Goodable

Twenty three years ago, a simple idea in Denmark started to take shape: What if instead of books, libraries could give you access to people – from all walks of life – who would share their stories with you in a personal, non-judgmental way?
They called it the Human Library and ever since then, it’s become one of the best things to ever happen to books (we get it, technically they’re not “books” at all). Founded in 2000, the goal is to spread positivity and tolerance around the world, by encouraging dialogue and connection between groups of people who would otherwise never meet. 
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The Human Library is like a library, but instead of books, the “books” are real people from all walks of life - from refugees to people with disabilities to members of marginalized communities. They share their personal stories and experiences with visitors, in hopes of challenging stereotypes and promoting empathy.
Imagine spending half an hour with a Buddhist Monk to learn about meditation? Or a nurse who shares what it’s really like working in a high-pressure hospital. Or a former drug addict or convict, to learn what it takes to turn your life around?
Thanks to the Human Library, you can.
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To say they’ve been successful is an understatement. From that one single location, the Human Library has expanded to host events in more than 85 countries attended by thousands of people. It’s had a particularly big impact in communities where tension and mistrust between different groups of people is high, providing a warm and welcoming space for conversation and mutual understanding.
Feels like the world could really use some of that right now.
One of the most striking things about the Human Library is the emotional and powerful conversations that take place between the “books” and the visitors. It’s not uncommon for participants to feel deeply moved and inspired by the stories they hear, and to have their perspectives changed as a result. 
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And the healing and growth goes both ways. It’s not just the listeners who say they benefit. Many participants have reported feeling empowered and validated by the opportunity to share their stories. The program gives them a safe, trusting space to share their stories – both good and bad – knowing that their experiences will help others to see the world in a new way.
All in all, the Human Library is a fantastic way to promote kindness, understanding and unity. It’s a program that encourages conversations between people who may not have interacted otherwise, breaking down stereotypes, and making the world a more compassionate and inclusive place.
If you could meet anyone in the Human Library, who would it be? Tell us in the comments below.

The Human Library: How One Project is Changing the Way We See Others

Nine dogs, including six puppies, were rescued after a fire erupted in a house in San Bernardino, California, on November 16.

When fire crews arrived, the occupants were outside and alerted them that several pets were trapped inside the smoke- and flame-filled home.

“Firefighters simultaneously conducted a fire attack as well as a search operation,” the fire department said. “Unfortunately, one dog did not survive due to significant smoke conditions, despite the efforts of the paramedics who delivered treatment.”

Nine dogs, including six puppies, were rescued after a fire erupted in a house in San Bernardino, California, on November 16. When fire crews arrived, the occupants were outside and alerted them that several pets were trapped inside the smoke- and flame-filled home. “Firefighters simultaneously conducted a fire attack as well as a search operation,” the fire department said. “Unfortunately, one dog did not survive due to significant smoke conditions, despite the efforts of the paramedics who delivered treatment.”

Firefighters Rescue Dogs From Burning House In California

The tallest Christmas tree in New South Wales is taking shape at Martin Place, promising a dazzling display. The City of Sydney shared footage of the build, gearing up for Santa to light it on November 27. This festive marvel will shine with over 110,000 LED lights and a 3.4-meter color-changing star, adorned with 330 glossy baubles and nine types of Australian flowers. Throughout December, enjoy nightly choir performances and vibrant light shows every 15 minutes from 8 pm to midnight.

Work to erect the tallest Christmas tree in New South Wales was underway on Monday, November 17, video posted online shows.The City of Sydney shared this behind the scenes footage of the Christmas tree being built at Martin Place, ahead of Santa lighting the display on Thursday, November 27.“We’re officially excited now. The Martin Place Christmas tree build is in full swing,” the City of Sydney wrote.The tree will be decorated with more than 110,000 LED lights, a 3.4-metre colour-changing star and 330 specially created glossy baubles. Nine kinds of Australian flowers - banksia, waratah, bottlebrush, wattle, eucalyptus gum flower, kangaroo paw, flannel flower, pink wax flower and white wax flower - will be represented on the tree’s branches.Sydneysiders can enjoy a choir program every night in December at the tree and “a kaleidoscope of colours, decorative lights and stars” every 15 minutes from 8 pm to midnight.

Sydney Celebrates Christmas Spirit As Massive Tree Construction Kicks Off

Aerial firefighters shared an onboard view as they worked to contain a wildfire burning in rural New South Wales ahead of warm, windy weather.

