Philadelphia bad boy gets his own literary society.

The crusading George Lippard (1822–54), a friend of Edgar Allan Poe and a member of the Philadelphia Gothic school with works such as the best-selling The Quaker City; or, the Monks of Monk Hall (1844), now has his own literary society, thanks to Edward Pettit. (Hat tip to PhiloBiblos. About the image: Author-journalist George Lippard, ca. 1850. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.)

Literary groups: Are they popular?

In Dirda's Reading Room, the Washington Post's Michael Dirda inquires about the popularity of literary groups, especially those centered on 19th-century works, mentioning the Jules Verne Society, the Ghost Story Society, and the Baker Street Irregulars (but missing the good folks at Gaslight). Societies such as the American Chesterton Society, which holds an annual conference, also are fairly active.

About the image: Jules Verne, NYPL.