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.

8 Bookstores in Barns

Empty barns are one thing this country has plenty of, and a few enterprising booksellers have figured out something to do with all that space.

Swissted: Punk Rock Gig Posters Reinterpreted in Swiss Modernist Style

On the surface, it might not seem like punk rock and Swiss modernism have much in common—but pick up Mike Joyce's book Swissted, out tomorrow, and you'll see that the music and art movements blend beautifully.

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 Subjects We Didn't Realize Had Their Own Fan Fiction

After we stumbled across some incredible Bill Nye fan fiction, we decided to see what else is out there.

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

Chasing Bookworms: What Missing Art Can Tell You About Insects

"The Rich Man" by Cornelis Anthonisz (1541), courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, Europeans illustrated their books mainly with woodcuts. A woodcutter would etch a block of wood with an image so that when the block was di

9 More Gorgeous European Libraries

We’ve seen great libraries from all over the world, including a second look at amazing American libraries. Now it’s time for more beautiful libraries in Europe! 1. The Royal Library,

The Working Dead: The Posthumous Career of Kurt Vonnegut

The late Vonnegut has accomplished more dead than most of us will alive, from social media celebrity to indie film success.

From Classics to Graphics: 6 Literary Masterpieces Turned Into Graphic Novels

Abridging classic novels for younger readers is nothing new. But in recent years, classic literature has been graphic novel-ized, making it more accessible for readers young and old while preserving the plot, themes, and sometimes even the author's voice.

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

A Wonderfully Nerdy Marriage Proposal at the National Book Festival

Like most 20-somethings using social media, my Facebook newsfeed often features "Jane Doe is now engaged to John Smith" posts, with requisite thumbs-up, squeals of glee from friends, and photos of the engagement rings. Last weekend brought a round of seve

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

13 Brazen Harry Potter Knock-Offs From Around the World

If J.K. Rowling’s seven Harry Potter books left you hungry for more Hogwarts, you’re not alone. Fortunately, a whole bunch of totally unauthorized Potter novels have been published in other countries. To give you a taste of the kind of quality reads avail

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

11 Wonderful Libraries in Africa

We’ve brought you beautiful European, South American, North American and Asian libraries, so now it’s time for some of the most amazing libraries in Africa. 1. Library of

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.

11 Cakes Based on Kids' Books, Movies and TV Shows

We've looked at cakes inspired by movies and video games. Next up: kids' books and characters! 1 & 2. Alice In

11 Fabulous Libraries in South America

Last week we toured some of Europe's most beautiful libraries. Now let's see what South America has to offer. 1. The Royal Portuguese Reading Room,

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