For the folks out there reading the latest Michael Chabon novel on an electronic device, here’s something to chew on: Books—you know, those paper things with inky words impressed on them—are not a lost art form. Don’t believe it? Just ask Guy Laramee.

While some people might discard their old tomes or employ them as doorstops, Laramee, a Montreal-based artist, gives them a second life as beautifully crafted sculptures. In the case of one work, The Great Wall(above), he even created a background story. It's premised on the fact that the Chinese have conquered America in the 23rd century. Or something like that. I…

What I did get, though, was that the artwork, which includes books turned landscapes, temples, caverns, and more, is spectacular.

Try doing all this with a Kindle.

MORE: The Fantastic Folded Art of Isaac Salazar »

A few months ago, I was struck by a photo I spotted on a news site. A teenage boy was standing at a busy intersection of some city wearing a sign written in his own hand, I presume, stating that he is a serial class cutter and that he will never, ever, "EVER!"do it again. The story goes that the boy's father was fed up with his little dollop of joy and… Read More >>

A 3D, Blu-ray version of Titanic hit stores this week, containing more than two and a half hours of never-before-seen footage. But perhaps the most interesting addition is Kate Winslet’s first screen test, not with Leonardo DiCaprio, but Jeremy Sisto of Clueless fame.

Can you imagine if DiCaprio never said “I’m the king of the world!” and it became Sisto's signature line instead? What if Robert Redford had donned blue tights and red cape as Superman instead of  Christopher Reeve? Here are some other interesting alternate castings you might not have known about:

Marlon Brando as Jim Stark in “Rebel Without a Cause”: Brando was a contender for the classic tale of youth in revolt, but the role ultimately went to James Dean, who became a cultural icon. Check out footage of Brando's "Rebel" screen test below.

Robert De Niro as Santino 'Sonny' Corleone in “The Godfather": Even though James Caan wound up landing the role of Sonny, De Niro probably wasn’t too upset. Two years later, De Niro landed the role of the young Vito Corleone in "The Godfather: Part II," a role that earned him his first Oscar.

Kurt Russell as Han Solo in “Star Wars”: It seems like every actor in Hollywood in their 20s and 30s auditioned for Han Solo, but it was Harrison Ford who eventually got the role. George Lucas originally hired Ford as a carpenter to build cabinets for his home, and later to read lines opposite actors auditioning for Star Wars. It was during those auditions that Ford won over the director.

Michelle Pfeiffer as Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs”: Pfeiffer was originally offered the role of FBI agent Starling, but turned it down. And before Jodie Foster was cast, Meg Ryan, Geena Davis and Melanie Griffith all expressed interest in the role.

For more alternate castings, check out this list of roles rejected by other stars.

Read More >>

As the NFL season gets underway, millions of deluded fans struggle once again to convince themselves that their favorite team is better than it really is and that this season, finally, everything is going to be different. Fat chance.

Every team has its flaws, some have too many to count, and others (sorry, Bills fans) are burdened by historic baggagethey may never escape. Over at… Read More >>

Part of my job as assistant to Reader's Digest editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello is to search the internet for interesting content. This morning started just like any other: There was a great story about a young boy who steered his dad's car to safety after a seizure, an interesting item on midlife eating disorders, and oneon pole dancing for kids (perhaps a recommendation for another day). But then… Read More >>

One of the most fun aspects of following the news on the campaign trail is the candid photos of the candidates that pop up along the way. These genuine moments, captured on camera, offer glimpses of the real people behind the polished political veneers. Last weekend, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden hammed it up for the crowds on their… Read More >>

With no shortage of ways to remember the terrible events of September 11th, 2001, I'd like to recommend one you may have missed: "In Pictures,"a comprehensive photo memorial built by the New York Daily News for the 10th anniversary of the attacks that is, of course, still moving and relevant today. Comprising images captured by the paper's photo staff, the feature… Read More >>

Straight from the files of “what’s wrong with our health care system” comes this gem: An Arizona woman was recently billed $83,046 dollars for treatment that included two doses of an antivenom medication to treat a scorpion sting (her insurance company paid most of it, but she still owed more than $25,000). According to this USA TODAY article, a distributor for… Read More >>

Last month, Liz Vaccariello and Reader's Digest staffers attended the Blog Her conference in New York City to connect with bloggers about The Digest Diet, a revolutionary new plan  that uses fat-releasing foods for fast, lasting weight loss. Today, we're excited to announce that over 30 bloggers are embarking on a "Blog It Off" 21-day journey together, following the Digest Diet  plan… Read More >>

Each year, the New York Says Thank You Foundation helps a community in need as a way of repaying them for their support after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. This year, the organization will pay tribute to Ann Nicole Nelson, a bond trader for the investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and the only North Dakota native who died on September 11, 2001, by building Annie's House, a ski lodge in…

The idea for the project to honor  Ann's life started when Jeff Parness, founder of the New York Says Thank You Foundation, read a story describing a list that Ann's mother Jenette Nelson found on Ann's laptop five years after her daughter's death. Here's part of what he read: "Getting lost in the computer became part of Mrs. Nelson's after-work ritual…

Number 7 on the list caught Parness' eye: "Buy a house in North Dakota."

"We called [Ann's] mother and said what if we build your daughter her house and turn it into a structure that brings to life all of the things she cared about on her bucket list—skiing, kids, the disadvantaged and the disabled," says Parness.

The remarkable story of Ann's life and her mother's discovery reminds us that behind each photo of the nearly 3,000 people who died on 9/11 is a family finding new ways to honor and remember the ones they lost.