Video released by the rural fire service shows an up-close view of retardant being dropped over an area southeast of the town of Mudgee this week.

"Work continues on the Middle Creek Fire NE of Windamere Dam, SE of Mudgee," said @NSWRFS on X, formerly Twitter. "It’s burnt 70+ ha but isn’t threatening homes. Crews strengthened containment lines ahead of warm, windy weather tomorrow. Here, Bomber 210 drops retardant to help prevent the fire from jumping. #nswrfs"

Aerial firefighters shared an onboard view as they worked to contain a wildfire burning in rural New South Wales ahead of warm, windy weather.Video released by the rural fire service shows an up-close view of retardant being dropped over an area southeast of the town of Mudgee on Monday, November 10.Firefighters warned of “extreme fire danger” with winds of 20 to 50 km/h (32 to 80 mph) on Tuesday.

Aerial Firefighters Just Released Incredible Footage as They Battle New South Wales Wildfires

A Nebraska man is on a mission to make sure every small town gets remembered — one visit, one book, and one story at a time.

Seth Varner, a 25-year-old historian and self-publisher, has spent the last five years crisscrossing the Midwest to document the hidden gems and hometown pride of places most people drive right past. His goal: to visit every incorporated town in every state — and preserve their stories in print.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s 10 people, a hundred people, a thousand people … every town’s got a story to share,” Varner told CBS Mornings.

What started as a childhood dream has become a full-time mission. When he was just 10, Varner told his dad he wanted to visit every town in Nebraska. His dad laughed it off at the time. But during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Varner, then home from college, found his old third-grade scrapbook. That memory stuck.

“I was flipping through it,” he said. “I’m like, ‘I can fulfill that dream I had as a 10-year-old.’”

So he called a close friend and pitched the plan: visit every town in the state. “Are you in?” he asked.

Since then, Varner’s visited every incorporated town in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, North Dakota, and — as of last weekend — Minnesota. He’s chronicled his travels under the name Wandermore, a publishing company he founded to fund the project through sales of travel guides and Facebook content.

Each Wandermore guide is a state-specific love letter to small-town life: where to eat, what to see, and the stories behind local landmarks. The books are filled with trivia, photos, and personality-packed interviews.

Like the one about Elsie — the sole resident of a tiny Nebraska town who serves as the mayor, bartender, librarian, and honorary sheriff.

Or the town of Frost, Minnesota, where two recent births pushed the population from 198 to a proud 200.

“A lot of us don’t have a huge advertising budget to get the word out,” said Sarah Ferguson, Chamber of Commerce director for Blue Earth, Minnesota. “So when Seth offered to highlight what we have here, I was thrilled.”

Blue Earth, of course, is home to the Jolly Green Giant — a 55-foot statue paying tribute to the state’s canned vegetable legacy.

The books don’t just entertain. They leave a mark. “I can take a small town and then I immortalize it in a book,” Varner said. “Where people a hundred years from now can go back and be like, ‘This is what my grandparents’ town looked like.’”

Each guide funds the next journey. Now, with Minnesota complete, the profits from book sales will go toward his next target: Colorado.

These days, Varner’s travels include his wife, Eliese. At first, she wasn’t sure just how serious her husband was about visiting every town — until she saw him in action.

“I was just kind of in awe, maybe, ’cause it is really truly like a lot of work,” she said. “I could not be more proud of him.”

Whether it’s a giant vegetable statue, a single-resident town, or a population milestone of 200, Varner is reminding the world that every place matters — and every story is worth saving.

Man Fulfills Childhood Dream By Documenting Small Towns: "Every Town's Got A Story

Talker News

After more than 20 years of sweeping fields with his metal detector, Steve Dean has struck gold—well, silver, technically.

Dean, 68, along with friends Glenn Church, 69, and Ed Denovan, 70, unearthed a remarkable hoard of around 400 ancient Roman coins buried in a farmer’s field near Maidstone, Kent. The discovery, estimated to be roughly 1,800 years old, is now in the hands of experts at the British Museum, who will assess its historical significance and market value.

“It was a very unexpected find,” said Dean, a grandfather of eight who works in security at the University of Kent. “Only a few hoards are found each year and most detectorists never find one. It’s a bucket list find for most of us.”

The three friends had been searching a seemingly unremarkable field when they came across a handful of coins after just an hour. They kept digging—and kept finding more.

Eventually, they uncovered the base of a broken ceramic pot about 14 inches underground, with a mass of coins still inside. The scattered state of the hoard suggested that ploughing over the years had broken the pot and spread its contents across the field.

