BOOKS

Admont Abbey Library in Admont, Austria is the largest monastic library in the world.

25 Amazing Facts About Libraries

Libraries are a reader’s best friend. In honor of National Library Week, here are 25 things you might not know about these hallowed halls of book worship.

The 13 Most Challenged Library Books of 2022 Point to an Alarming Trend in Censorship

The American Library Association logged a record number of complaints in 2022.

These book dedications are anything but nice.

7 Book Dedications that Basically Say “Screw You”

Not all authors’ dedications are nice. Some—like these—are just plain mean.

Our planet looks even more amazing from above.

8 Incredible Images of Earth From Above

Benjamin Grant’s Overview: A New Perspective of Earth stitches together satellite images to show our planet as we’ve never seen it before.

For Sale: The Hampshire Estate Where Jane Austen Wrote ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and Other Books

The house where Jane Austen grew up is now ritzy enough to suit her wealthier characters.

11 Facts About Shakespeare’s First Folio

Officially titled 'Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies,' the more than 900-page tome collected together 36 of the Renaissance writer’s plays for the first time.

8 Facts About Marcel Proust’s ‘In Search of Lost Time’

Marcel Proust’s madeleine was originally a different baked good.

Emily Hampshire's new graphic novel, 'Amelia Aierwood - Basic Witch' is out April 11.

Emily Hampshire on Her New Graphic Novel, ‘Amelia Aierwood - Basic Witch’

Actress Emily Hampshire has graced TV screens in shows like '12 Monkeys,' 'Schitt’s Creek,' 'Chapelwaite,' and 'The Rig,' and now, she’s coming to bookstores, too: Her new graphic novel, 'Amelia Aierwood - Basic Witch,' is out on April 11.

10 Fascinating Facts About Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft broke new ground in the battle for women’s rights with the publication of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'—but there's far more to her legacy than just one book.

Mental Floss’s ‘The Curious Compendium of Wonderful Words’ Features Fun Slang, Strange Phrase Origins, and More

Sure, all books are filled with words—but not quite like this.

'Kryptos' at CIA headquarters in Virginia.

8 of History’s Most Mysterious Uncracked Codes

The world of cryptology is full of stumpers. Here are the stories behind eight especially infamous ones.

It took Tolstoy a solid year to write the introduction to 'War and Peace.'

22 Novel Facts About ‘War and Peace’

Leo Tolstoy's epic novel is the literary equivalent of a marathon and features a battle scene that goes on for more than 20 chapters.

Agatha Christie's work is under fresh scrutiny.

Agatha, Edited: Mystery Author Agatha Christie’s Work Is Being Reworked to Remove Objectionable Content

Some passages from Agatha Christie’s library are being eliminated in an effort to address concerns over alleged xenophobia and racist descriptions.

These award-winning books are worth adding to your reading list.

13 Must-Read Books by Women’s Prize for Fiction Winners

Here are some of the most unforgettable books to earn the Women’s Prize for Fiction from celebrated authors like Zadie Smith, Téa Obreht, and others.

8 Things You Might Not Know About 'Catch-22' Author Joseph Heller

Heller's irreverent outlook on life was shaped by his experiences as a bombardier pilot in World War II—and lots of dinners with Mel Brooks.

Colson Whitehead, Jhumpa Lahiri, and John Updike are among the novelists who have won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

7 Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelists

The authors on the list are just a few whose novels have nabbed the prestigious prize since it began being awarded in 1918.

10 Intriguing Facts About Katherine Mansfield

Today, Katherine Mansfield is considered one of the most influential modernist writers of the 20th century—but she considered a career as a professional cellist.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, James Joyce, and Charlotte Bronte all used 'literally' in a figurative sense.

The Long History of the Figurative 'Literally'—and 8 Great Writers Who Used It

From Austen to Dickens and beyond, famous authors have had no problem with using the word 'literally' in a figurative sense.

When Joyce Carol Oates Tried—and Failed—to Fool the World As 'Rosamond Smith'

The celebrated author decided she wanted to adopt a new writing identity for a mystery novel. It didn't turn out well.

Put your Southern comfort cooking skills to the test.

Recreate Dollywood Cinnamon Bread, Barbecued Pork, and More With ‘The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook’

You can now recreate the best food at Dollywood restaurants—cinnamon bread included—in your own kitchen.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of writes like Francis Bacon, Edgar Allan Poe, and Mark Twain were anything but ordinary.

13 Authors Whose Deaths Were Stranger Than Fiction

Unusual deaths aren’t just found on the page. A number of authors have themselves died in bizarre ways—and sometimes, they seem even stranger than fiction.

Posters from a Jeff Tweedy concert (left) and Lotus concert (right).

Higher Ground—Burlington, Vermont’s Beloved Music Venue—Is Releasing a Book Full of Its Iconic Concert Posters

Burlington, Vermont’s Higher Ground has a long history of producing iconic concert posters in collaboration with local arts organizations.

Left to right: Oscar Polk, Vivien Leigh, and Hattie McDaniel in 'Gone With the Wind.'

An Early ‘Gone With the Wind’ Script Shows a Much Harsher, More Accurate Depiction of Slavery

The film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's ‘Gone With the Wind’ movie has long been condemned for romanticizing slavery. Some screenwriters had tried to paint a more honest picture.

12 Fascinating Facts About Zelda Fitzgerald

The '80s video game 'Legend of Zelda' was definitely named after "America's first flapper." Learn more incredible facts about Zelda Fitzgerald here.

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