Literature

High School Teacher's Theory Frames 'The Wizard of Oz' as a Political Parable

Was the classic fairytale meant to be a metaphor for the Gilded Age?

You Can Now Experience Walden as a Video Game

Channel Henry David Thoreau without isolating yourself in the woods.

The Surprising Literary Origins of Wile E. Coyote

Mark Twain provided the perfect character description.

A Clockwork Orange Author Anthony Burgess's Favorite Dystopias

As described in his 1984 book 'Ninety-Nine Novels: The Best in English Since 1939.'

By Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann - SMB Digital, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

5 Forgotten Fairy Tales From the Brothers Grimm

Here are some of the more bizarre Grimm tales that didn’t quite merit the Disney treatment.

By Mathew Brady - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Lost Walt Whitman Novel Offers an Early Glimpse Into Leaves of Grass

The 165-year-old novel is "like seeing the workshop of a great writer,” according to one scholar. “We’re discovering the process of Whitman’s own discovery.”

A Long-Lost Mark Twain Fairy Tale Is Now a Children's Book

It's called "The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine."

7 People Who Hated Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Despite how beloved Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' is, there have been plenty of people who hated it.

Library of Congress via Wikimedia // Public Domain

11 Facts About Robert Frost

There's more to Robert Frost than "The Road Not Taken"—and according to him, we've all been interpreting that poem wrong anyway.

Librarian Creates Fake Patron to Keep Books on Shelves

The fictional "Chuck Finley" checked out 2361 books last year.

Someone Is Strategically Placing Poems Around a British Supermarket

The verse-loving perp left the poem "Deer" in the meat section atop some venison.

This Supercut Fits 400 Versions of A Christmas Carol Into One Movie

Watch 173 years of adaptations in under an hour.

By E. W. Kemble (1861–1933) - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

15 Psychological Conditions Named After Literary Characters

Shakespearian and fairy tale characters have a wealth of complexes and syndromes named after them.

The Story Behind Lewis Carroll’s Unsolvable Riddle

The Mad Hatter’s riddle remains one of Lewis Carroll’s most enduring puzzles.

7 of History's Most Famous Pairs of Pen Pals

These well known duos lived out their relationships on the page.

Father Pens Spot-On Response to Son's Permission Slip to Read Fahrenheit 451

You should expect a bit of sarcasm when your student's father is a 'Daily Show' writer.

How One of the Victorian Era’s Most Famous Actors Became Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Scholars believe Stoker’s intense, sensual Count Dracula was partly inspired by his relationship with actor Henry Irving.

Watch Aldous Huxley Discuss 'Technodictators'

"All technology is in itself morally neutral." -Aldous Huxley

7 Spooky Short Stories to Read for Halloween

Read the best of horror writers like Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and more this Halloween.

Who Wrote History's First Blurb?

And how did they get that name?

Read the Ghost Story Anthology That Inspired Three Classic Scary Stories

When looking for inspiration for spooky tales to tell this Halloween, it never hurts to draw from the classics.

Painting by John Taylor, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

15 Places You Can Visit to Celebrate the Life and Work of William Shakespeare

Wherefore art thou Bill?

Gorupdebesanez via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

U.S. and Cuban Officials Collaborate to Preserve Hemingway Memorabilia

The neglected artifacts include books, letters, and hunting trophies.

10 Literary References in Cartoons You Might Have Missed

Did you know 'Steven Universe' has almost the same plot as 'A Wrinkle in Time'?