Books & Literature

In 1865, Charles Dickens was traveling home from France when his train derailed while crossing a bridge, and his car was left dangling from the tracks. He helped save stranded passengers and then climbed back into the dangling car to find a manuscript he was supposed to send to his publishers.

Literary Classics /

18 Facts About Charles Dickens It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and Charles Dickens wrote it all down—the gruesome truths about Victorian England and the perils of Britain’s social class system. His unprecedented celebrity made him the most popular novelist of his century, and since then Charles Dickens’s books […]

In 1865, Charles Dickens was traveling home from France when his train derailed while crossing a bridge, and his car was left dangling from the tracks. He helped save stranded passengers and then climbed back into the dangling car to find a manuscript he was supposed to send to his publishers. Read More »

When Truman told Stalin about the Manhattan project in July of 1945, Stalin displayed little reaction, since Stalin had known about the project for almost 4 years before Truman, and he arguably knew more about it than Truman himself did.

Biographies & Quotations, Books & Literature, History, Politics /

POTSDAM AND THE FINAL DECISION TO USE THE BOMB After President Harry S. Truman received word of the success of the Trinity test, his need for the help of the Soviet Union in the war against Japan was greatly diminished. The Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, had promised to join the war against Japan by August

When Truman told Stalin about the Manhattan project in July of 1945, Stalin displayed little reaction, since Stalin had known about the project for almost 4 years before Truman, and he arguably knew more about it than Truman himself did. Read More »

A German man (Martin Juergens) claims the Moon has belonged to his family since 1756, when the Prussian King presented it to his ancestor as a symbolic gesture for services rendered. It was decreed the Moon would pass to the youngest born son.

Books & Literature /

Extraterrestrial real estate Chilean lawyer Jenaro Gajardo Vera became famous for his 1953 claim of ownership of the Moon. Martin Juergens from Germany claims that the Moon has belonged to his family since July 15, 1756, when the Prussian king Frederick the Great presented it to his ancestor Aul Juergens as a symbolic gesture of

A German man (Martin Juergens) claims the Moon has belonged to his family since 1756, when the Prussian King presented it to his ancestor as a symbolic gesture for services rendered. It was decreed the Moon would pass to the youngest born son. Read More »

Molière’s legendary death: collapsing on stage while performing in the last play he had written, insisting on completing his performance, collapsing again, died hours afterwards.

Literary Classics /

Molière This article is about the French playwright. For other uses, see Molière (disambiguation). Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (UK: /ˈmɒliɛər, ˈmoʊl-/, US: /moʊlˈjɛər, ˌmoʊliˈɛər/, French: [mɔljɛʁ]), was a French playwright, actor and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the

Molière’s legendary death: collapsing on stage while performing in the last play he had written, insisting on completing his performance, collapsing again, died hours afterwards. Read More »

Meet Jólabókaflóðið, an Icelandic tradition of giving books at Christmas. Books are so popular as gifts that, per capita, they read the most books on Earth and publishing occurs just months before Christmas. Many celebrate Christmas by lying in bed eating chocolates and reading one of their books!

Books & Literature /

The Christmas Book Flood: Iceland’s Literature-Loving Holiday Tradition In Iceland, the most popular Christmas gifts aren’t the latest iProducts or kitchen gadgets. They’re books. Each year, Iceland celebrates what’s known as Jólabókaflóðið: the annual Yule Book Flood. The holiday season is the Black Friday of the Icelandic publishing world—but it’s not just about one day.

Meet Jólabókaflóðið, an Icelandic tradition of giving books at Christmas. Books are so popular as gifts that, per capita, they read the most books on Earth and publishing occurs just months before Christmas. Many celebrate Christmas by lying in bed eating chocolates and reading one of their books! Read More »

Edgar Allen Poe died mysteriously after having been missing for six days. Though still alive when he was finally found, he was wearing someone else’s cheap clothes and not coherent enough to tell where he’d been. He had disappeared en route to his own wedding.

Literary Classics, Sensitive Subjects /

The Riddle of Edgar Allan Poe’s Death Despite his macabre literary genius, Edgar Allan Poe’s life was short and largely unhappy. After his young wife, Virginia, got tuberculosis in 1842 and died five years later, the already hard-drinking Poe apparently dove deeper into the bottle. In the late summer of 1849, he was in Richmond,

Edgar Allen Poe died mysteriously after having been missing for six days. Though still alive when he was finally found, he was wearing someone else’s cheap clothes and not coherent enough to tell where he’d been. He had disappeared en route to his own wedding. Read More »

After Sir Terry Pratchetts death, Neil Gaiman had the only hard drive containing his unfinished novels crushed with a steamroller, as per the late fantasy writers request

Books & Literature, Subcultures & Niche Interests /

Terry Pratchett’s unfinished novels destroyed by steamroller The unfinished books of Sir Terry Pratchett have been destroyed by a steamroller, following the late fantasy novelist’s wishes. Terry Pratchett docudrama reveals moment author realised he was ‘dead’ Read more Pratchett’s hard drive was crushed by a vintage John Fowler & Co steamroller named Lord Jericho at

After Sir Terry Pratchetts death, Neil Gaiman had the only hard drive containing his unfinished novels crushed with a steamroller, as per the late fantasy writers request Read More »

When Audrey Geisel, the widow of Doctor Seuss, was selling the rights to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, she made sure that “any actor submitted for the Grinch must be of comparable stature to Jack Nicholson, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman.”

Children's Interests, Children's Literature, Movies /

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 film) This article is about the 2000 live-action film known as “The Grinch” in the UK. For the 2018 computer animated film, see The Grinch (film). How the Grinch Stole Christmas (also known as Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and simply The Grinch) is a 2000 American

When Audrey Geisel, the widow of Doctor Seuss, was selling the rights to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, she made sure that “any actor submitted for the Grinch must be of comparable stature to Jack Nicholson, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman.” Read More »

Dracula was translated into Icelandic in 1901, and it wasn’t until 2014 that anyone noticed this version was actually a significantly different novel with a smaller page count and a lot more sex

Books & Literature /

Dracula This article is about the novel. For the character, see Count Dracula. For other uses, see Dracula (disambiguation). Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. It introduced the character of Count Dracula and established many conventions of subsequent vampire fantasy. The novel tells the story of Dracula’s attempt to

Dracula was translated into Icelandic in 1901, and it wasn’t until 2014 that anyone noticed this version was actually a significantly different novel with a smaller page count and a lot more sex Read More »

Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, released a limited 200 signed copies of the book bound in an asbestos cover making them fireproof. They rarely sell for less than $10,000.

Arts & Entertainment, Literary Classics /

The Ray Bradbury Chronicles: Tribute to a Literary Legend Five Limited Ray Bradbury Editions From the Dust Returned Limited leather-bound copy from Easton Press Match to Flame: The Fictional Paths to Fahrenheit 451 Signed, limited edition printing. Somewhere a Band is Playing Limited to 500 copies, Bradbury wrote this novella in 2007. The Last Circus

Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, released a limited 200 signed copies of the book bound in an asbestos cover making them fireproof. They rarely sell for less than $10,000. Read More »

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