A member of a prominent New York City family has created a boot camp for domestic workers whose employers are unsatisfied with their cooking, cleaning and cab-summoning skills.

Jill Wilpon, whose husband is banker Lyle Wilpon, worked in executive search and corporate staffing for two decades before starting Chorz, a staffing service for maids and nannies, the New York Post reports.

And now, she has added training sessions to ensure workers are proficient in everything a Park Avenue family could need.

According to Page Six: 

Servants to the wealthy can be sent next Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. to Park Avenue mom Jill Wilpon’s Chorz housekeeping camp — where lessons include “table setting,” “understanding the workings of a Manhattan building,” “how to work your Cres-tron” home automation system or “load your washing machine” and even “keeping the best linen closet.”

Wilpon also lamented to the Post that many nannies who come from foreign countries don't know how to use Uber, either, so Chorz, of course, works to rectify that.

This is far from the first time Upper East Siders have banded together to police each other's help. The blog I Saw Your Nanny functions as a forum where concerned users can anonymously tattle on nannies who they see misbehaving in public.

"This is hysterical," ISYN founder Lesley Kring told Business Insider in an email. "It only surprises me in that if you are a family of means, why are you hiring someone who doesn't understand a building? Why isn't your housekeeper experienced working with the finest of appliances?"

There are plenty of candidates who could do the job without a boot camp, she added.

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Nine Inch Nails lead singer Trent Reznor has listed his stylish Beverly Hills home for $4.495 million, Trulia reports.

Reznor, who served as Beats' chief creative officer when Apple acquired the company last year, is reportedly playing a "major role" in the relaunch of the Beats Music streaming service.

Reznor's home has five bedrooms and four bedrooms spread out over more than 4,300 square feet of space.

There's also an infinity pool and a soundproofed studio. 

The home, located in the affluent Los Angeles enclave of Beverly Hills, was originally built in 1966.

Reznor purchased the home for $4.1875 million in 2007.

Inside, the home has an airy, open feel.

Earth is home to incredibly beautiful natural sites.

Unfortunately, due to climate change and human carelessness, some of them are in danger of disappearing in the next 100 years — or even sooner.

In honor of Earth day, we found 20 places all travelers should see while they still exist. From ancient Mayan ruins in Guatemala to the Swiss alps, these threatened natural wonders span the globe.

A popular destination for honeymooners or paradise-seekers, the islands of the Seychelles — located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar — are vanishing because of beach erosion. They're in danger of completely disappearing in the next 50 to 100 years.

Source: Time

The picturesque snow that tops Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania may not be there for much longer. In the years from 1912 to 2007, Kilimanjaro's ice sheet had shrunk by a whopping 85%.

Source: CNN

The Mirador Basin and Tikal National Park in Guatemala are home to the mysterious ruins of Mayan civilization. However, illegal looting and forest burning may destroy this piece of history forever.

More than half of American adults are single. 

According to the US Census, 53% of singles are women, 47% are men. 

But the way American culture treats single people of the different genders is — unsurprisingly — different. 

To Kate Bolick, author of "Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own," it has a lot do with pressures around marriage. In "Spinster," Bolick traces the place and status of single women in American history.

While everybody grows up with the expectation that we'll one day get married, she says, the pressures are a lot more pronounced for women, and there's a lot more fear involved.

"I think that women tend to feel that they have less choice, that it’s something they have to do, and don't have control over when it will happen," she tells Business Insider.

Then there are guys.

"When it comes to men, but from what I've witnessed, men tend to hit 'marriage o'clock' around their early 30s, where they just decide that it’s time to get married, and marry whoever they're dating," Bolick says. "So they have a much more relaxed attitude toward marriage; it's something that they'll do when they're ready and they feel like it, and women don't have as relaxed a relationship to the idea of marriage." 

You can also see it in the words we use for singles — bachelor and spinster.

In "Spinster," Bolick unpacks the differences.

Here's the history of bachelor:

Bachelor originally referred to men of inferior status in professions so demanding they precluded marriage. In thirteenth-century France this meant, for instance, a theological candidate who held merely a bachelor's degree instead of a master's.  

Around 1300 the word crossed into English to describe low-ranking knights. Much later, Victorian matchmakers appropriated the term and added eligible, for an unmarried man blessed with financial and social inducements, and confirmed, for any who wanted to remain that way. By the late nineteenth century the term had neutralized to simply mean "unmarried man," as it still does today.

And spinster:

[Spinster] originated in fifteenth-century Europe as an honorable way to describe the girls, most them unmarried, who spun thread for a living — one of the very few respectable professions available to women. By the 1600s the term had expanded to include any unmarried woman, whether or not she spun. 

Not until colonial America did spinster become synonymous with the British old maid, a disparagement that cruelly invokes maiden (a fertile virgin girl) to signify that this matured version will never outgrown her virginal state, and is so far past her prime that she never will. 

At a time when procreation was necessary to building a new population, the biblical imperative to "be fruitful and multiply" felt particularly urgent, and because only wives, of course, were allowed to have sex, the settlers consider solitary women sinful, a menace to society. If a woman wasn't married by twenty-three she became a "spinster." 

If she was still unwed at twenty-six, she was written off as a hopeless "thornback," a species of flat spiny fish — a discouraging start to America's long evolution in getting comfortable with the idea of autonomous women. 

Other cultures are even more brutal to single women. In South Korea, for instance, women who die without ever being married become Cheonyeo gwishin, or maiden ghosts — since they never served their purpose in life of winning a husband. 

While not quite as intense as in Confucian societies, the historical legacy in America is that the right role of women is to serve her parents, husband, and children. Because how else would the colonies have enough humans to continue to exist? While the pressure isn't as acute as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries, 21st century women still feel a greater pressure than guys to get hitched — though singles are increasingly able to create meaning in their lives beyond those primary relationships. 

SEE ALSO: 4 things single people should know about living alone

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For nearly 50 years, the Jaguar XJ has been one of the finest luxury sedans money can buy. It's been a torchbearer for old-world British luxury and style. Unfortunately, by the early 2000s, the XJ's relentless evocation of Jag's design lineage caused the car to become staid. Which is why in 2010, Jaguar design boss Ian Callum unveiled a new XJ that broke the mold and took Jag's flagship four-door in a modern and controversial direction. 

