A Galaxy on the Bookshelves

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) decided to do something extraordinary. In collaboration with Disney and Changi Airport Group, it unveiled the country’s very first Star Wars Pop-Up Library.

Open daily from 10am to 10pm until January 24, 2026, the library sits on Level 2 of Terminal 3, near the Skytrain link to Jewel. Inside, over 2,000 books and 380 unique titles, handpicked by NLB librarians line the shelves.

The selection spans generations and tastes: graphic novels like Darth Vader – Dark Lord of the Sith, the junior fiction High Republic series, The Mandalorian: The Manga, and even The Padawan Cookbook for those who want to bring a little Force into their kitchen.

It’s a treasure trove that gives fans and newcomers alike a fresh way to connect with one of pop culture’s most beloved universes.

More Than Just Reading

The Star Wars Pop-Up Library is not just about borrowing books. Visitors are invited to step into the story themselves.

Take a personality quiz to find out which Jedi matches your traits. Test your knowledge against the trivia wall. Pose with lightsabers in front of digital screens looping iconic Star Wars backdrops. Outside, R2-D2 and C-3PO are ready for their next photo op.

A Library With Its Own Droid Army

In true sci-fi fashion, this library doesn’t rely on librarians alone. It’s also home to NLB’s first automated book retrieval system.

Here’s how it works: visitors choose a title from a touchscreen kiosk, and in seconds, a robotic arm zips into action, fetching the book and delivering it to a collection point. Returns are just as smooth, with the droid-like arm taking care of shelving duties. It’s efficient, futuristic, and feels like something straight out of the Star Wars universe itself.

Borrowing is easy: just scan your myLibrary ID via the NLB Mobile app, and you’re set. You can borrow up to 16 items for 21 days and return them at any NLB branch, though the pop-up features its own themed bookdrop for items borrowed on-site. You can also request a QR code day pass with a Singapore-registered mobile number or email.

Why It Matters

It takes imagination and a little courage to rethink what a library can be. The NLB’s Chief Executive Officer, Ng Cher Pong, summed it up best: “We are happy to collaborate with Disney and grateful for Changi Airport Group’s support. It is a fun way for everyone to learn more about one of the world’s most fabled universes, and to discover the joys of reading.”

This pop-up does more than celebrate a blockbuster franchise. It shows how beloved stories can spark curiosity, encourage reading, and transform even an airport stopover into a journey of discovery.

For travelers, book lovers, and Star Wars fans alike, the Force has indeed found a new home, and it’s one where every borrowed book is another step into a much larger world.

The post The Star Wars Library Taking Readers to a Galaxy Far, Far Away appeared first on Magazine.

But here’s the thing: not every Christie story got the Hollywood or BBC treatment. In fact, there are exactly four novels that have never been adapted, no movies, no TV shows, not even a cheeky radio play. Let’s dive into the mysterious case of Christie’s “forgotten four.”

Death Comes as the End (1944)

This is Christie’s only true historical novel, and it’s unlike anything else she wrote. Forget country houses and quaint English villages, oh no, this one is set in ancient Egypt, around 2000 BC.

The story follows Renisenb, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, as she returns to her family home after being widowed. Soon enough, mysterious deaths start piling up, and suspicions spread like wildfire. If that sounds like classic Christie, it is, but without Poirot’s neat moustache or Miss Marple’s nosy knitting needles.

So why has it got no adaptation? Two big reasons:

• Cost: An authentic Egyptian setting doesn’t come cheap. Sand, temples, costumes, elaborate sets… It’s not something that can be made into a quick BBC drama to knock out in six episodes.
• Casting: With its entirely Egyptian cast of characters, a faithful adaptation would demand authentic representation. Hollywood hasn’t exactly been stellar at doing this in the past.

Fun fact: there actually was talk of a BBC miniseries back in 2019. But like many of Renisenb’s unlucky family members, it never made it out alive.

Destination Unknown (1954)

By the 1950s, Christie was clearly itching to try something different… and why not? Alas, enter Destination Unknown, a Cold War–era spy thriller.

Here’s the setup: a bunch of top scientists are mysteriously vanishing, and our protagonist, Hilary Craven, is recruited to impersonate one of them. Soon she’s plunged into a world of secret compounds, shady motives, and science experiments gone wrong.

Sounds like James Bond with a Christie twist, right? The problem is, spy thrillers weren’t exactly her bread and butter. Critics at the time were generally kind, calling it a fast-paced adventure, but many admitted that some of the final reveals stretched believability.

