January 2011
15 posts
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Happy Deathday Messrs. Milne and Galsworthy
On January 31st in 1956, Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne died of a stroke. On the same day in 1933, British author John Galsworthy died in England at the age of 65.
Alan Alexander Milne, most well known for his tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff, was primarily a playwright and authored several novels. as well as some non fiction works including his autobiography....
“What could I do if I couldn’t write? Writing was to be my rescue. I felt...”
– Janet Frame (An Angel at my Table, London: Paladin, 1987)
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A Tall Order Today... Teasdale, Frost and Frame
On this day, January 29th, three absurdly talented writers died in 1933, 1963 and 2004 respectively. American poet Sara Teasdale committed suicide in new York when she overdosed on sleeping pills. American poet Robert Frost died of natural causes in Boston at the age of 88. New Zealand born writer Janet Frame died in Dunedin after succumbing to Leukemia. She was 79 years old.
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“There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside you.”
– Zora Neale Hurston
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Happy Deathday Ms. Hurston!
On January 28th in 1960, American novelist Zora Neale Hurston died of heart failure at the age of 69.
Ms. Hurston is the author of several novels including the very popular 1937 work Their Eyes Were Watching God. She was awarded the Rosenwald Fellowship in 1934 and the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1935 and 1936. But how shall we describe Zora as a writer? ……...
“I never knew what was meant by choice of words. It was one word or none.”
– Robert Frost
15 tags
Happy Deathday Mr. Salinger!
On this day just last year, 2010, American author J.D. Salinger (Jerome David) died of natural causes in Cornish, New Hampshire. He was 91 years old.
Though you will have undoubtedly heard that Salinger wrote up until the very end of his long life… what you may not be aware of is the fact that The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger’s first and only published novel, took him...
“Whether or not you write well, write bravely.”
– Bill Stout (1927- 1989)
Though we usually deal in deaths... Happy Birthday... →
“A writer is working when he’s staring out of the window.”
– Burton Rascoe
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Two Poets for the Price of One
Today, we are honoring the death of two poets who died on the same day, 76 years apart. American poet Kenneth Patchen died on January 8th in 1972 of unspecified causes. French poet Paul Verlaine died on this same day in 1896 at the age of 51 and is buried in the Cimetière des Batignolles.
Paul Verlaine is remembered as the leader of the symbolist...
“A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by...”
– James Dickey
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Happy Deathday Ms. Kerr!
American author and playwright, Jean Kerr, died on this day in 2003 at the age of 80 from pneumonia.
Jean Kerr is often best remembered for her collection of humorous essays entitled Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, which we highly recommend if you’ve not already read it- particularly if you are a parent or have ever lived in suburbia. The book...
“She had no ink; and but little paper. But she made ink from berries and wine;...”
– -Virginia Woolf (An excerpt from Orlando)
It does feel that way sometimes- doesn’t it? Sometimes our love of literature and the process of writing it all out is enough. Oh yes… and Happy New Year to all.