Here are 20 interesting facts about books:
1. The oldest known written story is The Epic of Gilgamesh, written over 4,000 years ago on clay tablets.
2. The largest book in the world is so big it needs six people to turn a page.
3. The smallest book ever made can fit on the head of a pin and needs a microscope to read.
4. The word "book" comes from the Old English word bōc, related to beech trees, because early texts were carved on beechwood.
5. Before paper, books were written on animal skin (parchment). One Bible could require the skins of hundreds of animals.
6. The smell of old books comes from chemical breakdown in paper, many people find it comforting, like nostalgia in scent form.
7. There are books bound in human skin. The practice is called anthropodermic bibliopegy. Creepy but real.
8. The longest sentence ever printed appears in a novel and is over 800 words long.
9. Some libraries used to chain books to shelves because books were more valuable than houses.
10. The most stolen book in the world is the Bible, followed closely by Guinness World Records.
11. The Harry Potter series has been translated into 80+ languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.
12. Reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress by up to 68%, more effective than music or walking.
13. Ancient Romans sometimes wrote books on rolls, not pages. That's why chapters are called volumes.
14. There's a book made entirely of edible ink and paper, created as an art project.
15. In medieval times, mistakes in books were called "devil"s errors", because people believed Satan caused them.
16. Some books are written without using a single common letter. One famous novel avoids the letter "e" completely.
17. The average novel contains around 70,000-100,000 words, but some classics are far longer.
18. The first printed book using movable type was made in the 1400s, revolutionizing knowledge forever.
19. Many authors write alternate endings that are never published.
20. No matter how advanced technology gets, printed books still outlast most digital formats in lifespan.

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