That said, it could definitely be adapted brilliantly today. Imagine a stylish, feminist Cold War drama in the vein of The Americans. Hilary deserves her chance on screen, especially considering she’s one of Christie’s more unusual heroines.

Passenger to Frankfurt (1970)

Now we’re wading into trickier territory. Passenger to Frankfurt was written a little later in Christie’s career, and critics were not exactly kind.

The novel follows Sir Stafford Nye, a diplomat who gets caught up in a global conspiracy after a mysterious woman ropes him into an international spy plot. There are fascist overtones, secret organizations, and a whole lot of talk about the state of the modern world.

The issue? Many reviewers felt the story was messy, with too many threads left dangling. Christie’s gift for tight plotting seemed to falter here, and readers who came for her classic whodunnit structure were left scratching their heads.

Still, as a concept, there’s something there: paranoia, espionage, global politics. In the right hands, it could become a moody, Cold War paranoia thriller. It’s crying out for a bold filmmaker willing to cut through the clutter and reimagine it!

Postern of Fate (1973)

Ah, Christie’s swan song. Postern of Fate was the last novel she ever wrote, featuring Tommy and Tuppence Beresford in their final adventure. Sadly, it just didn’t land well.

The story has a promising hook: the Beresfords move into a new house and discover a message in a book hinting at a decades-old murder. From there, they start digging into history, trying to untangle the mystery.

Sounds great on paper, right? But the execution left a lot to be desired. Some people called it meandering, confusing, even downright incoherent at times. Others blamed Christie’s declining health and age, suggesting she simply wasn’t able to weave the kind of tightly constructed story she once could.

But here’s a radical thought: this might actually be the perfect candidate for adaptation. Why? Because the flaws give filmmakers a blank slate! A creative team could take the bones of the idea, a couple uncovering a murder through books and memories, and build something rich, eerie, even nostalgic, with just a hint of Christie.

Could Adaptations Be on the Way?

As we’ve said, all four of these novels could do well on screen. There’s space for real creativity in between the bones of Christie’s novels, and they’d still have the draw of being an Agatha Christie movie or show!

But will they come? Is the price of an Ancient Egyptian setting too high? Is the risk of incorrect representation too high? Or maybe it’s too daunting to take on a well-beloved, famous author’s slightly flawed works and fix them?

Who knows. We think that none of the above should be a deal breaker. We’re sure that one day, somewhere, one of these stories will be brought to life.

The post These Agatha Christie Novels Have Never Been Made for Screen—Here’s Why appeared first on Magazine.

After all, long before laptops and even typewriters, writers lived by their pens. So what we imagine to have been their books, their drafts, was likely not the case. Which raises the question: what did their handwriting look like?

Was it as elegant as their prose? Or a wild scrawl that only they (sometimes) could decipher? Let’s peek into the penmanship of seven literary legends: Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Franz Kafka, Jane Austen, Sylvia Plath, Leo Tolstoy, Oscar Wilde, and Albert Camus, and see whether they’d impress a calligraphy teacher… or get detention for illegible scribbles.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Passion in Every Stroke

Let’s start in Russia with Dostoyevsky, the master of psychological intensity. His handwriting? Dense, jagged, and practically vibrating off the page. Scholars often describe it as cramped and angular, with sudden shifts in pressure as if he were wrestling his pen across the paper. It’s not the kind of script that screams “easy to read.” In fact, looking at his manuscripts can feel like staring at a storm in ink. But that’s Dostoyevsky all over, really. Restless, driven, chaotic, and deeply emotional.

His handwriting gives the impression that his words poured out with urgency, so much so that the letters look like they’re sprinting to keep up. Imagine him hunched over his desk, candle burning low, racing against both deadlines and debts. It makes sense that his handwriting isn’t “neat.” It’s a mirror of his inner world: tortured brilliance captured in every slash of the pen.

Franz Kafka: Controlled, Yet Trapped

Now let’s hop over to Prague. Franz Kafka, the man whose name literally became shorthand for anxiety and existential dread. If Dostoyevsky’s handwriting was a metaphorical storm, Kafka’s was a kind of cage.

Kafka’s script was precise, almost mechanical, neat rows of carefully shaped letters that looked sharp and a little restrained. He was a trained lawyer, after all, and his handwriting has that clerk-like regularity.

At first glance, it’s tidy, neat, organized, even beautiful. But if you stare at it too long, there’s an odd tightness, a feeling of confinement.

