Readers rejoice! From Mental Floss, an online destination for more than a billion curious minds since 2001, comes the ultimate literature lovers' book. From Americana to War and Peace, from Jane Austen to George R.R. Martin, learn surprising facts about the world’s most famous novels and novelists. The Curious Reader will delight bookworms everywhere with fascinating facts about famous authors and their works, such as George Orwell’s near-death experience during the writing of 1984; the inspiration for Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Darcy; which famous author kept her husband’s heart after he died; the influence of psychedelics on Dune, and more. The Curious Reader also contains beloved 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.”