WRITING

He inspired a lot more than just Burns Night.

8 Things Named After Scottish Poet Robert Burns

Burns Night isn't the only thing named after Robert Burns. Streets, towns, and monuments throughout the world were christened in his honor.

Emojis transcend language in a way that 'lmao' can't.

From ‘DWL’ to ‘MDR’: See How People Laugh Online in 46 Different Languages

Maybe you already know the meaning of 'jajaja.' But what about all these other expressions of online laughter?

12 Fascinating Facts about Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’

Nabokov’s controversial 1955 novel, which was rejected by multiple American publishers, features multiple allusions to Edgar Allan Poe and references a real-life kidnapping.

What Happened to the Physical Copy of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech?

For two decades, the original copy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech was stashed inside a Harry Truman biography for safekeeping.

13 Fascinating Facts About Gertrude Stein

American writer Gertrude Stein left a profound mark on 20th-century modernism through her literary work and her enthusiastic patronage of avant-garde art. Read on for more facts about her idiosyncratic life.

Barbie and Ken are just two members of the Barbie bunch.

Our 26 Favorite Stories of 2023

From Celine Dion’s “erotic motorcycle” to the crafty female platypus who faked a pregnancy in order to bust out of the Bronx Zoo, 2023 was full of some pretty great stories.

The cover of John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men.’

13 Things You Might Not Have Known About John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’

Here are a few things about this iconic piece of literature that might not have been covered in your high school English class.

Part of a tablet—regarding wheat, animal hides, and other supplies—on display in the British Museum.

8 Illuminating Facts About the Vindolanda Tablets

The Vindolanda tablets tell us a lot about life in early Roman Britain.

David Letterman receives the 2017 Mark Twain Prize.

All 25 Recipients of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

The honor for comedic excellence has been turned down a couple of times and rescinded once.

25 of the Most Confusing Acronyms and Initialisms

You’re not the only person who has Googled “NPC meaning” of late.

The cover of Octavia E. Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower.’

11 Fascinating Facts About Octavia E. Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower’

When Octavia E. Butler wrote her science fiction novel ‘The Parable of the Sower,’ she vowed to include only things that could actually happen.

Kay Powell has written some stunning obituaries.

America’s Greatest Obituary Writer

Forget about the funny pages. If Kay Powell wrote for your paper, you dove straight into the death notices.

Ambrose Bierce, the Dark Humorist Who Disappeared

"Bitter Bierce" had a sharp sense of humor. It may have gotten him killed.

12 Novels Inspired by Real Events

Novelists have used everything from real killers to newsworthy hostage situations to literal white whales to craft their fiction.

You’ll want to add ‘The Deep,’ My Heart Is a Chainsaw,’ ‘Our Share of Night,’ and ‘The Between’ to your reading list.

11 Contemporary Horror Authors to Read (Who Aren’t Stephen King)

If you want to expand your horror reading beyond Stephen King, look no further than this list, which features everyone from Mariana Enriquez to Stephen Graham Jones and beyond.

When Did Vampires and Werewolves Start Hating Each Other?

Their (often literal) blood feud is a relatively modern creation. So how did vampires and werewolves end up at each other’s throats?

Victor Hugo, Anne Rice, and Thomas Hardy were all believers.

9 Authors Who Believed in Ghosts

Some, like Harriet Beecher Stowe and Victor Hugo, believed they had communicated with spirits directly; others, like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Thomas Hardy, had ghostly encounters they couldn’t explain.

When Ernest Hemingway Walked Away From Two Plane Crashes Just Hours Apart

The novelist endured a crash in East Africa. Then his 'rescue' plane went down, too.

Incorporate these words into your conversations this fall.

11 Delightful Words From Washington Irving’s Autumn Stories

Try spicing your fall with a few of these rustic charmers, drawn from the pages of Washington Irving.

12 Retro Back-to-School Products For Kids and Grown-Ups

Whether you’re a nostalgic kid-at-heart or a parent shopping for kids of your own, here are some fun retro back-to-school products from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s that you can still buy today.

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed Herculaneum—but may have preserved a lost library of Epicurus's writings.

The Lost Library of Herculaneum: Unravelling the Scrolls That Mount Vesuvius Almost Destroyed

Historians were struck by the tantalizing possibility that this library might contain missing works of some of history’s greatest writers—works thought to have been lost forever.

10 Brilliant Facts About Braille

Invented by Louis Braille in 1824, the tactile braille system has helped blind people read and write for nearly 200 years.

Add more to your TBR pile this Pride Month with these celebrated fiction and nonfiction works.

15 Incredible Books by Stonewall Book Award Winners

The Stonewall Book Award celebrates LGBTQ+ literature and includes standouts from authors like Alison Bechdel, Rivers Solomon, and Michael Cunningham.

There's a multitude of pencil types out there.

Are There No. 1 Pencils?

Almost every syllabus, teacher, and standardized test requires a No. 2 pencil. Are there other choices out there?

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