This Raspberry Pi e-ink project uses over 4,800 book quotes to tell you the time

Credit: threefragsleft Published Jul 20, 2026, 3:52 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary The Litclock is a Raspberry Pi e-ink clock that tells time with book quotes and highlights the relevant phrase. The "Prepare for Gifting" mode wipes WiFi details, adds a welcome message, and features a printable quick-start guide. A Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, Waveshare 7.5" e-Paper HAT V2, and a 3D-printed case make a perfect bookish gift. If you have a hobbyist in your life, you'll know they're often giving their creations as gifts. However, handing someone a full Raspberry Pi device is a lot less intuitive than, say, knitted socks. Fortunately, this Raspberry Pi project that tells the time using book quotes is designed to be easy to give as a present. The Litclock pulls from book passages to let you know what time it is It makes for the perfect present for your beloved bookworms Over on the Raspberry Pi subreddit, user threefragsleft posted their Litclock project. It uses a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, Waveshare 7.5" e-Paper HAT V2, and a 3D-printed case to get the job done. Once it's set up, it tells you the time by printing a piece of text from literature that mentions the current time and highlights the relevant part. It would make for a lovely gift for a book-loving friend, but threefragsleft understands that not everyone can receive a Raspberry Pi project as a gift and understand how to set it up. As such, they created a special mode if you intend to give it away: Built to be handed over. A "Prepare for Gifting" mode wipes your WiFi and adds a welcome message; there's a printable one-sheet quick-start for the recipient. The whole point is that the person receiving it does the two-minute phone setup and never thinks about it again. You can check out how to make your own over on the Litclock GitHub page.