The current generation XJ is already half a decade old, but its eye-catching looks remain as fetching as ever. So when Jaguar let Business Insider borrow a 2015 XJL Portfolio all-wheel-drive test car, we jumped at the opportunity to spend a week behind the wheel of this automotive icon.

From 1968 to 2009, the Jaguar XJ's appearance represented a steady evolution of ...

.... a clearly ....

.... defined ....

A week after the call from the assistant, I was sitting in the center of daily operations for this mid-sized agency, which employed up to eight modeling agents.

Finally, I was called into the director's office. On a desk in front of me were piles of photos and proof sheets.

To my left, shelves displaying the faces of dozens of plus-size models with ruby lips and smoky eyes stared down at me.

I wanted my picture up on that wall.

In rapid-fire succession, Bobby, the director, detailed my fate as a plussize model while he visually sized me up aloud: 

You’re cute and have a good personality but a bit small for plus. We start at [size] fourteen but you may be right for fit and commercial [modeling]. You have good eyes, teeth, and well proportioned . . . You will have to maintain your shape . . . Besides fit modeling, you could do showroom and commercial print for catalogues, cute little articles in magazines like Marie Claire, and commercials like Verizon . . . You are more of the Banana Republic look . . . classier, sophisticated. At some point during his verbal tirade, I reckoned this was a sales pitch to tantalize my model dreams, throwing me candy bits with recognizable retailers and markets to bait me. As much as I tried to sell myself to this agent, he tried to sell his services to me.

He handed me a photographer’s business card and directed me out the door. My modeling journey had officially begun.

Recruitment into Plus-Size Modeling

The nature of modeling work suggests that models are different from the general population.

Compounding the difficulty of working under the conditions of impersonality, objectification, and necessary corporal discipline, plus-size models face additional scrutiny due to the negative cultural view of fat.

While Erving Goffman’s view of stigma suggests that fat women would be more inclined to cover up their curves and excess flesh, these women chose to enter a field where they publicly parade their fat bodies for a discerning public.

Essentially, it is this very courage to flaunt their bodies that sets plus-size models apart from traditional, straight-size models. These women shed a penetrating layer of shame and guilt built up over the years to reveal a new, confident self that was no longer afraid to enjoy her size and shape.

These plus-size models broke with conventional interpretations of their social identity by flaunting their fat bodies in hopes of changing the cultural discourse.

The typical routes to enter into plus-size modeling include the former straight-size model, the performer, the outsider, and the self-promoter.

Success, by any route, is rare.

Formers

Some of today’s top earning plus-size models began their modeling careers as straight-size models.

Crystal Renn’s career trajectory is a prime example of this route. After struggling to maintain weight as a straightsize model by exercising for eight hours a day, Crystal transitioned to plus-size modeling:

You know, I was so happy for once, and I was really comfortable in who I was. You know, whereas before, I was completely unhappy, and you know, scared and insecure. It was a whole different me . . . I really learned—it took me six years, but I learned to be who I was.

Livia’s story is another example of this transition.

While working as a size seven fit model in Los Angeles, Livia’s body “gave up” on her due to hunger and dehydration, so she decided to move to New York, where she discovered plus-size modeling. Clarissa, too, switched to plus-size modeling after a couple of, self-described, unsuccessful years as a straight-size model:

I was told my boobs were too big, my hips too wide. I wasn’t booking work and trying to lose [weight] wasn’t working . . . I stopped fighting my body and found a new career in plus[-size modeling].

As a size fourteen commercial print model, Clarissa booked more jobs than when she was a smaller size. 

In their first stints as models, these formers tried to maintain a thin model body type to the detriment of their own health and emotional well-being, exacerbated by the pressures of working alongside pre-teen models with extraordinarily high metabolisms. They felt like failures as their bodies changed despite their best efforts.

Livia admitted that she felt uncomfortable with her body as it began to change: “I believed I had to cover myself up. I was ashamed I couldn’t control it [her body] . . . I failed at my job.”

These formers tried to mold their bodies to match the thin model expectation; yet, in that very process of losing weight, they gained insecurity and body loathing. Once these former straight-size models discovered plus-size modeling, they found a place where they embraced their bodies and even modeled alongside straight-size models.

“When I stopped trying to fit the mold my agency wanted [as a straight-size model],” Clarissa explained, “I entered a kind of happy place. I made peace with my body.”

As plus-size models, their bodies, which no longer fit the normative expectation of a straight-size fashion model, were valued for their natural curves.

Performers

Another freelance, size sixteen/eighteen model, Janice, agreed with the sentiments of the formers: 

Despite all the problems in this [modeling] industry, I’m rewarded for being myself. I’m grateful for there to be such an industry. I’m honored to take part in this field where I can potentially change minds about beauty.

She was thankful for the opportunity to work in a field where she could be herself in her fat body. Janice fell within the second type of recruitment—performance artists, such as actors and singers, who were offered modeling work and then decided to pursue additional modeling opportunities.

Primarily an actor, Janice earned the much-coveted SAG (Screen Actors Guild) card from, to her own disbelief, booking a modeling commercial. A self-described “chubby” girl, Janice never thought of her body as something useful, let alone something that would bolster her acting career. She understood that to act, she needed to be thinner, but as a plus-size model Janice could be her two hundred-pound self.

Armed with the good fortune of receiving union benefits, she focused on auditioning for acting jobs, but admitted that modeling jobs were more lucrative and she intended to continue to model until she got her big acting break.

Lea, too, an accomplished Broadway performer, began working as a size sixteen plus-size model to earn extra money. She regularly worked in showrooms, parading in next season’s designs for fashion buyers.

She recalled, “I thought, ‘I might as well try it [modeling].’ And guess what? I was the right size. It worked out, and I have extra cash in my pocket.”

Lea did not expect to continue modeling in the long-term. For her, this was a temporary opportunity that turned into a series of reoccurring commercial print jobs, where she modeled clothes for department store circulars Gail, a size twenty-two commercial and catalog print model and singer from Boston, also found herself thrust into modeling while on a whim to bolster her other performance-centric career aspirations.

A fan of a custom plus-size design label, Gail added the fashion line to her friend list on her social networking page. The owners of the fashion label, after listening to a couple of tracks on her profile page, decided Gail’s style matched that of the fashion’s and asked her to model their latest collection in an upcoming advertising campaign.

“It was random,” recalled Gail, “but hopefully this gig will help my career with more publicity and exposure. I may try acting, as well.”

Gail signed a contract with the fashion label and divides her time between modeling and music.

