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in 1975, humorist P. G. Wodehouse died.

Wodehouse "was an English writer and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeves; the immaculate and loquacious Psmith; Lord Emsworth and the Blandings Castle set; the Oldest Member, with stories about golf...."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._G._Wodehouse

Books by Wodehouse at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/783

Photograph of P. G. Wodehouse. He standing by a railing wearing a coat and a hat.
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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
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"Mastered by desire impulsive,
By a mighty inward urging,
I am ready now for singing,
Ready to begin the chanting
Of our nation’s ancient folk-song..."

An epic border: Finland’s poetic masterpiece, the Kalevala, has roots in 2 cultures and 2 countries

by Thomas A. DuBois

https://theconversation.com/an-epic-border-finlands-poetic-masterpiece-the-kalevala-has-roots-in-2-cultures-and-2-countries-261444

Kalevala at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Kalevala

Mistress of the North, Louhi attacking Väinämöinen in the form of a giant eagle with her troops on her back. (The Defense of the Sampo, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1896), Turku Art Museum. The scene depicts an episode from the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, showing the sorceress Louhi (the Mistress of the North) transformed into a giant eagle attacking the hero Väinämöinen and his companions as they flee in a boat with the magical Sampo. Louhi carries her warriors on her back as she swoops down, her enormous wings spread across the green-gold sky. The heroes in the boat below defend themselves with weapons, fighting desperately to protect the Sampo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala#/media/File:Sammon_puolustus.jpg
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"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear."
Quiet Strength (2000)

~Rosa Parks born in 1913

She is best remembered for her refusal on December 1, 1955 to obey bus driver James Blake's demand that she relinquish her seat so a white man could sit in the row.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks

Photo of Rosa Parks. This image shows Parks: In what appears to be the 1950s Wearing glasses and a striped blouse Smiling warmly at the camera With a dignified, composed bearing In an outdoor setting A man visible in the background
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How Richard Feynman Found the Root of the Challenger Disaster

The famed physicist’s persistence led him to uncover shocking failures

By Molly Glick

https://nautil.us/how-richard-feynman-found-the-root-of-the-challenger-disaster-1264270/

Spacecraft at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=spacecraft

Plume on right SRB at T+58.788 seconds This image shows: Time: T+58.788 seconds into flight (just under one minute after launch) The fatal flaw: A large flame plume visible on the right Solid Rocket Booster, just above the exhaust nozzle The breach: Hot gases are escaping through a failed O-ring seal in the motor casing Camera: Taken by tracking camera E-207 Source: This image appears on pages 26-27 of the Rogers Commission Report investigating the disaster At 58.778 seconds into powered flight, a large flame plume is visible just above the SRB exhaust nozzle indicating a breach in the motor casing. This image was on page 26-27 of the report by the Rogers Commission regarding the en:Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. It was taken by camera E-207. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster#/media/File:Booster_Rocket_Breach_-_GPN-2000-001425.jpg
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The Complete Story of the Epic of Gilgamesh (Overview & Analysis)

"The Epic of Gilgamesh, recounting the adventures of the semi-divine Sumerian king, may be the world’s oldest literary work. What does the narrative say?"

https://www.thecollector.com/epic-gilgamesh-overview/

Gilgamesh at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11000

Drawing of Gilgamesh strangling a lion. He has the lion with his left arm around his neck and a whip in his right hand.
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Robert Burns and Mary, Queen of Scots: how the poet shaped the enduring cultural legacy of the executed monarch

The queen was the source of much debate among 18th-century thinkers.

by Kate Kane

https://theconversation.com/robert-burns-and-mary-queen-of-scots-how-the-poet-shaped-the-enduring-cultural-legacy-of-the-executed-monarch-273950?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Weekender%20-%203653437321&utm_content=The%20Weekender%20-%203653437321+CID_43c6452557555cbd4df21443bb065cc9&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk

Robert Burns at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/583

François Clouet - Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-87) Mary wears a pink gown decorated with vertical gold striping and small jeweled embellishments. The bodice is tightly fitted and fastened down the center with a line of pearls or gemstone buttons. A crisp white ruff collar frames her neck. Her sleeves are full and carefully tailored. Her hair is light brown and drawn back smoothly, partially covered by a jeweled headband adorned with pearls. She wears modest jewelry, including a pearl necklace, small earrings, and a ring. Her hands are delicately posed at her waist, fingers gently touching. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots#/media/File:Fran%C3%A7ois_Clouet_-_Mary,_Queen_of_Scots_(1542-87)_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

François Clouet - Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-87) Mary wears a pink gown decorated with vertical gold striping and small jeweled embellishments. The bodice is tightly fitted and fastened down the center with a line of pearls or gemstone buttons. A crisp white ruff collar frames her neck. Her sleeves are full and carefully tailored. Her hair is light brown and drawn back smoothly, partially covered by a jeweled headband adorned with pearls. She wears modest jewelry, including a pearl necklace, small earrings, and a ring. Her hands are delicately posed at her waist, fingers gently touching. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots#/media/File:Fran%C3%A7ois_Clouet_-_Mary,_Queen_of_Scots_(1542-87)_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
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Today is Burns' birthday, let's celebrate!

'There's no other poem like it': Why this Robert Burns classic is a masterpiece

Tam O'Shanter is a rip-roaring tale of witches and alcohol, but it has hidden depths. On Burns Night this Sunday – and 235 years after the poem was published in 1791 – Scots everywhere may well be treated to a masterwork with a unique, universal appeal.

By Nicholas Barber

https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20260122-why-this-robert-burns-poem-is-a-masterpiece

Tam O'Shanter at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25733

Fronstispiece of the book Tam O' Shanter. by Robert Burns. Decorations by Harry L. Miller. Published by The Saalfield Publishing Company. The artwork is done in a highly decorative, ornate, and gothic style, with intricate linework. The entire page is framed by a border made of twisting thorny branches, leaves, and vines. The illustration has a dark fairy-tale and folkloric atmosphere. The border contains small human and supernatural figures, animals, and symbolic elements: A small seated figure near the top left; Hanging figures or effigies suspended from branches; Witch-like and goblin-like creatures placed around the frame; Small animals such as cats or owls, enhancing the eerie tone; The thorny branches curve around to form an elaborate rectangular frame. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/25733/pg25733-images.html
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Gladys West, mathematician whose work paved the way for GPS, dies at 95

She navigated segregation to become an esteemed mathematician — and today, her work helps billions of people navigate the world.

By Bill Chappell

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685027/gladys-west-gps-mathematician

Air Force Space Command Vice Commander Lt. Gen. DT Thompson delivers presents Dr. Gladys West with an award as she is inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame during a ceremony in her honor at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Dec. 6, 2018. West was among the so-called "Hidden Figures" part of the team who did computing for the U.S. military in the era before electronic systems. The Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame is one of Air Force's Space Commands Highest Honors.(Photo by Adrian Cadiz) The image shows Lt. Gen. DT Thompson, Vice Commander of Air Force Space Command, presenting Dr. West with her award. Dr. West appears dignified and elegant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System#/media/File:181206-F-DT527-136.jpg
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How Edgar Allan Poe Became Our Era’s Premier Storyteller

Fans of the mystery writer have no shortage of ways to pay homage to the scribe behind “The Raven” and so much more

by Michael Capuzzo (from the archives)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/edgar-allan-poe-became-era-premier-storyteller-180971001/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550

Edgar Allan Poe at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/481

An 1875 illustration of Poe by French impressionist Édouard Manet for the Stéphane Mallarmé translation of "The Raven" The image captures the haunting, psychological atmosphere of Poe's famous poem through Manet's bold, sketchy style: Upper portion: A bust or statue (likely representing Pallas Athena, mentioned in the poem: "perched upon a bust of Pallas") The raven: Suggested by the dark, dramatic shading and atmospheric mood Lower portion: A figure (the narrator) slumped or reading, overwhelmed by grief and the supernatural visitor The door: Geometric lines suggesting the chamber door at which someone came "rapping" https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/14082/pg14082-images.html
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Before Newton: How the Islamic Golden Age Shaped the Physics We Know

Remarkable discoveries were made during the Islamic Golden Age, which laid the foundation for the study of physics as we know it.

by Matt Whittaker

https://www.thecollector.com/how-did-physics-begin-islamic-golden-age/

Books in Physics at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/bookshelf/103

An illustration from al-Biruni's astronomical works, explains the different phases of the Moon, with respect to the position of the Sun, from manuscript of the Kitab al-Tafhim by Al-Biruni (973-1048). The illustration demonstrates: The Moon's orbit shown by the elliptical path with red lines; Different phases of the Moon represented by the circles divided into black and illuminated (red/white) portions; The Sun's position (indicated by the Arabic text on the right: "al-shams" meaning "the sun"); Geometric lines showing the relationship between the Sun's light and the Moon's appearance from Earth; Arabic annotations explaining the astronomical concepts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Biruni#/media/File:Lunar_phases_al-Biruni.jpg
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The shape of time

In the 19th century, the linear idea of time became dominant – with profound implications for how we experience the world

By Emily Thomas

https://aeon.co/essays/when-we-turned-time-into-a-line-we-reimagined-past-and-future?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=6edcc3967b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_01_10_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4ef8a26106-72664972

Space and Time at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/7601

(Page 1) Adams' Synchronological Chart of Universal History. Through the Eye to the Mind. A Chronological chart of Ancient, Modern and Biblical History, Synchronized by Sebastian C. Adams. Third Edition and Twelfth-Thousand carefully and critically revised and brought down to 1878. Colby & Co. The work depicted is part of "Adams' Synchronological Chart of Universal History" by Sebastian C. Adams, published in 1881 by Colby & Co. The chart is a massive timeline measuring 57 cm in width and 70 cm in height, featuring a sophisticated layout that visually represents 5,885 years of history, from 4004 B.C. to 1881 A.D. It's known for its complexity and effectiveness in synthesizing historical data into a cohesive visual narrative. The chart is a lithograph, characterized by its detailed and colorful design. It integrates text, illustrations, and graphical lines to convey chronological information. The timeline is divided into segments that represent different eras, with intricate pathways tracing historical events and genealogies. https://archive.org/details/dr_page-1-adams-synchronological-chart-of-universal-history-through-the-ey-6000002
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New Open-Access Book Maps a Medieval Kingdom of the Isles

A new open-access book is revealing fresh details about Finlaggan on Islay, a site long linked to the Lords of the Isles. The study argues the loch’s islands were not just symbolic, but the working centre of a medieval kingdom within Scotland.

https://www.medievalists.net/2026/01/new-open-access-book-maps-a-medieval-kingdom-of-the-isles/

About Hebrides at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=hebrides

A cottage on Islay from Thomas Pennant's A Tour in Scotland and Voyage to the Hebrides, published in 1774. The image shows a traditional Scottish cottage construction: stone walls with what appears to be a thatched roof made of straw, heather, or turf. People can be seen near the cottage, giving scale and showing daily life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay#/media/File:Cottage_on_Islay_(18thC).JPG https://archive.org/details/tourinscotlandvo01penn/page/n3/mode/1up
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In Pursuit of Peace, Ancient Athens Created a Goddess

In the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War, Athenians worshipped Eirene. Her cult reflects the political role of religion in Ancient Greece.

By: Anna Gustafsson

https://daily.jstor.org/in-pursuit-of-peace-ancient-athens-created-a-goddess/?utm_source=mcae&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jstordaily-01152026

Eirene at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=eirene

Eirene (Peace) bearing Plutus (Wealth), Roman copy after a Greek votive statue by Kephisodotos (ca. 370 BC) which stood on the agora in Athens. Eirene is shown as a mature, dignified woman in flowing Classical Greek drapery. She cradles the infant Plutus in her left arm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eirene_(goddess)#/media/File:Eirene_Ploutos_Glyptothek_Munich_219_n4.jpg
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Did Children Really Go to War?

"This is one of the most interesting crusades of all—the Children’s Crusade."

https://www.thecollector.com/childrens-crusade/

The Children’s Crusade, by Gustave Doré shows a large group of young people marching down a medieval street. Some people look on.
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8 Black Inventors Who Changed the World

"African American inventors and their revolutionary ideas have shaped technology and society throughout history."

https://www.thecollector.com/black-inventors-who-changed-the-world/

Elijah McCoy the inventor of the moveable ironing board.

Photograph of Elijah McCoy the inventor of the moveable ironing board.
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Hear Debussy Play Debussy: A Vintage Recording from 1913

https://www.openculture.com/2025/12/hear-debussy-play-debussy-a-vintage-recording.html

Photograph of Claude Debussy (1908)
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in 1922.

At Toronto General Hospital, 14-year old Leonard Thompson became the first human to receive an injection of insulin as a treatment for diabetes, administered by Dr. James Collip. Thompson developed an allergic reaction to the injection. Additional work was done to refine the treatment and a second dose given on January 23.

More about insulin:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin

J. B. Collip in his office at McGill University. Collip is seated and photographed from approximately chest level up. He wears round wire-rimmed glasses and has neatly combed dark hair parted to the side, styled in the fashion typical of the era. He is dressed formally in a white laboratory coat over a shirt and tie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1922#/media/File:J._B._Collip_in_his_office_at_McGill_University_ca._1930.png
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The erotic poems of Bilitis

A lush translation of this late-discovered lesbian poet added to the legacy of Sappho, but there was a trickster at work

by Cat Lambert

https://aeon.co/essays/how-a-playful-literary-hoax-illuminates-classical-queerness

Les Chansons de Bilitis at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4708

Title : Les chansons de Bilitis : traduit du grec / Pierre Louÿs ; ill. de G. Barbier, gravées sur bois par F. L. Schmied Author : Louÿs, Pierre (1870-1925). Auteur du texte Publisher : P. Corrard (Paris) Publication date : 1922 Contributor : Barbier, George (1882-1932). Illustrateur Contributor : Schmied, François-Louis (1873-1941). Graveur The illustration is presented as a decorative page or bookplate, featuring a rectangular composition with elaborate framing. The entire design is set against cream-colored paper with a sophisticated multi-layered border treatment that creates depth and visual richness. Across the top of the black panel stretches an arbor or trellis laden with grapevines. Standing gracefully on the left side is a woman in classical Greek or Roman dress. Crouched or kneeling on the right side is a striking figure rendered entirely in coral-red or terracotta tones. In the upper portion of the black space, four white bird silhouettes are visible. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k15164019/f23.item.texteImage#
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Among the Sleuths: Looking for Answers at the Nancy Drew Convention

Jadie Stillwell and Nicole Blackwood on the Mystery of the Missing Discernible Character Traits

https://lithub.com/among-the-sleuths-looking-for-answers-at-the-nancy-drew-convention/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_id=01KE5W7XNRXXS2MZDKNH70YJS5&_kx=3MZUehzXM-41qlWAMPUiuNZadX2p0SByuNf_t0eMLB0.U5D8ER

Carolyn Keene at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/58985

Cover page of The hidden staircase by Carolyn Keene, illustratated by Russell H. Tandy. At the top of the cover, "Nancy Drew Mystery Stories" appears in a stylized script font in yellow/gold lettering. Below this, the title "THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE" is displayed prominently in bold, uppercase blue letters. The cover features an illustration showing Nancy Drew descending a mysterious hidden staircase. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77602/pg77602-images.html
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Wordsworth Revolutionized Poetry But His Life Was Equally Interesting

"Who was William Wordsworth, and what made his poetry so revolutionary? Read about the life and works of this major Romantic poet."

https://www.thecollector.com/william-wordsworth/

Books by Wordsworth at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2879

Portrait of William Wordsworth, by William Shuter, 1798.
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The Hidden Aesthetics of Early Astrophotography

Behind the transformative star photographs of the 1880s lay a complex collaboration between astronomers and engravers.

By: Danny Robb

https://daily.jstor.org/the-hidden-aesthetics-of-early-astrophotography/

Astronomy at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/bookshelf/101

Spiral nebula M 51 by the Lick observatory 1900. The center of the image shows a spectacular spiral galaxy with clearly defined spiral arm structure. The galaxy appears as a bright, roughly circular object with luminous spiral arms curving outward from a bright central core. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PSM_V58_D028_Spiral_nebula_m_51_by_the_lick_observatory_1900.png
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“Open Me Carefully.” Emily Dickinson’s Intimate Letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson

"A Look Inside the Poet’s Personal Life and the Making of Her Mythical Reclusiveness"

https://lithub.com/open-me-carefully-emily-dickinsons-intimate-letters-to-susan-huntington-dickinson/

Books by Dickinson at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/996

Emily Dickinson seated by a table with a tablecloth and two books stacked on top.
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Happy New Year!

This month's Distributed Proofreaders' Blog takes time out to talk about the Minute Boys juvenile series.

https://blog.pgdp.net/2026/01/01/the-minute-boys/

Cover of the "The Minute Boys of Long Island" by James Otis. The cover shows two youths in colonel wear looking towards something to their left.
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HAPPY PUBLIC DOMAIN DAY! And Happy New Year!

Books published in 1930 will enter the U.S. public domain, such as:

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett: This novel introduced the world to the famous detective Sam Spade.
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner: A masterpiece of American literature.
The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie: This was the first novel to feature the beloved character Miss Marple.


1/

An English logo of the 2025/26 Public Domain Day in Poland. The centerpiece consists of four large numerals arranged horizontally, displaying "2025" with a unique transition effect. Each digit is rendered in white against solid black rectangular backgrounds: The "2" appears in a standard, complete form The "0" is also shown in complete form The second "2" is again complete The final digits show a split-flap or mechanical counter-style animation, with "6" visible on top and "5" on the bottom, divided by a horizontal line through the middle of the rectangle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Domain_Day#/media/File:Logo_PDD_2026.svg
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What was your favorite book from PG's catalog in 2025?

https://www.gutenberg.org/

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The cultural works becoming public domain in 2026, from Betty Boop to Nancy Drew

A new year means a new parade of classic characters and works entering the public domain.

By Rachel Treisman

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/26/nx-s1-5649395/public-domain-2026-copyright-betty-boop-pluto

The original version of Betty Boop. This is a black and white title card from an early Betty Boop cartoon, showing the character in her classic iconic form. The image is presented as a vintage film title card with an ornate, curved border frame typical of early 1930s animation. The word "FEATURING" appears at the top of the frame. Betty Boop is shown as a large head portrait in her fully developed human form (not her earlier dog-eared version). Her distinctive features include: An oversized round head with a very pale/white face Enormous round eyes with prominent pupils looking slightly to the side Long eyelashed A small, cupid's bow mouth with a dark circle in the center (her signature "boop-oop-a-doop" mouth) Large hoop earrings Her iconic hairstyle: short, curly black hair with distinctive spit curls on her forehead and a characteristic wavy black hair mass https://web.archive.org/web/20121022053053/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Betty-boop-opening-title.jpg
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Yeats and the Occult Imagination

Beneath his poems lay a lifelong devotion to magic, divination, and a visionary system that shaped his most prophetic work.

By: Gus Mitchell

https://daily.jstor.org/yeats-and-the-occult-imagination/

Yeats at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1719

William B Yeats. The photograph shows Yeats as a young man, likely in his twenties or early thirties, photographed from the chest up in a formal studio portrait style. He faces the camera directly with a serious, contemplative expression. Yeats has distinctive features including dark, wavy hair swept back from his forehead. He wears small, round wire-rimmed spectacles (pince-nez style, which appear to be clipped to his nose with a cord or chain visible). His face is clean-shaven, revealing refined, angular features with a strong jawline and thoughtful expression. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/WB_Yeats_nd.jpg
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The hidden history of 'White Christmas'

Nearly every pop music holiday song written in the past 80 years owes at least some of its DNA to one Christmas tune in particular: "White Christmas," written by Irving Berlin and sung by Bing Crosby, which he first recorded in 1942.

