Around the Web: A Minecraft Library, a Word List, Reading and Stress, and a Bookstore Update

Hello again, dear readers! Are you ready for another Around the Web post? This week, we’ve got a Minecraft library, a collection of words for bizarre things, a look at how reading habits reflect stress, and an update on a Toronto bookstore.

A Virtual Library In Minecraft

Non-profit organization Reporter Without Borders has built a library inside the hugely popular video game Minecraft. The library, which can be downloaded as an offline map, aims to allow gamers, especially those in countries with strict press censorship rules, to access and engage with independent journalism.

Words for Bizarre Things

English is a vast language that often has terms for very specific and sometimes bizarre things. For example, did you know there’s a word for someone who is employed to scare off crows or for the incorrect use of the letter M? Check out this list from Merriam-Webster for more interesting vocabulary.

Reading and Stress

Over the course of the pandemic, I’ve noticed my reading patterns change quite a lot, so I appreciated reading Jamie Canaves’s look at how their reading life contains stress indicators. If you are prone to stress, maybe you’ll find some similarities in your own life.

A Different Booklist

Earlier this year, we shared a list of our favourite Canadian independent bookstores. A Different Booklist, which is on that list, will soon have an expanded home. If you’re in Toronto or the GTA, check out Quill & Quire’s story on the upcoming changes to the store and cultural centre.