Outsiders

Given the similarity between modeling and the performing arts, it is not unreasonable to consider a professional leap from straight-size modeling or acting to plus-size modeling; however, for some women, pursuing a career in modeling involved an unexpected turn of events.

In the third type, the outsider, a member of the fashion community—a designer, boutique owner, agent, or another plus-size model—recruited a fat woman into modeling.

Unlike the first two types who have experience in being evaluated on the basis of their bodily capital, the outsider may be unfamiliar with the use value of her body and, consequently, need to overcome an initial resistance to hide her fat body.

The majority of the models interviewed in this study were of this third type, the outsider who was urged by others to pursue modeling. While there were those few women who previously worked as straightsize models or in other related performance fields and then transitioned into plus-size modeling, most of the women entered the field by chance.

Whether scouted by an agent, recruited by a designer or boutique owner to model fashions, or approached by another plus-size model, these women were introduced to plus-size modeling through someone connected to the industry. For example, size fourteen/sixteen model Stephanie was approached by a makeup artist while she was clothes shopping:

I was in the checkout line, just chatting, when she suggested I try plus[- size] modeling. I hadn’t thought about it before but she made me think. If an established professional in the biz says I should do it, why not?

In ethnographic studies focused on cultural producers within an aesthetic economy, researchers found that a greater proportion of fashion models were “discovered” by agents at random and others entered the field by chance.

This was the case of size fourteen freelance model Becky, who, while shopping, was approached by the owner of a Connecticut plus-size boutique to participate in a showcase:

A woman just came up to me and asked me to model the clothes in a fashion show for the store. I figured since I already wear these clothes, it wouldn’t hurt. . . . Of course, I was nervous, but it turned out fun. I guess I can say that I am now hooked.

That first taste of the modeling experience enticed Becky enough for her to make the leap to New York City, where she attended modeling workshops to learn how to walk the runway and pursued other modeling opportunities.

Grateful for the introduction to modeling by that boutique owner, Becky confessed, “If she hadn’t approached me, I wouldn’t know that I could model. It’s not something I could’ve imagined.”

Similar to the hesitation I experienced while waiting to see the agent at my first open call, these outsiders, like Becky, were initially unsure or simply unaware of their place in the fashion industry before an insider showed them the way.

Size sixteen/eighteen model Joelle began modeling after attending an open modeling call with her friend who worked as a plus-size model:

At first, I didn’t want to go because of my body issues. She basically dragged me to the casting. But it was the best thing I could’ve done for myself . . . After the casting, I saw myself differently. I looked around the room and saw a group of plus beauties. I belonged. “I could do that,” I thought to myself. I really did believe it . . . Finally, I appreciated my body instead of hiding from it. Mary, too, was recruited by another working plus-size model who urged her to pursue a modeling career.

“I was shocked by the suggestion,” she admitted. “I thought only anorexic girls modeled . . . I spent so many years hating my body that the idea of selling it was foreign to me.”

After a few months of what Mary described as “researching modeling agencies so I don’t get scammed” and essentially “psyching myself up for the challenge,” she approached a few plus-size agencies and eventually signed with one.

As a result, she worked steadily for a couple of years as a size fourteen fit model with a few designers.

Given the normative expectation of fashion models as young, tall, and thin, it is no wonder that these women had trouble envisioning a place for themselves on the fashion boards. All of these women, who were already in their twenties when they began modeling, were older and larger than the traditional fashion model.

Self-Promoters

The fourth type, the self-promoter, was a fat woman who entered the field of plus-size modeling of her own volition without a network connection to aid in her pursuit. Without this help, she was left to her own resources, cold calling agencies and sending in blind submissions.

For some women like Willa, modeling was thought to be an unattainable dream, but as Willa discovered, it only took a few courageous steps: I had been told that I should look into modeling since I was a little girl, but didn’t think anyone would be interested in hiring me.

Last year, I finally took a chance and sent my pictures to “Curvy Clothes,” and I’ve been modeling with them ever since. Willa was considered lucky to have booked a job on her first try.

After working steadily as a size fourteen/sixteen catalog model for a reputable plus-size retailer, she signed with an agency specializing in fit modeling and hoped to expand her modeling career.

Rachel, who worked as a size eighteen fit model for a few local companies, had a similar start: I had thought about modeling for quite some time and finally took a chance and entered a contest through a department store to do one of their runway shows. I was put in touch with an agency and have been working since then. Rachel hoped to expand into commercial print work in the near future.

There are opportunities for those without prior experience to enter the field. Many plus-size fashion labels, from large-scale plus-size retailers like Torrid and IGIG to smaller, independent labels like the one in Gail’s case, recruited models directly from their customer base by advertising model searches online on their retail websites.

Using actual customers without previous modeling experience as models in advertising campaigns is an increasingly popular trend in retail. Besides plus-size retailers, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Apparel regularly use store employees in their advertisements. Casting calls, themselves, can be an opportunity for a sale.

At an open modeling call where I met Gail, the owners of the fashion label were selling t-shirts and tickets for a raffle, where the prize was the option to buy any item in the collection for five dollars. The models at the call jumped for a chance at a greatly reduced garment and bought raffle tickets by the handful.

Excerpted from "Fashioning Fat" by Dr. Amanda Czerniawski with permission of NYU Press.

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Dumplings are a comfort food featured in cuisines around the world.

Some are sweet and some are savory, but they all strive to achieve that perfect dough-to-filling ratio.

From Chinese potstickers to Argentinian empanadas to Italian gnocchi, chances are, no matter what country you're in, you'll be able to find a dumpling that suits your tastebuds.

A well-known dumpling, the Chinese potsticker is pan-fried on one side and steamed in water or broth on the other side. The filling is commonly made from pork, shrimp, and cabbage.

Like other Polish food, pierogis make for a hearty meal. The dumplings can be filled with anything from mashed potatoes, cheese, fried onions, mushrooms, meat, sauerkraut, or spinach.

Empanada is Spanish for "wrapped in bread," a fitting name for this fried Argentinian dumpling. Bite through the crust and you'll find a filling of ground beef, hard boiled eggs, olives, onions, paprika, and cumin. But they also come in plenty of other varieties.

23 years ago, McDonald’s built a store location on a huge ship in Canada.

Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. for $12 million— over $26 million today — and constructed for the 1986 World Fair Expo in Vancouver, the boat was called the Friendship 500.

Though it was not the first McDonald’s to be built on a boat (that title belongs to a store location in St. Louis, Missouri), it was a huge hit with its classy interior and workers wearing nautical uniforms. 

A nod to the Fair’s theme of technology and architecture, it ended up becoming a popular icon at the six-month event — they nicknamed it the McBarge.

But only two years later, locals were ready to see it moved from the False Creek waterfront in Vancouver and float to a different location. McDonald’s finally allowed the new owners to move it to Vancouver's less-populated Burrard Inlet in 1991.

Since then, the boat has sat neglected and allowed to slowly rust over the decades.

But it wasn’t completely abandoned. In 2009, developer and owner Howard Meakin proposed the idea of remaking the ship into a restaurant complex called Sturgeon’s on the River. The 8,500-square-foot structure would include multiple restaurants, a marina, as well as have a seaplane terminal.

Then in 2010, Adam Lewis started a Save the McBarge Facebook group. 530 people joined the group, with people still commenting on the page today about the McBarge's status.

"There's all the history behind it and it's just such a cool barge. People have tried and tried to make it into something, and finally we've got a plan that makes sense," Lewis told the Vancouver Sun in 2010, referencing Meakin’s earlier plan.

Yet despite popular local support, it lacked council approval and the McBarge was never resuscitated. The site remains a popular spot with ruin hunters, and though it’s disused it has not been forgotten.

Keep scrolling to see what it looks like inside.

The McBarge is a ruin of its former glory from the '80s.

"White Power" graffiti can now be found inside.

The kitchen is in rough shape but the grill still looks okay.

And the grand dining hall has been stripped of its tables.

SEE ALSO: Here's How McDonald's Fries Are Made

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An international team of economists, neuroscientists, and statisticians just released their third World Happiness Report, which measures well-being in countries around the world to help guide public policy.

Switzerland topped the list of the happiest nations, and all of the top eight countries were in the global north. Switzerland was followed by Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The United States ranked 15th, behind Mexico and Austria. Still, that's a slight improvement from the last report, in which the US ranked 17th.

The World Happiness Report isn't without a scientific basis.

One of its key findings, based on decades of neuroscientific and psychological research, suggests that keeping the brain happy relies on four main factors: 1) staying positive, 2) recovering from negative feelings, like a bout of sadness or anger, 3) caring about and spending time with family and friends, and 4) being mindful and allowing ourselves to feel "captured" by emotions like awe or joy.

Here are the 30 happiest countries from the study. Each color represents one of the six key factors (key below):

Happiness helps us live longer, healthier, and more productive lives, and cultivating that emotion early in life is key, according the 2015 report.

But not to worry: it's never too late to start. 

Research shows that people who participate in meditation and mindfulness training programs (some as short as two weeks) tend to display changes in key areas of the brain connected to memory, perspective, and self-awareness. And a handful of recent studies have found a link between experiencing a sense of awe and feeling happier and more satisfied.

"These findings highlight the view that happiness and well-being are best regarded as skills that can be enhanced through training," the researchers write in their report.

With that in mind, here are the 10 least-happy countries, with Togo topping the list:

1. Togo

2. Burundi

3. Syria

4. Benin

5. Rwanda

6. Afghanistan

7. Burkina Faso

8. Ivory Coast

9. Guinea

10. Chad

UP NEXT: Psychologists discover the simplest way to boost your mood

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It's called a "marriage squeeze." 

It's what happens when cultural norms and state policies combine in places like China and India to make the birthrates of boys greatly outpace those of girls.

Then, when those boys come of age, there aren't enough would-be brides to go around. 

This is a huge problem for at least two reasons:

• Historically, heterosexual marriage is seen as a necessary part of being included in society in these two countries.

• As the New York Times reports, having "a shortage of marriageable women, results in higher rates of crime, including rape, committed by young unmarried men."

The squeeze stems largely from years of sex-selective abortions. In China, the one-child policy forced the abortions and in India, increasing availability of prenatal screening and a preference for boys contributed to the imbalance.

Where there isn't sex-selective abortion, infant girls are killed.

Today, the imbalance is pretty profound: 

• According to a 2013 BBC report, there are 20 million more men in China then there are women.

• According to that same report, more than 33% of men aged 25 to 29 in China are unmarried, and about 20% of women are unwed. 

• According to 2011 census data, there are 37 million more men than women in India.

And as data collected by the Economist shows, the imbalance is getting even more extreme:

• From 2010 to 2015, China's birth ratio was 116 boys to 100 girls, India's was 111 to 100. The natural rate is 105 to 100. 

• If births rates were normal, China would have 66 million more girls born in 2010. For India, it would have been 43 million. 

• In 2050, India will have an estimated 30% more men looking to marry than single women. In 2055, it will be the same.

• In China in 2050, there will be an estimated 186 single men looking to marry for every 100 single women. For India in 2060, there will be 191 single men looking to marry for every 100 women.

Because of this imbalance, a "marriage queue" starts to develop.

Again, the Economist explains: 

At stage one, a cohort of women reaches marriageable age (say, 20-24); they marry among the cohort of men aged 25-29. But there are slightly more men than women, so some members of the male cohort remain on the shelf. Later, two new cohorts reach marriageable age. This time, the men left over from the previous round (who are now in their early thirties) are still looking for wives and compete with the cohort of younger men. The women choose husbands from among this larger group. So after the second round even more men are left on the shelf. And so on. A backlog of unmarried men starts to pile up.

Since men in India and China tend to marry women who are younger than them or have less education, professional, educated women in Mumbai and Shanghai have more trouble finding a husband — provided that they're interested in such a thing. That creates an increase in the number of single women age 27 or older, who in China are unhelpfully called sheng nu, or leftover women. 

The increase of women's status in society pushes the trend even further. 

As can be seen across the globe, the more educated and higher status women become, the more likely they are to put off marriage or avoid getting hitched at all. In the United States, the average age of marriage for women is 27 and 29 for men, both all-time highs. In Europe, the average age of marriage for women is even higher: 32 years old in Sweden, 31 in France and Ireland, and 30 in Italy. In the richest parts of Asia, the average age of marriage is going up, too: In Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, the average age of first marriage for women is 29 to 30. 

With all these trends combining, marriage in China and India is becoming ever-so-slowly more like marriage in the United States — optional.

SEE ALSO: The biggest difference between single women and single men in 2015

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NOW WATCH: What the Chinese saying 'The ugly wife is a treasure at home' actually means

Every year, 20 jockeys and their horses compete for a top four finish in the Kentucky Derby.

