Have you always wanted to delve into classic novels, but have been too intimidated to start? Or had a bad experience in an English class and convinced yourself they weren’t for you? While some classics can be dense, difficult-to-understand tomes, there are many classics that are…
Have you been wondering what on earth you should read next? I’ve got you covered. One of my favorite year-end traditions is to look back on my year of reading and select those books that stood out from all the rest, books I’d recommend to friends…
For many people, “Manchester City” is practically synonymous with its football club. But for those book loving people, Manchester City is an absolute treasure trove of literary travel destinations to explore. Just about anyone can name a few famous authors who called London home, but you…
Think you know Dickens? I’m prepared to bet you don’t know at LEAST 7 of these facts about Charles Dickens, one of the most successful Victorian writers to come out of England. Charles Dickens is famous as the author of such works as A Christmas Carol,…
When looking for the best libraries in Manchester, England, don’t overlook the unassuming Portico Library. This Manchester staple has been around for two hundred years, and though it’s now open to anyone who wants to visit, it once was only open to Manchester’s wealthy men —…
84 Plymouth Grove in Manchester, UK is home to a literary sight that’s sorely underrated: the Elizabeth Gaskell House. No trip to Manchester is complete with stopping to pay tribute to this unparalleled Victorian writer. On a recent trip to Manchester, I had the privilege of…
I bet even classics readers can’t name more than one or two Elizabeth Gaskell facts when prompted. Elizabeth Gaskell was one of the most talented Victorian novelists, but she often gets overshadowed by more popular writers, like the Brontë sisters and Charles Dickens. Even as an…
Have you heard about Boston’s most haunted hotel, the Omni Parker House? As someone who has stayed there overnight, I’m here to dish all about the hotel’s supposed literary ghosts. Boston is my all-time favorite city in the US. Boston has it all: museums, shopping, architecture,…
When we think of Harry Potter sights to visit, most of us think immediately of London or elsewhere in England. After all, that’s where the books take place and where the movies were filmed. There’s lots to see there. But are there any Harry Potter sights…
I love a good, heart-wrenching novel that leaves you emotionally wrecked for weeks just as much as the next reader, but sometimes you just crave more cozy reads. Sometimes, we read to better understand ourselves and the world, looking for inspiration or education, but other times,…
Mary Shelley is a badass. I just don’t think we talk about the original Frankenstein enough, or more specifically, about the kickass woman who wrote it. There are so many interesting facts about Mary Shelley that have gotten lost in the pop culture takeover of Frankenstein,…
221B Baker Street, London — one of the most famous addresses in all of literature, an address you likely recognize immediately as the home of Sherlock Holmes and his partner in crime detection, Dr. John Watson. What you may not know is that this famous fictional…