literature

The Story Of Neal Cassady, The Lesser-Known Beat Figure Who Inspired Jack Kerouac And Allen Ginsberg

After crossing paths with the Beats in New York City in 1946, Neal Cassady inspired some of their most famous works, including Jack Kerouac's "On The Road."

By Aimee Lamoureux • Mar 2, 2025

The Story Of Neal Cassady, The Lesser-Known Beat Figure Who Inspired Jack Kerouac And Allen Ginsberg

After crossing paths with the Beats in New York City in 1946, Neal Cassady inspired some of their most famous works, including Jack Kerouac's "On The Road."

By Aimee Lamoureux • March 2, 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

A Book That Was 51 Years Overdue Was Just Returned To A Massachusetts Library

An 1899 copy of The Early Work of Aubrey Beardsley, which was checked out of Worcester Public Library in 1973, was finally returned 51 years later.

By Amber Morgan • Nov 11, 2024

News

A Book That Was 51 Years Overdue Was Just Returned To A Massachusetts Library

An 1899 copy of The Early Work of Aubrey Beardsley, which was checked out of Worcester Public Library in 1973, was finally returned 51 years later.

By Amber Morgan • November 11, 2024

Amateur Historian Discovers Lost Story By ‘Dracula’ Author Bram Stoker In A Dublin Library

In 2023, Brian Cleary was browsing the National Library of Ireland when he uncovered a Bram Stoker short story called "Gibbet Hill" that's been lost since it was published in a Dublin newspaper in 1890.

By Amber Morgan • Oct 25, 2024

News

Amateur Historian Discovers Lost Story By ‘Dracula’ Author Bram Stoker In A Dublin Library

In 2023, Brian Cleary was browsing the National Library of Ireland when he uncovered a Bram Stoker short story called "Gibbet Hill" that's been lost since it was published in a Dublin newspaper in 1890.

By Amber Morgan • October 25, 2024

Scáthach, The Fearsome Fighting Queen Of Ancient Irish Lore

The mythic warrior who taught the legendary hero Cú Chulainn how to fight, Scáthach is one of the most fearsome figures in all of Irish mythology.

By William DeLong • Aug 25, 2024

Scáthach, The Fearsome Fighting Queen Of Ancient Irish Lore

The mythic warrior who taught the legendary hero Cú Chulainn how to fight, Scáthach is one of the most fearsome figures in all of Irish mythology.

By William DeLong • August 25, 2024

New Study Suggests The Elusive 600-Year-Old Voynich Manuscript Contains Secrets About Sex And Conception

Based on similar medieval texts, at least part of the Voynich manuscript could be about "women's secrets."

By Austin Harvey • Apr 23, 2024

News

New Study Suggests The Elusive 600-Year-Old Voynich Manuscript Contains Secrets About Sex And Conception

Based on similar medieval texts, at least part of the Voynich manuscript could be about "women's secrets."

By Austin Harvey • April 23, 2024

The History Of The Codex Gigas, The Massive Medieval Manuscript Known As The ‘Devil’s Bible’

The 620-page Codex Gigas stands nearly 36 inches high and may have taken 25 years for a single monk to write.

By Aimee Lamoureux • Mar 16, 2024

The History Of The Codex Gigas, The Massive Medieval Manuscript Known As The ‘Devil’s Bible’

The 620-page Codex Gigas stands nearly 36 inches high and may have taken 25 years for a single monk to write.

By Aimee Lamoureux • March 16, 2024

Inside The 18th-Century ‘Compendium Of Demonology And Magic,’ An Illustrated Guide To Hell

Whether it's ghastly demons or grisly execution scenes, this occultists' tome and witchcraft manual remains as haunting today as it was in 1775.

By Natasha Ishak • Mar 7, 2024

Inside The 18th-Century ‘Compendium Of Demonology And Magic,’ An Illustrated Guide To Hell

Whether it's ghastly demons or grisly execution scenes, this occultists' tome and witchcraft manual remains as haunting today as it was in 1775.

By Natasha Ishak • March 7, 2024

How Michelle McNamara Outpaced The Police In Finding The Golden State Killer — And Died In The Process

"I'll Be Gone In The Dark" author Michelle McNamara was obsessed with the Golden State Killer — an obsession that led to her death from a drug overdose in April 2016.

By Marco Margaritoff • Jan 20, 2024

How Michelle McNamara Outpaced The Police In Finding The Golden State Killer — And Died In The Process

"I'll Be Gone In The Dark" author Michelle McNamara was obsessed with the Golden State Killer — an obsession that led to her death from a drug overdose in April 2016.

By Marco Margaritoff • January 20, 2024

Hades And Persephone: The Disturbing Ancient Greek Legend Behind The Changing Of The Seasons

In Greek mythology, the goddess Demeter was so distraught about the abduction of her daughter Persephone by Hades, the king of the Underworld, that she refused to perform her duties while Persephone wasn't by her side, causing the Earth to grow barren in the winter.

By Maggie Donahue • Jan 16, 2024

Hades And Persephone: The Disturbing Ancient Greek Legend Behind The Changing Of The Seasons

In Greek mythology, the goddess Demeter was so distraught about the abduction of her daughter Persephone by Hades, the king of the Underworld, that she refused to perform her duties while Persephone wasn't by her side, causing the Earth to grow barren in the winter.

By Maggie Donahue • January 16, 2024