Russian author and philosopher Fyodor Dostoyevsky is regarded as one of the greatest psychological novelists of all time. For all of his success, he espoused the greatest confidence in a truly humble […]
How Often Do You Call Yourself a Fool?
Pigs, Politicians, Elections, and Executions
Author Orson Scott Card summed up the shortsightedness of much of the electorate. He said, “If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no […]
H.G. Wells, the Unrepentant Hat Thief
H.G. Wells (1866-1946) was one of the most accomplished writers of all time. As author of such classics as The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and The Invisible Man, he […]
Cut Loose of the Misuse of the Mispronounced Name of Dr. Seuss
Theodor Geisel is known around the world by his pen name Dr. Seuss. The author and illustrator of more than 60 children’s books such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs […]
The Volcano That Triggered a Year Without Summer, Defeated an Empire, and Gave Birth to a Monster
In terms of volcano celebrity status, Mount Tambora’s name is rarely mentioned. If someone asks you to name a dramatic volcanic eruption, more than likely, it is Mount Vesuvius, Krakatoa, or Mount […]
The Day T.S. Eliot Passed on a Literary Masterpiece
T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) may have been a brilliant poet, author, and playwright, but as a judge of other authors, he was far from infallible. When given a chance to review one manuscript, […]
Iceland Has the Most Authors and Readers Per Capita of Any Country
For book lovers, when it is cold and snowy outside, nothing can compare to staying inside and diving into a good book. Perhaps it is because of the perpetual wintery weather that […]
Is Shakespeare Mentioned in the Bible?
The Publishers’ Circular of January 11, 1902, contained a brief article that triggered a renewed interest in the most-read English author and the best-selling book of all time. It triggered a debate […]
How Marco Polo Owes His Fame to an Inquisitive Inmate
History so often hinges upon accidents, such as the time Gutenberg was forced to invent the printing press because he missed an important date by an entire year, or the time Constantinople […]
Tolkien’s Advice on Minding Your Own Business
“Don’t go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you’ll land in trouble too big for you.” — J.R.R. Tolkien Read more great quotations. Read more fun facts about […]
Words Created by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was unquestionably one of the greatest influencers of English literature. He was also an unequaled contributor to the English language itself. Many of the words you have used in the […]
The Only Certain Way to Avoid Making Mistakes
“It’s only those who do nothing that make no mistakes, I suppose.” — Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), British-Polish novelist. Read more great quotes. Read more fun facts about literature.
A Tale of Two Boys and Their Fathers’ Creations That Ruined Their Lives
Chris and Denny might as well have been brothers. They had so much in common — particularly their conflict with their fathers — that it almost looks as if they had the […]
Oscar Wilde’s Final Battle With Wallpaper
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was famous for his humorous, ironic observations. This quality stayed with him right up to the end. The final words attributed to the Irishman, as he lay on his […]
It Took a Century, But The Dublin Pub Brain Teaser Has Been Solved
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses first appeared as a serial from March 1918 to December 1920. The primary character, Leopold Bloom, makes a seemingly-offhanded remark that spun into one of history’s most intriguing brain […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 