BOOKS

The Most Popular Children’s Book From Every Country

The best children’s books of all time come from all over the world, from Ed Young’s ‘Seven Blind Mice’ to Ana María Machado’s ‘Niña Bonita.’

11 Classic Books Adapted as Graphic Novels

If you want to get into the classics but aren't quite ready to crack open a book that was written centuries ago, these comic book versions should be far more accessible.

You might associate his name with science fiction, but Ray Bradbury wrote plenty of scary stories that will keep you up at night.

5 Terrifying Stories by Ray Bradbury

From a homicidal infant to a man who gleefully dismembers his own adolescent daughter, these Ray Bradbury stories are not for the faint of heart.

11 Modern Classics Every Book Collection Needs

From Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple' to Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods,' discover 11 modern classics we think deserve a spot on your bookshelf.

Two weeks. 50 years. You know, whenever you get around to it.

A Book of Poetry by E.E. Cummings Was Returned to the Library 50 Years Overdue

The poetry collection was taken out in 1971 and finally resurfaced with an anonymous note and a peculiar apology gift.

Introducing The Curious Reader 2022 Desk Calendar, Full of Facts About Your Favorite Books and Authors

Which punctuation did Cormac McCarthy hate? Which sci-fi series inspired ‘Outlander’? Those answers and more, coming to a desk near you.

Curious George lives up to his reputation.

The Time Curious George Got High

Beloved childrens' book character Curious George got himself into some real pickles, including knocking himself unconscious while high on ether.

13 Essential Horror Novels From the Last Five Years

Discover 13 essential horror novels to read that were published in the last five years like 'The Hunger' by Alma Katsu and 'Plain Bad Heroines' by Emily M. Danforth.

New Teeth author Simon Rich recommends some funny books to add to your to-read pile.

9 Hilarious Books to Read, Recommended by Comedy Writer Simon Rich

‘Saturday Night Live’ alum and ‘An American Pickle’ screenwriter Simon Rich shares which books he considers comedic genius.

Impress your friends with these Victorian puns.

30 Delightful Puns From the Victorian Era

Here are 30 hilarious—or hilariously bad—Victorian era conundrum puns that might make you the best-guessed guest at your next bash.

Jeremias Reinoso, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

11 Fascinating Facts About Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, the most rational detective in literature. But he also believed in fairies.

9 Books That Transport You Around the World

If you want to explore new countries and immerse yourself in different cultures without leaving your couch, pick up one of these books.

9 Facts About The Worst Witch

More than two decades before a certain boy wizard ditched his cupboard at 4 Privet Drive for the halls of Hogwarts, readers were introduced to clumsy but sweet-natured Mildred Hubble in the 1974 kidlit classic 'The Worst Witch.'

Star Trek was a key influence in Emily St. John Mandel's 2014 novel, Station Eleven.

11 Facts About Station Eleven

Emily St. John Mandel’s ambitious and acclaimed 2014 novel, 'Station Eleven,' whisks readers around the globe and across decades, exploring the before and after of a fictional pandemic that eradicates the world as we know it.

Andy Serkis and his precious at the premiere of The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies in 2014.

Andy Serkis Will Narrate The Lord of the Rings Audiobooks

Andy Serkis’s Gollum is back—and this time, he’s scheming, snarling, and sniveling right into your headphones.

Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in Pride & Prejudice (2005).

14 Facts About Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice

When Joe Wright was shooting Mr. Darcy’s misty morning proposal for 'Pride & Prejudice,' a nearby makeup artist whispered, "I wish that was my life."

A Pride and Prejudice-Inspired Reality Dating Show Is Currently Casting Contestants

Calling anyone who has ever wished Mr. Darcy would appear on the misty horizon and ask you to marry him.

The Reason Reading Makes You Sleepy

If you’re trying to teach yourself how to fall asleep faster, reading before bed is a good habit to pick up—here’s why.

Jackie Collins at her home in Beverly Hills, California in 1995.

Lady Boss: 10 Facts About Jackie Collins

Before there was 'Sex and the City' or 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' Jackie Collins was delivering unapologetically raunchy tales of glamour and seduction with a treasure trove of erotic novels.

Authors Khaled Hosseini (left), Ralph Ellison (top center), Octavia E. Butler (bottom center), and Toni Morrison (right).

The Early Careers of 12 Famous Novelists

As recent graduates start exploring the job market, they should take comfort in the fact that these noteworthy authors—featured in Mental Floss’s new book, 'The Curious Reader: A Literary Miscellany of Novels and Novelists,' out now—took a sometimes windi

15 Facts About Flowers for Algernon

Daniel Keyes’s 'Flowers for Algernon' is a poignant science-fiction novella that has won critical acclaim and popularity around the globe.

Beyoncé Knowles performs during the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards in Edinburgh, Scotland.

20 Defining Pop Culture Moments of the Past 20 Years

From Beyoncé to Baby Yoda, the past 20 years have been jam-packed with moments that will long live in the memory of pop culture enthusiasts.

8 Facts About Summer of My German Soldier

Bette Greene’s 1973 debut novel, about a 12-year-old Jewish girl in rural Arkansas who befriends a German prisoner of war in the early 1940s, was embraced by critics and readers alike, and it’s still a mainstay on school reading lists.

No, William Shakespeare probably wasn't secretly the Earl of Oxford.

6 Misconceptions About Famous Books and Authors

Even devout bibliophiles might believe some of these misconceptions about Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, and William Shakespeare.

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