A New Translation of ’The Iliad’ Is Bringing a Truer Ancient Greece to Modern Readers
This all-new translation of the Homer epic is six years in the making.
This all-new translation of the Homer epic is six years in the making.
Though their contributions were immense, many aren’t well-known outside of their nations’ borders.
The late, great American writer Henry Charles Bukowski, Jr. was once called the “human embodiment of a raised middle finger”—an analogy that Bukowski would probably have welcomed, or possibly even written about himself. Here's what you should know.
The lives, hobbies, and eccentricities of some of the world’s greatest poets made them much more than titans of the turn of phrase.
Phillis Wheatley was the American colonies’ first Black poet and second woman to publish a book of poems. Here are more facts about her.
Langston Hughes was a poet, novelist, playwright, and reporter who helped define the Harlem Renaissance. Find out more about his life and work.
One of the most celebrated authors in history never saw a book published under her own name.
Dr. Maya Angelou’s verses are at the very heart of the American experience—yet she didn’t start out as a poet.
Robert Burns was voted the greatest Scot over iconic warrior William Wallace in a 2009 poll.
On New Year’s Eve, after the ball has dropped, revelers queue up "Auld Lang Syne"—that song that makes you cry, even though you don’t understand it and know almost none of the words.
Get snowed in with the best books to read in winter, including “Snowblind” by Ragnar Jónasson, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” and other great reads.
While it has always referred to nimble, fleet-footed dancing, the imagery associated with the phrase "tripping the light fantastic" is a matter of profound disagreement.
The Greek youth Antinous drowned in the Nile—but he would go on to have one of the most remarkable afterlives in history.
Audre Lorde’s poems, speeches, and books helped write the future of feminism. Here are some facts about the woman behind the work.
Plenty of poems are love poems. Why aren’t all of them considered sonnets? In short, rhyme scheme, length, and structure.
The U.S. Mint has officially shipped its Maya Angelou quarters—earning the ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ author another “first” to her name.
The life of Edgar Allan Poe, author of 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and other horror stories, was as strange as his fiction.
Is William McGonagall the best poet ever? Absolutely not. Is he the best bad poet ever? Quite possibly yes.
'My own business bores me to death; I prefer other people's,' Oscar Wilde once said. Read on for more about this master wit, poet, and playwright.
The elusive Emily Brontë left precious few handwritten artifacts behind. One could fetch about $1.5 million.
From socks and puzzles to card games and insult posters, fans of William Shakespeare will love these novelty items on Amazon.
“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the so-called Black national anthem, was written by 20th-century novelist/poet/songwriter James Weldon Johnson as a rallying cry for perseverance and social justice.
Having an albatross around your neck means facing an inescapable burden. As for where the phrase originated, you can thank classic literature.