BOOKS

50 Shades of Gray from the First Comprehensive Guide to Color Naming

After you read this list, you can proudly tell all your friends you were intellectually stimulated by reading 50 shades of gray.

The Many Hats of Dr. Seuss

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the book’s publication, Geisel’s widow has opened her late husband’s hat collection to the public in a traveling exhibit called “Hats Off to Dr. Seuss!”

Gertrude Stein made sure to work her signature phrase, "a rose is a rose is a rose," into her children's book, too.

12 Famous Authors Who Also Wrote for Children

Sometimes you just want to be a kid again. These literary luminaries quietly tried their hands at writing children’s stories.

12 Famous Authors Who Also Wrote for Children

Sometimes you just want to be a kid again. These literary luminaries quietly tried their hands at writing children’s stories.

9 Things to Know About Ender's Game

Based on a book of the same name, Ender’s Game—which hits theaters today—takes place in a futuristic world where Earth has already been attacked by an insect-like alien race called Formics. To prepare for a potential future attack, the best and brightest

12 of Stephen Fry's Wise, Witty Quotations

Stephen Fry is an actor, writer, poet, TV host, narrator, and for all I know a terrific cook -- the man is so prolific he has a Wikipedia page devoted simply to listing his works. Through all of his work he weaves threads of good humor, keen intellect, a

11 Book Sequels You Probably Didn't Know Existed

We get frustrated with Hollywood's propensity for weird sequels that seem to have little or nothing to do with the original, but it just so happens that the practice is older than filmmaking itself. Several classic stories have strange follow-ups you've n

Your Favorite Authors Are Frauds: 6 Famous Ghostwriters

It’s almost like learning the truth about Santa Claus: Once you know, it’s so obvious, but you're still a little heartbroken when you discover that your favorite author didn’t really pen most of the work with his or her name on the cover. Take comfort, t

23 Writers Who Were Famous by Age 23

While it's not as easy for authors to become famous at a young age as it is for pop singers, it's still not unheard of for barely legal authors to find fame, success, and even fortune. Here are 23 authors who manager to achieve fame—though not always posi

What Causes "Old Book Smell"?

“A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness” is how an international team of chemists describes the unique odor of old books in a study. Poetic, sure, but what causes it?Books are made up almost e

16 Famous Literary Characters Almost Named Something Else

“Bladorthin the Grey” just doesn’t have the same ring to it as “Gandalf the Grey,” does it? Here are the stories of Gandalf and some other famous characters who experienced an identity change before publication.

Famous Novelists on Symbolism in Their Work—and Whether It Was Intentional

In 1963, 16-year-old Bruce McAllister mailed a four-question survey to 150 novelists, asking if they intentionally planted symbolism in their work. Here’s what they had to say.

7 Children's Books Written in Response to Other Books

Some authors write books because they have a way with words. Others write books mostly to spite another author.

Insomnia Cured Here, Flickr // CC BY SA 2.0

Did Dr. Watson Really Write Sherlock Holmes?

There’s actually a whole group of people who enjoy the theory that Sherlock Holmes – or at least sidekick John Watson -- was real. The truth? Well that's elementary, my dear Watson.

Why Are Textbooks So Expensive?

It’s hard to make that first trip to the college bookstore for required texts without leaving with a bit of sticker shock. Why are textbooks so astonishingly expensive? Let’s take a look.

How a Friendly Writing Contest Resulted in Three Literary Classics

These days, damp, rainy spells usually inspire us to curl up on the couch and watch an American Pickers marathon (tell me that's not just me). But back in 1816 - also known as "The Year Without a Summer" - the results were much different. The summer was r

When it was translated into Latin, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets became Harrius Potter et Camera Secretorum.

The Latin Versions of 12 Modern Stories

Despite its status as a "dead" language, pretty much anything can be translated into Latin. Here are a few modern classics that might make Latin class more fun.

The Story Behind Little Golden Books

Take a look back at the tiny tomes with the gold foil spine that have helped generations of kids learn to appreciate reading.

BlöödHag: Seattle's Edu-Core Death Metal Library Rockers

BlöödHag is a death metal band from Seattle who perform, among other places, in libraries. Their songs are "Edu-Core," and focus on science fiction authors and literacy -- check out some lyrics here. In fact, what the heck, I'll just quote their classic

Kurt Vonnegut’s Story Diagrams

The labels for the Y axis run from G (Good Fortune) to I (Ill Fortune).

The Original Names of 10 Famous Fictional Characters

Do you remember the adventures of Luke Starkiller? What about the terror of Count Wampyr? Find out which famous characters those rejected names once belonged to.

Kurt Vonnegut’s Letter to His Family About His Imprisonment in Slaughterhouse Five

In the same way Vonnegut repeats “so it goes” in ‘Slaughterhouse-Five,' he repeats “but not me” in this letter.

5 Fascinating Facts About Vladimir Nabokov

Vladimir Nabokov, the author of such masterpieces as 'Lolita' and 'Pale Fire,' was also an expert on butterflies who inadvertently helped give Luciano Pavarotti a career boost.

Mattel, Inc./Liaison via Getty Images Plus

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Harry Potter

Here are a few facts that you may not have known about the gang in gold and red (and maybe a couple about the set in silver and green).

PREV NEXT