If there's one dream that unites all bookish folks (aside from, you know, universal literacy) it's the dream of having a secret passageway hidden

A tiny keyhole in the wood paneling turned out to be a portal to Britain's history — a passage created 360 years ago for the coronation of Charles II.

Here's another posting for the 'clever things' part of the blog. I've long been interested in the concept of illusion - magic tricks, gimmicked boxes, hidden doorways and the like. I did a lot of research on 18th century liquor smuggling, and in the process came across a few neat things I thought I'd share. The first is an excellent book that is now in the public domain, which means you can read it on line for free. It's called Secret Chambers and Hiding Places and is available at…

A Hidden Bookshelf Door that Leads to your Man Cave [ HGNJShoppingMall.com ] #mancave #shop #deals

Can you get through this post without calling your contractor?

This is the way to Panama. For anyone who hasn't seen the film, the Panama canal was in the cellar and the crazy brother Teddy who thought he was Teddy Roosevelt, would go and dig the Panama canal and then the dotty old sisters would bury their victims' bodies in the holes he dug. I decided to ma...

Here's my guide to visiting the Palazzo Vecchio, a must visit attraction in Florence Italy. The Palazzo Vecchio is a doughty medieval fortress on the outside and a resplendent Renaissance palace on the inside. It's one of Florence's most historic and important landmarks, designed and decorated by the Medici dynasty.

Castle Rising, Norfolk