Mental Floss

BOOKS













A portrait of Toni Morrison from 2002.

For one, Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was based on a true story. She also didn't read it until 2014.

Jeff Wells




Evan Agostini, Getty Images

Judy Blume was the queen of the YA novel before the concept even existed, inspiring generations of passionate fans—and a fair share of dissenters—in her more than 50-year career.

Caitlin Schneider








Virginia Woolf.

With flowing prose and a courageous pen, Virginia Woolf wasn't afraid to dissect any topic, whether it was the idiocy of warfare or the joys of sex.

Mark Mancini