This quote comes from Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved. Published in 1987, Beloved follows Sethe, a slave who struggles for freedom from her plantation in Kentucky. Beloved won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988 and is widely considered to be one of the greatest works of American fiction. “Love is or it ain’t. Thin love ain’t love at all.” Toni Morrison, Beloved
Throughout our research for new poster designs and blog posts, we’ve occasionally stumbled across an author and thought, “Huh, didn’t realize she was from there!” One of our latest discoveries, for example, was JRR Tolkein. Did you know that Tolkein is from South Africa? We had no idea! We figured we can’t be the only ones who are unaware of certain authors’ backgrounds—so we thought we’d share some of our favorite Irish authors, some of whom we didn’t even know were Irish. For those who prefer text, the same information is presented below. 9 Authors You Didn’t Know Were Irish Oscar […]
This quote comes from Bronte’s only published novel, Wuthering Heights. Catherine Earnshaw speaks these words to Nelly, her caretaker, about her never-to-be-fulfilled love for Heathcliff. Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff remain among the most celebrated and infamous couples in all of Western literature. Need a refresher on the characters and plot of Wuthering Heights? Take a look at our Wuthering Heights character map and family tree. Already an expert on Wuthering Heights? Check out our Wuthering Heights book poster here or at the Books on the Wall Etsy shop. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” Emily Bronte, […]
We were so excited about the reader response on our first Around the World book infographic. We received many great suggestions and a lot of well-considered feedback, and we would like to first say a big “THANKS!” to our readers. You’re teaching us about new books and authors every day. We incorporated reader feedback along with our personal author favorites for our next list of recommended books set around the world. Again, this is not a “best of” list; we just want to give some suggestions for books set in interesting places. So join us as we travel the globe […]
This quote comes from Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 novel, The Road, a post-apocalyptic tale that follows a father and son’s struggle for survival. The idea first came to McCarthy in El Paso, Texas, as he imagined what the city might be like in a bleak future. The novel is dedicated to his son, John Francis McCarthy. “Keep a little fire burning; however small, however hidden.” Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Authors Behind Bars What do Fyodor Dostoevsky, Miguel de Cervantes, Oscar Wilde, and Jack London have in common? Besides being among most famous authors in Western literature, each of these writers also served time in prison. Dostoevsky was imprisoned for participating in outlawed political activity, de Cervantes for questionable tax practices, Wilde for “gross indecency” (a legal term interpreted as condemnation of his homosexuality), London for “vagrancy,” and Thoreau for refusal to pay a poll tax. In one way or another, it is clear that many imprisoned authors were able to gain inspiration in spite of, or perhaps because of, their […]
This quote comes from the poem, “All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter,” written by J.R.R. Tolkien for his Lord of the Rings trilogy. All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king. J.R.R. Tolkein, “All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter”
Have you ever read a book by a famous author (or a not-yet-famous one) and been able to instantly identify another author’s influence? All artists, including writers, are influenced by their peers and forebears, knowingly or not. We love the literary “circle of life” that results; in creating his or her own work, every author expresses something that connects with and inspires someone one else to create something new. Literary influences among 29 famous authors To explore this idea of literary influence, we chose a random assortment of 29 of our favorite famous authors and did some research into how they are […]
This quote is taken from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s epic classic, Crime and Punishment. Published in 1866, Crime and Punishment follows main character Raselnikov as he considers the nature of crime, judgment, morality, and the human condition. “To go wrong in one’s own way is better than to go right in someone else’s.” Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment