Literature

Today, when we think of a "pox," we think of smallpox. But in Shakespeare's time, the word referred to a dreaded sexually transmitted disease.

By Alia Hoyt

HowStuffWorks talks to three modern-day "Megs" to find out how they were inspired by the character's bravery, ambition and intelligence to pursue real-life scientific success.

By Alia Hoyt

If hobbits were real, could they really maintain the energy needed to undertake the quests of 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings'?

By Robert Lamb

'Domestic Medicine' was the most popular health guide for over 100 years. Which advice still holds up today and which is plain dangerous?

By Alia Hoyt

Before the days of Esquire and GQ, the famous poet wrote about men's health and grooming in newspaper columns. How does his advice stack up today?

By Dave Roos

It's been more than 200 years since her birth and we're still learning new things about this famous novelist.

By Kathryn Whitbourne

Although this writer and poet wrote seven volumes of autobiography, there are still some things you may be surprised to learn.

By Kathryn Whitbourne

From Margaret Wise Brown to Beatrix Potter, some children's authors have reputations for disliking kids. Are the rumors true?

By Kate Kershner

There's so much great fiction out there, but, as it turns out, many of these stories have something in common: their emotional arc.

By Kate Kershner

We know him as the beloved creator of Willy Wonka and the BFG, but Roald Dahl worked as a James Bond-style spy in his early years.

By Laurie L. Dove

The wizarding novels promote tolerance and oppose authoritarianism. What does that mean for how Potter fans view the Republican presidential candidate?

By Christopher Hassiotis

We're all told as children that reading opens our horizons and helps us learn, but does "Harry Potter" expand young minds more than your average kids' book?

By Debra Ronca

Since the 1600s, performances of "Macbeth" have been plagued by accidents and mysterious mishaps. Is it all because Shakespeare used actual witches' curses in the play?

By Laurie L. Dove

In the hope of educating future wizards, we give you this sorcerer's hall of shame, populated by those who fell from grace, grasped for the stars or failed to leave the tarmac in the first place. How did your favorite wizard fare?

By Robert Lamb

It's easy to find out how much money a movie made on its opening weekend. But when it comes to books, sales numbers can be hard to pin down. That's where we come in.

By Laurie L. Dove

The 20 bestselling children's books come chock full of all kinds of wonderful characters -- from bunnies and puppies to boy wizards and cats with crazy hats. Know a few, do you?

By John Perritano

Chances are you've probably read a poem or two in school, had to memorize a poem at some point, or maybe even wrote a poem yourself. But what exactly is poetry?

By Caitlin Uttley

A Web-based service called LibriVox is reading and recording some of the great literary classics. But where did the idea for LibriVox originate, and how much will an audio book cost?

By Akweli Parker

Three things make books valuable: supply, demand and condition. Most collectors seek out these works because of their associations with famous authors and historical events. Some want them because they're really, really old.

By Ed Grabianowski

Everyone dreams of finding that rare first edition in Grandma's attic, but how would you know such a treasure if you found one? Book appraising takes years to master, but we've laid out the basics here.

By Dave Roos

The answer to this question may depend on how you define the word "book."

By Eric Baxter

Many people and institutions throughout the years have banned books for their 'questionable content.' Many of these books became even more popular because of the controversy they caused. See our list of 9 surprising banned books.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Intentional or not, these authors gave their books names that will make readers laugh or cringe. These creative book titles show that there is no topic out there that someone won't write a book about. Check out our list of 17 unusual book titles.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The novelists on this list all overcame rejection after rejection after rejection. Check out these classic stories about authors persevered despite the doubts of publishers, and went on to earn wide acclaim.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

You won't come across names like Mr. Sloppy, Wopsle, Sweedlepipe, Bumble and Scrooge in real life. No, these names were purely the product of Charles Dickens' unique imagination.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. & Denise Harrison