Doesn’t that sound perfectly Kafkaesque? Here was a man obsessed with rules, systems, and the crushing weight of bureaucracy, so it tracks that his own handwriting looks like it’s following strict orders, trying hard not to step out of line. Neat, yes. Free? Not so much.

Jane Austen: Gracefully Cursive

Next, we turn to Jane Austen, whose handwriting is basically the Regency version of a well-brewed cup of tea: it’s truly refined, measured, and deeply satisfying.

Austen’s letters show a flowing, graceful cursive. The letters lean slightly forward, as if eager to be written and read, and the lines are even and balanced. It’s very evidently the script of someone who had a steady hand and a sharp mind.

Reading her handwriting feels like what we imagine listening to her conversations would feel like. Her words are witty, elegant, orderly, with just enough flair to keep you leaning in. No wonder her novels are full of carefully observed social nuance. Her penmanship looks like someone who knew exactly what she wanted to say and could say it without mess or fuss.

If your teacher were grading penmanship, Jane Austen would absolutely get a gold star.

Sylvia Plath: Intensity in Ink

Sylvia Plath’s handwriting tells a very different story. Looking at her journals, her script is quick, loose, and frantic. It has an intensity to it, as though each word couldn’t get out fast enough.

There’s a creative energy buzzing in those loops and lines, but also a kind of vulnerability, letters that tilt and stretch, words pressed hard into the page. Her handwriting seems almost impatient with itself, as though she knew time was short and she had to pin her thoughts down before they scattered.

It’s beautiful in its way, but also restless. Like her poetry, it swings between control and chaos, light and shadow. You can practically see the emotional tides rising and falling in her pen strokes.

Leo Tolstoy: Chaotic Order

If handwriting is a mirror of the self, then Tolstoy’s pen shows him to be a man of two sides. Sometimes, his writing was clean and precise, but sometimes, his handwriting became messier, looser, even erratic.

In some manuscripts, his words look hurried, as though he was scribbling ideas faster than his hand could keep up. In others, he slows down, and the elegance returns.

It’s like his handwriting reflects his lifelong swings between order and rebellion, luxury and asceticism, control and surrender.

For Tolstoy, it very much seems like penmanship wasn’t about neatness; it was about keeping up with the constant flood of ideas that defined his massive novels and his restless search for meaning.

Oscar Wilde: Flourish and Drama

Ah, Oscar Wilde, a man who would never settle for boring handwriting. His penmanship, much like his fashion sense, was all about style, flair, and just a touch of drama.

His letters reveal bouncy strokes and elegant flourishes, especially in his signature. It’s the kind of handwriting that doesn’t just speak for him, it practically announces anything he wrote with a theatrical bow.

There’s a sense of artistry in his script. Wilde understood that appearances mattered, whether in a perfectly turned epigram or a swooping pen stroke. Was it always the most readable? Maybe not. But was it fabulous? Absolutely.

Albert Camus: Modernity and Minimalism

Albert Camus, the French-Algerian philosopher of the absurd. His handwriting? Surprisingly clear, modern, and minimalist compared to the more common sprawling scripts of the 19th century.

Camus’s letters and notebooks show a style that’s readable, efficient, and unpretentious, almost like his prose. Short, declarative, a little squiggly. It’s handwriting that gets the job done without showing off, but still carries an obvious intelligence.

The post You Won’t Believe What These Famous Writers’ Handwriting Looked Like appeared first on Magazine.

Sounds perfect, right? Well, we thought so. So here are some iconic, cozy bookish films to watch as summer winds down and autumn hits.

Desk Set (1957)

A little old, sure, but this movie is a sparkling and brilliant romantic comedy where a high-flying efficiency expert tries to automate a reference department (like we said, a little old), overseen by the brilliant and skeptical librarian Bunny. It’s witty, charming, and full of that delightful ’50s screwball energy.

It’s the perfect movie for when you want cozy banter and brains over brawn, and a little Katherine Hepburn thrown in for good measure.

Possession (2002)

Fancy a bit of Gwyneth Paltrow and Victorian poetry?

This dark, romantic thriller is the pick for you. It follows characters digging through Victorian-era manuscripts and archives. It’s moody, atmospheric, and will satisfy fans of literary mysteries.

The Name of the Rose (1986)

If a library isn’t enough atmosphere for you, how about a medieval, labyrinthine library? And what about if we add Sean Connery to that, too?

This classic is set in a monastery’s hidden library, and this film is the perfect combination of murder mystery, medieval theology, forbidden texts, and the eerie, dusty ambiance of ancient archives.

