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Regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century, Graham Greene published over 25 novels throughout the course of his writing career which spanned nearly 67 years. Although he objected to being described as a Catholic writer, Catholic religious themes are at the root of much of Greene’s writing,…
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Three of the best-selling science fiction novelists of the 20th century, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and Arthur C. Clarke are commonly referred to as the “Big Three” of science fiction for their influential work in expanding the definition of the genre established by their predecessors Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Hugo Gernsback. Moving beyond their…
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Widely considered the most significant book published in the history of modern science, Charles Darwin‘s magnum opus On the Origin of Species attracted widespread attention upon publication on Thursday, November 24, 1859. Priced at fifteen shillings and with a first print run of only 1,250 copies, the book sold out on the day of publication,…
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David Ricardo’s name belongs on a list the most influential classical economists in history, including Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, and James Mill. Born as one of seventeen children, Ricardo learned about competitive business interactions early on from his father, Abraham Ricardo, a successful stockbroker in London. Following in his father’s footsteps, he made a fortune…
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To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the publication of one of the most important American novels of the 20th century, To Kill a Mockingbird, Raptis Rare Books is currently holding an exhibition of rare signed first editions, letters and original drawings by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird was first published by J.B. Lippincott Company…
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Alexandrina Victoria served as Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. Referred to as the Victorian era, her reign of 63 years and seven months far exceeded that of any of her predecessors and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire…
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Born in Duluth, Minnesota on May 24, 1941, Bob Dylan‘s interest in music and performance began in his high school years and, after moving to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota in 1959, he emerged on the American folk music scene. He soon dropped out of college and moved to New York…
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Although she only published two novels throughout her lifetime, American novelist Nella Larsen earned wide recognition among her contemporaries as one of the important voices of the Harlem Renaissance, as well as an important figure in American modernism. Larsen died on this day, March 30th, in 1964 at the age of 72 and left behind…
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This upcoming Saturday, November 30th marks the 145th anniversary of the birth of one of the most significant figures of the 20th century, Sir Winston S. Churchill. Born in Oxfordshire to a wealthy, aristocratic family, Churchill joined the British Army in 1895 at the age of twenty-one and saw action in British India, the Anglo–Sudan War, and the Second Boer…
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Wednesday, October 2, 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the Father of the Nation of India, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth. A national holiday in India, the day is celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence. Born on October 2, 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was trained in law at the Inner Temple, London, and called to…
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