Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

Friday Facts (+ #Giveaway!)

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Since we had some good responses to my previous Friday posts (Friday Five and Friday Favorites), I thought we’d have some fun today with a “Friday Facts” post.

Here are 5 facts that you may or may not know about one of our favorite topics—books.

  1. There are around 130 million books published.
  2. The world’s best selling book (at around 5 billion copies!) is the Bible.
  3. Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440.
  4. The act of smelling books is called bibliosmia.
  5. There’s a Japanese word tsundoku that means “to let reading materials pile up in one’s home and never read them”.

And here are 5 facts about one of our favorite activities—reading.

  1. Reading is more effective at relieving stress than listening to music or drinking a cup of tea or coffee.
  2. Reading makes you more empathetic by helping you see the world through another person’s perspective.
  3. Reading helps expand your vocabulary and improve your writing skills.
  4. Reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain and can help strengthen those networks.
  5. Reading before bed can help you sleep.

Did any of these facts surprise you? Comment below and let me know!

Giveaway: I’d like to give away a $5 Amazon gift card (since we’re all about the number 5 today). One winner will be randomly chosen from the comments below. The giveaway will remain open until midnight on Monday, November 15th.

Liwen Ho (65 Posts)

A chauffeur and referee by day (AKA a stay at home mom of two), Liwen Y. Ho writes inspirational and sweet romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).


Comments

  1. Hi Liwen! Love your Friday posts, especially Friday Facts. Alliteration is a delight. I was not aware the Japanese had a term for the TO Read Pile, but in 2008 I spent much of my free time at a Tokyo bookstore. Loved seeing selections in Japanese, English and German. This avid traveler and reader loves visiting bookstores. Been blessed to visit bookstores in Stuttgart, Offenberg, Berlin, and Bern (Germany & Switzerland). As a retired German, English and Journalism teacher I am fascinated by the printing process and its development over 580 years. Best wishes. Enjoy your weekend.

  2. These two facts I didn’t know and were very interesting to me: The act of smelling books is called bibliosmia.
    There’s a Japanese word tsundoku that means “to let reading materials pile up in one’s home and never read them
    And yes, I believe reading is more effective at relieving stress, because I read after work of a day and before bed to help me sleep.

  3. Reading fights stress! That got my attention! I also knew that it helps with depression. It’s really amazing how you can have fun and at the same time it’s a good thing for you. I also did not know that the Bible is the best selling book even today! I thought that how are the times that would have changed I’m glad to know that no.

  5. I didn’t know about the Japanese word for my TBR stack! However, I know I’ll eventually get them read! lol!! My oldest sister also loves t read, and she decided a long time ago that she and I are NOT happy if we don’t have a stack of books waiting for us! I 10000% agree that reading reduces stress, because it does for me. Books are one way I’m able to cope with this season of grief.

  7. Hi, Liwen! Yay for new words!! ‘Tsundoku’ is my superpower! And bibliosmia is my guilty pleasure!

    I wonder sometimes about the potential conflict between reading as relaxation and doing so on phones, tablets and computers where the blue light from the screens acts as a stimulant. Dunno.

    That was a Fab Five for Friday! Thanks!

  9. I love the meaning of tsundoku! I’ve never heard of that before. (Probably because I’m not Japanese!) :D

  10. thank you for sharing this wonderful post today. I love these facts. Especially the one about smelling a book and the Bible

  11. While reading does relax me and help me sleep, I learned a long time ago that there are certain books I cannot read just before bed – if it’s too suspenseful, it will keep me awake wondering what’s going to happen next :-)

  12. Hi Renate! Visiting bookstores in other countries sounds delightful! So glad you got to do that. Thanks for commenting!

  14. Hi Lilly! Yes, it’s great that reading is not only enjoyable but good for us, too! Thanks for commenting!

  18. Hi Lincoln! That’s a very good point! I’d venture to say that you’re right about blue light not being relaxing. Good “old-fashioned” print books for the win! Thanks for commenting!

  21. Hi Lori! Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I had fun learning those facts, too, when I was researching. Thanks for commenting!

  23. I am glad to learn the word and the meaning of the word, tsundoku . Definitely applies to me.

  25. I’m very much guilty of tsonducko! I like that word. These were some really interesting facts. I like reading before bed too, as it does seem to help me relax more. Thanks for sharing!

  26. I read every night before bed.I didn’t know reading was stress relief.I read though to relax.

  27. Funny. Like a person who has had a paucity of food can then turn into one overly concerned about having enough food (as they have piles of excess,) I wonder if I do that with great Christian and clean books. When I was in high school and starting college, there were not a great amount of Christian fiction books, and I owned very few. I often would wonder my little house, wishing for something to read. Now I just hopelessly stockpile. I wouldn’t ever want to run out again!!!!🤣🤪

  28. Hi Liwen! Love the fun facts! Laughed at the Japanese word for piling up books and not reading them….that was me on my Kindle!! Especially when there were freebies!! I have now become much more discerning…but I haven’t deleted the many many stories I will probably never read, because they did grab my interest when I acquired them!!

  36. Hi Liwen, pretty interesting facts, it really doesn’t surprise me that the Bible is the worlds most selling book. Now, I surely did not know that there was even a word for smelling books, but now I know, Thank you. Thank you for posting all these awesome facts, they are fun to learn. Have a great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.

  39. First need to learn to say tsundoku cos thats me.
    the one about reading before bed helps you sleep better I was one who read before bed but then at 2am the book is finish and I am so tired when I get up in the morning.

    I do agree about expanding the vocabulary and it also helps expand your knowledge of history, geography etc. I have learnt so much from books. More than I learnt at school in many subjects.
    Love the fun facts.

  42. Hi Jenny! Oh, that is so true. It’s so hard to stop reading, especially for us night owls. Glad you enjoyed the fun facts. Thanks for commenting!

  48. Thank you for sharing. The only fact that surprised me is the fact of the Japanese having a term for having books around the house, but not reading them. God bless you.

  57. I think both the #1s surprised me, though the reading more than the books. Still, they’re all interesting! And I think #3 from the reading list is especially true for me. :)

  59. It doesn’t surprise me but I like that the Japanese have a word for our stockpiling reading materials we will never get around to reading. Now, if only I would be able to remember it.

  60. Hi Linda! Yes, it’s going to take me a few tries to remember tsundoku, too! Thanks for commenting!

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