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The Second Most Important Book in Dublin

2025-03-21 · letter vlog · Hank · 1:42 · watch on YouTube

Topic: History & curiosities (also: Books & writing) · mode: Curiosity & trivia · tags: on location, self promotion

Outside Trinity College Dublin's Old Library, Hank tells the story of the Book of Kells, jokingly calls it Dublin's second most important book after John's Everything Is Tuberculosis, congratulates John, notes his Dublin copy is unsigned, and retells a statue story about a college president who opposed admitting women.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Trinity College's Old Library and the Book of Kells, John's book as number one, Dublin pigeons

  • ★★ Hank stands outside the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin, where he recently gave a talk. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ Hank says the Old Library holds very old books including the Book of Kells, gospels of the Bible illustrated and illuminated by unknown artists. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ Hank calls the Book of Kells one of the masterworks of humanity. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ Hank says the Book of Kells lost its jeweled cover in a Viking raid, lay in a bog for three months before recovery, survived, and can be seen in Dublin. — 00:00:00
    • check: three months — doubtful
  • ★★ Hank jokes that the most important book in Dublin is John's new Everything Is Tuberculosis, which he also recently went to see. (playful) — 00:00:29 · Everything Is Tuberculosis, John Green
  • ★ Hank notes Dublin has fat ringed pigeons not found at home, more skittish than normal pigeons, and says he loves them. (playful) — 00:00:29

00:00:55 — Congratulations to John on Everything Is Tuberculosis; Hank's unsigned Dublin copy

00:01:24 — The statue of a college president who opposed admitting women; sign-off

  • ★★ Hank retells a story he was told: a college president (name given as Leckie) opposed admitting women, died the day the first woman was admitted, and women graduates now pose with his statue. (hedged) — 00:01:24

In the description and comments

Humor (significant)

  • Hank ranks the Book of Kells only second in Dublin, and reveals number one is John's new book. — 00:00:29

    “but of course number one i also recently went to see a new book called everything is tuberculosis by john green”

  • A college president who opposed admitting women to Trinity is now posed with by women graduates. — 00:01:24

    “And he died the day the first woman was admitted to the college, so ha ha ha ha.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Book of Kells · Everything Is Tuberculosis · Trinity College Dublin

Also: Bible · Dublin · Vikings

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