The Latin Versions of 12 Modern Stories
Despite its status as a "dead" language, pretty much anything can be translated into Latin. Here are a few modern classics that might make Latin class more fun.
Despite its status as a "dead" language, pretty much anything can be translated into Latin. Here are a few modern classics that might make Latin class more fun.
There's an adage they give you when you receive your name badge at the door of Writer Land: "You only compete with yourself." While most authors hold true to this (at least in public), there are those who make time to spend bashing their fellow wordslinge
Take a look back at the tiny tomes with the gold foil spine that have helped generations of kids learn to appreciate reading.
The labels for the Y axis run from G (Good Fortune) to I (Ill Fortune).
I posted a roundup of Peeps dioramas called Heaps of Peeps back in 2007 and Peeps Imitate Life in 2009. There are thousands of Peeps scenes and dioramas to enjoy, but I decided this year to focus on art and literature. Why? Because marshmallow chicks and
These 10 authors may not be Shakespeare, but they sure had vaulting ambitions.
Mark Twain died on April 21, 1910, and specified in handwritten notes that his massive autobiography should not be published for at least 100 years. Well, folks, it's time. In the years leading up to his death, Twain (okay, Clemens) had been working on
Yesterday, you were shocked to learn how many amazing writers once called Brooklyn 'home.' (You were shocked, weren't you?) Today, we'll take a closer look at some of those writers and learn some odd facts about
Truman Capote lived in Brooklyn by choice, and so did I, once... Brooklyn Heights, to be more exact. Actually, the Northern part of Brooklyn Heights, if you want to be even more exact. Or, more precisely, Cranberry Street —the little three-block lon
Vladimir Nabokov, the author of such masterpieces as 'Lolita' and 'Pale Fire,' was also an expert on butterflies who inadvertently helped give Luciano Pavarotti a career boost.
Heading to the beach this summer? You can't lounge around on the sand without a book, so it's time to hit the bestseller list for a paperback that can get a little wet and sandy. How well do you know the authors of your favorite bestselling beach fare,
From Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath, Gilgamesh to Dylan, poets have left an indelible mark on our culture. Let's take a look at a few famous things named after poets and their works as we explore the awesome influence of poetry in modern
Long-lost artworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Ludwig van Beethoven, and more have resurfaced in some unexpected ways.
Recently, a good friend and I discussed books we read and re-read growing up and noticed a common theme: Our lasting favorites featured strong female protagonists who often kicked some serious behind. After the fun I had writing about literature's desirab
As you recall, we've started a new feature on this blog called No Small Tales. The idea is to publish one short story a month by and up-and-coming author. In case you missed it, our first installment can be found here, with a second coming next week. Yo
You know that Shakespeare, James Joyce and Lord Byron were geniuses when it came to their ways with words, but as anyone who knows a writer can tell you, scribes frequently come with some serious quirks.
If any group has a reason to be superstitious, it's professional athletes. Since their livelihoods rely on their abilities to consistently replicate physical motions, it's hardly surprising that they often don't want to change anything about their routin
Okay, so I have a near-obsessive interest in the TV show LOST. I've read plenty of theories, and I even follow J. Wood's intensely literary blog about the show. I've even bought books based on seeing them on the show -- The Third Policeman and VALIS, to
We like our wizards to fit a certain mold. They seem to have the same characteristics in many of our classic adventure tales. A wizard trains or mentors the young protagonist (to whom he is not related), has knowledge unavailable to the general public whi
Rachel Donadio published an essay on yesterday's New York Times Sunday Book Review entitled It's Not You, It's Your Books. Donadio discusses how a person's taste in books affects relationships, and she brings in comments from all sorts of literary folks
The late Sir Arthur C. Clarke was loved by nerds and normals alike for his contributions to literature, film, and technology. Here's a rundown of the five biggest reasons we'll miss him. 1. Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World Clarke kept extensive fil
You might think you know these classic fairy tales by heart, but some have darker origins—and endings—than you probably expect.
Halloween is upon us... and there's no better time to take a look at one of the most famous horror stories in literary history: Frankenstein! In this two-part article, we'll discover some truths (and dispel some myths) about Dr. Frankenstein and The Mons
We've recently discussed authors whose entire catalogs you've read (and boy was it a fun discussion!)...but what about collections of literature by multiple authors? One of the ultimate literary collections is the Harvard Classics (aka Dr. Eliot's Five F