Ranker Collection
The Life of a Writer
Edgar Allan Poe631k views16 Bizarre Facts About the Tragic Life of Edgar Allan PoeNo Edgar Allan Poe biography would be complete without examining the frequently bizarre circumstances surrounding his life. Althou...
Hunter S. Thompson703.6k views14 Bizarre Stories From Hunter S. Thompson's LifeHunter S. Thompson lived a pretty out-there life and there are plenty of true stories to prove it. This should come as no surprise...
Shel Silverstein183.2k viewsShel Silverstein Has Pretty Much Lived The Most Kid-Unfriendly Life ImaginableMany children grew up reading Shel Silverstein's poetry, but stories about the poet's darker side depict him in a completely diffe...
Charles Dickens90.2k views16 Extremely Dark Things You'd Never Suspect Charles Dickens Actually DidBasically the star quarterback of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens worked diligently for every ounce of success he got. He rose ...
History228.1k viewsThe Pansexual Adventures of Lord Byron, The Harry Styles of The 19th CenturyNobody from the 19th century partied harder than one of the best poets of the romantic era, Lord George Gordon Byron. But, exactly...
Mark Twain48.1k viewsMark Twain Was Somehow Even More Interesting Than You ThoughtSamuel Clemens (the real name of author Mark Twain), is one of the most well-loved writers of all time, certainly up there with th...
P. L. Travers219.1k viewsTrue Stories About The Real Woman Behind 'Mary Poppins,' P.L. TraversThe writer of Mary Poppins lived an R-rated life. P.L. Travers is best known for creating the magical nanny who has captured the i...
Laura Ingalls Wilder4.6m viewsFacts About Laura Ingalls Wilder And The Real Life Little House On The PrairieLaura Ingalls Wilder was a homesteader and author, famous for her Little House on the Prairie book series. Like Juana Maria, who i...
Robert Louis Stevenson20.6k viewsRobert Louis Stevenson: Legendary Author, Gigantic Cocaine AddictThe creative life of Robert Louis Stevenson was relatively brief. In fact, Stevenson was already in his thirties by the time he fi...
Michael Crichton16.6k viewsThings You Didn't Know About Michael CrichtonIn his heyday in the mid-'90s, author and filmmaker Michael Crichton was basically the king of all media. His novels were all best...
V. C. Andrews1.3m viewsThings You Didn't Know About VC Andrews, The Author Of 'Flowers In The Attic'For girls growing up in the early '80s, reading the gothic novel Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews was a rite of passage. But its...
George Orwell35.8k views16 Things You Didn't Know About George OrwellReaders across the globe revere George Orwell - and for good reason. He wrote some of the most important books of the 20th century...
Arthur Conan Doyle50.5k views14 Weird Facts About Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Guy Who Created Sherlock HolmesYou probably know Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as the famous author who created the beloved character Sherlock Holmes. But really, who w...
Voltaire18.2k views12 Fun Facts About Voltaire, The Jon Stewart of 18th Century FranceVoltaire was an intellectual superstar. True, this 18th-century French writer, philosopher, and rabble-rouser does not seem like a...
Roald Dahl31.4k viewsRoald Dahl's Real Life Was Far Darker Than Any Of His Children's BooksLike him or loathe him, Roald Dahl is remembered as one of the best-loved children’s writers of all time. Roald Dahl books like Ma...
Walt Whitman17.4k views13 Bizarre Facts About Walt Whitman They Didn't Teach In History ClassWalt Whitman's life revolved around literature. Although he left school at the tender age of 11, he never stopped learning. He was...
Dante Alighieri17.9k viewsThings Even A Lot Of History Buffs Don't Know About Dante AlighieriYou may not have heard of Dante Alighieri, but you probably recognize him by his first name and his most famous work: Dante's Infe...
Dr. Seuss330.3k views17 Things You Didn't Know About Dr. SeussOver the course of his life, beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss published 60 books, many of which hold a special place in the hea...
Alexandre Dumas75.4k viewsThe Insane Story of Alexandre Dumas, The Legendary Author Who Had 40 MistressesFeaturing shocking duels, unexpected births, and wild romance, Alexandre Dumas’s life is as thrilling and fascinating as the stori...
Ray Bradbury5.7k viewsRemembering Ray Bradbury, the Man Who Gave Us 'Fahrenheit 451'Perhaps you read Fahrenheit 451 in high school, or perhaps you didn't because it was on a banned books list. Maybe you came across...