George Orwell’s novel 1984 took the world by storm when it was published in 1949. It told the story of a dystopian future where the government maintained control by keeping a close […]
Big Brother Keeps an Eye on Orwell Home
It Was a Dark and Stormy Opening Line
One of the most famous opening passages of any novel comes from a book that is hardly recognized today. George Bulwer-Lytton introduced the world to Paul Clifford in 1830 with the words, […]
Dreams So Powerful That They Shaped History
Scientists, philosophers, and theologians have long pondered and theorized about dreams. What are they? What causes them? What purpose do they serve? The debates about dreams continue, but one thing is certain: […]
Longest Novel Will Take a While to Read
The world record for the longest novel ever published goes to A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust. It was published in 13 volumes beginning in 1912. With an estimated 9,609,000 characters […]
Creepy Predictions from the Master of Creepiness
Edgar Allan Poe’s only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, was published in 1838. He claimed the story to be based on true events. As it turned out, he […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 