So many links in this one

I am currently reading Passion by Jude Morgan (?).
It is about the lives of four women, but more importantly the men in their lives.
The men are up to now Lord Byron and Shelly. Keats is also to be included, although around 250 pages in, he has not yet made an appearance. Wordsworth has also been mentioned several times.
Other famous people who get a mention, "Mad" King George and his wife, Queen Caroline, Napoleon and Wellington.
It's not the easiest book to read, but it is a good read.

What is so special about Tristam Shandy?

Two books I have just read have both mentioned Tristam Shandy, and something about there being two totally black pages in it. I have looked at various websites, but can find no reference to the black pages. Can anyone shed any light as to whether this is true, or not?

One of our Thursday's is missing, by Jasper Fforde is one the books that mentions Tristam Shandy, but then again, the Thursday Next series is full of literary links, and one of the reasons I love Jasper Fforde's novels so much

Culpepper's herbal

The current book I am reading has references to "The Mandrake's Herbal"...after reading the notes the author says that they have been written in the style of the Culpepper's herbal..which included some references that were to objects other than herbs as well.
As the book is a pre-publication copy I will not name it, as yet.
All I will say is the novel is enthralling and I keep finding I am picking it up when I should be doing other things.