Did you know that the longest novel ever written is In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust? This novel consists of over 1.2 million words and is divided into seven volumes. Proust worked on the novel for nearly 14 years, from 1909 until his death in 1922. Another interesting fact is that the world's best-selling fiction book of all time is Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. It was first published in 1605 and has sold an estimated 500 million copies worldwide. The novel follows the adventures of a man who believes himself to be a knight. On the topic of iconic literature, one cannot forget Shakespeare's influence. Did you know that despite being a playwright, William Shakespeare is also credited with inventing over 1,700 words in the English language? Some of these words include eyeball, fashionable, lackluster, and lonely. Lastly, the world's oldest known written story is The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian tale from ancient Mesopotamia written on clay tablets over 4,000 years ago. The epic follows the adventures of Gilgamesh, a hero-king, and his friend Enkidu as they battle gods and seek immortality. Literature is truly a treasure trove of fascinating facts and timeless stories that continue to captivate readers around the world.