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/15/nx-s1-5628363/white-christmas-bing-crosby-history

Bing Crosby - White Christmas. A-side label of the 1942 10-inch single. The A-side label of Bing Crosby's original 1942 Decca Records 10-inch 78 RPM single of "White Christmas" by Irving Berlin, from the Paramount Picture "Holiday Inn." The historic recording features Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra. This became the best-selling single of all time and defined the modern Christmas music canon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Christmas_(song)#/media/File:Bing_Crosby_-_White_Christmas_1942_10_inch.jpg
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5 Christmas Poems That Have Been Treasured Since the 1800s

https://www.thecollector.com/19th-century-christmas-poems/

"A Visit From St. Nicholas (Twas the Night Before Christmas)" at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=A+Visit+From+St.+Nicholas

Alfred Tennyson at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2987

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/16

Christina Rossetti at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7041

Illustration from "Twas the Night before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas" at PG. It shows a mantel with Christmas stockings hanging from it. On top of the mantel is a clock and two vases on each side.
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The Interesting Origins Behind Putting Oranges in Christmas Stockings

By Alexandria Ingham

https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/oranges-christmas-stockings-origins

Three oranges on a white background
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Did Charles Dickens see A Christmas Carol as an anti-slavery story?

A Christmas Carol is usually read as a Victorian morality tale about capitalism and compassion. Yet an autographed script written by Charles Dickens during the American Civil War raises the possibility he may also have understood the story as speaking to the cause of ending slavery in the US.

By Lucy Whitehead

https://theconversation.com/did-charles-dickens-see-a-christmas-carol-as-an-anti-slavery-story-272292

Christmas Carol at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46

"The Ghost of Christmas Present" from the original edition, 1843 Scrooge's third visitor, from Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. With Illustrations by John Leech. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. First edition. This image is one of four hand-coloured etchings included in the first edition. The illustration depicts the Ghost of Christmas Present as a jolly giant robed in green, surrounded by festive abundance including food and drink. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol#/media/File:Scrooges_third_visitor-John_Leech,1843.jpg
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What was the loudest sound ever recorded?

By Clarissa Brincat

Determining the "loudest recorded sound" depends on how you define sound and on which measurements you choose to include.

https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics/what-was-the-loudest-sound-ever-recorded

Krakatau

"Krakatau - between Java and Sumatra Description: Krakatau. Rakata (Great Krakatau). From the Anak-Krakatau, it is clearly visible that more than half of it sank into the sea in 1883 Date: unknown Location: Dutch East Indies, Krakatau, Indonesia" - picyrl.com
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Why Was Joan of Arc Executed in 1431?

"In 1431, Joan of Arc, the young rebel who helped Charles VII claim the French throne, was executed as a heretic. Why?"

https://www.thecollector.com/what-happened-joan-of-arc/

Joan of Arc at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subjects/search/?query=Joan+of+Arc

Joan of Arc Enters Orléans, by Jean-Jacques Scherrer, 1887.
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A history of punctuation

How we came to represent (through inky marks) the vagaries of the mind, inflections of the voice, and intensity of feeling

by Florence Hazrat

https://aeon.co/essays/beside-the-point-punctuation-is-dead-long-live-punctuation?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=77aa6a8db4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_12_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4ef8a26106-72664972

An exclamation mark with a comma instead of a full stop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation#/media/File:Exclamation_comma_3.png
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Kafka becomes more accessible

Soon the first English Kafka books will enter the US public domain. The Castle, one of several Kafka works translated by Willa and Edwin Muir, gets there in 17 days.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/15/kafka-becomes-more-accessible/

At PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1735

First English translation of the book The Castle, the last novel by Franz Kafka. The dust jacket of the first English translation of Franz Kafka's "The Castle" (1930), featuring minimalist typography and design characteristic of early 20th-century book covers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Castle_(novel)#/media/File:CastleKafka.jpg
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How Robert Frost summoned a classic from life’s timeless moments

Perhaps the most famous work by the US poet Robert Frost, ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ (1923) exemplifies his style with its vivid scenery and accessibility.

https://aeon.co/videos/how-robert-frost-summoned-a-classic-from-lifes-timeless-moments?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a5fbf00b6b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_12_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4ef8a26106-72664972

Frost at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1091

Robert Frost, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing forward. From the Library of Congress collection, the image captures the young Frost during the period when he wrote some of his most celebrated poems. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stopping_by_Woods_on_a_Snowy_Evening#/media/File:Robert_Frost,_1910s.jpg
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What Set Off the Showdown at the O.K. Corral? An Anti-Gun Law

Mark Lee Gardner on the Impact of 19th-Century Gun Control on Cowboy Culture

https://lithub.com/what-set-off-the-showdown-at-the-o-k-corral-an-anti-gun-law/

Wyatt Earp in 1869/70.

Photograph of Wyatt Earp at 21 in 1869/70.
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1066 and still all that

Few humor books from 1930 still get laughs from many people now, but 1066 and All That does. W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman don't just send up English history: they also satirize how history is often taught and remembered, where what really matters, whether Bad Kings or Good Things, is the story of whoever's on top.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/11/1066-and-still-all-that/

Later paperback edition of the book 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England, Comprising All the Parts You Can Remember, Including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings and 2 Genuine Date (c. late 1960s) A late 1960s paperback cover of "1066 and All That" by W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yeatman, featuring whimsical stick-figure illustrations on a bright turquoise background. The minimalist line drawings humorously depict historical figures and scenes, perfectly capturing the book's satirical take on English history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1066_and_All_That#/media/File:1066AndAllThat.jpg
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In Praise of E. H. Shepard’s Illustrations

What makes Pooh Pooh? The answer lies not only in author A.A. Milne’s prose, but also in the quiet genius of E. H. Shepard’s original illustrations. With Shepard’s work now in the public domain, it’s the perfect opportunity to revisit how these deceptively simple drawings became cultural touchstones.

by Sterling Dudley

https://blog.archive.org/2025/12/10/e-h-shepards-illustrations/

At PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67098

Here's a picture of Christopher Robin, Rabbit, Rabbit's firends and relations, Piglet, some mice and even a hedgehog, all pulling together on Pooh, still stuck. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67098/pg67098-images.html
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Grand days out

There's something magical about Swallows and Amazons.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/09/grand-days-out/

First edition dust jacket cover of Swallows and Amazons novel by English author Arthur Ransome, 1930. The 1930 first edition dust jacket of "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome, featuring a charming hand-drawn map showing lakes, islands, and sailing routes. The whimsical illustration includes decorative cartouches with children in boats, nautical elements, and place names rendered in a playful, storybook style that captures the adventure of children's sailing expeditions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallows_and_Amazons#/media/File:ArthurRansome_SwallowAndAmazons.jpg
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Ovid’s Metamorphoses is all about mothers

Mothers don’t normally belong in Latin epics, which were meant to be devoted to warriors and warfare.

by Frances Myatt

https://theconversation.com/ovids-metamorphoses-is-all-about-mothers-266383?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20December%208%202025%20-%203610136859&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20December%208%202025%20-%203610136859+CID_dd5bfffedf1c121cf798264446dd13b0&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=Ovids%20Metamorphoses%20is%20all%20about%20mothers

Metamorphoses at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21765

Page from the edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses published by Lucantonio Giunti in Venice, 1497. A 1497 Venice printed page from Ovid's Metamorphoses, published by Lucantonio Giunti. Features elaborate Renaissance border decoration with mythological scenes, ornate floral patterns, decorative initial letters, and Italian text in two columns beneath a woodcut illustration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphoses#/media/File:Ovidius_Naso_-_Metamorphoses,_del_MCCCCLXXXXVII_Adi_X_del_mese_di_aprile_-_1583162_Carta_a1r.jpeg
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Who ordered this timeline?

