How did the discovery of America foster a renewed enthusiasm for travel literature? Charles Dickens died in 1870, but his cliff-hanging tales of poverty tempered by hope are more in demand than ever — Peter Ross explores their enduring appeal in the 21st century. Objects of affection: Five writers examine the emotional connection to their most prized — and surprisingly humble — material possessions. The seductive delights of caffeine: An excerpt from At Large and At Small: Confessions of a Literary Hedonist by Anne Fadiman. You are what you read: Before radio and TV dethroned the book, social reformers warned about reading too much, not too little. A review of Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert. The best of the best and the worst: John Dugdale homes in on the most comical and cringe-making literary quotes of the year.
