The Book That Cannot Be Read – The Mysterious Voynich Manuscript

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Anomalies and Alternative Science, National Geographic Society, Voynich manuscript, Wilfrid Michael Voynich, World War I, World War II

National Geographic explores the mystery of the Voynich Manuscript – an ancient tome discovered by chance in 1912 by the book dealer Wilfrid Voynich. This documentary explores the great lengths that have gone into trying to decipher the manuscript, which was written in cipher during the 17th century.

The book itself has many illustrations of plants and seems to be a scientific study into herbology. However, further research has shown that certain illustrations can be made to ‘move’ by spinning the book around, thus giving researchers the impression that it could have been an attempt to record alchemical knowledge. This, along with the astronomical, cosmological and pharmaceutical images has led many to associate the text with many ancient European doctors who were famed throughout history to have worked ‘miracles’ with their potions.

Many codebreakers and cryptographers have tried to crack the ciphers used in the book, including those from WWI and WWII; however the Voynich manuscript still remains one of the most mysterious books of all time.

Is the Voynich manuscript real, or a hoax? I guess we won’t know for a long time yet!

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Book Review | Botchan by Natsume Soseki

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book review, Botchan, Huckleberry Finn, japan, japanese, Matsuyama Ehime, Natsume Sōseki, Soseki, Tokyo

Botchan by Natsume Sōseki

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

‘Botchan‘ is an amusing account based on the ups and downs of the teaching profession which is closely related to Soseki’s own short-lived stint as a teacher in Matsuyama. It is one of the most widely read novels in Japan and I can see why; anyone who has ever been a student or a teacher can completely relate to the many naughty things teachers AND students get up to. Schools were and still are utterly insane environments, and will drive even the calmest person mad.

This is very much a summer read. It is mischievous and light-hearted with tones of Twain’s ‘Huckleberry Finn‘ running through it, as Botchan our slightly arrogant narrator, describes his early days as a juvenile delinquent and his karmic comeuppance as a pompous maths teacher. In the beginning Botchan comes across as a naughty kid who never really applies himself to his studies (unlike his brother) and is therefore always getting into all sorts of trouble. However, after his mother’s tragic death he learns to grow up pretty fast. His father and brother look upon him as a waste of space, yet Kiyo the family servant, treats him like a prince, always telling him how he will one day be a ‘great man’.

Never really having any real aims or goals, Botchan soon realises he must do something with his life. When his father dies and his brother sells the family house and moves away to set up his own business, Botchan decides to enroll himself in the Tokyo Academy of Physics, but even this is without any real enthusiasm. A few years later he is graduated and by chance offered the job of mathematics teacher in the backwater town of Matsuyama of all places.

On arrival he realises that Matsuyama is not as refined as Tokyo and it’s people (in his eyes) are equal to that of neanderthals. His observations of the townspeople, students and other professors of the faculty are hilarious as he gives his colleagues nicknames (he never refers to them by their real names anyway). The best thing about Botchan as a character is his inability to see his own shortcomings, yet he moans when bad things happen to him. His students torture him with names like ‘Red towel’ and tease him about his love of onsen’s and noodle bars.

Very soon he discovers that being a teacher means you cannot do whatever you want out of school hours. Living in such a small town means word gets around, and anyone who has ever taught will understand how your actions out of school could so easily be used against you. I found this to be a really faithful account of first-time teaching and how certain events still resonate today even though it was written back in 1906.

Highly recommended to all those entering the teaching profession for a bit of light entertainment. It will certainly take your mind away from all the lesson-planning and essay writing one needs to do during the ITT and NQT years!

View all my reviews

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How Fast Can You Read?

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Ayn Rand, Fountainhead, James Fenimore Cooper, John Steinbeck, Lord of the Flies, meme, reading speed, Speed reading, William Golding

Congratulations! You are 58% faster than the average adult reader!

I can be a real slow-poke when it comes to reading, I have to admit that. What it takes some people to read in two days I usually complete in a week! It’s a habit I’m not very happy with, so I was really glad I can across this neat ‘Speed Reading Test’ from Staples that lets you know how quick you are compared to the average reader… and how you square up with the world’s fastest word scanner, a lady with an astonishing 4’700 words per min. record! I may not be as fast as her, but I realise I’m not as bad as I thought either.

If you wish to take the test yourself then click on the image below. You will be prompted to read a short piece and then have to answer three questions to check you’ve actually read it. Simples!

Source: Staples eReader Department

According to the test I can read the following books in so many hours if I keep to my normal reading speed:

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy in 24 hours and 43 minutes

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand in 13 hours and 7 minutes

Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper in 6 hours and 7 minutes

Lord of the Flies by William Golding in 2 hours and 31 minutes

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck in 7 hours and 8 minutes 

Hmm, maybe I should have timed myself with ‘Lord of the Flies’! I’m quite surprised that it says I can complete it in 2 hours. I’m pretty sure I’ve taken over 2 hours to get to chapter 3! Anyways… Maybe this little test will help me pick up speed a little as I feel more confident for tomes like ‘The Fountainhead’!

Take the test and post your results. How fast can you read?? You might be surprised.

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Celebrating World Book Day | “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”

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84th Academy Awards, Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, animated short film, Brandon Oldenburg, Morris Lessmore, Short film, William Joyce, world book day

Since ‘World Book Day’ is almost upon us, I wanted to share a short film that sums up perfectly the real impact of books upon our daily lives – and how a world without them is almost unthinkable. Please enjoy it as much as I did and thank you to LKD for bringing it to my attention in her blog post “The Inside of My Brain On An Ordinary Day“.

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” has garnered a number of awards including the prestigious ‘Best Animated Short Film‘ at the 84th Academy Awards and was written by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg. There is also an Ipad app based on this film and a book adaption is expected to be released in late 2012.

If you’d like to know more about the short film, please visit the official website.

Please share this with as many people as you can, and let’s get literacy levels back on track. Books still have a very firm, legitimate place in our lives and without them our world is very, very empty.

Also let’s make a difference for all those who still cannot share in the joys of reading, the millions around the world who still live in poverty and destitution. You can donate some of your books to charities who will use them to get aid to those who need them. Or you can visit the World Book Day website for ideas on what to do on that day. Books can make a difference, if only we know how to treat them… please feel free to share your feelings about the film or any activities you might be doing on March 1st.

POP QUIZ! If you are up for the challenge, try to spot how many stories you can see in this short film. The beginning is obvious and reminiscent of a certain Dorothy with ruby red shoes! But what about the rest of it? Ready, steady, go!

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