Literary curiosities
The world of literature of all times is full of interesting anecdotes. Some of the greatest writers have lived eventful, even adventurous lives. There are books that have truly record-breaking features, or hide unusual backgrounds. Let's discover some literary curiosities!
The world of literature of all times is full of interesting anecdotes. Some of the greatest writers have lived eventful, even adventurous lives. There are books that have truly record-breaking features, or hide unusual backgrounds. Let's discover some literary curiosities!
The longest History
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the longest novel ever written is "In Search of Lost Time" by Marcel Proust (1871-1922), which has 9,609,000 characters. A colossal work that initially met with the skepticism of the publishers. "I'm going to be particularly dumb," an employee of the Ollendorf publishing house replied to the author, commenting on a passage, "but I can't understand how this gentleman could take thirty pages to describe the way he turns over in bed before falling asleep." Against those first unfavorable predictions, the novel has become a great classic.
Hemingway's temper (which did not save him from a tragic end)
It is well known that Ernest Hemingway's (1899-1961) life was very eventful. However, not everyone knows the list of misadventures and dangers from which he managed to save himself: for example two plane crashes, the explosion of a grenade in war that injured him with over 200 shrapnel, but also various pathologies, from malaria to hepatitis. Having survived so many misfortunes, it was he who took his own life, perhaps due to a severe depression.
Agatha Christie's novel that solved a case of poisoning
It seems that a nurse passionate about detective stories, reading "A horse for the witch" by Agatha Christie (1890-1976), managed to understand what malaise afflicted a little patient. In fact, he manifested the same symptoms as a character in the novel, who in the plot was poisoned by thallium. It was discovered that in the case of the child the intoxication had occurred due to some pesticides, used near her home. Thus it was possible to cure him.
The most productive writer
The author who has written the most books is the Brazilian José Carlos Ryoki, who has published 1075 novels since 1986, also under a pseudonym. A former surgeon, his works range from the most diverse genres, from science fiction to detective stories, from war fiction to sentimental stories. After an initial success with paperbacks, he turned to longer texts. In 1996, at the invitation of journalist Matt Moffett, Ryoki managed to write a book in a few hours, between 11.30pm and 4am!
The smallest book in the world
It is so small that it is practically unreadable, unless you use a magnifying glass. It is an extraordinary book measuring only 1.7×1.1 cm, printed in Padua in 1897 and kept in the Malatesta Library in Cesena. The content? A letter from Galileo Galilei to the Grand Duchess Christina of Lorraine, in which the scientist states that the Copernican theory is not in conflict with religious faith. However, it seems that the primacy has been surpassed by some books made today, readable only ... under a microscope. Among them, a Bible created by Israeli scientists.
