Literary Facts - April 5

1588: Thomas Hobbes is born. (Explore: Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan: Or, The Matter, Form, and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiastical and Civil)

1837: Algernon Charles Swinburne is born. (Explore: Algernon Charles Swinburne, Atalanta in Calydon, Hymn to Proserpine)

1856: Booker T. Washington is born. (Explore: Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington, What effect does Booker T. Washington achieve by opening his "Atlanta...)

1904: Richard Eberhart is born. (Explore: Richard Eberhart, The Fury of Aerial Bombardment, The Groundhog)

1920: Arthur Hailey is born. (Explore: Airport, Strong Medicine, Arthur Hailey)

1926: H. L. Mencken is arrested for selling a copy of The American Mercury to the secretary of the Boston Watch and Ward Society; the offending issue contained the story “Hatrack,” which the Society deemed obscene. (Explore: H. L. Mencken, The American Mercury)

1935: Edwin Arlington Robinson dies. (Explore: Richard Cory, Mr. Flood's Party, Edwin Arlington Robinson)

1997: Allen Ginsberg dies. (Explore: A Supermarket in California, Howl, Allen Ginsberg)

2004: Doug Wright receives the Pulitzer Prize in drama for I Am My Own Wife. (Explore: I Am My Own Wife, Doug Wright)

2004: Franz Wright receives the Pulitzer Prize in poetry for Walking to Martha’s Vineyard. (Explore: Franz Wright)

2004: Steven Hahn receives the Pulitzer Prize in history for A Nation under Our Feet

2004: William Taubman receives the Pulitzer Prize in biography for Khrushchev: The Man and His Era. (Explore: Khrushchev)

2004: Edward P. Jones receives the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for The Known World. (Explore: The Known World, Edward P. Jones)

2005: Saul Bellow dies. (Explore: Seize the Day, Humboldt's Gift, Saul Bellow)