The race — which takes place at the historic Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky on May 2nd — has been going on since the late 1800s.

It's an event steeped in tradition that attracts visitors from around the country, all of whom hope to enjoy the race and a mint julep or two.

We talked to etiquette expert Diane Gottsman and Doug Dearen, founder and CEO of ticketing website Derbybox.com, to get some insider tips on the best ways to experience the Derby.

Whether you're a first time visitor to the derby, or if you've been before, here's what you need to know, from fashion to seating.

What you wear should depend on where you're sitting.

The more expensive your tickets, the more formal you should look.

However, according to Gottsman, that doesn't mean you can't have fun with what you choose to wear. She advises wearing something that's going to make you and the people around you smile.

"The Kentucky Derby is fun and festive," Gottsman said. "It's traditional, and some of that tradition is southern prep. But that's not the negative stereotype of being stuffy. It's the crisp, clean colors: pastels, searsucker for guys. It's conservative, but not boring."

For those watching from the infield, Gottsman recommends dressing down — T-shirts and jeans are appropriate. She describes this area as more of a party; it's rowdier and more "street fun."

Own your hat.

The hats at the Kentucky Derby are extravagent to say the least. Gottsman says your hat should compliment your outfit, and most importantly, you should feel confident wearing it.

"Whatever hat you select, you need to own it," Gottsman said. "You need to be comfortable in it. If you're pulling or tugging at it, if you can't see, if it's going too far down in your eyes, you're not going to look your best. You're not going to feel your best."

Gottsman suggests toning down other accessories such as jewelry, in order to avoid your outfit looking like a costume. "You want the focal point to be your hat or your dress," she said.

Bring a pair of flip flops.

Dearen recommends bringing an extra pair of shoes to his female customers. He says parking can be difficult and often requires a long and not so easy walk from the car to the racetrack.

Instead of braving that walk in high heels, do it in flip flops or comfortable flats that you can either store in your purse or toss once you reach the racetrack.

Also keep in mind that purses brought into the race can't be any larger than 12 inches by 12 inches.

Go easy on the mint juleps.

This one may seem obvious, but Gottsman says it's a good idea to watch your liquor intake. Yes, the derby is a party, but that doesn't mean it's an excuse to go overboard.

"Too much [liquor], we lose our judgement, and even the most beautiful outfit loses its flair when there's somebody who is slurring and has lost their control," Gottsman said.

Do some research and appreciate the traditions.

There are a number of events that happen in the days leading up to the actual derby. There's the Kentucky Oaks, — another race on May 1st (the day before the derby) — the Taste of Derby, and The Dawn at the Downs (a breakfast buffet the morning of the derby); you can even watch a team of florists assemble the garland of roses (which is presented to the derby winner).

Besides researching the events, Gottsman advises knowing some of the traditions the derby celebrates.

"Before you get there, you want to do a little homework," she said. "You want to know before you arrive, what's the song that they sing at the end — which is "My Old Kentucky Home" — what is the drink that they're known for — the mint julep. Know at least a few names of the horses. These are conversation tips."

Know how the seating works.

Box seats at the derby go for $3,500 per ticket, according to Dearen. The least expensive grand stand bleacher seats are in sections 127 and 128 and go for $450 per ticket. Dearen says the high end seats are pretty much found in one of three places: Millionaire's Row, the Turf Club, and the Turf Terrace. These areas feature food and beverages, servers, balconies, terraces, and stunning views of the race. Dearen says this is also where you're most likely to see celebrities attending the race, such as Miranda Lambert and Tom Brady.

The next step down are the third floor clubhouse box seats, which is where most derby parties sit (horse owners and trainers). These areas all offer a good view of the finish line, which, according to Dearen is the best place to be.

"The finish line gives you a good view of the overall race," Dearen said. "You see most of the stretch, you see the horses come under the wire; it's kind of like being in the 50 yard line for a football game. You have the best overall view when you're at the finish line."

Don't rush to leave after the race finishes.

According to Dearen, there's usually about 160,000 people attending the derby every year. Because there are races going on all day before the derby happens (at around 6:30 pm), it's easy getting to the racetrack since people arrive throughout the day. But there's a mad rush to leave after the derby. Dearen says there's a way to avoid this rush.

"Everyone tries to leave to go to their parties or restaurant reservations right after the derby, and it can be an absolute nightmare," Dearen said. So we always suggest, since there are two races after the derby, just relax, stay in your seats, watch the two races after the derby, and don't make the mad rush to leave when everybody else leaves."

SEE ALSO: The 5 best under-the-radar attractions in the US

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Thursday is World Book Day, so what better way to celebrate than to check out some of the greatest classics from your childhood?

It just so happens that there are a lot of important life lessons, conspiracy theories, and hidden messages in the books we loved as children — we just probably didn't pick up on them back then.

With help from The New York Public Library'sYouth Materials Specialist, Betsy Bird, we put together a list of 23 books worth giving a second read.

"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst

Illustrated by Ray Cruz, this book tells kids that even after the worst day imaginable, tomorrow will be better — a lesson even adults need to remind themselves of once in a while.

Recently released as a movie featuring Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell, it's worth giving this book another read even if you've seen the film.

Buy the book here »

"All-of-a Kind Family" by Sydney Taylor

Many kids' books with Jewish characters are about the Holocaust. It can be difficult to find kids' books that portray Jewish families in the everyday, but that's exactly what Taylor's book does.

Starring five young sisters in early 20th century New York City, young and old readers alike will learn about classic Jewish traditions as well as some interesting New York history from the perspective of a charming family.

Buy the book here »

"The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss

An entertaining read for kids about a talking cat who causes mayhem for a couple of kids while their parents are out, "The Cat in the Hat" is an interesting intellectual challenge for adults, says Bird.

After Seuss' publisher commissioned him to write a book using just 225 young reader vocabulary words, "The Cat in the Hat" was born. Try counting them all, if you can.

Buy the book here »

Reddit is a goldmine of information and entertainment, where memes are born, celebrities make fun of themselves, and videos go viral. But sometimes the best submissions come from the everyday man (or woman) — one who isn’t a movie star or world renowned athlete. Often it just takes a passionate employee who cares enough to give detailed information about their profession or hobbies.

