Mark Twain is famously associated with the grand Mississippi, as a riverboat pilot and writer. On May 12, 1883, Life on the Mississippi was first published, in all its unforgettable wit and wisdom. Read more about Mark Twain and his adventures on the Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain wrote: "When I find a well-drawn character in fiction or biography I generally take a warm personal interest in him, for the reason that I have known him before--met him on the river."

What do you think of fiction that is so obviously drawn from "real" life? Is it inevitable? Is it good? Bad? Does the translation make a huge difference to you?

Cover Art © Library of America.

The oceans cover an immense expanse--ranging over three-fifths of the world. Beyond the boundless nature of these bodies of water that surround the globe, the seas have inspired some of the greatest tales and legends in literary history. Whether you like to imagine mermaids, magical lands beneath the waves, or you simply enjoy watching the waves and walking on the beach, the sea offers something for everyone. Read lines about the sea. Dream of the sea...

• The Odyssey - Homer
• Sea Dreams - Lord Alfred Tennyson
• The Little Mermaid - Hans Christian Anderson
• As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life - Walt Whitman
• The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• The Welsh Fairy Book - W. Jenkyn Thomas
• By the Sea - Christina Georgina Rossetti
• The City in the Sea - Edgar Allan Poe
• Dover Beach - Matthew Arnold
• The People of the Sea
• Sea Literature

"Why does the sea moan evermore?" Read about sea literature.

Some of the most memorable events in my life have involved being caught reading a book. Not that reading a book is ever a bad thing... Reading can be such a tantalizing draw. How does reading provide a diversion in your life? Do you read in a comfortable chair, out in the yard, or in the garden? Do you enjoy reading on the beach? Here are some ideas for how you can get caught reading for the month of May: Get Caught Reading. How can you possibly resist?

Some of my earliest memories of my mother are of her reading. It seemed a normal part of existence: to ravenously devour a book, to sleep with a book beside the bed (or in one's hands), to have a book forever at hand. But, the role of mothers in literature runs far deeper than my initial introductions to reading...

How have mothers influence the lives of writers? How have women writers balanced the demands of motherhood with the need to write? And, what have authors written about their mothers?

Walt Whitman wrote:

"I see the sleeping babe nestling the breast of its mother,
The sleeping mother and babe--hush'd, I study them long and long."

What are your early memories of reading? Do you have a favorite passage that expresses motherhood in literature? Have you been by a writing and/or reading mother?

It's May Day! I love this day. Not only was my baby sister born on this day--greeted with Aurora Borealis in the sky upon the advent of her birth--but it's also the first day of May. The flowers are blooming; the birds are singing; and it seems the perfect opportunity to curl up with a good book and read for a while.

In May Day, Sarah Teasdale writes:

"A delicate fabric of bird song
Floats in the air,
The smell of wet wild earth
Is everywhere."

What are you reading today?

I remember the first time I read To Kill a Mockingbird--I was transfixed. It was a requirement and all that (sometimes a sure sign that students will hate it), but many things about that book have stayed with me. The characters are always memorable (of course), as is the situation: the controversial defense of a black man for a crime he did not commit. But, I still love that quotes, from Atticus: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... 'til you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

Literature allows us to get into the thoughts and feelings of characters in ways that are much more difficult in "real" life. Maybe we're just busy; maybe the other person's life really doesn't seem that interesting or worth consideration... But, through great fiction, we can gain an understanding of even the worst characters--as we climb into their skins with all those human foibles and idiosyncrasies.

So, today, we can celebrate that famous novel, as we applaud its author. Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926. Happy Birthday Harper Lee!

He was known for his way with words; his colorful, enigmatic, and unforgettable characters; and so much more...

When the name is mentioned, do you ever need to pause to think about who this fellow is? You may not remember the title of every one of his plays; and you may not remember the lines from his sonnets; but you probably know the title of at least something he wrote. And, you likely read at least one of his plays in high school or college (maybe both places, depending on what your major concentration was).

The man we know as Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564. He died on the same day in 1616. So, what's the deal with this guy? Why is he so famous? His exploration of words touches us in ways we probably don't even realize. So, how much do you know about Shakespeare?

• Shakespeare - Matthew Arnold
• Sonnet on Mrs. Kemble's Reading from Shakespeare - H.W. Longfellow
• Biographical Dictionary of English Literature
• O Mistress Mine - William Shakespeare
• Forgotten & Interesting Words
• Globe Theatres

Read more about William Shakespeare!

On this day in 1841, Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue first appeared. The story has been called the first detective story. Of course, some have called Oedipus Rex the earliest form of the detective story. Read more about Edgar Allan Poe:

• Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance
• Edgar Allan Poe -- Collected Works
• Romanticism & The Supernatural
• Books About Edgar Allan Poe
• Edgar Allan Poe Quotes
• Midnight Dreary

It's the anniversary of the big San Francisco earthquake, the catastrophic event that engulfed the city in fire and smoke as chaos reigned. It's been called the "deadliest earthquake in US history." Just look at some of the photos!

Throughout literary history, writers have written about disaster (whether those events were experienced or just imagined). Through the written word, we can experience The Flood and The Plague. We can experience the mythical Atlantis. We can read about the Ice Age, with The Skin of Our Teeth, or imagine the disaster of an alien invasion in The War of the World. Perhaps the event is more personal, as depicted in The Story of An Hour or it may affect a group of people like Evangeline.

Photo © Origin Press.

Whether you've just purchased the book, you've had the book for decades, it's been passed down in an inheritance, or you're just curious to know before you buy--discovering the value the book is essential. What if the book really is worth something? Or, the book may be a keepsake of more sentimental than monetary value. Do you know how to find out about the value of your book? Read on.

• Book Values
• Pricing Guides
• Book Collecting Guides
• Preserving Classics
• Bookbinding
• Book History
• Book Collectors

Read more about the value of books and book collecting!