Books on the Nightstand discussion

Did you know that today is the birthday of Mary Anne Evans author of " Middlemarch" and "Silas Marner"?

also...

Today is the birthday of Hoagy Carmichael the American composer of "Stardust".Carmichael is the face of James Bond. Ian Fleming wrote that Bond is a handsomer Hoagy.

Ger

I just thought that readers could post interesting facts about authors if you wish and if that's OK with BOTNS.
Whenever I see one I will post it here.Or you can.

I am always interested in the belief that authors are real people with real lives and problems that we all face.ger

Doctors who were (are) writers: Anton Chekhov, Michael Crichton, F. Paul Wilson.

Lawyers who were (are) writers: Franz Kafka, Henry Fielding, Wallace Stevens.

Forty-eight years ago today, November 22, 1963, C.S. Lewis died. His death was overshadowed by someone else's.

Do tidbits about a poet count? If so I have one.

Normie wrote: "Do tidbits about a poet count? If so I have one."

Does a poet write? I would say yes, poets count.

Ok then - John Keats ( my favorite Romantic poet ) died in 1821, he was only 25yrs old and his work was not fully recognized until the 20th century. So sad that he did not live to see his work get some recognition. His love letters to Fanny Brawne are beautiful and their love was never able to truly flourish.

Normie wrote: "Ok then - John Keats ( my favorite Romantic poet ) died in 1821, he was only 25yrs old and his work was not fully recognized until the 20th century. So sad that he did not live to see his work get..."

i suspect you've read it, but you should read Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne if you haven't.

when percy shelly died, his heart did not burn and so it was given to mary shelly who kept it until she died. the heart was found among her belongings. interesting that his heart did not burn.

Great idea for a thread! I don't have anything to share right now but have found the things posted so far really interesting!

Elizabeth, that's pretty creepy... I wonder why it didn't burn?

Elizabeth wrote: "when percy shelly died, his heart did not burn and so it was given to mary shelly who kept it until she died. the heart was found among her belongings. interesting that his heart did not burn."

I'm assuming they tried to cremate him. As opposed to just standing there waiting for some kind of spontaneous combustion to happen. I bet today's technology would have found a way to make it burn. I'd like to submit this to Mythbusters and see if Adam and Jamie could make a heart burn using the technology of the time. Of course, they would finish by blowing it up.

Campbell's tomato soup gives me heartburn.

Elizabeth wrote: "Normie wrote: "Ok then - John Keats ( my favorite Romantic poet ) died in 1821, he was only 25yrs old and his work was not fully recognized until the 20th century. So sad that he did not live to s..."

I have read it and I love it - The movie is one of my favorites too. Thank u.

Eric wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "when percy shelly died, his heart did not burn and so it was given to mary shelly who kept it until she died. the heart was found among her belongings. interesting that his heart ..."

I second the submission to mythbusters.

Agatha Christie was reportedly dysgraphic. (It's the writing form of dyslexia).

Today is the birthday of Ishmael Beah author of .

It is also the birthday of the author of . He wrote it when he was 99.

Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of the poem "Mary Had a Little Lamb," campaigned for a Thanksgiving holiday which had originally been instituted by our first president, George Washington. For 36 years, she wrote articles about the Plymouth colonists in her magazine, trying to revive interest in the subject, and editorials suggesting a national holiday. Hale wrote to four presidents about her idea -- Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan -- before her fifth letter got notice. President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November to be the holiday.

Linda wrote: "Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of the poem "Mary Had a Little Lamb," campaigned for a Thanksgiving holiday which had originally been instituted by our first president, George Washington. For 36 yea..."

That is so cool. I did not know that. I shared it with everyone here at work.

P. D. Eastman's was born on today's date in 1909. He met Ted Geisel during World War II and the two worked together on film unit headed by Frank Capra producing animated films to educate the enlisted men who were often illiterate.

A decade after the war, Geisel invited Eastman to write a book for his (Dr. Seuss') new imprint "Beginner Books." This gave us and .

"Go Dog Go" is one of the most enjoyable children' books ever.

"To the tree! To the tree!"

Linda wrote: "Forty-eight years ago today, November 22, 1963, C.S. Lewis died. His death was overshadowed by someone else's."

Did you know that Dr Who premiered on Nov 22,1963?

Gerald wrote: "Linda wrote: "Forty-eight years ago today, November 22, 1963, C.S. Lewis died. His death was overshadowed by someone else's."

Did you know that Dr Who premiered on Nov 22,1963?"

I should point out that I was sitting in my sixth grade classroom on that day.The nun pointed out that they always kill the young ones. I still cannot figure that one out.ger

Gerald wrote: "I should point out that I was sitting in my sixth grade classroom on that day.The nun pointed out that they always kill the young ones. I still cannot figure that one out."


I was in eight grade and my nun didn't believe her ears (the announcement was made to the entire school over the PA). She sent a student down to the office to find out what was said. The student came back with the news and also said that Mrs. Duck, who had made the announcement, was sobbing so hard he could hardly understand her.

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Today is the anniversary of the births of , , and .

Rita Mae Brown started the Blue Ridge Polo Club, the first women's polo club in America.

Just wanted to point out that an excellent source of author birthdays is the "Writers Almanac" podcast.Its also located on the Poetry Foundation site.I hope that readers here keep adding info.I certainly will when I find it.Several birthdays ring bells for me when they come up like James Thurber(brother shot his eye out with an arrow)and Poe(traveled through many eastern states.
Thanks everyone.ger

Gerald wrote: "Just wanted to point out that an excellent source of author birthdays is the "Writers Almanac" podcast.Its also located on the Poetry Foundation site.I hope that readers here keep adding info.I cer..."

Aw, Ger! You gave away my source! I have the podcast downloaded to my computer everyday.