Meet Jack: a vacuum repair technician who now has the seventeenth highest upvoted AMA of all time, thousands of YouTube subscribers, a podcast feature, and a custom branded vacuum named after him. Jack, who uses that name as a pseudonym, can tell you the best vacuum to buy based on your floor types, budget, and variables like what kind of pets you own or how long your girlfriend’s hair is.

It started on October 27th, 2013 when Jack fatefully answered a simple question: What is a commonly believed "fact" related to your line of work that simply is not true?

Jack’s response was brief, but controversial: the belief that “Dysons are good vacuums.” This triggered some follow up questions from dismayed Redditors who thought Dyson was the be all end all of suction technology. We’ve all seen the fancy ads and used those amazing hand dryers, so it’s no surprise that commoners think they’re hot stuff.  Jack elaborated:

Think of any appliance purchase as you would a car; Pay attention to the warranty, pay attention to repair/parts costs, and ask someone who repairs them about the appliance's quality. A Dyson is like a Kia, as compared to a Miele or Riccar or Sebo, which are like a Mercedes Benz. All are covered by good warranties, which the manufactures honor, well.

But, where you don't expect to have your Mercedes in the shop often, you will have your Dyson (Kia) in the shop, frequently. The latest models are plagued with problems, and many of the repair shops do not yet keep a large enough supply of parts on hand. That, combined with the 2 week wait for parts from Dyson, do not make it a wise purchase.

Is this enough, or shall I actually go into the performance of Dysons? 

Don’t worry, he did continue on to explain the performance issues with Dysons. You can read it here. Users immediately began clamoring for an AMA, where they would have the chance to go into more vacuum-centric minutia than they ever thought was possible. Just a couple days later, he launched his first AMA, in disbelief that anyone would actually care.

But care they did. Part of the success is attributed to the penultimate episode of Breaking Bad that aired the night before. In that episode, Saul Goodman arrives at a vacuum repair shop, in search of a new identity and Walter White. The top comment on Jack's AMA was about the secret code Saul used: "Are you often asked if you have a dust filter for a Hoover Max Extract® 60 Pressure Pro?" Jokes aside, the AMA revealed his preferred brands, Miele and Riccar, and how he is actually a former hair stylist with a background in auto mechanics. 

Just three months later, Jack was back with a follow up, and an amazing catch-phrase. “Hi, Reddit! I'm here to make your day suck better. The Vacuum Guy is back with an updated AMA!”

Reddit user mar10wright fired off a great response, saying “I loved your last AMA, I took your advice and bought a Miele and it really sucks! Thanks for the AMA man.” 

A vacuum review might be the only place where the phrase “really sucks” is a compliment.

It is this kind of banter that has made Jack’s internet fame skyrocket so quickly. You pair a friendly, informative user with an equally witty and encouraging audience, and magic happens.

It wasn’t long before Jack, under the username “Don’t Touch My Coffee” started a YouTube channel so he could put all his recommendations and tips into a DIY video format. So far he’s covered the basics of maintenance and care for your vacuums. As one commentator aptly pointed out that he “just watched a guy showing me how to maintain a vacuum for eight minutes at 5am. I don't even own a vacuum.”

For Jack, it just keeps getting better. He was featured on the Reddit focused podcast, Upvoted, two weeks ago in an episode titled “The Surprisingly Complex Life of A Vacuum Repairman”. There he spoke about how the beloved comic, Cyanide and Happiness, led to his discovery of Reddit in 2012 through a link on the site.

Upvoted host Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, interviewed Joy Petty, the director of marketing for Riccar - one of Jack's favorite brands.

Petty explained how the traffic from all of his referrals actually made their site crash the day of the first AMA, and they saw a huge spike in sales. When they finally traced the server overload back to Reddit, she was impressed with Jack's marketing abilities.

Petty told Ohanian: "I’m a big believer in authenticity, and he’s dripping with it." From there, it was actually Ohanian's idea to bring Jack and Riccar into business together. He asked Petty whether she would consider having a "Don't Touch My Coffee" branded vacuum. The response was immediate: "[Jack] can design his own Riccar if he tells us what model he wants, and what color he wants...He deserves it."

When Jack heard the news, he was floored but prepared: "I already have an existing machine in mind. I’m shocked, flattered, and flabbergasted. I never knew that vacuums were going to be this significant in my life." 

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Every year, a little over 2 million American men lose their bachelerhood. 

What is this word, bachelor?

The history is pretty loaded.

In "Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own," cultural critic Kate Bolick lays out ot:

Bachelor originally referred to men of inferior status in professions so demanding they precluded marriage. In thirteenth-century France this meant, for instance, a theological candidate who held merely a bachelor's degree instead of a master's.

Around 1300 the word crossed into English to describe low-ranking knights. Much later, Victorian matchmakers appropriated the term and added eligible, for an unmarried man blessed with financial and social inducements, and confirmed, for any who wanted to remain that way. By the late nineteenth century the term had neutralized to simply mean "unmarried man," as it still does today.

The term got its first recorded mention in regard to a single dude in "the Canterbury Tales" by Geoffry Chaucer, surely the coolest book to be published in 1475. Not unlike the descriptions attached to bachelors today, Chaucer describes the Squire, the bachelor he mentions, as "lusty." 

In 1903, British scholar Alfred W. Pollard explained the bachelor thusly: 

'Bachelor' in Chaucer's time meant not merely an unmarried man, but distinctively a probationer for the honour of knighthood, or young knight. So Cambuscan in the Squire's Tale is said to have been "Yong, fressh and strong, in armes desirous As any bacheler of al his hous." In like manner a Bachelor at the university was a probationer for the full degree of Master.

So in multiple cases, a bachelor is a (usually) young man who's yet to come to full fruition — a squire before becoming a knight, an undergraduate before becoming a graduate, a single young buck before a committed married man. 

Perhaps that's why the French expression for bachelor party is so lyrical and extreme: enterrement de vie de garçon, or "the burial of the life as a boy."

SEE ALSO: 4 things single people should know about living alone

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There are incredible deals on perfumes right now.

Glamorous designer label and celebrity-endorsed fragrances are up to 73% off.

These perfumes make great gifts for any woman in your life. (Hint: Mother's Day is fast approaching.)

Get them before they're out of stock!

"Lovely" by Sarah Jessica Parker for Women

"Lovely" is a floral and woody fragrance with a touch of musk. It features notes of mandarin, rosewood, lavender, apple martini, bergamot, orchid, patchouli, cedar, white amber, musk, and woods.

