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Books

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From Harold and Maude to Harry Potter: Making Fictional Foods Real

One blogger’s quest to recreate the ginger pie from the movie Harold and Maude got us thinking about other fictional foods

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The Calculus Diaries

In his new book, The Lost Cyclist, bike historian David V. Herlihy tells the story of Frank Lenz, an accountant turned long-distance cyclist.

The Unsolved Case of the “Lost Cyclist”

Author David V. Herlihy discusses his book about Frank Lenz’s tragic failed attempt to travel the world by bicycle

Kevin Kelly worries devices like Apple's iPad, shown here with Smithsonian's first cover, nurtures action over contemplation.

Reading in a Whole New Way

As digital screens proliferate and people move from print to pixel, how will the act of reading change?

On July 1, 1910, the Library of Congress issued the copyright for the first Tom Swift book, Tom Swift and His Motorcycle.

Tom Swift Turns 100

Tom Swift is turning 100—and he still doesn’t look a day over 18

The success of To Kill a Mockingbird overwhelmed Harper Lee.

Harper Lee’s Novel Achievement

With To Kill a Mockingbird, published 50 years ago, Lee gave America a story for the ages. Just don’t ask her about it

After Mark Twain first glimpsed the girl of his dreams, he never forgot Laura Wright's "frank and simple and winsome" charms.

Mark Twain in Love

A chance encounter on a New Orleans dock in 1858 haunted the writer for the rest of his life

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