Les Misérables, Great Expectations, Middlemarch – COMING SOON!

We’ve started working on these following titles:

- Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

- Middlemarch by George Eliot

Expect to see them in our online store within a month or two!

If you would like us to send you an email once these posters have been completed, please click here. Note: Please leave the subject line as it is so we know which posters you are interested in!

“Friending” Favorite Authors from the Past

If you had the ability to interact with authors from the past such as William Shakespeare and Jane Austen via popular social networks such as Facebook, would you? In other words, would you ‘friend’ William Shakespeare and Jane Austen? Well, it may astound you to discover that there does exist a social network which allows a sense of interaction not only with authors from the past, but also with those who research these authors. The name of the social network is RoSe and you can read all about it in this great article. I think this is a fantastic idea! What do you think?

The Continued Controversy of Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie, most well-known for the controversy surrounding his book The Satanic Verses, still continues to create small uproars in some of the places he chooses to travel to. Most recently, he was invited to participate in the Jaipur Literature Festival in India as one of the star authors, then, according to this article convinced to withdraw from the festival. It appears that controversy will follow this brilliant author wherever he goes. It seems unfortunate that he will not be present at the festival as I’m sure he was the reason why many people looked forward to attending in the first place. Hopefully next time it will result differently!

Discovering Stephen Greenblatt

Every now and then I feel ashamed when I discover an author that I have never heard of before but who, nonetheless, is fantastic enough that I have to wonder why I am finding out about him/her so late in the game. Stephen Greenblatt is one of those writers. The Swerve is Greenblatt’s most recent book and like his earlier work Will in the World, is entirely non-fiction. In order to ease you into developing a growing interest in his books, and hopefully an interest in reading them as well, here is a review on The Swerve which I believe will help this process along. Enjoy!

Sylvia Beach – Tales of the Lost Generation

Here is a really cool interview clip in which Sylvia Beach – publisher and firsthand witness to some of the great writers of the Lost Generation – talks about her experiences with writers such as James Joyce (author of works such as Ulysses) and Ernest Hemingway (author of works such as A Farewell to Arms). It is a wonderful look at life in Paris and the epoch of these young writers who were creating such fantastic work! I felt as if it gave me an intimate look into the simple beginnings and behind the scene moments of these authors before they became famous literary giants. Enjoy!

And the Award Goes to…

It’s that time of year to take a look at the authors up for nomination for the Man Asian Literary Prize. This article titled Your Guide to the Man Asian Literary Prize Shortlist will help you to navigate through the list of seven authors from different parts of Asia ranging from Japan to Pakistan. As you will read, Haruki Murakami – generally considered as one of Japan’s premier contemporary writers – was not nominated. Be that as it may, the seven authors on the shortlist are all fantastic writers and I look forward to seeing which one will take home the grand prize!

Who Was Dr. Seuss?

One day, while in the process of browsing a local bookstore, I came upon this quote painted in large letters on the wall above the children’s section: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” This beautiful quote was given to us by none other than one of the most beloved children’s authors of all time: Dr. Seuss. I was rapidly transported back to the nostalgic days of my childhood when I spent hours fascinated by this man’s tales. I thought I would present a couple interesting facts for your benefit:

1. Dr. Seuss’ real name was Theodore Giesel.
2. By the time he died in 1991, there were over 200 million copies of his books.
3. Dr. Seuss served in the army during WWII.
4. His last book to be published was Oh the Places You’ll Go which was released after his death.

Erik Larson Strikes Again!

There are not many authors for whom I would be willing to drop twenty-five dollars just for the pleasure of purchasing one of their new novels, but Erik Larson is definitely one of them! I first became an Erik Larson fan when I read his book Devil in the White City. I soon followed it with Thunderstruck and Isaac’s Storm and grew increasingly awed with Larson’s ease and ability in not only recounting history, but in making history absolutely fascinating. Therefore, today I was delighted when I happened across Larson’s most recent book: In the Garden of Beasts. I’ve already begun reading it and, in true Erik Larson form, it is amazing! I highly recommend that you pick up one of his books and give them a try! :)

Secrets of the 1961 Nobel

The Nobel Prize in Literature is one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed upon an author, and many writers can only dream of being considered for the prize. This article provides us with some fascinating insight into the Nobel Prize in Literature awarded in 1961. Who would have thought that author J.R.R. Tolkien would have been passed up because his works did not meet the standard? Or that poet Robert Frost was considered too elderly to receive the prize? Read the article and discover other interesting facts about the behind the scenes decisions made for the 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature. Enjoy!

A Writer’s Role – According to Faulkner

William Faulkner is considered as one of the great American writers along with authors such as Thomas Wolfe and Mark Twain. Back in 1949, Faulkner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his wonderful writing. Here you can take a look at his 1949 banquet speech in which he offers good advice and encouraging words not only for authors of the future but for people of all ages and professions. My favorite part is the last paragraph in which he defines the role of a writer in regards to the rest of mankind. It is both beautiful and thought inspiring! Enjoy!