"If you're looking for a budget friendly perfume that doesn't smell budget-friendly, I highly recommend checking out Lovely," one reviewer wrote.

Price: $68.00 $32.24[53% off]

"Fancy" by Jessica Simpson

"Fancy" notes include amber crystals, apricot, nectar, pear, gardenia, jasmine, caramel, vanilla, sandalwood, red fruits, and toasted almonds.

"This perfume smells amazing. It is [a] light, neutral yet feminine scent. It's warm and vanilla-y with hints of sweetness. [...] This is my favorite perfume of all kind, and I always get compliments,"  one reviewer wrote.

Price:$59.00 $15.99[73% off] 

"La Vie Est Belle" by Lancôme

Iris surrounded by orange blossoms and jasmine are the three key ingredients in "La Vie Est Belle." The opening is fruity due to black currant and pear, and the base is warm due to praline, patchouli and vanilla.

"Every time I wear this people ask me what I am wearing and tell me how good I smell," one reviewer wrote.

Price: $120 $85.59[29% off]

"Fantasy" by Britney Spears

The top notes for "Fancy" are lychee, quince and kiwi. The middle notes are cupcake, jasmine and white chocolate orchid. And the finish is creamy musk, orris root and sensual woods.

"I have to say 'Fantasy' blew me away in a million ways! WOW... this is such a fabulous scent!" one reviewer wrote.

Price: $58.00$32.99[43% off]

"Michael Kors" by Michael Kors for Women

"Michael Kors" has a creamy floral flavor to it. Notes include dewy Freesia, Tamarind, Chinese Osmanthus, incense, fresh Tuberose, White Wings Peony, Blue Orris, Arum lilies, Cashmere Woods, musk, and Vetiver Haiti.

"This is a very beautiful, sensual and exotic, intoxicating floral scent," one reviewer wrote.

Price: $90.00 $68.30[24% off]

"Daisy" by Marc Jacobs for Women

"Daisy" features violet leaves, white woods, strawberry, grapefruit, jasmine petals, violet petals, vanilla, and musk.

"This is a very wearable everyday scent that smells clean and fresh," one reviewer wrote.

Price:$74.29 $40.99[45% off]

"Wonderstruck" by Taylor Swift

"Wonderstruck" is a fruity and floral scent. It features freesia, apple blossom, raspberry, vanilla, honeysuckle and white hibiscus.

"I was worried this would be too much of a tween fragrance for those of us over 25, but I was pleasantly surprised. ... A nice sweet vanilla scent that doesn't feel too young," one reviewer wrote.

Price: $40.00$23.99[40% off]

"Nina" by Nina Ricci for Women

"Nina" is a casual perfume that features a rich aroma of florals, fruit, and woodsy greens. 

"I absolutely love the lighter fragrance for the spring and summer time. It is very flowery... and this is a fantastic deal," one reviewer wrote.

Price: $70.00$43.99[37% off]

"Angel" by Thierry Mugler

"Angel" is a daytime blend of vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli. It also features lowers notes of fresh citrus, melons, peaches, and plums.

"Loved it. [...] Would highly recommend it to everyone. Have used it for a long time and received many compliments on it," one reviewer wrote.

Price: $134.00$53.99[60% off]

Want more? Check out the complete list of great perfumes on super sale right now!

SEE ALSO: These 6 luxury headphone sets are up to 73% off right now

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SEE ALSO: Master Excel and more with this course bundle to land your dream job [96% off]

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For years, BMW and Mercedes have been locked in a perpetual state of one-upsmanship. And for the better part of the last decade, BMW's X6 and X4 have had the sport utility coupe or SUC (and I'm not making this up) segment all to themselves. 

Naturally, the folks from Stuttgart couldn't sit idly by and let their Bavarian rivals be unchallenged in a market segment. 

Which is why late last year, Mercedes armed itself with the 2016 GLE Coupe as its weapon against the X6. Now, Mercedes followed up with a new X4 fighter — the GLC Coupe Concept— at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show.

"With its modern and sensual design idiom, the Concept GLC Coupé gives a foretaste of future SUV models from Mercedes-Benz," Daimler AG design boss Gorden Wagener said.  "At the same time, it embraces the typical values of tradition-steeped Mercedes-Benz coupes."

Although the GLC is technically a concept, the GLE was transcribed almost verbatim from show car to production model. We're confident that Mercedes will do the same thing with the GLC. (Mercedes sees the GLC Coupe Concept as a "near-production standard study" – which means the concept is a fairly accurate presentation of what the finished car will look like.)

Like the larger GLE Coupe, the GLC features a four-door coupe body with swoopy sports car-esque design elements. The tires are SUV-esque, and so is the ground clearance.

This is an odd segment: crossovers that are too tall to drive like true sports cars, but with too many curves to provide the utility of a boxy SUV. Bottom line: the segment is still very niche. Nevertheless, SUC sales are growing an a impressive rate. So far in 2015, the X6 is are up 29.4% over the same period last year, while the newly introduced X4 saw a jump in March jump of 28.5%.

Obviously for Mercedes, it's tough to not take on BMW, its Teutonic rival, in any segment, regardless of how offbeat that segment is. This could be a problem for both companies at some point, as they develop new vehicles and have to support and market them. For now, it's just kind of amusing to observe the copycatting pattern.

Mercedes hasn't announced the official engine options for the production GLC Coupe, but the concept featured a 367 horsepower bi-turbo V6. 

When will the GLC hit showrooms? Probably early next year, with a price in the same ball park as the X4's $45,000.

SEE ALSO: The Jaguar XJL is traditional English luxury with sexy catlike curves

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Scholars believe William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564.

Whether you're a fan or not, you probably use many of his phrases on a regular basis — 451 years later.

We created a list of 13 popular sayings The Bard coined. In fact, we say or write some of them so often they've become clichés.

1. "Green-eyed monster"

Meaning: jealousy.

In "Othello," Iago describes jealousy as a monster that devours its source.

"Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on" (Act 3, Scene 3).

In this case, Iago uses romance as an example. He thinks a man would rather know his wife is cheating than suspect her without proof.

2. "In a pickle"

Meaning: a difficult or uncomfortable situation.

In "The Tempest," King Alonso asks his jester, Trinculo, "How camest thou in this pickle?" (In other words, "How did you get so drunk?")

The inebriated Trinculo responds, "I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last ... " (Act 5, Scene 1).

