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Mental Floss: The Curious Reader

A Literary Miscellany of Novels & Novelists

Published by Weldon Owen
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

LIST PRICE ₹570.00

PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER

About The Book

"With sumptuous, visually stimulating spreads, this book delivers on its promise– to unearth strange stories, bizarre facts, or unexpected details about the books on our shelves. Good for curious readers, whether they want to delve into authors and books they love, feel competent faking knowledge about books everyone else seems to have read, or just dip into and out of literary worlds" – Library Journal Readers rejoice! From Mental Floss, an online destination for more than a billion curious minds since its founding in 2001, comes the ultimate book for lovers of literature. From Americanah to War and Peace, from Chinua Achebe and Jane Austen to Jesmyn Ward and George R.R. Martin, learn surprising facts about the world’s most famous novels and novelists. The Curious Reader will delight bookworms everywhere. This literary compendium from Mental Floss reveals fascinating facts about the world’s most famous authors and their literary works. Readers will learn about George Orwell’s near-death experience during the writing of 1984; meet the real man who may have inspired Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Darcy; discover which famous author kept her husband’s heart after he passed away; and learn about the influence of psychedelics on Dune. The Curious Reader also contains the most-loved book-related articles from 20 years of Mental Floss, including “Cat-Loving Writers,” “Famous Authors’ Unfinished Manuscripts,” “Literary Characters Based on Real People,” and “Books You Didn’t Know Were Self-Published.” This literary miscellany is certain to inspire book lovers, aspiring writers, students, and teachers alike to discover a diverse selection of curated literary works—leading to an expansion of their library!

About The Authors

Erin McCarthy is the Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com, host of The List Show and Throwback on YouTube, editor of Mental Floss's book The Curious Reader, and producer of the History Vs. podcast. Her work has appeared in O: The Oprah Magazine, Town and Country, Parents, and Esquire. When she's not writing or editing, Erin is probably reading or hanging out with her cats, Oliver and Pearl.

Since its founding in a Duke University dorm 20 years ago, Mental Floss has inspired knowledge seekers around the globe by uncovering fascinating stories, illuminating little known facts, and providing answers to life’s big questions. Whether covering history, science, or a favorite TV show, Mental Floss has helped readers feel smarter. Mental Floss has won four Webby Awards, been nominated for three ASME awards, and published multiple books, board games, fact-of-the-day calendars, and podcasts. The brand reaches more than 19 million users per month across its site, social media accounts, and popular YouTube channel. Mental Floss is owned and operated by global content and technology company Minute Media, whose other destinations include The Players’ Tribune, 90min, DBLTAP, The Big Lead, and FanSided.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Weldon Owen (May 25, 2021)
  • Length: 288 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781681888071

Raves and Reviews

"If you’re at all curious about authors, their books, history, and/or the literary world, I highly recommend it. And maybe it will encourage you to revisit a beloved classic with new eyes, or try on something new for size." - Geekmom

– GeekMom

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