Judge a book by its format

If you wander the shelves in the library you can come across so many unique books. I wanted to share some of the really interesting formats and styles that I have found along the way.

S by J.J. Abrams

S is a fun mystery that looks like a library book covered in notes between two students. Tucked inside are 22 pieces of ephemera including postcards, letters, newsletters, and more. Everything combines beautifully to create a story within a story:you are reading a novel and at the same time you are reading the conversation between two readers that is written in the margins.

John Wayne : the genuine article : the unseen archive of an American legend by Michael Goldman

This is a non-fiction book full of good information and glossy photos. The best part is that this book goes a step further and has actual replicas of memorabilia tucked throughout. You can open up envelopes and pull out movie posters and letters. Fans can read everything from telegrams wishing John Wayne happy birthday to letters from the United States Senate.

Neil Patrick Harris : choose your own autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

This is the most unique autobiography that I have ever come across. I don’t know about you, but I used to love reading choose your own adventure books. I eventually had to stop reading them because I had a tendency to always pick the story line that ended in death. Then I felt compelled to backtrack and try again - it got very confusing after a while. There is a risk of piranhas in Neil Patrick Harris’s book, but it is a fun enough idea to be worth the risk.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

This book glows in the dark! “The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco web-design drone, and serendipity, sheer curiosity and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey have landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead ' checking out' impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he has embarked on a complex analysis of the customers' behaviour and roped his friends into helping him figure out just what's going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr.Penumbra, they discover the secrets extend far beyond the walls of the bookstore.”

Knit Socks! : 15 cool patterns for toasty feet by Betsy Lee McCarthy

This book is interesting because the cover is actually shaped like a sock. A fun preview for some of the unique pairs of socks this book will teach you to make. “With a little help from nationally renowned knitting teacher Betsy McCarthy, you can produce a pair of beautiful socks on your first try. These 15 unique, easy-to-follow patterns will give you the confidence to get started and the skills you need to tackle more challenging projects. Down-to-earth advice about choosing yarns and needles will make your very special handknit socks last for years.”- Back cover