Fiction
After Giving Us a New Spin on Oz, Gregory Maguire Takes on Wonderland
Alice is 150 years old, and the world is still wondering about her
The Science of the Red Sea's Parting
It is physically and scientifically possible for a body of water to part
The Racist History of Peter Pan's Indian Tribe
Even in the early 20th century, though, critics saw Tiger Lily and her fellow "Picaninnies" as caricatures
We Asked Four Teenagers to Explain "Divergent" to Old People
The first movie in the dystopian young adult book trilogy comes out this weekend. Get ready
Cookie Monster’s First Name Is Sid, And Other Icon’s “Real” Names
Many fictional characters have full names, even if you never hear them
The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories
How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity?
Take a Tour of Victor Hugo's Paris
As a film version of his Les Miserables hits theaters, consider traveling in the French writer’s footsteps
Ten Famed Literary Figures Based on Real-Life People
Who were the sources for characters such as Robinson Crusoe or Dorian Gray?
Going Mad for Charles Dickens
Two centuries after his birth, the novelist is still wildly popular, as a theme park, a new movie and countless festivals attest
How E.B. White Wove Charlotte’s Web
A new book explores how the author of the beloved children’s book was inspired by his love for nature and animals
Where Agatha Christie Dreamed Up Murder
The birthplace of Poirot and Marple welcomes visitors looking for clues to the best-selling novelist of all time
Agatha Christie on the Big and Small Screen
Even though Dame Agatha may not have enjoyed adaptations of her mysteries, audiences have been loving them for decades
Cleveland, the True Birthplace of Superman
Comic book fans and city activists hope that people think of the Ohio city, and not Krypton, as the home of the Man of Steel
Sherlock Holmes' London
As the detective stalks movie theaters, our reporter tracks down the favorite haunts of Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous sleuth
Crossing the Divide
Novelist Daniel Alarcón's writings evoke the gritty, compelling landscape of urban Latin America
Remembering Jack Kerouac
A friend of the author of "On the Road," published 50 years ago this month, tells why the novel still matters
Folio, Where Art Thou?
One man's quest to track down every copy on the planet
The Real Robinson Crusoe
He was a pirate, a hothead and a lout, but castaway Alexander Selkirkthe author's ancestor inspired one of the greatest yarns in literature
Fatal Triangle
How a dark tale of love, madness and murder in 18th-century London became a story for the ages
Prescient and Accounted For
A century after his death, novelist Jules Verne, who imagined Moon flight and deep-sea voyages, looks more prophetic than ever
Page 5 of 6