AUTHORS

10 Extremely Valuable Author Signatures

From James Joyce to Ernest Hemingway, discover which famous author signature is worth the most.

There are a lot of people who don’t think Shakespeare was actually Shakespeare.

8 Shakespeare Conspiracy Theories

Discover the controversial conspiracy theories that challenge Shakespeare’s authorship, from the Baconian Theory to the Alien Theory and beyond.

Agatha Christie, Surfing Pioneer

A lesser-known fact about the famed crime novelist: She was a beach bum.

5 Fascinating True Crime Books to Read, Recommended by Casey Sherman

Casey Sherman’s latest book, ‘A Murder in Hollywood,’ covers a sensational crime involving actress Lana Turner and the mob. The author discusses the book alongside some of his favorite recent reads.

4 Famous Cases of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a bad idea in any setting, but some of history’s most vaunted writers have been caught stealing.

12 Fascinating Facts about Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’

Nabokov’s controversial 1955 novel, which was rejected by multiple American publishers, features multiple allusions to Edgar Allan Poe and references a real-life kidnapping.

Rules for Murder: The Detection Club and the Evolution of the Murder Mystery

While the club initially formed as a social group for writers of detective fiction, it did have an official purpose: to uphold a rigid set of standards for crime fiction, and weed out any potential members who wouldn’t agree to meet them.

Some of your favorite writers faced rejection.

20 Famous Authors and Their Rejections

From James Baldwin to Gertrude Stein and beyond, literature’s most celebrated authors have faced stinging and ruthless rejections.

The cover of Octavia E. Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower.’

11 Fascinating Facts About Octavia E. Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower’

When Octavia E. Butler wrote her science fiction novel ‘The Parable of the Sower,’ she vowed to include only things that could actually happen.

You’ll want to add ‘The Deep,’ My Heart Is a Chainsaw,’ ‘Our Share of Night,’ and ‘The Between’ to your reading list.

11 Contemporary Horror Authors to Read (Who Aren’t Stephen King)

If you want to expand your horror reading beyond Stephen King, look no further than this list, which features everyone from Mariana Enriquez to Stephen Graham Jones and beyond.

Victor Hugo, Anne Rice, and Thomas Hardy were all believers.

9 Authors Who Believed in Ghosts

Some, like Harriet Beecher Stowe and Victor Hugo, believed they had communicated with spirits directly; others, like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Thomas Hardy, had ghostly encounters they couldn’t explain.

Dollar Baby: Why Stephen King Sells the Rights to His Work to Up-and-Coming Filmmakers for Just $1

The Dollar Baby contract is Stephen King’s way of helping film students adapt his stories without financial barriers.

The cover of Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House.’

13 Chilling Facts About Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House’

Shirley Jackson's classic novel ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ was inspired by real-life paranormal investigators—and so scary her husband was afraid to read it.

9 Crimes Linked to Books

These offenses include everything from historical forgeries to audacious heists to cold-blooded murder—all with a bookish twist.

The cover of 'My Brilliant Friend' by Elena Ferrante.

10 Facts About ‘My Brilliant Friend’

'My Brilliant Friend' kicked of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan series and inspired an HBO adaptation.

12 Novel Facts About John Steinbeck

The author of ‘East of Eden’ and ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ was also a three-time Academy Award nominee and found an enemy in J. Edgar Hoover.

A Rarely-Seen Maurice Sendak Story Will Finally Hit Shelves Next Year

'Ten Little Rabbits: A Counting Story With Mino the Magician' was originally part of a museum fundraiser.

For Sale: The Hampshire Estate Where Jane Austen Wrote ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and Other Books

The house where Jane Austen grew up is now ritzy enough to suit her wealthier characters.

It took Tolstoy a solid year to write the introduction to 'War and Peace.'

22 Novel Facts About ‘War and Peace’

Leo Tolstoy's epic novel is the literary equivalent of a marathon and features a battle scene that goes on for more than 20 chapters.

Agatha Christie's work is under fresh scrutiny.

Agatha, Edited: Mystery Author Agatha Christie's Work Is Being Reworked to Remove Objectionable Content

Some passages from Agatha Christie's library are being eliminated in an effort to address concerns over alleged xenophobia and racist descriptions.

When Joyce Carol Oates Tried—and Failed—to Fool the World As 'Rosamond Smith'

The celebrated author decided she wanted to adopt a new writing identity for a mystery novel. It didn't turn out well.

Zora Neale Hurston in a portrait by Carl Van Vechten.

10 Fascinating Facts About Zora Neale Hurston

Writer and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston’s literary legacy is a class apart. Here are some facts you might not have known about the author of “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”

It's no surprise Stephen King is one of the world's richest authors.

The 10 Richest Authors of All Time

From J. K. Rowling to Stephen King, these are the richest authors the literary world has ever produced.

Kazuo Ishiguro at the Hay Festival 2010.

11 Things You Should Know About Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro was 27 years old when he published his first novel, 1982’s ‘A Pale View of Hills.’ Since then, he has left an indelible mark on literature through works that the Nobel Prize committee described as “novels of great emotional force.”