Literature

Acclaimed author Laura Ingalls Wilder was born on February 7, 1867, in Pepin County, Wisconsin. She retold stories from her childhood in the wildly popular Little House on the Prairie series, which went on to become a popular TV series as well.

Author Edith Newbold Jones Wharton was born on January 24, 1862, in New York City, New York.

Novelist and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama. She was a prolific writer, credited with accurately documenting the lives of everyday working black families in the Deep South during the Depression.

Cartoonist, author, and humorist James Grover Thurber was born on December 8, 1894, in Columbus, Ohio. He was one of the most popular humorists of his day and several of his works were turned into films.

Novelist Thomas Clayton Wolfe was born on October 3, 1900, in Asheville, North Carolina. He’s considered North Carolina’s most famous writer and was a major influence on several writers of the next generation.

On September 28, 1891, author Herman Melville died in his New York City home. While it was a moderate success during his lifetime, Melvile’s novel Moby-Dick is now considered a masterpiece of American literature.

American historian Francis Parkman was born on September 16, 1823, in Boston, Massachusetts. His books have often been praised as both useful historical texts and enjoyable literature.

The “Supreme Poet” Dante Alighieri is believed to have died on September 14, 1321. His Divine Comedy is considered one of the most important poems of the Middle Ages and the Italian language.

Author William Saroyan was born on August 31, 1908, in Fresno, California. He’s been called “one of the most prominent literary figures of the mid-20th century.”