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Random Articles - RAW 161223


Welcome to the last RAW for the year.  Thank you for joining me over the past year and I hope I've been able to challenge you to Read More and Think More about various topics.  As the year draws to a close and we look forward to 2017 I''d like to  wish you all a joyous Christmas and a happy New Year. Here's praying that you remember the reason for the season.

Pull up a comfy chair and enjoy reading this holiday weekend with your favourite festive beverage.



The Most Overlooked Word at Christmas

One of the most important words in the Christmas story is an unassuming one. It’s one you’ve probably skipped over many times, failing to recognize its significance. It’s not a main character—like Jesus, Mary, or Joseph—but you can hardly understand the Christmas story without it. At Christmas, one little word—with—helps to explain why Jesus came and how we can know him. With clarifies, convicts, and comforts.



The beautiful Icelandic tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve : TreeHugger

Icelanders have a beautiful tradition of giving books to each other on Christmas Eve and then spending the night reading. This custom is so deeply ingrained in the culture that it is the reason for the Jolabokaflod, or “Christmas Book Flood,” when the majority of books in Iceland are sold between September and December in preparation for Christmas giving.



The Hottest Trend In Digital Publishing are Serialized eBooks Good E-Reader News

The big new trend in digital publishing in 2016 is serialized novels that are delivered to you via an app or directly to the email inbox. Large publishers and a number of startups believe that most people do not read complete novels on their phone, but do have time to read a chapter a day



War and Peace: James S.A. Corey on New 'Expanse' Novel

The new novel, releasing today (Dec. 6), is the sixth entry in James S.A. Corey's "The Expanse" series, which continues at a hard burn of one book per calendar year. Season 2 of the associated TV series on Syfy is promised for early 2017. Space.com caught up with Corey — actually the author duo Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck — to hear about their favorite aspects of the new novel, the writing process and the series' ultimate ending, which they can't wait to reach. (Be warned: minor spoilers related to character appearances are included.)



12+ Books for Kids Not Ready for Harry Potter

For kids who are not ready for many of the darker themes in Harry Potter or the reading level of the later books, this list of chapter books will come in handy. Some of these books are good for kids not ready for the 1st Harry book and some are better for kids who can read the first three, but not beyond. All of them have a heavy dose of magic and a share a few elements with J.K. Rowling’s splendid series.



'Post-truth' named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries | Books | The Guardian

Defined by the dictionary as an adjective “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief”, editors said that use of the term “post-truth” had increased by around 2,000% in 2016 compared to last year.



Nutcrackers and Alice in Wonderland: Russian illustrated children's books – in pictures | Children's books | The Guardian

Karina Karmenian takes us on a tour of contemporary Russian children’s books illustrators, after setting the scene with the radical foundations in the 1920s



Tokyo cafes turn to 'friendly, relaxed' Australia for ideas | The Japan Times

What is it about Australian cafes that has Tokyo so excited? Is it the relaxed atmosphere, the service or the fresh flavors? Perhaps it’s the high-quality produce and the commitment to crafting exceptional cups of coffee? Or maybe it’s the attraction of Australia’s laidback lifestyle? Whatever it is, cafes and restaurants across Tokyo seem to be invoking Down Under.



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