Every day we here at For Reading Addicts have a look through the lists of births and deaths of famous literary figures and share with you quotes, or reading lists from some of the best known authors who were born or died on that day.
But what of the less well known happenings? Perhaps books that were published on that day or notable occurrences? We thought it would be fun to find out what each day represented in the world of literature so we have decided to share with you a list of 10 Literary facts for each day that will include Authors who were born or died on this day, publications and interesting information, we hope you enjoy them.
Today’s list is made up of births and deaths but it won’t always be that way.
Hester Thrale
27 January 1741 – 2 May 1821.
A Welsh author, diarist and patron of the arts, Hester was an extremely wealthy woman from a powerful family and whose diaries and correspondence are an important source of information about Samuel Johnson and 18th-century life.
David Friedrich Strauss
January 27, 1808 – February 8, 1874
A German theologian writer and liberal protestant Strauss scandalised Christian Europe with his portrayal of the historical Jesus, denying his divinity and revealing a Jesus who was wholly human.
The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined US
The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined UK
Mikhail Yevgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin
27 January 1826 – 10 May 1889.
A major Russian satirist of the 19th century Shchedrin is best known for his novel The Golovlyov Family and his editorship of the well-known Russian magazine, Otechestvenniye Zapiski which the government banned in 1884.
Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch
27 January 1836 – 9 March 1895. The author of Venus in Furs the term masochism is derived from this Austrian author’s name.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898
Or as we know him, Lewis Carroll. Noted for his word play and his wonderful examples of the genre of literary nonsense Dodgson is one of the world’s most widely read authors.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland US
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland UK
Mordecai Richler
January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001
A Canadian author his best known novel Solomon Gursky Was Here was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 1989.
Harvey Shapiro
January 27, 1924 – January 7, 2013.
Writing in epigrammatic style about things in his everyday life Shapiro produced over a dozen books of poetry during his lifetime and was also the editor of the New York Times.
John Hoyer Updike
March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009.
One of only three writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once Updike was a prolific author who is probably best known for his Rabbit series of books.
J. D. Salinger
January 1, 1919 – January 27, 2010.
An extremely private man Salinger is best known for his critically acclaimed novel Catcher in the Rye; he published his last piece of original writing in 1965 and gave his last interview in 1980 withdrawing from the public eye for the remainder of his life.
Bernard Friedberg
December 19, 1876 – January 27, 1961.
Friedberg was an Austrian Hebraist, scholar and bibliographer. During The Holocaust his library was destroyed and his daughter and son were killed but he escaped to France and eventually Palestine. Sadly, although many of his works were published, none remain in print.
As you can see January the 27th was a very busy day for Literature. I wonder what January 28th will bring.
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