y la rebeldía humana

Leer más en El Español

https://www.elespanol.com/el-cultural/letras/20260111/anos-jack-london-gran-aventurero-lobo-mar-cronista-salvaje/1003744084227_0.html

Am entering the and doing my like I'm walking into a party where I don't know anyone. Parties are on my mind as I've been clearing up after our bash last night (my 'where are you now' pic of full recycling bin).

I play/write and love . Into + , and interested in politics/tech (but no expert).

I'm here because I have to use social media for my stuff but find it annoying/stressful. Also, I'd go to the opening of an envelope if invited.

Recycling bin full to the brim with bottles and cans from last night's party

Names for avid readers 📚 by language (more and more, in the replies👇)

English/Dutch: Bookworm / Boekenwurm

Danish: Reading horse (Lesehest)

French: Ink drinker (Buveur d'encre)

German: Read-rat (Leseratte)

Indonesian: Book flea (Kutu buku)

Romanian: Library mouse (Șoarece de bibliotecă)

Norwegian: Reading horse (Lesehest)

Serbian/Polish: Book moth (Knjiški moljac / Mól książkowy)

Greek: Bookeater (βιβλιοφάγος)

Finnish: Reading maggot (Lukutoukka)

Swedish: Read-louse (Läslus)

Vietnamese: Bookwormweevil (Mọt sách) 

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do:..."

Lewis Carroll’s Personal Copy of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ Returns to its ‘Spiritual Home’ in Oxford

The book has been donated jointly to Christ Church and the Bodleian Library, which are both part of the University of Oxford

by Sarah Kuta

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lewis-carrolls-personal-copy-of-alices-adventures-in-wonderland-returns-to-its-spiritual-home-in-oxford-180987910/

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11

Cover of the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The cover has a beige or cream-colored background with the title "ALICE IN WONDERLAND" displayed at the top in a bold, serif typeface in dark blue or black. At the bottom, "LEWIS CARROLL" appears in the same typeface and color. The main image is contained within a dark blue border and depicts a whimsical garden scene featuring two central figures: On the right stands Alice, portrayed as a young girl with shoulder-length blonde hair with bangs. She wears a classic white pinafore dress over a white blouse, with the dress featuring a decorative orange or coral-colored hem with a scalloped pattern. Her expression is calm and pleasant. On the left is a rotund figure in elaborate costume consisting of: An enormous round red or orange hat or headdress that dominates the upper portion A smiling, chubby face with rosy cheeks An orange and yellow striped collar or ruff A flowing orange robe or dress decorated with circular patterns and ornate details The figure has a jovial, almost comical appearance https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/11/pg11-images.html

A composite picture of five book covers. The top row shows three covers: King Tyrant (with a moody Tyrannosaurus rex picture by Mark Witton), Air-Borne (showing a colourful picture of lots of spores, pollen, and other small airborne particles), and Lechuguilla Cave (showing an otherworldly photo of a cave with yellow ecrustations fringing an azure blue/green pool) The bottom row shows two covers: Slow Down or Die (showing a photo of part of a large merry-go-round with people in seats that hang from chains) and Intraterrestrials (showing a colourful aerial picture of a hot spring with yellow, pink, and green colours caused by microbes)