Mistakes on Maps - Fringe 2026
Mistakes on Maps is a 50-minute show, part of the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, to be held at The Library of Mistakes at 3pm most days between August 7th and August 30th, 2026. Buy tickets here. ** Introduction ** Flat Earth ** It's Round, But How Round? ** America Or Columbia? ** The Great Southern Continent ** Here Be Dragons! ** Sea Monsters ** Monstrous People ** Paradise ** Prester John ** California As An Island ** The Darien Scheme ** The Scilly Naval Disaster ** The Northwest Passage ** The Australian Inland Sea ** The Mountains of Kong ** Fake Islands for Financiers ** Famous Forgeries ** Canals on Mars ** A Map of Life Mistakes ** The Open Polar Sea ** Map Traps ** What's Your Name ** Drink Maps ** Mistakes on Maps is a witty, visually immersive journey through 20 historical maps, each featuring a fascinating flaw. Encounter sea monsters in the 1539 Carta Marina, the phantom continent of Terra Australis, California drawn as an island, the Open Polar Sea, canals on Mars, and the Mountains of Kong. Were these errors accidents, ambition, propaganda or fear of empty space? Along the way, see how trade, empire, faith and imagination bent geography. Through projected maps, story and music, this show reveals how cartographers got it wrong, and what their errors reveal about us.
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A Study of the Orders - 1906
7/8/24 (updated 11/29/25)The Study of the Orders by Frank Chouteau Brown is a comprehensive treatise on the five classic orders of architecture. This work, published around 1906 by the American School of Correspondence, includes detailed discussion and photographs of noted examples of the classical architectural orders. It is an educational resource aimed at providing a thorough understanding of the architectural principles, styles, and details associated with the classical orders, which include Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite.Frank Chouteau Brown's book serves as both a theoretical and practical guide for students and practitioners of architecture, focusing on the historical and structural aspects of these classical orders. Given its publication date, it reflects early 20th-century architectural education standards and methods, emphasizing precise study and visual illustrations of the orders as fundamental elements in classical architecture.The book is available in editions from the early 1900s and has been used for correspondence courses in architecture, indicating its role in distance learning at the time. It remains a noted reference in architectural history and education for understanding classical design rules and compositions.In summary, Study of the Orders by Frank Chouteau Brown is a key architectural text that comprehensively covers the classical orders with educational intent, combining historical context and practical examples.Source: Perplexity.aiCurated by G. Ly
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Les Contes Drolatiques (Droll Stories) - 1855
Balzac and Dore i45136i451377/16/24 (updated 11/25/25)Les Contes Drolatiques by Honoré de Balzac is a collection of seventy humorous and satirical short stories set in medieval France, published in three volumes between 1832 and 1837. The stories are framed as tales told by three friends in a medieval abbey and feature themes such as love, lust, satire, superstition, and social criticism. Balzac uses a pastiche of archaic French language to evoke a bygone golden age, while critiquing both medieval society and contemporary 19th-century French morals, particularly targeting hypocrisy, class disparity, and human desires. The characters often represent archetypes like the lustful knight or cunning servant, exposing the flaws and vices of their society in a humorous and irreverent manner.Key points include:The blend of bawdy humor and sharp social satire, touching on taboo topics like sexuality and human passions.The use of a medieval setting and archaic language to create historical authenticity and a distancing effect that allows moral and political critique.The stories draw parallels between medieval and 19th-century French society, highlighting corruption, hypocrisy, and social decadence.The collection stands out for its lively storytelling style, inventive language, and its challenge to the literary and cultural norms of Balzac's time.These tales remain a testament to Balzac's inventive narrative approach and his ability to entertain while offering incisive social commentary.Source: Perplexity.ai--G. Lymore from Perplexity
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Gasolene Engines - 1912
10/1/23 - I love these intricate images of something as “basic” as a gasoline engine. The illustrator, who was also the author and very interesting person in his own right, treated the images with reverence and care.Alpheus Hyatt Verrill was an American zoologist, explorer, inventor, illustrator, and author2. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 23, 1871, and died on November 14, 195412. Verrill authored many books on natural history and science fiction works2. He was the son of Addison Emery Verrill, the first professor of zoology at Yale University2. Verrill served as a technical advisor on gasoline engines for the Aeronautical Society in 19124. Among his other books were "Motor Boats and Boat Motors" (1910)4. "Handbook on care and operation of gasoline engines" was published in the same year and is also referred to as "Gasoline Engines" in a legal case from 1945234. A. Hyatt Verrill was a technical advisor on gasoline engines for the Aeronautical Society in 19121. In the same year, he published a book titled "Handbook on care and operation of gasoline engines"2. The book is also referred to as "Gasoline Engines" in a legal case from 19453. "Gasoline Engines" was one of Verrill's many books, which also included "Motor Boats and Boat Motors"1. A list of books on automobiles and motorcycles from 1912 includes "Gasoline Engines" by Verrill4. The book is not mentioned in a review of a major new marine engine history book from 20165. The University of Maine offered courses on gasoline engines in 19126. Perplexity AI: Who was a. Hyatt Verrill, author of a book on gasoline engines? https://www.perplexity.ai/search/Who-was-a-wKmxBlC6QfO9uGWdwH8rXw?s=mn
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