What is the longest sentence in English literature? Meet the 13,955-word monster that shattered James Joyce’s record—and the authors who went even further.
Keep readingCheck Out the Latest
What is the longest sentence in English literature? Meet the 13,955-word monster that shattered James Joyce’s record—and the authors who went even further.
P.K. Clover’s 1878 coffin torpedo was designed to stop grave robbers with an explosive surprise buried alongside the deceased.
Britain’s Post Office cats caught mice, earned maintenance allowances, passed performance reviews, and even became the subject of debate in Parliament.
Discover how Lum and Abner transformed two Arkansas voices into Pine Ridge, a beloved radio town that inspired films, comics, and a real town’s new name.
In 1712, Sweden officially had a February 30 after a bungled calendar reform left the country using a calendar all its own.
Mary Ward was a pioneering Irish scientist whose 1869 death became the first recorded automobile fatality. Discover the remarkable woman behind the trivia.
Discover the story behind the British Hat Tax, requiring licenses and tax stamps—and forging one of those stamps could carry the death penalty.
Discover the remarkable WWII stories behind the Hogan’s Heroes cast, including Jewish refugees, U.S. veterans, and Holocaust survivor Robert Clary.
The Oxford Electric Bell has been running on the same batteries since 1840. Discover how this mysterious device has kept going for more than 185 years.
Discover how Robert Chesebrough turned oil-rig waste into Vaseline, injured himself to prove it worked, and reportedly ate a spoonful every day.
In 1818, an English murder defendant demanded trial by combat—and the court ruled it was still legal. Discover the strange case of Ashford v. Thornton.
Discover the Great Hedge of India, the massive 19th-century barrier Britain built to stop salt smuggling and enforce colonial taxes.
In 1184, a peace meeting in Erfurt ended when the floor collapsed and nobles plunged into a cesspit. The bizarre Erfurt Latrine Disaster was real.
Meet Margaret Knight, the overlooked inventor who revolutionized the flat-bottom paper bag and fought a patent battle to prove the machine was hers.
Benjamin Franklin explained how to lose a great empire in 20 easy steps. Explore his hilarious 1773 satire—and why Britain should have taken the hint.
