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George Pollard Jr., Unlucky Captain of the Ship That Inspired ‘Moby-Dick’
When Captain George Pollard Jr.’s ship was rammed by a whale, he had no idea it would help make literary history.
11 Fascinating Facts About Edward Gorey
‘The Gashlycrumb Tinies’ author was born 100 years ago on February 22—here’s what you need to know about him, from what classic book he found boring to how much he really helped with PBS’s show ‘Mystery!’
12 of the Most Unforgettable Books About Doomed Romances
The star-crossed lovers captured in these Gothic romance books will give you a new reason to hate Valentine’s Day.
7 Fascinating Facts About Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’
He wrote the book partially in response to European writers like Joseph Conrad, who Achebe said depicted Africa “as ‘the other world,’ the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization.”
10 Interesting Facts About Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs. Dalloway’
The novel, which turns 100 this year, was so successful that it allowed Woolf to put in a bathroom she called “Mrs. Dalloway’s closet.”
10 Fascinating Facts About ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’
Here’s everything you need to know about the Tales of Dunk and Egg, the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel novellas that inspired HBO’s upcoming adaptation.
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Peter Weir’s Australian New Wave classic turns 50 this year. Here’s what you need to know about the film, from the off-limits question Weir asked book author Joan Lindsay to the spooky stuff that happened on set.
New Twilight LEGO Set Lets You Recreate the Cullen’s Home
These are the blocks of a killer, Bella.
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The “willy nilly silly old bear” was based on a real-life bear cub.
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14 Gifts That Changed the World
These gifts made a huge impact.
Advice for an Apocalypse: 10 Tips From Y2K Survival Guides
Buy a water bed—you might need to drink it.
The Christmas Book Flood: Iceland’s Literature-Loving Holiday Tradition
Jólabókaflóðið, Iceland's long-running Christmas tradition, involves books, bed, and chocolate—all our favorite things.
Detroit Library Lets Man Keep Book That‘s Five Decades Overdue
The Warren Public Library waived late fees for a Chicago man who check out a baseball book 50 years ago.
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Here’s how Jesmyn Ward’s award-winning novel about Hurricane Katrina came to be.
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You might want to skip dinner after reading these.
Title of a Romance Novel or Name of a Nail Polish?
Turns out the monikers of romance books and cosmetics can sound eerily similar.
8 Fascinating Facts About ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’
Here's how Stieg Larsson's modern classic came to be.
Can You Match the Word to the Author Who Created It?
See if you can spot the laudable lexicography of these famous writers.
7 Obscure Literary Devices
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Rare James Bond Memorabilia Is Headed to Auction
Propstore is auctioning off tons of James Bond items, including hand-made posters and props.
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He got the idea from a story his wife told him while they were visiting her parents: “I joked, ‘This would be good for a novel. I am going to write a novel based on this.’ ”