The myths of ‘ancient Greece’ dispelled
Charlotte Higgins: Paul Cartledge, the first ever professor of Greek culture at the University of Cambridge, aims to promote the public understanding of the Greek world
Quiz: How much do you know about the Bible?
According to poet Andrew Motion, to read and understand literature we need to understand the Bible. Test your knowledge of Bible stories from both Old and New Testaments
The essential Bible stories
The top five stories from the good book
Book of revelation
All children should be taught the Bible at school, says Andrew Motion. Without the great stories, they cannot hope to understand history and literature. Janet Murray reports
Students need to know Bible’s ‘great stories’, poet laureate says
Bible is an 'essential piece of cultural luggage' for school children, says poet laureate Andrew Motion
Poems which passeth understanding
Some verses that draw on the Bible
Save our libraries
Pamela Welsh: Wirral council's decision to close 11 public libraries is a bad one – in a recession, we need them more than ever
How to start a reading revolution
Michael Rosen: I am really excited about my BBC challenge to inspire a genuine love of reading in a Cardiff school
Sally Ledger
Victorian scholar who shed new light on the work of neglected women writers
Save our books
Katha Pollitt: The economy is threatening our public libraries. Barack Obama must get the US back on the literary track
Reading for the world: Locking up freedom
Literacy is at the heart of the campaign to ensure all the world's children go to school. A special written story by Beverley Naidoo offers a remarkable picture of the power of education
Arabic Class in the Refugee Camp
Literacy is at the heart of the campaign to ensure all the world's children go to school. A specially written poem by Rowan Williams offers a remarkable picture of the power of education
Samuel Huntington
Obituary: US political scientist who foresaw future conflict arising from a clash of cultures
Bumper Christmas homework quiz
How much can you remember from school? Test yourself in this quiz extracted from the book Homework for Grown-ups
Taken as read
People, not paperbacks, are being loaned out in novel living library events around the country. Saba Salman on a project showing why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover