books

Sally Horner Was Kidnapped By A Child Molester At Age 11 — And Her Ordeal May Have Inspired ‘Lolita’

A serial rapist named Frank La Salle held Sally Horner captive from June 1948 to March 1950, and her story was so similar to the controversial plot of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita that the author named Sally in the novel.

By Erin Kelly • Dec 7, 2025

Sally Horner Was Kidnapped By A Child Molester At Age 11 — And Her Ordeal May Have Inspired ‘Lolita’

A serial rapist named Frank La Salle held Sally Horner captive from June 1948 to March 1950, and her story was so similar to the controversial plot of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita that the author named Sally in the novel.

By Erin Kelly • December 7, 2025

The Incredible Story Of Carl Emil Pettersson, The Swedish Sailor Who Became The King Of A Pacific Island

After a shipwreck off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 1904, Carl Emil Pettersson married the princess of Tabar Island and was eventually crowned the king.

By Andrew Milne • Oct 7, 2025

The Incredible Story Of Carl Emil Pettersson, The Swedish Sailor Who Became The King Of A Pacific Island

After a shipwreck off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 1904, Carl Emil Pettersson married the princess of Tabar Island and was eventually crowned the king.

By Andrew Milne • October 7, 2025

A Lost Chapter Of The World’s First Novel Discovered In A Japanese Home

It's one of 54 chapters from a transcription of The Tale of Genji, written in the 11th century.

By Natasha Ishak • Sep 26, 2025

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A Lost Chapter Of The World’s First Novel Discovered In A Japanese Home

It's one of 54 chapters from a transcription of The Tale of Genji, written in the 11th century.

By Natasha Ishak • September 26, 2025

A First Edition Copy Of ‘The Hobbit’ Found At An Estate Sale Just Sold For $57,000

The 1937 novel is in almost perfect condition and features illustrations by the author, J.R.R. Tolkien.

By Ainsley Brown • Aug 15, 2025

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A First Edition Copy Of ‘The Hobbit’ Found At An Estate Sale Just Sold For $57,000

The 1937 novel is in almost perfect condition and features illustrations by the author, J.R.R. Tolkien.

By Ainsley Brown • August 15, 2025

Who Wrote The Bible And When? Inside The History Of Christianity’s Sacred Texts

Though believers say that the prophet Moses, Paul the Apostle, and God Himself are the main authors who wrote the Bible, the historical evidence is more complicated.

By Richard Stockton • Jul 20, 2025

Who Wrote The Bible And When? Inside The History Of Christianity’s Sacred Texts

Though believers say that the prophet Moses, Paul the Apostle, and God Himself are the main authors who wrote the Bible, the historical evidence is more complicated.

By Richard Stockton • July 20, 2025

Ancient Roman Gossip Book Makes The Bestseller List 2,000 Years After Its Original Publication

Roman historian Suetonius wrote The Lives of the Caesars in the second century C.E., and it's full of gossip and scandalous rumors about Julius Caesar and the first 11 Roman emperors.

By Austin Harvey • Mar 12, 2025

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Ancient Roman Gossip Book Makes The Bestseller List 2,000 Years After Its Original Publication

Roman historian Suetonius wrote The Lives of the Caesars in the second century C.E., and it's full of gossip and scandalous rumors about Julius Caesar and the first 11 Roman emperors.

By Austin Harvey • March 12, 2025

The Sword Of Damocles, The Weapon Of Ancient Legend That Inspired A Timeless Idiom

According to a Greek parable, as a courtier named Damocles feasted on a lavish meal, King Dionysius of Sicily hung a sword above his head by a single horse hair to demonstrate the constant fear he lived with as a powerful but unpopular ruler despite his seemingly enviable lifestyle.

By Austin Harvey • Feb 26, 2025

The Sword Of Damocles, The Weapon Of Ancient Legend That Inspired A Timeless Idiom

According to a Greek parable, as a courtier named Damocles feasted on a lavish meal, King Dionysius of Sicily hung a sword above his head by a single horse hair to demonstrate the constant fear he lived with as a powerful but unpopular ruler despite his seemingly enviable lifestyle.

By Austin Harvey • February 26, 2025

British Man Discovers Rare Collection Of Original ‘Winnie-The-Pooh’ Drawings And Manuscripts In His Late Father’s Attic

The trove of original sketches, drafts, and correspondence that once belonged to Winnie-the-Pooh creator A.A. Milne just sold for $118,000 at auction.

By Amber Morgan • Jan 31, 2025

British Man Discovers Rare Collection Of Original ‘Winnie-The-Pooh’ Drawings And Manuscripts In His Late Father’s Attic

The trove of original sketches, drafts, and correspondence that once belonged to Winnie-the-Pooh creator A.A. Milne just sold for $118,000 at auction.

By Amber Morgan • January 31, 2025

Researchers In Poland Just Uncovered A Long-Lost Trove Of Books That Belonged To The Brothers Grimm

The 27 books from the personal library of the Brothers Grimm are providing new insights into how the men researched and crafted themes for their famous fairy tales.

By Amber Morgan • Apr 30, 2024

News

Researchers In Poland Just Uncovered A Long-Lost Trove Of Books That Belonged To The Brothers Grimm

The 27 books from the personal library of the Brothers Grimm are providing new insights into how the men researched and crafted themes for their famous fairy tales.

By Amber Morgan • April 30, 2024

The Puzzling History Of The Voynich Manuscript, The ‘World’s Most Mysterious Book’

Since it was rediscovered in 1912, scholars have been trying to decode the unknown script and bizarre illustrations inside the 15th-century Voynich Manuscript — but to this day, nobody knows exactly what the book is about.

By Erin Kelly • Mar 13, 2024

The Puzzling History Of The Voynich Manuscript, The ‘World’s Most Mysterious Book’

Since it was rediscovered in 1912, scholars have been trying to decode the unknown script and bizarre illustrations inside the 15th-century Voynich Manuscript — but to this day, nobody knows exactly what the book is about.

By Erin Kelly • March 13, 2024