“At this point, realizing that what we had discovered was historically important, we stopped digging and called the professionals in,” Dean said.

Archaeologists Dr. Andrew Richardson and Paul-Samuel Armour from Isle Heritage arrived within the hour to excavate the site properly and transport the hoard for further study.

“The hoard shows the Romans were here 1,800 years ago,” Dean added. “There must have been something in the area, something must have drawn them there.”

While the precise location is being kept under wraps to protect it from illegal treasure hunters known as “nighthawkers,” the trio hopes to return next year once the farmer, who has already sown the field, gives the green light.

The British Museum will now study the coins—likely Roman denarii or antoniniani—and estimate their worth, a process that could take up to two years. The museum has the option to purchase the hoard once its value is determined. If it does, the proceeds will be split equally between the three detectorists and the landowner.

For Church, who began metal detecting in the 1970s, and Denovan, the find was also a first.

“This was a first guard for all of us,” Dean said. “There is nothing remarkable about the field we found them in. But you never know what’s under your feet.”

Now, they wait. And like the Roman coins they discovered, the value of patience might just pay off.

Metal Detectorists Discover Ancient Roman Coin Hoard in Kent

People

John Tesh says he shouldn’t even be alive. But at 73, the composer and former TV host is not only surviving — he’s thriving, thanks in large part to his wife, Connie Sellecca.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Tesh opened up about his years-long battle with prostate cancer and the moment everything changed: when Connie stepped in.

Diagnosed with stage III prostate cancer in 2015, Tesh was initially told his tumors might be inoperable. Doctors warned he could have just 18 months to live. “I was in the heat of it,” he said. “And Connie mentioned two friends who might be able to help.”

Those friends, whom she’d met more than five decades earlier during her modeling days in New York, pointed them to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

“They said, ‘You gotta come here,’” Tesh recalled. And that advice may have saved his life. Unlike other hospitals that had treated fewer than 100 similar cases, MD Anderson had managed over 1,000. “They had more experience,” Tesh said. “They treat the whole body, not just the cancer.”

That shift in care came after an MRI in 2017 revealed the cancer had spread to his pelvic lymph nodes, two years after what he thought had been a successful radical prostatectomy.

Tesh now continues to monitor the disease with his team at MD Anderson, and recently spoke at a fundraiser for the hospital. “I feel I owe my life to them,” he said.

His cancer journey isn’t the only thing making a comeback.

Tesh is also enjoying renewed attention for Roundball Rock, the iconic NBA on NBC theme he composed in 1990. NBC recently revived the song for upcoming 2025 broadcasts. Tesh had recorded a new orchestral version — but fans overwhelmingly asked for the original.

“They said, ‘No, no, no, we want the OG version,’” he said. “So the version you’re hearing now is the demo I did in 1999.”

The resurgence mirrors his own. “There’s definitely an analogy there,” he said. “Both the song and I are rising from the ashes.”

Tesh also released The Sports Album, a collection of high-energy sports themes, and says he’s feeling more grounded these days — thanks to music, family, and time with his three grandchildren.

“I shouldn’t even be alive now,” he said. “I’m really grateful. This is a great place right now — this minute — to be grateful.”

Why John Tesh Credits His Wife for Saving His Life Amid His Cancer Battle

At 16, Emma Traveller’s world changed in an instant. A spontaneous double date to the sand dunes turned into a life-altering accident when the UTV she was riding in rolled four times. She hit her head on the roll cage and woke up paralyzed, unable to feel or move anything.

Doctors told her she’d broken her neck — C5 through C7 — and suffered spinal cord damage at C4. She couldn’t breathe on her own, eat, or even cough. “I thought my life was over,” she says. “One day I was a healthy teenager — the next, I couldn’t even breathe on my own.”

That moment marked the beginning of a journey that would ultimately lead her to build a community of more than 600,000 people on TikTok.

Traveller spent 10 days in intensive care before transferring to Craig Hospital in Colorado, a leading spinal cord rehab facility. There, she began the painstaking process of learning how to live again — breathing without machines, swallowing, sitting up, slowly regaining movement in one arm. Her first breakthrough came with something small but symbolic: drinking from a straw.

It was slow. It was frustrating. And it was deeply emotional. “There were mornings I didn’t want to get out of bed,” she says. “But then I reminded myself: I have a wheelchair. I’m alive. I chose gratitude, and that choice kept me moving forward.”

