Book Basics
By Esther Lombardi, About.com Guide
- What is Literature? What is a classic?
- Genres, Themes and Topics
- Literary History
- Literary Calendar - Days & Months
- Book Collecting & Care
What is Literature? What is a classic?
What is literature? What is a classic? Why is literature important? Read more about books, reading, and literature.
- A Classic -- Defining the Term
- A History of English Literature: How to Study
- A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature
Genres, Themes and Topics
If you're looking for a book about death, love, or other themes, read through the listings here! Also, find books by genre: mystery, biography, nature books, novels, short stories, and much more!
Literary History
Explore the history of literature, from around the world and through the ages. Discover details about periods and movements, and find timelines and chronologies.
Literary Calendar - Days & Months
In literature, holidays are especially important: times of celebration and remembrance. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine's Day--they are times of coming together, and of reliving memories of other days. We think of those precious moments in and with literature. Celebrate the important days, whether they be holidays or any of the other days in our literary experience. Take time to remember!
- April Fool's Day
- Bloomsday
- Christmas
- Easter
- Father's Day
- Halloween
- Hanukkah / Chanukah
- July 4th - Independence Day
- Leprechaun Day
- Library Lovers' Month
- May Day
- Mother's Day
- National Library Week
- National Poetry Month
- New Year's Day
- St. Patrick's Day
- Thanksgiving
- Valentine's Day
- Wedding Day
- Women's History Month
Book Collecting & Care
Here's a collection of resources related to book collecting. Discover how to identify a first edition, how to protect your books, how to build your library, how to know what your book is worth, and how to live with books. Discover the world of book collecting at your fingertips.