Literature
Nine Mythical Places Archaeologists Think May Have Actually Existed
Historical evidence is helping to pinpoint the exact locations of fabled sites, from King Arthur’s castle to Solomon’s Temple
William Blake's Cottage Will Be Saved—and Transformed Into a New Museum
The 18th-century poet wrote some of his most renowned works in the house in southern England, which has since fallen into disrepair
Historic Theater Discovers 15th-Century Doorway That May Have Led to a Dressing Room
Some experts speculate that Shakespeare could have used the room to change costume during performances in the late 16th century
Poetry Was an Official Olympic Event for Nearly 40 Years. What Happened?
Pierre de Coubertin hoped the modern Games would encourage the ancient Greek notion of harmony between "muscle and mind"
Inside the Controversial Plan to Turn a Hotel Where Jane Austen Attended Balls Into Student Dorms
Devoted readers are worried about the fate of the historic Dolphin Hotel in southern England
The Real Story Behind Netflix's 'The Decameron'
Loosely based on Giovanni Boccaccio's 14th-century collection of short stories, the series follows a group of Italian nobles and servants who flee to the countryside to escape the Black Death
Fabled Sword From Medieval French Folklore Disappears
Known as the "French Excalibur," the blade is said to have hung from a rock face in the village of Rocamadour for 1,300 years
Aphra Behn, the First Englishwoman to Earn a Living With Her Writing, Is Finally Getting Her Due
A year-long event series aims to champion the pioneering 17th-century writer's legacy
What the Changes to Splash Mountain, Now Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Reveal About How Americans See Themselves
Originally based on themes from the 1946 film "Song of the South," the Disney World attraction debuted in Florida in June. The Disneyland version will be unveiled in California later this year
The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024
From a bluegrass capital in Virginia to a laid-back surf town in Hawaii, these spots are beckoning to tourists this year
An Ailing Franz Kafka Curses Writer's Block in This Handwritten Letter to a Friend
"I haven't written anything for three years," he admitted in the note, which will go to auction this summer
What Does George Orwell's '1984' Mean in 2024?
Now 75 years old, the dystopian novel still rings alarm bells about totalitarian rule
Spellbinding Cover Art for 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' Could Break Auction Record
The original watercolor illustration of a young wizard boarding the Hogwarts Express was artist Thomas Taylor's first professional commission
Call Oregon's Poetry Hotline to Hear a New Poem Every Day This Month
The hotline, created by the state's poet laureate, has already received thousands of callers
Overdue Book Returned to Colorado Library After 105 Years
The Fort Collins library waived the fine, which totaled over $14,000 when adjusted for inflation
One of the World's Oldest Surviving Books Is for Sale
The rare early Christian text was written in a monastery in Egypt between 250 and 350 C.E.
Arthur Conan Doyle Agreed to Write 'The Sign of the Four' at a Fateful Dinner in 1889
The handwritten manuscript he produced is going to auction, where it could become the most expensive item associated with the mystery writer ever sold
These Were the Most Challenged Books in America Last Year
Titles with LGBTQ themes dominated the American Library Association's newly released list
Book Banning Attempts Are at Record Highs
A new report from the American Library Association found that the number of challenged titles increased by 65 percent in 2023
Gabriel García Márquez's Sons Publish Novel the Author Wanted to Destroy
The famed novelist had instructed his family never to publish drafts of "Until August," written as he struggled with dementia during his final years
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