Leafing Through
In a stunning return to this blog, Pedro has given me another choice link. This one goes to the British Library's Online Gallery. My favorites so far are Sultan Baybars' Qur'an and Mercator's first atlas of Europe. The ability to leaf through the books means that the only thing missing is the smell of old books.
Comments
I wonder if we'll ever be nostalgic for the smell of old websites...
Posted by: Iain | January 15, 2006 7:11 AM
You know, olfactory virtual environments have been in existence since the 60's. The hard part is getting the old book smell right.
And I love atlases, maps and globes. Is this related to the testosterone thing?
Posted by: JeSuisMe | January 18, 2006 8:18 AM
Really?! Olfactory virtual environments? I don't know if Glade misters count, although you get kudos for the "The hard part is getting the old book smell right." thing, it makes you sound like you're writing Hiro Protagonist.
I love maps too, and yet I won't ask for directions ... interesting ....
Posted by: Lo Fat Mo | January 18, 2006 8:55 PM
I have a thing for old maps that are incorrect. I want to have a den filled with framed old incorrect maps someday. You can all come smell them, if you like.
Posted by: Iain | January 18, 2006 10:47 PM
I don't think it's testosterone. I've been obsessed with maps and books since I could read. I wrote an essay on the smell of old books in the 3rd grade, everyone else wrote about ice cream and ponies . . . sigh.
Posted by: Karen | January 18, 2006 11:13 PM
Yeah Karen, but you've always been a bibliophile and the most dude a woman can be and still be all feminine and stuff. If that makes any sense. Which it doesn't.
Posted by: Lo Fat Mo | January 18, 2006 11:55 PM
Um, thanks?
Posted by: Karen | January 21, 2006 11:17 PM
In a good way of course ... sort of like "why can't a woman be more like a man," except that you are.
Posted by: Lo Fat Mo | January 22, 2006 8:37 AM