We’re big fans.

Quiet, Please: Murder (1942)

Love a whodunit? Who doesn’t!

This old movie isn’t as well-known as some of the others on this list, but it is just as delightful. It features book thieves, forgeries, and, of course, a murder… all within a public library.

One review of this hidden gem calls it “quiet but deadly,” and that’s enough alone to catch our attention.

Read or Die (2001)

Anime. Paper-controlling powers. Library action.

Yes, really.

This anime has a librarian heroine with paper-controlling powers and a story that’s inventive, thrilling and really… unique. It’s the perfect choice for anyone looking for anything weird, cool, and kinda thrilling.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

We all love a redemption arc, but it’s even better when it takes place in a dusty library.

The Shawshank Redemption sees the renovation of the prison library. But it becomes more than just that. It becomes a symbol of hope and transformation in an otherwise dire story.

Shooting the Past (1999)

When photographic archives are in danger, a group of librarians fights back.

This mini-series follows a photo archive put under threat and the passionate team of librarians determined to save it. It’s more than just a story; it’s hope. It shows how much our librarians love their work, love their libraries.

A Little Less Library (But Still Worth A Watch)

Now that’s not all. There are plenty of other movies and TV shows that feature libraries and librarians, even if they aren’t set entirely in the dusty stacks.

The Music Man (1962) is all about Marian Paroo, the local librarian and piano teacher in River City. She’s sharp, educated, and not interested in Harold Hill, a conman who is smoother than your average hardback book. The film features smashing music numbers, flirtatious filming, and a feeling like no other.

You’ve also got Foul Play (1978), which sees Goldie Hawn as a mild-mannered librarian from San Francisco. Somehow, as one thing leads to another, the librarian is pulled into an insane whirlwind of danger that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

Then we’ve got animated legend, The Pagemaster (1994). It’s every book-lover’s dream. A young boy is pulled into an animated world where libraries become living characters. There, he teams up with Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror, and together they journey through classic literature. sigh, a DREAM!

And, last but not least, we’ve got Ghostbusters (1984). Sure, the whole thing isn’t in a library, but the scenes in the New York Public Library are nothing short of iconic. Card catalogs flying open, drawers slamming, and, of course, the slimy specter. Irresistibly spooky.

The post 8 Iconic Movies That Celebrate Libraries and Librarians appeared first on Magazine.

Of course, we’re missing an important name here: Mozart. And Wolfgang Amadeus’ story is perhaps the most remarkable of them all, as he was only 35 when he passed away in 1791, and yet he still left us a vast body of incredible artistic achievement.

In fact, he left us even more than we perhaps realized. In 2024, more than 230 years after his untimely death, a new piece of Mozart’s music was discovered.

An Incredible Discovery in Leipzig

A team of researchers were examining the Carl Ferdinand Becker collection at the Leipzig Municipal Library. As the team delved into this collection, they noticed something strange: a never-before-seen composition.

To the untrained eye, the work appeared modest and inconsequential. It was written on the laid paper common in the Early Modern period, and drafted in brown ink that didn’t exactly illuminate the page.

But the researchers’ eyes were not untrained. They knew what they were dealing with. It was a discovery of epic proportions.

The Lost Mozart Composition

The piece was not completely unknown. Entitled “Serenade in C,” the work had been in the library’s possession for years, but was unsigned, and no one knew where it had come from.

As the researchers explored its history, they realized that the original composition was by Mozart himself, and that he’d written it sometime in the mid-1760s. This made the piece an early example of Mozart’s oeuvre, written while he was still a teenager and still developing his musical palate.

The immediate result was that the Köchel catalogue was immediately out of date. This catalogue is known as a comprehensive selection of Mozart’s compositions, but with a new piece suddenly emerging, it needed to be revised.

The updated version of the catalogue was published by Breitkopf & Härtel and the International Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg, the composer’s hometown.

In honor of the team’s work, the Leipzig Municipal Library was presented with a copy on September 19, 2024, and the work was played for those in attendance. Spanning a little over 12 minutes, the composition left audience members enchanted.

It may not be Mozart’s most technically accomplished work, but the opportunity to hear something new from one of history’s greatest geniuses was simply spellbinding.

Two days later, the piece was performed live at the Leipzig Opera by a trio from the Johann Sebastian Bach School of Music. The power of Mozart’s music was still alive and well, and coursing through all involved.

The Fame and Legacy of Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart came into this world on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, part of the Holy Roman Empire. Born into a musical family, it didn’t take long for Wolfgang to make his own inroads into composition.

