#Educational

A Nerdy History of The Ampersand

A short history of the ampersand: where it started, what it means, that time it was part of the English alphabet, & more!

Reflections and a Reading List for the 10th Anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster

10 years after 3.11, these books give context for how this disaster changed Japan. Including journalism, a manga memoir, poetry, and more.

Pandemic Advice From Literature (And Diaries) of the Past

Everyone has advice for getting through this challenging time. Let's hear from those who lived through pandemics past in fact and fiction.

19 Facts About Ralph Ellison You Didn’t Know

Who was Ralph Ellison? Why is he important in literature? What do we know about his life? Learn more about Ellison now.

The Dostoevsky Dash: The Reasons for Dashed Out Information in Literature

If you've read some classics, you've probably run across names and places replaced by a dash. But what is the Dostoevsky dash?

An A to Z Guide to Literary Devices and Tools

Nerd out over this A to Z guide to literary devices and tools. Use it for your own reading knowledge or to own your next trivia game.

Word of the Year: A Bellwether of Cultural Change

Word of the Year is an annual tradition that reveals what is on our collective minds right now. Here's where it started and what comes next.

Dime Novels and the Cheap Book Boom

A dive into the history of dime novels, the cheap and affordable format that helped put books into the hands of the working class.

Mark Twain: The History of a Cultural Icon

Mark Twain was a 19th century U.S. author and cultural icon. Learn more about his life story and how he impacted our literary canon.

Saying It Louder for the People in the Back: Kids NEED Queer Books

Let's say it louder for the people in the back: Kids need queer books. Adults need queer books. Everybody needs queer books.