In 1810 when Edgar Allan Poe was just a year old, German writer Heinrich von Kleist wrote a Poe-like tale that had all the Poe-type elements but not quite the panache of the American. Kleist came before Poe. Still, von Kleist's work is a vital literary bu

Roald Dahl is most famous for Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, James & The Giant Peach and Matilda. But his short story collection called  Tales of the Unexpected is a classic of thriller literature. So good Alfred Hitchcock loved it.

In 2017 US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts gave a gem of a commencement speech to middle school graduates at a New Hampshire boys' school. His speech was beautifully written and the advice unusual but very wise.  

Moliere is the French Shakespeare, a brilliant playwright, poet and actor of the 17th century. He was beloved by Louis XIV, the Sun King himself, and remains a genius of the French language and of the art of mocking pieties, 400 years after his birth. &nb

The first recorded recipe for glass was found in 1845 in the Library at Nineveh, founded by King Ashurbanipal of Assyria around 650 BCE. In 1970 the recipe was put to the test (not including the sheep sacrifice). And it worked. It may be ancient but it's

Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" is a great galumphing bodice ripping romance novel with a terrific storyline. We have Charlotte to thank for the concept of the mad woman in the attic. Some people call it the the world's first feminist novel but don't let t

Leonardo Da Vinci is known as a Florentine High Renaissance genius painter, sculptor, engineer and inventor. Add great writing to his skills. With his posthumous book 'A Treatise on Painting' including 'How to Compose a Battle' he cracked the code of art

The world's first travelogue is the late 13th century best seller by Marco Polo about his travels around the Asian world as a diplomat for Mongol Emperor Khubla Khan, grandson of Ghengis. He saw Xanadu and everywhere else and his "Travels" are a delight e

In 1954 "space opera" was a pejorative term applied to the literary genre of sci fi pulp fiction. It was considered low brow writing. But it takes a creative mind to explore a possible space alien future. And good writing makes the exploration fun for all

Modern historians are indebted to him and Cicero called him 'the father of history'. Herodotus wrote his Histories over two thousand years ago and they are as exciting as any airport novel. If you love the movie "300" you'll love the original tale.