His sister Nannerl recalled her younger brother’s early forays into artistic expression: “At the age of five,” she said, “he was already composing little pieces, which he played to his father, who wrote them down.”

Over the next three decades, Mozart would become a real celebrity. While based in Vienna, he created a string of well-loved works that cemented his fame and legacy. Though only 35 when he died, Mozart made an almost unparalleled contribution to music, and his work is still played, interpreted, and loved to this day.

Mozart’s story is tinged with tragedy. He never achieved the financial security he surely deserved and died young. However, he would be overjoyed to learn of the profound impact his work has had on people down the centuries.

Missing Music

There’s something naturally intriguing and captivating about lost musical works. Whether it’s the fabled third of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Norfolk Rhapsodies or the much-discussed Stars tapes, made by Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett along with John Alder and Jack Monck, the idea of never-to-be-heard music really captures the imagination.

Mozart even still has one of his own pieces of lost music. The Symphony in C Major exists only in the form of a reference in the Breitkopf & Härtel manuscript catalogue, and just a single phrase of the piece survives.

But while these lost pieces of artistic creation certainly spark the imagination and leave us wondering about what might have been, it’s still very satisfying to actually have our speculations answered. And the classical music world certainly experienced a very satisfying moment when, in 2024, Mozart’s Serenade in C was unearthed for the first time in centuries.

The post Lost Mozart Masterpiece Unearthed in German Library After 200 Years appeared first on Magazine.

From Childhood Inspiration to Brick-Built Reality

According to Sarah’s detailed description of her building process, the whole journey began with a cherished memory: watching Beauty and the Beast as a child and being captivated by the library scene. As a child, she also spent plenty of time in libraries, as her grandfather made the effort to take her to libraries on a regular basis.

Her grandfather’s frequent library visits further fueled her imagination. Fast forward two decades, and Sarah, now married to a fellow LEGO enthusiast, decided to bring that beloved scene to life for the 2017 BrickCan LEGO convention. Starting with a modest version using mini-dolls from the official LEGO set, her creation unexpectedly won a prize, igniting a desire to build a more elaborate model.

Building the Beast’s Library: A Brick-by-Brick Adventure

Sarah first started this build way back in 2017. She recounted her journey on Flickr and spoke about sketching out her design before making numerous trips to the LEGO store for white bricks. She focused first on the library’s distinctive lion statues, possibly the most challenging part of the build. Fortunately, her creative flair showed her the way, and, using parts from the LEGO Ninjago Green Ninja Mech Dragon set, Sarah managed to achieve the desired sand green hue and intricate details.

During the build, Sarah’s discovery of essential 1×6 white panels allowed her to create deep bookshelves, essential for the library’s authentic look.

To amass the necessary number of white bricks, Sarah even purchased the re-released Taj Mahal set, while the Disney Castle set provided inspiration and unique pieces for ornate details.

The final build is a staggering 25,000-piece marvel (approximately, of course!), with around 5,500 pieces representing books. These books are not fastened to the shelves, mimicking a real library’s feel, and took about six hours to arrange realistically.

To facilitate transport to conventions like BrickCan 2018, Sarah ingeniously created shelf covers to prevent the books from falling during movement. Even the outside of the building is gorgeous, with the tan castle wall covered with vines.

A Library Alive with Details and Characters

Sarah’s super-creative LEGO library is truly a visual feast. From its soaring spiral staircases and ornate fireplace to tall windows with curtains and endless rows of bookshelves, every nook and cranny is packed with detail. The predominantly white and gold color scheme provides a glittering backdrop, complemented by red and green furniture, a writing desk, and a globe.

At the heart of the scene, Belle and the Beast stand before the fireplace, surrounded by beloved characters like Cogsworth, Lumière, Babette, Mrs. Potts, and Chip, all welcoming visitors into this enchanting space.

Recognition and Legacy

For any Beauty and the Beast fans inspired by Sarah’s creation, you’re in luck. LEGO has continued to celebrate the tale through various sets, culminating in the 2025 release of the 2,916-piece Beauty and the Beast castle set, featuring detailed interiors like the ballroom, dining room, and library, along with minifigures of key characters. This set allows you to completely immerse yourself in the story, much like Sarah did with her own creation.

Sarah von Innerebner’s creative and stunning LEGO library stands as a testament to the magic that can be achieved when passion meets creativity. Built years before LEGO decided to make their own version, Sarah’s work brought a beloved Disney scene to life and also inspired others to embark on their own brick-building adventures. It’s a beautiful reminder that, with imagination and dedication, even the most fantastical dreams can be built, one LEGO brick at a time.

