This Flowchart Shows Which of NPR’s Top Sci-fi and Fantasy Books You Should Read Next

I love charts and infographics. I believe they are usually extremely effective in compressing a large amount of information in a manner that attracts and informs. Long chunks of text are often intimidating and may sometimes scare potential readers away if they seem like a big time commitment.

Flowcharts like this one are inviting and fun to look at. Well, if the subject matter interests you at all like it does me. SF Signal created this great chart called "A Guide To Navigating NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books." It recommends books based on your previous reads and current preferences, and it's great.

As an alternative, they have developed an interactive version of the same information. Click here if you prefer pushing buttons.


Via SF Signal

Appendix 1b: Italian Meringue

A meringue that isn't completely raw, since the egg whites are "cooked" by the hot sugar liquid. So there; you can make a frosting that is more interesting than whatever it is that comes on those store-bought cakes. And probably safer, too. All it takes are some egg whites, some water, sugar... and hhhheat.

Appendix 1a: Brigadeiro and Brigadeiro Hack

Brigadeiros (portuguese for "Brigadiers") are traditional and very popular Brazilian treats, often served at birthday parties. No child has had a complete childhood if it did not involve Brigadeiro. But it is never too late to make up for it--make some now. To this day, all the birthday cakes I have ever had were Brigadeiro cakes. I think. Anyway, you do not have to be a child to appreciate these. I have now written a detailed recipe for traditional Brigadeiro and for the frosting-appropriate Brigadeiro Hack.

RQ: What's the difference between Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory?

RESEARCH QUESTION

What's the difference between Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory?

HYPOTHESIS

Starting with the assumption that Hell is more Devilish and Heaven is more Angelic, and that Purgatory is somewhere in between the two, a combination of both would result in a place Goldilocks would be more likely to stick her fork.

METHOD

Baking a Venn Diagram to clearly illustrate the differences and similarities of the three in cake-form. There is no other tangible way of knowing.

YES.

We have made a Venn Diagram cake. And not any old Venn Diagram cake. We combined Angel Food Cake and Devil's Food Cake into an edible Heaven & Hell Venn Diagram. Because yes.

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