Literary History Today Jan. 16: Bard of the Yukon born
Visit Dawson City today and you can see the cabin once lived in by Robert W. Service, the Canadian poet who wroteThe Cremation of Sam McGee .
This Day in Literary History for Jan. 13: Swift gets ordained in Ireland
On this day in 1695, Jonathan Swift is ordained as an Anglican priest and given the post of Kilroot in Ireland where he will live from March of that year until May 1696.
Today in Literary History Jan. 12: Oscar Wilde writes about Henry James
On this day in 1899, Oscar Wilde, in a letter to Canadian journalist Robert Ross, believed to have been his first male lover, writes: “Henry James is developing, but he will never arrive at passion, I fear.”
The world of books
What happens in a bookstore when the doors close and the last customer leaves?
Today in Literary History Jan 11: Hammett meets Chandler
On this day in 1936, the two great crime noir novelists of the early 20th century meet at a dinner in Los Angeles.
Today in Literary History for Jan 10: Dash Day
On this day in 1961, author Dashiell Hammett, creator of private detective Sam Spade dies at the age of 67.
In mining country in Wales
BLAENAVON, WALES — “This ain’t Disneyland,” warns the tour guide as the rattling elevator door pulls shut.
This Day in Literary History: A duel not to the death
A duel is fought on this day in 1825 by Alexandre Dumas, then 23 years old.
Oscar Wilde arrived in NYC this week in 1882
Just finished reading Richard Ellmann’s biography of Oscar Wilde published a couple of decades ago.
Today in Literary History: J.R.R. Tolkien born
January 2: John Ronald Reuel, the son of an impoverished bank clerk, was born on this day in 1892 in Bloemfontein, S.A.