Esther's Classic Literature Blog November 2005 Archive

Do you know the date of Mark Twain's birth (Hint: Mark Twain's birthday is today!!!)? What was the name Twain was given at the time of his birth? Why did ... Read More

It's the birthday of C.S. Lewis, which seems somehow appropriate--with all the hubbub about Narnia on the big screen. Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland on November 29, ... Read More

William Blake was a poet, painter, engraver, and mystic--a combination that makes his works compelling and unforgettable. He was born on November 28, 1757. William Blake is well-known as the ... Read More

This week, we celebrate the wit and wisdom of Mark Twain, one of the most popular American writers in literary history. He was born Samuel Clemens on November 30, ... Read More

Is it a claim to fame or shame? Some of the most famous writers in world literature were also habitual drinkers. In a new article for The Guardian, Gordon Burn ... Read More

Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, was first published in 1865 to immediate success. Often considered a children's book, the book has been adapted to movies, and many other formats. ... Read More

It's Black Friday, the day when Americans are supposed to be out in droves, enjoying all those day-after-Thanksgiving discounts. There should be something for everyone--whether you'll be out buying Christmas ... Read More

Some of the most controversial plays in history have been banned or censored. Now, according to BBC News, a Christopher Marlowe play, "Tamburlaine the Great," is taking heat for the ... Read More

If you haven't seen the new movie yet--in one of the selected theaters around the country--the movie opens everywhere today! Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice is an unforgettable classic ... Read More

George Eliot was born Mary Ann Evans on November 22, 1819, in Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire. Eliot's first collection, "Scenes Of Clerical Life," appeared in 1858; but she's more well-known for ... Read More

Thanksgiving Day seems to mean something different to almost everyone--depending on each person's experience, but what does this holiday mean to you? How do you celebrate the day? Do you ... Read More

Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940) was a Swedish writer, who became the first woman writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her stories were informed by Nordic myth and legend. ... Read More

Was William Shakespeare anguished in his private life? What do his sonnets tell us about his relationship with the "Fair Youth," the "Dark Lady" and "Mr WH"? In a new ... Read More

Johann Gutenberg is usually given credit for being the first to invent the printing press in Germany around 1450, but William Caxton printed the first book in the English language ... Read More

Classics have been adapted and re-adapted to various forms to meet a variety of needs and purposes. But, whether it's for accessibility, space constraints, or for entertainment enhancement, the reader ... Read More

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) was a Russian novelist, journalist, and short-story writer, who is known for "Notes from Underground" (1864), "Crime and Punishment" (1866), "The Idiot" (1868-69), "The Possessed" (1872), and ... Read More

Whether it's frost or snow that's covering the ground outside where you live, it's certainly turning chilly! What is your favorite work of literature about frost and pumpkins? Or, do ... Read More

On November 14, 1851, Moby-Dick first appeared in the United States, but the novel wasn't recognized as an American classic until many years after the death of the author, Herman ... Read More

It's Children's Book Week! But, what does that mean to you and your family and friends? This is the perfect opportunity to remember those books you cherished not so many ... Read More

Thanksgiving is long over in Canada, but we still have a bit to wait here in the U.S. While you wait for the enjoyment of good food, family, friends, and ... Read More

Is it possible to enjoy grammar? Why does it really have to be so difficult anyway? Grammar is the study of words and how they combine to form sentences, but ... Read More

Pride and Prejudice is a favorite Jane Austen classic, which is why so many fans have been eagerly awaiting the newest adaptation of the novel. This latest "Pride and Prejudice" ... Read More

On November 11th, we commemorate the dead and honor the soldiers who came home from the horrors of war. Read more about the soldiers in works by some of our ... Read More

You may have never heard of Oliver Goldsmith, but he was a famous writer, known for "The Deserted Village," "The Vicar of Wakefield," and "She Stoops to Conquer." Oliver Goldsmith ... Read More

Anne Sexton (born Anne Gray Harvey) was an award-winning poet, who received the Pulitzer Prize for "Live or Die." Other collections include: "To Bedlam and Part Way Back" and "All ... Read More

Margaret Mitchell is the popular author of Gone With the Wind (1936), the tale of Scarlett O'Hara and her tragedies and triumphs through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Mitchell was ... Read More

November is American Indian Heritage Month--with origins that date to 1915. This month recognizes the significant contributions of the first Americans, with the 2005 theme: "Respecting Tradition, Embracing a Healthy ... Read More

Truman Capote is perhaps most famous for his nonfiction novel, In Cold Blood (1966). Truman Capote was a reknowned novelist, short story writer, and playwright. Now, according to The Independent, ... Read More

My bookcases are all filled with hodgepodges of greens, browns, blacks, tans, whites, and every imaginable shade in between. They are always stuffed to overflowing with volumes that are in ... Read More

The trials and tribulations of Oscar Wilde are well-known. What started out as a seemingly harmless libel suit lead to the destruction of Oscar Wilde (he was prosecuted and imprisoned). ... Read More

Take a look at the post from Staci Wilson (Horror Books) regarding the recent adaptation of a classic H.P. Lovecraft story. As she says: "One of the highlights of the ... Read More

With controversy and lawsuits virtually halting the newly launched Google Print, Google now appears to be taking a slightly different approach--at least until the legal wrangling is over. According to ... Read More

Seamus Heaney is a Nobel-award winning Irish writer, who was applauded for his "works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past" (Nobel Foundation). ... Read More

Stephen Crane was born on November 1, 1871. He was the youngest of fourteen children, and his father died when he was nine. He scraped by as a journalist (after ... Read More

November has been called Family Literacy Month--a time to recognize the important role that family support plays in the success of reading and literacy campaigns. Read about How to Improve ... Read More