BOOKS

A Rare Ottoman Atlas Was Rediscovered in Norway's National Library

With a little help from Reddit, the librarian who unearthed the work identified it as a copy of the rare Cedid Atlas.

7 Fascinating Facts About the First American Novel

On this date in 1789, Boston bookseller Isaiah Thomas and Company published The Power of Sympathy: or, The Triumph of Nature, which is generally considered to be the first American novel.

Does Speed Reading Actually Work?

A new report in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest says no.

7 Fascinating Facts About Obelisks

A new book offers an absorbing account of the obelisk’s place in human civilization.

Listen To J.R.R. Tolkien Read and Sing Excerpts From The Lord of the Rings

Listen to two rare recordings of J.R.R. Tolkien reading excerpts from his books.

Baltimore’s New Poe Toaster Honors Edgar Allan Poe

A tradition that dates back to the 1940s has just been resurrected.

Supreme Court Justices Love Quoting Shakespeare and Lewis Carroll, Study Finds

RBG, Scalia, and the rest of the gang love these authors just as much as we do.

Birthing the New York Public Library Lions

Patience and Fortitude did not get a warm reception in 1911: residents thought they were "monstrosities."

David Bowie’s 100 Favorite Books Offer a Peek Inside the Artist’s Mind

David Bowie will always be remembered as a seminal figure in the worlds of music, fashion, and film. But he was also a voracious reader who often read a book a day.

10 Popular Children's Books That Have Been Translated Into Latin

Thanks to some hard-working scholars, Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, and Bilbo Baggins are now getting kids hooked on the language of Virgil.

The Science of Life and Death in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Professor Sharon Ruston surveys the scientific background to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, considering contemporary investigations into resuscitation, galvanism, and the possibility of states between life and death.

"Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey" / Brian Joseph Davis

Police Sketches of Literary Characters Based on Their Book Descriptions

Here's what your favorite book characters would look like in real life.

Shakespeare's First Folio Is Going On Tour

The Folger Shakespeare Library has announced that copies of the First Folio will visit all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico as part of a Shakespeare celebration.

11 Highlights From the New York Public Library’s New Public Domain Collections

Go forth and download high-res images.

I. W. Taber, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

11 Things You Might Not Know About Moby-Dick

Whether you've read 'Moby-Dick' cover to cover or just have it propping open your door, here are some little-known facts that will surprise you.

Pickering & Greatbatch via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Proof Victorian Novels Were Way More Sentimental

A new analysis of thousands of books finds that bestselling titles from the last few decades contain fewer strongly positive or negative words than older works such as ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

7 Regal Facts About the Elves of Middle-Earth

We know you’ve been wondering how to say “butt” in Elvish.

Just How Gross Are Library Books, Exactly?

That depends who you ask, and how you define “gross.”

11 Booze-Soaked Facts about Alcohol’s Role in America’s History

Some of these will make your head spin.

Bestselling Books Are Getting Longer, Study Finds

It might be because your e-reader doesn't know the books could double as door stops.

A portrait of English MP John Elwes, a.k.a. "Elwes the Miser."

7 Real-Life Inspirations For Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' was published in December 1843. Find out about the real-world inspirations behind this holiday-themed classic.

Roald Dahl's first wife, Patricia Neal, seen here wearing an eyepatch in the aftermath of a stroke, was the inspiration behind the language in The BFG.

How Roald Dahl Came Up With the Nonsense Words in The BFG

Author Roald Dahl was famous for the nonsensically whimsical language he created in his books, but the origin of those words has its roots in tragedy.

How Archaeology Influenced Agatha Christie

The prolific mystery writer took an active part in her husband’s archaeology digs.

The 60-Year Struggle to Bring Childhood's End to Screens

An adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's landmark sci-fi novel, which has been marinating in Hollywood for six decades, finally hits TV screens tonight.

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