Calendar of Literary Facts

1898

Owen Barfield is born
Edmond Rostand publishes Cyrano de Bergerac
H. G. Wells publishes The War of the Worlds
Michel de Ghelderode is born
Vicente Blasco Ibañez publishes La barraca: Novela (The Cabin)
Henry James publishes The Two Magics: The Turn of the Screw, Covering End
John Buchan publishes The Pilgrim Fathers
C. S. Lewis is born
Erich Maria Remarque is born
Melvin B. Tolson is born
Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin begins building the first lighter-than-air craft, forerunner to the modern airship
The Spanish-American War is fought, concluding with the defeat of Spain and the ceding of many of her colonial possessions
Vicente Aleixandre is born
The Generación del 98 flourishes in Spain
Selma Lagerlöf publishes Antikrists mirakler (The Miracles of Antichrist)
Federico García Lorca is born (June 5)
Stephané Mallarmé dies (September 9)
Bertolt Brecht is born (February 10)
Emile Zola publishes his controversial letter "J’Accuse" in a French newspaper, in defense of Captain Alfred Dreyfus (January 13)
Stephen Vincent Benét is born (July 22)
Malcolm Cowley is born (August 24)