While recovering, she started looking online for others like her. That’s when she discovered Makayla Noble, a former cheerleader who became a quadriplegic after an accident. Noble’s story lit a spark — and gave her permission to tell her own.

Traveller, now 20, began documenting her life on TikTok and Instagram. She shared everything: daily routines, workout attempts, frustrations, small wins. Her openness resonated. Messages began pouring in from people going through their own struggles.

“My family was recently in a Razor accident… I am so encouraged by your story and your attitude!” one person wrote. Another, a paraplegic of three years, said, “I’m still trying to be grateful I’m alive, but sometimes it’s hard.” Others thanked her for simply being real.

“I love it when people going through really hard things message me to say my page helped them get through it,” she says. “It makes me want to keep doing this forever.”

Today, she’s turned that momentum into purpose. Traveller now travels to speak at schools and conferences, visits kids in hospitals, and is writing a book with her mom. She also interned with an adaptive fashion designer in New York — inspired by the challenges she faced getting dressed after her injury.

When she’s not working on speeches or therapy, she fills her days with movement and connection. “Getting ready takes longer, so I have to wake up early — but it’s worth it,” she says. “Staying busy keeps me out of my head and connected to everyone else.”

Through it all, her message is clear: being in a wheelchair doesn’t mean giving up on happiness. It just means learning a new way to live.

“I didn’t get the outcome I wanted — I wanted to go back to cheer and be my old self — but I’ve learned how to live in this new way,” she says. “Your circumstances don’t determine your happiness.”

Traveller is quick to point out that life before the accident wasn’t perfect, either. “I used to constantly compare myself to others and struggled with body dysmorphia,” she says. “Now, I feel more confident because I focus on gratitude.”

To others going through hardship, she offers the same advice she gives her younger self: “Stop comparing. Be kind. Everyone faces challenges — illness, mental health, family stuff. Helping others helps you, too.”

What began as tragedy has turned into impact. And for Emma Traveller, that impact has become a calling.

How This Teen Inspired Millions With Her Journey From Paralysis To TikTok Fame

Artnet

The Art Gallery of Ontario is receiving a transformative gift — more than 450 artworks spanning over six decades of collecting — from the late Toronto philanthropists Morton and Carol Rapp.

The donation, which comes from the couple’s estates, features works by some of the most significant names in postwar and contemporary art. It includes 13 screen prints by Andy Warhol, among them four portraits of Marilyn Monroe from 1967, and early works by David Hockney and Roy Lichtenstein. Also included are nine pieces by Jasper Johns, seven by Claes Oldenburg, and a selection of works by Robert Rauschenberg, including a screen-printed sculpture and an illustrated book.

The AGO described the donation as a “significant bolstering” of its Prints and Drawings Collection, especially in capturing the explosion of printmaking that defined the late 1960s and 1970s.

“This gift… enables [the AGO] to tell the full story of the medium’s renaissance in the late 1960s and 1970s and its ongoing evolution throughout the early decades of the 21st century,” the museum said in a statement.

The donation also marks the AGO’s first acquisition of work by Abstract Expressionist Barnett Newman, whose 1964 lithograph CANTO XVIII is now entering the collection.

The Rapps began collecting prints in the 1960s, drawn to the bold colours and experimental forms of the Pop art movement. In the 1990s, they shifted focus to photography, acquiring a chromogenic print by Yinka Shonibare and five photogravures by Kara Walker — all of which are now part of the AGO’s holdings thanks to the gift.

“More than collectors, Carol and Morton Rapp were stewards of great art, eager to share and preserve the things that brought them pleasure, beauty, and insight,” said Stephan Jost, the AGO’s director and CEO. “During their lifetimes they contributed immensely to the cultural fabric of Toronto and to the AGO, and this gift by their family is a heartfelt expression of their enduring commitment to this place.”

The couple’s relationship with the AGO stretches back to 1966. Over the decades, they donated 474 works, and this latest gift brings their total contribution to nearly 1,000.

Carol Rapp, who passed away in 2023, was an actress and singer. Her husband, Morton, died in 2024. He was the former president of Smith Belting, which he expanded into the Canada-wide Multipower brand. The two were married for over 71 years. Their son-in-law, Jay Smith, continues their connection to the museum as a trustee.

The donation comes as the AGO undergoes a major expansion. With designs by Diamond Schmitt, Selldorf Architects, and Two Row Architect, the museum is adding 40,000 square feet of gallery space, funded by a $35 million gift from Dani Reiss, chairman and CEO of Canada Goose. The project will add 13 new galleries across five floors, according to the AGO’s website.

