Skip to main content

The Great Literary Trip: Day 9

 I'm back! Welcome to the day 9 recap. 



Day 9

CITIES

This morning, we left New York City, and to be honest, I'm relieved. Rat race = real. (The city during the summer also smells like rats, so that analogy is applicable on multiple levels.) We drove to New Haven, then to Newport, then to Providence. Today was one of the best days of the trip.


LIBRARIES

Libraries at Yale University
We saw two libraries at Yale today: Sterling Memorial Library and Beinecke Rare Book Library. 

Sterling is the main library of the university and was opened in 1931. Architect, James Gamble Rogers designed the space as a centerpiece of Yale's Gothic architecture. Actually, Rogers approached the university with a design for a cathedral; however, the administration told him that what Yale actually needed was a library. Rogers simply changed the title of his plans from "church" to "library." The library holds over 4 million volumes. The university's manuscripts and archives are housed in the building. 

Beinecke is the rare book library and literary archive for Yale University. The building is characterized by its architectural details. The Beinecke website explains it best: "The building’s design includes a six-story glass-enclosed tower of book stacks, holding approximately 180,000 volumes, and large “windows” made of translucent Vermont marble panels, an inch and a quarter thick, in a Vierendeel truss of steel-clad in granite. The marble panels protect the collections from damaging direct sunlight while absorbing and diffusing the exterior light in warm hues on the interior." What's especially cool about the design of the building is that the books are held in a multi-level, glass chamber that keeps them at the optimum temperature. Also, Beinecke prioritizes books and manuscripts in every facet. In case of a fire, the glass chamber will be evacuated of oxygen immediately, so that the books won't burn. 

Also, the exhibit on display at Beinecke was all about women in American theatre. I really enjoyed the exhibit as an amateur actress. 

*Gutenberg Hunt Update*: We saw our third Gutenberg Bible today at Beinecke, and we were in the immediate vicinity of our fourth. I think "immediate vicinity" counts as well for such a valuable manuscript. 



BOOKSTORES

Grey Matter Books
This bookstore is situated in a charming sector of New Haven on the border of Yale's campus (basically in it). To be completely honest, it wasn't worth visiting. While there are these charming window seats where patrons can read the used books they purchased, the store has a very strange vibe. This weird chanting music or podcast was playing very loudly. Now, as a podcast and constant media consumer myself, I don't mind a little background noise. No, my friends, this was no background noise. 



Atticus Bookstore and Cafe
Also in New Haven, this bookstore was certainly the better of the two. It was a good enough bookstore for sure: new fiction, classics, children's books. It was just unremarkable. 

RJ Julia Booksellers
Unlike the first two, this bookstore was absolutely lovely. I wish this store was in my hometown. Nestled in Madison, Connecticut (which was adorable and quaint), RJ Julia Booksellers is just as lovely as its setting. Solid, rich, wooden bookcases line the walls and form alcoves like the most lovely sea caverns filled with literary treasures. And, drumroll please, I bought a book. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I, a girl addicted to buying books, attempted to do the impossible. I decided to restrain myself from buying books and memorabilia at every single store. I have only been purchasing books, tote bags, or whatever my little heart desires at my favorite bookstores. I walked out of the charming, green doors onto the perfectly warm brick walkway as a very happy girl. 




Savoy Bookstore
I have never been to Rhode Island, and Savoy Bookstore certainly gave me a good first impression. The decor was the star of the show in this town bookstore. The tiles and lights were very charming. I enjoyed my short time there. 


Check back in tomorrow for another update!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Author Spotlight: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley At my school, I am a Library Leader. (Library Leaders promote reading in the middle school and recommend books for the younger grades.) The Library Leaders had the fortunate opportunity of eating lunch and meeting with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. We got to ask her questions and just talk with her. Mrs. Bradley also spoke to the whole seventh and eighth grade in assembly about her research. 1)      When/How does she write? Mrs. Bradley writes in the morning, but this depends on her chores for the day. She got into her routine when her children, now graduating college and out of college, were small and went to school. She would always wait until her husband took them to drop them off at school. She likes for her writing space to be very quiet. She prefers typing when she when she writes as to writing. (This may be pretty common; I do not know what the common format among writers is today. I just thought I would include eve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Long Way Down

A Long Way Down Written in verse, A Long Way Down by J ason Reynolds is a novel about making a moment’s decision. *DISCLAIMER: The story deals with grief, mild cussing, and gun violence. Plot Summary: Will doesn’t live in a so great part of town. This African-American teen’s brother, Shawn, is shot and killed by a member of gang member in a near-by part of town. Will decides to follow ‘The Rules’. (‘The Rules’ are passed on through generations of members of this community and they are: 1. DON’T CRY 2. NO SNITCHING 3. ALWAYS GET REVENGE.) Will decides to kill the gang member who killed Shawn. He HAS to follow ‘The Rules’. He gets on the elevator to go down to the Lobby and the elevator stops at every floor. People that have been shot in the past and were in his life get on the elevator at every floor. This thriller is written over one minute and nine seconds. Author Praise/Critique: Jason Reynolds is a very talented poet. The book is very visually pleasing because ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Reading and writing, reading and writing, reading and writing: that's what I hope to keep doing all summer (with some swimming and seeing friends mixed in there too!). Here's another review! This is Stuart Turton's The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle,  and it's a doozy.  SUMMARY THE RULES OF BLACKHEATH Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer. Understood? Then let's begin... Evelyn Hardcastle WILL die. And every day Aiden Bishop WILL try to identify her killer and break this neverending cycle he has somehow found himself in. But every time a new day begins, Aiden inhabits the body of a different guest at Blackheath. Some of Aiden's hosts will be more helpful than others. Some of Aiden's hosts are more capable than others. Some of Aiden's hosts start to overcome Aiden's true personality. Then again, who is Aiden? A...
Post a Comment
Read more