First Book - that got you hooked

What got you hooked into reading as a child?

A.M.G. Schmidt? Captain Biggles? Roald Dahl, Koning van Katoren, Suske & Wiske, De Rode Ridder, Snoecks? Into the wild, Oosterschelde Windkracht 10, Tiny? Thea Beckmann? DoReMi?

In the States, they're setting up serious programmes to provide free books to the people who need them most.
Back in my own primary school, a ranking of the class was established at the beginning of the summer and you'd receive straight from the Mayor himself a PILE of literature that you could take home, proud as a monkey with a fresh banana? thankfully I hear that those taxeuros are still at work! Also, in our Jesuit College, there used to be bookfairs every trimester, which enabled you to buy whole series of trashliterature at almost no costs...

Mr. Anciaux would be well advised to keep some of our own precious literature under control (remember Gruuthuyze anyone?) and... to stimulate library visits all over the place. One of the reasons I loved going to public libraries in Dilbeek, Brussels, Namur or Leuven, was the access you got to hug amounts of (almost-nothing-to-rent) CDs! that was a huge stimulus for my reading habits!

Science fiction as a literature genre? lecture by Neal Stephenson

Xeno-ethnologist, confusion of genres, the standard model, post-cypberpunk.
Neal Stephenson has it all, in his ex cathedra "seminar" at Gresham College.
-> The top-10 Movies of all times are SF!

Top shelves - the World's Top 10 Libraries

Inspiration for your next Thematic Trip around the World?

Top shelves | Shoptalk | Guardian Unlimited Books: "6) Posada in Brussels
Located in a dear old house near St Magdalen's church in Brussels, Posada Books is as famous for its pretty interior as it is for its collection of new and second-hand art books. Has a remarkable collection of exhibition catalogues, which goes back to the beginning of the last century, and holds occasional exhibitions too."

The Gallmann Africa Conservancy

Just Finished reading "I dreamed of Africa" - a incredibly moving story about Kuki Gallmann's (mis)adventures in the Kenyan wild. The book tells the tale of Kuki's settling into late 20th century Kenya and establishing a landmark foundation and conservation project in the highlands near the Great Rift Valley after the tragical loss of both her husband and son. (a must-read story rated *****/*****)

When afterwards you visit the Nairobi National Park and are invited to step into a cage with a cheetah, you touch the earth's history through the carnivore's docile behaviour!

The Gallmann Africa Conservancy

Literary event, de la rentrée

According to the raving critics, this American writing in French is poised to hit and run on this fall's literary awards: Jonathan Littell - Les Bienveillantes. An aboslute must-read