The Rapp gift ensures those new spaces will be filled with a deeper, more comprehensive collection — one that captures not just the art of the last century, but the passion of two lifelong collectors who never stopped sharing what they loved.

Art Gallery Of Ontario Receives 450 Iconic Works From Warhol, Lichtenstein

GoodGoodGood

In a cityscape dominated by chain-link fences and graffiti-tagged walls, a California company is offering a striking alternative: living meadows that grow vertically.

Habitat Horticulture, a firm based in Berkeley, has launched a project that replaces blank, graffiti-prone surfaces with panels of wildflowers and native grasses. Their creation, called Meadowall, is a pre-seeded, modular system that turns ordinary fences and walls into lush, colorful corridors for pollinators and pedestrians alike.

The idea took root right in their own backyard. “Just down the street from Habitat Horticulture’s headquarters, a newly built fence along the greenway bike path was quickly covered in graffiti,” the company shared in a statement. Instead of repainting or ignoring it, the team saw an opportunity. They installed Meadowall panels over 1,500 square feet of fence near their Berkeley offices.

Within weeks, the once-bland surface had sprouted into a living meadow. “As it grows, it transforms an ordinary walkway into a vertical meadow,” the company posted in a video. “A vital connection to nature for people and pollinators alike.”

The change was more than visual. The installation created real habitat for birds, butterflies, and native bees, while also reducing urban noise and filtering dust and air pollution. According to the company, the panels lower sound pollution by an average of 15 decibels and trap harmful particulate matter from nearby traffic.

“What was once a target for graffiti is now a vibrant, dynamic landscape,” the team wrote on their website. “It demonstrates how even the most utilitarian surfaces can become ecological assets.”

The system is cost-effective, too. By using seeds rather than mature plants, Meadowall costs about 30 percent less to install and requires minimal maintenance. That balance of sustainability and practicality has led to growing demand in both indoor and outdoor spaces. In addition to outdoor walkways and fences, the panels have been installed in office lobbies, apartment buildings, college campuses, and even the side of a high-rise in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.

That Tenderloin project has become a centerpiece of urban design in the area. “Straddling the corner of the building, the wall appears almost like a sentient being,” the company wrote, “contrasting the angular architecture with lush, soft plantings.” Beyond aesthetics, it helps restore green space in one of the city's densest neighborhoods.

For Habitat Horticulture, the mission is part public art, part environmental commitment. “Easy to install and maintain, Meadowall offers a sustainable, visually stunning way to enhance urban spaces, communicate environmental commitment, and deter graffiti,” they say.

In short: the next time you see a wall full of spray paint, imagine it blooming instead.

Habitat Horticulture Transforms Graffiti-Prone Walls Into Lush Pollinator Gardens

Whoopi Goldberg has a holiday tradition that comes straight from the heart — answering letters to Santa.

The 70-year-old actress and The View co-host shared on the Behind the Table podcast that each Christmas, she quietly takes time to respond to letters kids send to Santa Claus through the U.S. Postal Service.

“I just feel like everybody needs a little help, and if you can help somebody... it's why I try to do Santa at the post office,” Goldberg said. “I try to get letters and we try to answer kids' letters to Santa.”

“It’s things that we can do, and it doesn’t cost a lot,” she added. “Because you want to give people the ability to do something that brings up how they see themselves.”

The small but thoughtful gesture is one of the ways Goldberg gives back during the holiday season — and it’s something she’s been doing for years.

The comments came during a special podcast episode celebrating her 70th birthday, which also aired as a tribute on The View. The show highlighted several of Goldberg’s favorite charities, including One Simple Wish, which supports foster children; The Heifer Project International, which combats hunger through livestock donations; and God's Love We Deliver, which provides meals to people affected by serious illness, including HIV/AIDS.

Goldberg said supporting those in need is more important now than ever.

“A lot of people aren’t getting what they need,” she said, pointing to rising costs of living and financial insecurity. “It’s not fair. People used to actually have savings. And people can’t hold onto their savings, because every time you turn around, somebody’s hand is out.”

Even with her own milestone birthday underway, Goldberg kept the focus on others. She marked the occasion on-air with her co-hosts — all except Joy Behar, who missed her third show in a row due to a broken toe. Behar still found a way to celebrate, sending Goldberg a birthday lasagna instead.

As Goldberg put it, giving doesn’t always have to be big to be meaningful. A handwritten letter can go a long way.

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