There’s the 1980 we know from memory and history, and there’s the 1980 of Just Imagine, where people have names like “J-21”, need permits to marry, and travel in both dirigibles and Mars rockets.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/05/who-ordered-this-timeline/

More about it:
https://www.themoviedb.org/review/65ce219dd8af67018790607a

A vibrant Art Deco-style poster for "Just Imagine" featuring bold geometric design with an orange spacecraft, stylized figures, and dramatic angles. The text "50 YEARS FROM NOW!" appears at top, with the film title in large letters at bottom. https://www.themoviedb.org/review/65ce219dd8af67018790607a
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in 1875, poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke is born

Rilke "was an Austrian poet and novelist. Acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, he is widely recognized as a significant writer in the German language. His work is viewed by critics and scholars as possessing undertones of mysticism, exploring themes of subjective experience and disbelief."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainer_Maria_Rilke

Rilke at PG:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/846

Photograph of Rilke
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How Ramanujan's formulae for pi connect to modern high energy physics

Most of us first hear about the irrational number π (pi)—rounded off as 3.14, with an infinite number of decimal digits—in school, where we learn about its use in the context of a circle. More recently, scientists have developed supercomputers that can estimate up to trillions of its digits.

by Rohini Subrahmanyam

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-ramanujan-formulae-pi-modern-high.html

A pi pie. A creative pie decorated with the pi symbol (π) in the center and the digits of pi (3.14159265358979323846...) written around the edges, creating a visual pun celebrating the mathematical constant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi#/media/File:Pi_pie2.jpg
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Ogden Nash makes a splash

Ogden Nash found success after The New Yorker hired him in 1930, launching a long career of humorous, playful verse. His earliest published poems enter public domain pretty soon.

By John Mark Ockerbloom

https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/12/03/ogden-nash-makes-a-splash/

Photo of panelist Ogden Nash and Dagmar from the television game show Masquerade Party. This 1950s photo shows poet Ogden Nash with actress/TV personality Dagmar on the game show "Masquerade Party." Nash, wearing glasses and bow tie, sits at a panel desk while the glamorous Dagmar stands beside him. via ABC Television https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogden_Nash#/media/File:Ogden_Nash_Dagmar_Masquerade_Party_1955.jpg
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100 years on, T.S. Eliot’s The Hollow Men is a poem for our populist moment

His 1925 poem "The Hollow Men," published 100 years ago, bridges the nihilism of "The Waste Land" (1922) and his spiritual rebirth, reflecting his evolving faith journey.

by Luke Johnson

https://theconversation.com/100-years-on-t-s-eliots-the-hollow-men-is-a-poem-for-our-populist-moment-269487

Eliot at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/599

T.S. Eliot with his sister and his cousin by Lady Ottoline Morrell vintage snapshot print, 1934 The photograph is a vintage black-and-white snapshot from 1934, taken outdoors in what appears to be a garden or courtyard with tall brick buildings in the background. Three people sit at a table set for tea. On the left, Eliot in a suit sits facing the camera, hands resting on the table. In the center, Eliot's cousin wearing a dark coat and hat sits slightly turned to the side, holding a cane. On the right, Eliot's sister in a patterned dress looks downward, her expression quiet and reserved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot#/media/File:Thomas_Stearns_Eliot_by_Lady_Ottoline_Morrell_(1934).jpg
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Esther Lederberg (December 18, 1922 – November 11, 2006) pioneered bacterial genetics, discovering lambda phage and F factor, inventing replica plating and furthered the understanding of the transfer of genes between bacteria by specialized transduction. She founded Stanford's Plasmid Reference Center. Despite groundbreaking work, she never got tenure and her discoveries are often credited to her Nobel laureate husband.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Lederberg