Today's birthdays include Bronson Alcott, Louisa Alcott, and C. S. Lewis.

Lewis's name was Clive Staples, but answered to "Jack." That name was assumed after the death of his dog, Jacksie, when Lewis was a child.

I played him (Lewis) in a production of "Shadowlands". Given Anthony Hopkins' somber portrayal in the movie, you wouldn't guess there were any light or humorous moments in the play, but there are.

Eric wrote: "I played him (Lewis) in a production of "Shadowlands". Given Anthony Hopkins' somber portrayal in the movie, you wouldn't guess there were any light or humorous moments in the play, but there are."

You do know Jack!

Another author who is a lawyer is John Grisham, and another author who is also a doctor is Robin Cook.

Linda wrote: "Gerald wrote: "Just wanted to point out that an excellent source of author birthdays is the "Writers Almanac" podcast.Its also located on the Poetry Foundation site.I hope that readers here keep ad..."

WA is one of the better sources.I googled author birthdays list and nothing comes up.I also check the NYT
today in history which lists important historical things that happened that day,living famous people's birthdays and dead people's birthdays.Funny how dead people's B days are historically important and living people's birthdays are mostly celebs,actors and actresses.ger

Eric wrote: "I played him (Lewis) in a production of "Shadowlands". Given Anthony Hopkins' somber portrayal in the movie, you wouldn't guess there were any light or humorous moments in the play, but there are."

I was the General Manager of the theater group which staged the production; Eric's portrayal of C.S. Lewis was masterful, and one of Eric's best performances, in my opinion.

Bobbi wrote: "Eric wrote: "I played him (Lewis) in a production of "Shadowlands". Given Anthony Hopkins' somber portrayal in the movie, you wouldn't guess there were any light or humorous moments in the play, b..."

I hope to see Eric, and therefore, you, too, Bobbi in a play sometime. Just let me know where and when.

Guess what, Bobbi? I'm in The Foreigner again! This time playing Froggy.

Eric, no kidding! Where? And who is directing? What a great show; I hope you have a lot of fun with it.

Linda, I live in South Carolina now, and Eric is still in Ohio. If you're in that area, I urge you to catch ANY show he's in; I promise that you won't be disappointed. (The Foreigner was the my first appearance onstage, and Eric was absolutely wonderful to work with.)

Linda, are you by any chance going to be in Manchester? Eric, his wife, Amy-Anne and I will be, and I'm really looking forward to reuniting with them because we all worked in theater together several years ago in Ohio. Good times, lots of great memories . . .

Yes, Bobbi,

I will be at Manchester. Looking forward to a return engagement.

Everyone who has googled today realizes it is the birthday of . It is also the birthday of , , and Lucy Maud Montgomery.

died on this date in 1900.

Linda wrote: "Yes, Bobbi,

I will be at Manchester. Looking forward to a return engagement."

Linda - fantastic! Looking forward to meeting you.

Bobbi, thanks for saying those nice things. It's going to be at Victorian Players in Youngstown in March, and Tom Copeland is directing.

Eric wrote: "Bobbi, thanks for saying those nice things. It's going to be at Victorian Players in Youngstown in March, and Tom Copeland is directing."

Just speaking the truth! :)
Oh how I wish I could be there!

On this date in 1886, was born. He created the character of Nero Wolf as the protagonist of his mysteries.

Stout was a close friend of P. G. Wodehouse and was watched as a potential Communist by the J. Edgar Hoover FBI.

Today is the birthday of . Her most famous book of poetry was published in 1862 ( . Don't you think you've ever heard of her? She wrote one poem that was set to music and that we sing at this season every year:

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

It is also the birthday of , , and .

Lane was the daughter of Laura Ingall Wilder and is highly responsible for the success of her mother's . Lane was either her mother's editor or ghostwriter; just which is not known for sure.

I've read most of Joan Didion. Love her. And in her heyday was quite the literary babe.

Linda wrote: "Today is the birthday of . Her most famous book of poetry was published in 1862 (. Don't you think you've ever..."

i love rossetti. her poetry is beautiful.

Linda wrote: "On this date in 1886, was born. He created the character of Nero Wolf as the protagonist of his mysteries.

Stout was a close friend of P. G. Wodehouse and was watched..."

Linda, your post reminded me of something I found VERY interesting. In October 2001 (note the date), I was reading by Rex Stout. It was written in the 1930s, but low and behold it was about anthrax, which was in the news 24/7. Then at the end of the book it talked about how PG Wodehouse was an admirer and that the two had been lifelong friends. This was SO surprising to me because concurrently I was reading .

I'll always remember that, coincidences galore!

Jana, have you also read and ?

They comprise sort of a trilogy with "Code of the Woosters". "Right Ho, Jeeves" is one of my favorite all time books and definitely the funniest I've ever read.

On our last road trip to Florida, I took "Right Ho" and "Thank You" audiobooks and introduced the kids to Wodehouse on the way. They loved them, as they loved "Huck Finn" and "Ender's Game" previously.

Eric wrote: "Jana, have you also read and ?

They comprise sort of a trilogy with "Code of the Woosters". "Right Ho, Jeeves" is one of my fa..."

Eric, I have read "Right Ho, Jeeves" and I agree with you! I will add to my list right now.

Has anyone seen the telly series with Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie? (I have not. Yet.)

Yeah...don't miss it. My problem with House is that I can't see Laurie as anything but Bertie.

Today's birthdays include , , and .

In the early 1900s, Willa Cather worked as an editor for McClure Magazine (1893 - 1929) before she started writing her books. She lived in Greenwich village on a block which became known as "Genius Row" since among the people who lived there were Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, O. Henry, Eugene O'Neill, Theodore Dreiser, and John Dos Passos.