Trinculo's drinking does cause trouble for him, which gives the modern use its meaning. Shakespeare's original intent makes sense though, as many pickling processes require alcohol.

3. "The world is your oyster"

Meaning: being in a position to take advantage of life's opportunities.

In "The Merry Wives of Windsor," Falstaff refuses to lend Pistol any money. Pistol retorts, "Why, then the world's mine oyster, which I with sword will open" (Act 2, Scene 2).

Since Falstaff won't help Pistol financially, he vows to obtain his fortune using violent means.

We've dropped the angry undertones for modern use.

4. "Catch a cold"

Meaning: to get sick.

In "Cymbeline," one of Shakespeare's lesser-known plays, Iachimo says to Posthumus Leonatus, "We will have these things set down by lawful counsel, and straight away for Britain, lest the bargain should catch cold and starve ... " (Act 1, Scene 4).

In other words, if the deal takes too long it will fall apart. This created the idea of "cold" causing an unwanted event, like illness, for the first time.

5. "It's all Greek to me."

Meaning: that something is indistinguishable or incomprehensible.

In "Julius Caesar," when Cassius asks Casca what Cicero said, Casca responds, "But, for mine own part, it was Greek to me" (Act 1, Scene 2).

Cassius didn't understand because he doesn't speak Greek. The phrase has lots some of literalness. 

6. "Love is blind"

Meaning: an inability to see shortcomings in a lover; doing crazy things when in love.

In the "The Merchant Of Venice," Jessica disguises herself as a boy just to see her beloved, Lorenzo. Needless to say, she feels a little silly but simply has to see him.

"But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit ... " (Act 2, Scene 6)

7. "Wild goose chase"

Meaning: a hopeless and never-ending pursuit.

In "Romeo and Juliet," Romeo makes a play on words comparing his shoe to his penis, and Mercutio just can't compete with Romeo's wit. He tells Romeo to stop joking, but Romeo implores his friend to continue — an impossible feat in Mercutio's mind.

Mercutio says, "Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five" (Act 2, Scene 4).

8. "A heart of gold"

Meaning: a very kind or honorable person.

In "Henry V," King Henry disguises himself as a commoner, and Pistol, unaware of the King's true identity, speaks to him. When the King asks if he considers himself a better man than the king, Pistol says, "The king's a bawcock, and a heart of gold, a lad of life, an imp of fame ... " (Act 4, Scene 1).

Today, however, we say someone "has" a heart of gold, not that he or she "is" one. 

9. "Break the ice"

Meaning: to start conversation. 

"And if you break the ice, and do this feat, 
Achieve the elder, set the younger free ... " (Act 1, Scene 2).

In the "The Taming Of The Shrew," Baptista Minola has two daughters: a sassy one and a modest, beautiful one — the younger daughter. He refuses to let any suitors even speak to his younger daughter until his older daughter marries. Tranio (as Lucentio) suggests that another man marry the older daughter, so he can try to win the younger one's affection. But first, he must "break the ice" — maybe a reference to her heart.

10. "Laughing stock"

Meaning: a person subjected to ridicule.

In "The Merry Wives Of Windsor," Doctor Caius says to Sir Hugh Evans:

"Pray you let us not be laughing-stocks to other men's humours;
I desire you in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends" (Act 3, Scene 1).

Here, Doctor Caius thinks the two will make fools of themselves if they fight — exactly what people want and expect. They should end the conflict and save their reputations instead.

11. "Wear your heart on your sleeve"

Meaning: to express your emotions openly, especially when others notice without much effort.

In "Othello," Iago says he'll "wear my heart upon my sleeve. For daws to peck at: I am not what I am" (Act 1, Scene 1).

The phrase most likely stemmed from jousting matches in the Middle Ages. Knights would wear tokens (such as scarfs) from their ladies tucked into the sleeves of their armor. But the first recorded use appears in Shakespeare's play.

12. "Dogs of war"

Meaning: soldiers; the brutalities that accompany war.

In "Julius Caesar," Mark Antony says to Brutus and Cassius, "Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war ... " (Act 3, Scene 1) shortly after Caesar's assassination.

Here, Mark Antony predicts that Caesar's ghost will come back, with help from the goddess of vengeance, to start a massive war in Italy.

He continues, "This foul deed will stink up to the sky with men’s corpses, which will beg to be buried" (Act 3, Scene 1).

Thus the phrase today, either referring to soldiers or brutality in general, carries a serious connotation.

13. "Method to his madness"

Meaning: Someone's strange behavior has a purpose. 

In "Hamlet" Polonius says as an aside, "Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t" (Act 2, Scene 2).

Just before this, Hamlet randomly pretends to read a passage from his book that makes fun of the elderly. Polonius, an old man, doesn't fully understand the jab but knows Hamlet has some "method" behind this "madness."

SEE ALSO: 12 Famous Quotes That People Always Get Wrong

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Books have the profound capacity to stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Whether they're written for children, sci-fi lovers, mathematicians, or fiction aficionados, certain stories transcend their genre and should be read by everyone.

In a Reddit thread, users were asked what is a book that everyone needs to read at least once in their life?

So in honor of World Book Day, here are the top 35 books based on Reddit responses.

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Pirsig

The story of a father and son's summer motorcycle trip across America from Minnesota to California, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is at its heart a philosophical journey.

The travel narrative is filled with fundamental questions on how to live your life and conversations between the father and his son: “The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.”

Buy the book here >

Submitted by Reddit user Exit_Smiling.

"Watership Down" by Richard Adams

First told to his daughters as a bedtime story, Richard Adams weaves the tale of a band of rabbits who abandon their comfy holes in the English downs after one of the rabbits has a vision of it being destroyed by tractors.

"Watership Down" follows them as they encounter evil rabbits, crows, a fox, rivers, and countless other dangers as they journey to find a new home.

Buy the book here >

Submitted by Reddit user joeallenrealty.

"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow

An American professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, Pausch became famous after giving an upbeat lecture titled "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" after learning he had pancreatic cancer and had three to six months of good health left.

After the success of his lecture, he co-authored the book "The Last Lecture" on the same theme of enjoying every moment in your life. 

Buy the book here >

Submitted by Reddit user kkup.

Nord Collective created this amazing visual inspired by a Vahram Muratyan book called "Paris versus New York.” The animation shows the differences between Paris and New York City, from transportation, to food and buildings.

Video courtesy of Nord Collective

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