blogis librorum. A blog about books. Rare books.

The word "meteor" didn't specifically refer to a fireball or shooting star until 1590, when it appears in that context in Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. The term was originally popularized by Aristotle, who wrote a treatise on meteoro-logica, that is "discussion of high things." Aristotle wrote a treatise about the interplay between the four elements (earth, wind, water, and fire). He postulated that weather occurred because the sun's action caused vapors to rise up from the earth and sea. Aristotle addressed a wide variety of phenomena, from earthquakes to water evaporation. 

American writer Joseph Heller is notably recognized for writing Catch-22. Published in 1961, the novel takes place during the latter half of the Second World War, telling the story of John Yossarian, an Air Force captain for the United States military. Although the novel did not instantly top the bestseller’s lists, it has since gained popularity, adding the phrase “Catch-22” into the English Language.

For most of human history, the sky, the stars, and the moon were all an otherworldly mystery to those observing it from the face of the Earth. Some people believed that the celestial bodies were deities watching over them. Some thought that the stars could tell a story or form a prophecy when read correctly. Others found surprisingly accurate ways to learn about space without ever leaving the solid ground beneath their feet.

By the time Ian Fleming sat down at his typewriter to begin work on Casino Royale in 1952, he'd already had an illustrious career as a commander of Great Britain's Secret Intelligence Service. Responsible for the famous "trout" memo (so named for its fly fishing metaphor), Fleming distinguished himself as a cunning and thoughtful intelligence officer. 

Though Fleming certainly drew from his own experiences to create James Bond, he also had another inspiration: Sidney Reilly. The Russian-born spy proved an indomitable agent whose charismatic personality, fearless execution, and hedonistic lifestyle are reflected in Fleming's 007. 

When the inaugural Nobel Prize in literature was awarded in 1901, it went to the now relatively unknown Sully Prudhomme. Born on March 16, 1839, Prudhomme was a French poet and essayist who eschewed the Romantic movement. Loosely connected to the Parnassus school, Prudhomme desired to create a scientific poetry for his era. According to the Nobel committee, the prize was given"in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect."

On February 15, 1805, Georg Rapp and his followers formally established the Harmony Society in the United States. With roots in Germany, the religious group eventually came to dominate the economy of Pittsburgh and the Ohio River Valley. The Harmony Society's long history also intersects with those of Peter Kaufmann and Robert Owen.

"Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated., When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind." -Wilson Bentley (1925)

On September 25, 1897, William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi. Despite lacking both college degree and high school diploma, Faulkner established himself as one of America's preeminent authors. The Nobel laureate's life holds a few surprises for most of his readers.