By Brian Boone March 8 is International Women’s Day. Around here, we’re surrounded by remarkable women and their literary works every single day. Here’s some little-known trivia concerning history’s greatest authors who happen to be women. Anna Sewell At age 14, Anna Sewell suffered ankle injuries so severe that she had difficulty walking unassisted, requiring the use of a crutch or horse-drawn carriages. Her interactions inspired Black Beauty, and she started to write the book in 1871 after she became so ill that she was mostly unable to leave her bed. Black Beauty  ..read more

By Christa Protano Recently, I stumbled upon the Literary Lifestyle blog and its Rory Gilmore Book Club. As a newer fan of Gilmore Girls (thanks to a pandemic winter binge watch), I’m all in for anything with Stars Hollow vibes. Since the show premiered more than two decades ago, the idea of this kind of book club is not really new. Google “Rory Gilmore Book Club” and you’ll find many iterations by various literary bloggers, local libraries, even BuzzFeed and Good Reads. But I have to say, I love the way Jules Buono of Literary Lifestyle created an actual reading challenge for 2023 featuring m ..read more

By Christa Protano Valentine’s Day. It’s perhaps the most anxiety-inducing holiday of them all. The reasons are obvious for singletons or those who recently had their heartbroken. But if you’re married or coupled up, the day can also be the worst. And if you’re a parent, you know this day comes with its own stressors thanks to the grandparent gifts, candy and the quest for the perfect Pinterest-worthy class valentine. Yes, I’m dead inside.  I’m not sure when that happened — probably sometime after I had children, since caring for newborn babies is definitely a reality check. But I wasn’t ..read more

By: Christa Protano Dearest Reader: Good news! While we wait to see how Penelope and Colin get on in season 3 of Bridgerton, there is something you can do to bide the time. We suggest adding these Jane Austen film adaptations to your queue. After all, without Ms. Austen’s inspiration, there wouldn’t be a Lady Whistledown, or a Bridget Jones, or even a Cher Horowitz for that matter. Don’t believe us? See for yourself with one of these big-screen romances.         Pride & Prejudice For a literal interpretation of Austen’s most popular novel, look no furt ..read more

By: Christa Protano Is it me or has the spooky season gotten even scarier lately? Shady skeletons, gruesome masks, even scarier movies … my neighbor puts a Pennywise mask by the sewer grates at the end of our block each October 31st — no, thank you. But if your idea of a next-level Halloween is more Mike Meyers than Hocus Pocus 2, then add these classic horror tales to your October reading list.       Classic Tales of Horror This cover alone is enough to give me nightmares, which makes this hardcover perfect for stacking on a DIY Halloween vignette. If your ..read more

It’s Pride month! And this means it’s time to showcase some of our favorite LGBT+ icons of literary history. Read below to learn more about authors of recent and upcoming Canterbury Classics: Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, and Virginia Woolf, whose landmark novel, Mrs. Dalloway, is new from Word Cloud Classics this October.         Walt Whitman Although this towering figure in American literature may not have understood himself to be gay in the modern sense, he is most certainly a gay icon. The celebratory sensuality of his poetry was groundbreaking at the tim ..read more

By: Christa Protano When we become parents, there are so many things that we can’t wait to introduce our children to: movies, sports, family recipes, holiday traditions and — if you’re a bookworm like me — those classic tales that have stood the test of time. Thanks to Silver Dolphins Once Upon A Story series and Canterbury Classics’ Word Cloud fiction, you and your little one can experience literary classics together with beautiful books geared toward readers of all skill levels.  Once Upon A Story by Silver Dolphin Books When your child’s reading skills start to take off, it’s tim ..read more

You can buy books — including ours — at lots of places, both online and in the brick-and-mortar world. Perhaps it’s time to shop local, shop smaller, and purchase your reading materials at an independent bookstore.   When did Independent Bookstore Day begin? The first nationally celebrated Indie Bookstore Day was held in 2015, the brainchild of Samantha Schoech, a writer and editor affiliated with the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. In that first year, 400 stores participated, and it’s only grown from there. What is Independent Bookstore Day about? The id ..read more

Not every Supreme Court justice becomes an icon — it’s pretty much just the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Here are some fast facts about RBG to celebrate the release of our new Word Cloud Classic, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissents.  What is Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s real name? It’s not Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her name upon birth in 1933 was Joan Ruth Bader; she went by Ruth because there were several other girls in her first grade class named Joan. Where did Ruth Bader Ginsburg go to school? Ruth Bader completed her undergraduate education at the prestigious Cornell University in 1954. Tha ..read more

Thanks to a certain Shonda Rhimes period drama, our love of all things Regency has reached a fever pitch this past year. From the fashion to the romance to the social decorum, we can’t get enough — which is why we think a novel or craft kit inspired by the OG of romantic literature makes a proper gift. With themes of love, pride, womanhood, and morality, no book lover’s repertoire is complete without one of Jane Austen’s time-honored classics.  Jane Austen Boxed Set Perhaps just as enchanting as the tales themselves are this set’s elegant covers and custom endpapers.  Em ..read more