Bookish LEGO Adventures

If you don’t feel quite confident enough yet to embark on your own LEGO adventure, don’t fret. There are a few different bookish LEGO sets that you can get to let out your inner Sarah von Innerebner! LEGO sells an Icons Books are My Passion set with 285 pieces, as well as an Expert Bookshop for the more advanced LEGO-heads among us, with a whopping 2,504 pieces!

On the LEGO Ideas website, a platform where fans can recommend and support ideas for new LEGO sets, there is also a LEGO library idea, currently at 10,000 votes! If you dream of a LEGO library kit one day, go and place your vote now so that the creative minds behind the LEGO brand know what to make next!

The post Someone Built the Library in Beauty and the Beast Using LEGO Bricks appeared first on Magazine.

Reading Dostoyevsky today, though, there is an inherent disconnection. Even if we read his work in the original Russian, indulging in the author’s mastery of his own native language, we are still separated from the words he organized and inscribed on the page by his own hand.

Not only are we disconnected from the words committed to print, but from the sketches and illustrations he jotted into the margins of his manuscripts, too. It’s in this marginalia that we find fascinating insights into the author, the man, and his creative process.

A Frightening Jumble of Words and Imagery

Dostoyevsky was a versatile writer. He was equally capable of blistering missives like Notes From Underground and House of the Dead, and sweeping epics like The Brothers Karamazov. But mainly, Dostoyevsky is known for the latter – he’s known for works of startling breadth and scope, with an extensive cast of characters and a grand artistic vision.

You’d imagine that this would take meticulous organization and ordering, in the same way a composer might put together a symphony. And surely you’d be right. But a glance at Dostoyevsky’s manuscripts reveals something else. His writing is a chaotic jumble of imagery and form, with doodles in the margins and loping paragraphs that seem to follow neither rhyme nor reason.

Of course, Dostoyevsky had his own system. He simply would not have been able to produce the magic he did without one. But it was a system known only to him. Rather than ordering and arranging his notes like a desk clerk or a secretary, he preferred to let each page sing with life.

The Richness of the Creative Process

The work of Dostoyevsky was forged and fashioned from the memory and lived experience of its author. He was a creator and an artist, but he was also an observer, a sharp-eyed analyst of humanity. Horrifying experiences from his childhood worked their way into his writing, while the shocking mock execution he experienced in 1849 is presented in disturbing detail in The Idiot.

This process of dredging up, reliving, and then processing memories is not only written into his prose – it is etched into the physical material of the manuscripts he worked on.

Downcast shadowy faces are pulled from deep within the author’s subconscious, while architectural drawings sketch out the physicality of the world these characters inhabit.

It’s not that Dostoyevsky was disorganized or haphazard – it’s just that the cathartic, therapeutic, working-through of his ideas was a necessary part of his process.

Diverse Inspirations

The recurrence of architecture in Dostoyevsky’s drawings is representative of one of the author’s great loves – the artistry and magnificence of fine building design. The philologist Dmitry Likhachev has commented that Dostoyevsky’s love of architecture, particularly Gothic architecture, is a metaphor for the dichotomies evident in his work.

The interplay between good and evil, the rapid rises and rapid falls, the rigidness of social structure, are all key themes in Dostoyevsky’s writing, and find physical manifestations in grand gothic structures.

The script itself also needs to be considered. Examining Dostoyevsky’s manuscripts shows us that he wrote in wildly different styles and modes of handwriting. For Dostoyevsky scholar Konstantin Baršt, the author may have used different styles of handwriting to express different thoughts and positions, creating a dynamic ebb and flow of intensity throughout his work.

The Incredible Complexity of Dostoyevsky’s Legacy

Dostoyevsky’s manuscripts and notes have been pored over by scholars. They have been written about in books and essays – and in blogs like this one. They’ve even been exhibited to the public as great works of art.

But there’s no suggestion that these pieces of marginalia and flourishes of creativity were ever meant to be seen by anyone outside the author’s circle. It is Dostoyevsky’s finished works and the wonder he was able to create upon the page that represent his true legacy. These sketches and annotations do not detract from this body or work, nor do they add to it.

Instead, they demonstrate the actions and processes of a formidable artistic mind. They give us a glimpse into the creative structures that Dostoyevsky employed, and the steps required to take us from a collection of memories and thoughts to a fully-realized masterpiece. For that reason, browsing these creations, which sprang directly from the author’s pen, is an incredibly rewarding experience.

The post What Dostoyevsky’s Scribbled Notes Reveal About His Creative Mind appeared first on Magazine.

But this doesn’t necessarily mean we should abandon more traditional technology and dive headfirst into this digital world. Sixteen years ago, that’s what Sweden’s Ministry of Education and Research did. More than a decade later, the Scandinavian country found itself spending years and over 100 million euros, reversing this revolutionary step.

Here’s how Sweden’s government set out with the best intentions, but ended up adopting a more balanced approach.

Sweden’s Digital Transformation in Education

2009 was a big year for digital technology. The earliest touchscreen smartphones had been launched a couple of years earlier, but these devices really started to capture the public’s attention in 2009.

The revolutionary video game Minecraft was launched that year too, going on to become the biggest-selling game of all time, and the very first block was added to the Bitcoin blockchain. Meanwhile, WikiLeaks was regularly making headlines for its digital transmission of leaked documents.

Against this backdrop, it’s easy to see why Sweden’s Ministry of Education and Research was so energized. The world was changing, and young people needed the skills and capabilities that would help them capitalize on new opportunities.

So a decision was made: traditional textbooks would be phased out, with computers and tablet devices taking their place. Students wouldn’t just learn how to use these devices – they would learn almost exclusively via digital media.

Problems Emerge

The issues with Sweden’s new approach did not make themselves known at first. It took several years for problems to emerge. But when they did, it became clear that the Swedish government had been a bit too eager with its sweeping changes.

Firstly, reading exclusively from a digital screen, rather than a paper book, can cause significant health issues. Eyes become strained, and the blue light emitted by the screen can result in problems with sleep and rest, two often-overlooked aspects of effective learning.

Knowledge, comprehension, and retention were also questioned. While digital technology is undoubtedly well-suited to interactive learning and problem-solving, this is only part of the modern educational landscape.

Concerns were raised that schoolkids weren’t able to learn some aspects of the curriculum with the same effectiveness as they were before.

Then there was the issue of screen addiction. So much of our lives is now governed by digital devices that it’s difficult to find any respite. By pivoting completely towards these devices, Sweden risked fueling the obsession with screens, potentially reducing attention spans and harming social skills.

An Expensive Fix

Sweden did not ignore the potential harm of a total digital revolution – after a while, they began to wake up to the potential problems. From 2022 to 2025, the Swedish government set about reversing its policies, or some of their policies anyway. They began to reintroduce paper textbooks to Sweden’s classrooms.

This didn’t mean getting rid of digital devices altogether; instead, it meant redressing the balance. Politicians and educators worked together to understand where digital devices could offer significant help and where paper textbooks were better suited to successful learning.

Of course, none of this was free. The Swedish government spent more than 1.13 billion Krona (around US$120 million) on bringing books back to the classroom. This was partially responsible for a 5,000 Krona jump (US$514) in per-student education costs in 2022. While the costs didn’t exactly cripple the Swedish economy, they did represent an expensive reversal of the earlier policy.

A Balanced Approach to Education

The thing is, Sweden’s Ministry of Education and Research was not wrong. It is important for students to gain digital literacy skills and become proficient in using a wide range of devices. It’s also true to say that digital tools can be seriously beneficial in the classroom, introducing new learning concepts and helping educators find new ways to impart knowledge.

The issue is that they went too far, too fast. Education is all about balance and considered approaches. Making sweeping changes and doing away with resources like paper textbooks and traditional materials isn’t the best way to bring about meaningful change. Instead, new learning concepts can work alongside longer-established processes, achieving something quite remarkable in the classroom.

Sweden’s government, to its credit, did learn this valuable lesson. Unfortunately, it took them fifteen years and over a hundred million dollars to put it right.

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The Ultimate DIY

This project was 100% DIY. Even the base for the coffee table was designed by Martina and built entirely from scratch. The table itself features ornate carpentry and design made from beech wood and stained to enhance the dark academia aesthetic of the piece. With the help of Hansi, the outside structure of the table was carved and painted to look like antique, leather-bound books.

The Crafting Process

Martina began the project by building the shelves for the library diorama that would eventually go into the center of the table. She spared no detail, enhancing engravings for the custom bookshelves and choosing authentic wood stains for the entire project. Each piece is sealed thoroughly with wax for long-lasting protection.

