BOOKS

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.

10 Surprising Former Librarians

Before he led the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong worked as a librarian's assistant at Peking University.

James Patterson, Barbara Cartland, and Mao Zedong are all bestselling authors.

10 of the Best-Selling Authors of All Time

Whether it's Mao Zedong or Leo Tolstoy, these authors probably deserve a place on an all-time top-selling list (caveats abound!).

'To Kill A Mockingbird' author Harper Lee smiles before receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007.

8 Surprising Facts About Harper Lee

Before winning the Pulitzer Prize for her 1960 novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' Harper Lee worked as an airline ticket agent.

Whitby Abbey—an Inspiration for Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’—Is Calling All Vampires to Break a Guinness World Record

It’s the 125th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula.’ Celebrate by partaking in the largest-ever gathering of people dressed as vampires.

Mary Shelley published 'Frankenstein' when she was just 20 years old.

An Original Edition of Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' Is Headed for Auction

The tome is being sold by Christie’s and is expected to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000.

10 Surprising Facts About Charlotte Brontë

Though much of Charlotte Brontë's life was marked by tragedy, she wrote novels and poems that found great success in her lifetime and are still popular nearly 200 years later.

The Brooklyn Public Library Is Making eCards Free for Teens Nationwide

As part of its Books Unbanned initiative, the Brooklyn Public Library is opening its digital collections to teens outside New York City.

Why Norwegians Love to Read Crime Novels Called 'Påskekrims' During Easter

Instead of cheery tales of flowers and bunnies, Norwegians prefer bloody murder mysteries on Easter.

Nostalgia (and Millennials) Could Lead to a Bookstore Resurgence

Bookstore locations have been trending upward in recent months.

'The Time Traveler's Wife' was one of the biggest book hits of the 2000s.

8 Fascinating Facts About 'The Time Traveler's Wife'

Originally published in 2003, 'The Time Traveler’s Wife' surprised fans of fantasy fiction. Here's what you should know about Audrey Niffenegger’s debut novel.

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