BOOKS

8 (Supposedly) Cursed Books

From a diabolical Bible to a mournful Japanese war poem, here are eight texts that have been blamed for madness, misfortune, and death.

11 Fascinating Facts About H.G. Wells

As well as having a hand in shaping sci-fi as we know it, H.G. Wells also influenced the spheres of science, politics, and more.

Writer George R.R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" signs autographs during the 2014 Comic-Con International Convention.

7 Book Series the Original Authors Haven't Finished

From A Song of Ice and Fire to Dune, these unfinished book series left readers wanting more.

We've compiled 24 books from a range of genres that deserve a spot on your to-read list.

The Mental Floss Summer 2022 Reading List

From sci-fi and horror to heartfelt memoirs and enthralling non-fiction, the Mental Floss Summer 2022 Reading List has something for everyone.

7 Fascinating Facts About Victor Hugo's 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'

You likely know of Quasimodo, of Esmeralda, maybe you know Dom Claude Frollo or even Captain Phoebus … but here are some facts about The Hunchback of Notre Dame you might not know.

8 Facts About Philip K. Dick

Learn more about the fascinating mind behind 'Blade Runner,' 'Minority Report,' and so many other standouts of the sci-fi genre.

8 Facts About Patricia Highsmith's 'The Price of Salt'

When The Price of Salt was first published, it gave LGBTQ+ readers something they had never encountered before: a novel that didn’t punish its main characters for being gay and allowed them at least the possibility of a Happily Ever After.

Fireproof Edition of Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Fetches $130,000 to Help Fight Book Bans

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ has landed on plenty of banned books lists before. Author Margaret Atwood wants to keep other books off them.

Author R.L. Stine with a Goosebumps book.

The 15 Best-Selling Book Series of All Time

From fantasy sagas to picture books, these are the series that garnered the most sales since their respective debuts.

15 Books That Are Basically Unreadable

From disappearing ink to being written in code to needing a team to turn a page, these books are, for one reason or another, basically unreadable.

7 Facts About 'The Lord of the Rings'

From its early concepts to its abandoned sequel, here are some facts you should know about 'The Lord of the Rings.'

Inside the FBI's Once-Classified Files on 10 Famous Authors

Find out more about the FBI's formerly classified documents on Ernest Hemingway, James Baldwin, and other famed authors.

9 Fascinating Facts About Kazuo Ishiguro's 'Never Let Me Go'

'The Guardian 'named Kazuo Ishiguro’s sixth novel, 'Never Let Me Go'—a subtle, heartbreaking sci-fi tale about clones whose lives are barreling toward a sad and mysterious end—one of its 100 best books of the 21st century. Here's what you need to know.

7 Facts About Octavia Butler's 'Kindred'

More than 40 years after its release, Octavia Butler's 'Kindred' remains a classic work of fiction.

25 Facts About Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'

Though Stanley Kubrick's 1980 classic 'The Shining' is widely considered one of the best Stephen King adaptations, the bestselling author himself isn't a fan.

Listen to a Rare Recording of Shirley Jackson Reading “The Lottery”

Shirley Jackson recorded her classic horror story for vinyl back in 1959—and it’s on YouTube for free.

They're purrfectly happy to help you find your next read.

A Brief History of Library Cats

Cats have been keeping libraries rodent-free for thousands of years.

'American War' and 'Clade' are just two of the cli-fi books tackling global climate and environmental issues.

11 Gripping Cli-Fi Books to Put on Your TBR List

Set in a fictionalized future, these cli-fi novels explore how climate change is poised to forever impact our civilization.

These authors are tackling important subjects in verse.

8 Novels in Verse by Authors of Color to Read for National Poetry Month

Some believed the Virgil's poetry could be used to predict future events.

7 People Who Used Virgil's Poetry to Predict the Future

Known as the 'sortes Virgilianae,' this method of predicting the future has been used by emperors, kings, writers, and scholars.

8 Fascinating Facts About Richard Matheson

Author Richard Matheson is often remembered for penning the novel 'I Am Legend,' but his influence on literature, film, and TV reaches far beyond that.

8 Things You Should Know About Ray Bradbury's 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'

From its kernel of inspiration in a bizarre childhood memory to Gene Kelly’s failed attempt to turn it into a movie before Bradbury turned it into a novel, here are eight things you might not know about 'Something Wicked This Way Comes.'

A fu-go reinflated at California's Moffett Field in 1945. (The lines of the fu-go have been redrawn to make them easier to see.)

Fu-Go Fire Balloons: Japan’s Last-Ditch Effort to Win WWII

The U.S. military catalogued 285 incidents involving Japanese fu-go, mostly in the Western United States and Canada; one incident resulted in five deaths.

7 Things You Should Know About Virginia Woolf's 'To the Lighthouse'

Virginia Woolf's fifth novel has thrilled and frustrated readers since it was published in 1927; today, it’s considered a masterpiece.

PREV NEXT