Building out the frame of the coffee table included custom-ordered legs and framing. Martina and Hansi painstakingly measured each piece of the table and got creative with the jigsaw to create the antique charm for the table. The couple even introduced a brand new woodworking tool for the project — the CNC machine, which was used to build both the structural and aesthetic bookshelf to support the table.

Bookish Whimsy

The miniature library is full of incredible details outside of the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves — an oil painting, a hat rack, and tiny ornaments along the shelves. It even includes a writing desk complete with maps, important papers, and feathered ink pens. It’s easy to speculate what literary hero might live within this study.

The complete project, along with other whimsical designs, can be found on Nerdforge’s YouTube channel. Check out the amazing work below!

Another Tiny Library

If you’re inspired by Nerdforge’s masterclass in detail, you might be interested in another miniature library, created by diorama artist Tomas Mayer. His piece portrays a dusty library, with shelves overflowing with books, scrolls and jars. Much of the project is made from old paper and other trash that Tomas upcycled into pieces for the diorama, like the books and shelf decor. The library is well thought out and even features real-life bookkeeping practices for shelving the books. You can see the entire process and details here.

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How do we even begin engaging with the vast stores of knowledge and wonder in a library? For many of us, the Dewey Decimal System gives us an entry point, breaking the library catalogue into more manageable groups. However, this system was developed in the 1870s and designed for American libraries. In today’s modern, global society, it can feel a little outdated.

This is why one library in Aotearoa/New Zealand is trying something a little different. The team at Te Awe Library in Wellington is trialling an alternative way to organize and classify the Māori literature on their shelves, and bringing more readers into contact with great writers and great works from this culture.

The Project at Te Awe

For Bridget Jennings, Senior Cataloguing Specialist at Wellington City Libraries, the way books are organised is a big deal. Organisation is our first point of contact with the library, and the grouping and placement of books feed both our practical discovery of them and our psychological response to the resources we encounter.

This is why it’s so important to use a system designed for the books it categorises. While reviewing the cataloguing at Wellington, Bridget became concerned that the existing system did not serve works from the Māori tradition, so she and her team began to consider an alternative method.

They began planning groupings based on the Te Ao Māori classification system. This system reflects Māori atua (Māori gods), and the sections of knowledge, activity, and thought associated with each of these atua.

A More Suitable System

The team at Te Awe did not build this system by themselves, nor were they the first to consider this. Māori have used the domains of specific atua to classify knowledge for generation upon generation, and these structures of wisdom are greatly influential on the Māori worldview.

The Ngā Upoko Tukutuku project was designed to achieve the same ends, and Bridget and the team drew upon this tool as they built their system at Te Awe.

They also worked with Māori librarians and experts in the cultural and literary history of Māori people. This collaborative effort brought about a new method of ordering Māori books at Te Awe, grouping works around the atua and their associated systems of knowledge.

Māori Traditional Knowledge, Literature and Culture

Under Te Awe’s new system, books about traditional artistry, woodwork, and carving are grouped under Tangaroa, who is the atua associated with these modes of expression. Tangaroa is also the atua of natural bodies of water, and so books related to the ocean, lakes and rivers, fish, and other aquatic creatures are contained here too.

Rongomatāne is associated with agriculture and cultivated foods. Therefore, any books on the subject of growing crops, tending to gardens, or the culinary arts are contained within this section. As Rongomatāne is also the atua of peace, books on this subject are also organised in this area of the library.

Under the Dewey Decimal System, books on wood carving and river systems would not be placed together, nor would books on conflict resolution and gardening.

The age-old associations between these topics – intrinsic to Māori Mātauranga, or knowledge – are broken down and lost. With a system more closely linked to the root of this knowledge, these deep cultural associations are preserved for new generations.

A Resource that All Can Engage With

Bridget Jennings is clear that this is designed to be a resource accessible to all. Those well-versed in Māori culture will certainly find it easiest to traverse the different sections. But for those without this background, the classification becomes an opportunity to learn about the cultural links and connections that have shaped Māori understanding and identity for generations.

While the project is still in the trial phase, Bridget hopes it will be adopted permanently, not just at Te Awe, but right across Wellington.

Bridget leaves us with an important thought on the nature of classification and libraries as a whole. Libraries and systems of classification are intended to support both the reader and the works they want to engage with, and so both the library and its classification system must reflect the knowledge contained within.

“There are lots of people all around the world who are creating classification systems to meet their needs, especially in indigenous communities,” Bridget says.

“We want people to find it genuinely useful and relevant. That is the most important thing. It’s not about me, the cataloguer. Cataloguers just want people to find what they’re looking for.”

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