Calendar of Literary Facts
Jacques Audiberti’s play Quoat-Quoat is first produced
Civil war rages in China between Mao Tse-tung’s communists and Koumintang forces under Chiang Kai-shek; in the end, Mao’s Reds triumph
The first electronic supercomputer, called Electronic Numerical Integrator Analyzer and Computer (ENIAC) is developed
Stung by the published criticisms of Jorge Luis Borges, Argentinian dictator Juan Perón appoints Borges to a position as poultry inspector for the Buenos Aires Municipal Market
P. G. Wodehouse publishes Joy in the Morning Eudora Welty publishes Delta Wedding Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay receive the Pulitzer Prize in drama for State of the Union
Benjamin Spock publishes The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay’s drama State of the Union
Malcolm Cowley publishes the Viking Portable Faulkner, a work which rejuvenated the critical reputation of William Faulkner Christopher Isherwood publishes The Berlin Stories Frank Yerby publishes The Foxes of Harrow Hermann Hesse receives the Nobel Prize for Literature Robert Lowell publishes Lord Weary’s Castle Carson McCullers publishes The Member of the Wedding Terence Rattigan publishes The Winslow Boy Robert Penn Warren publishes All the King’s Men Miguel Angel Asturias publishes El senor presidente The President ) Alejo Carpentier publishes La musica en Cuba Robert E. Sherwood’s screenplay for The Best Years of Our Lives is brought to the motion-picture screen by RKO Studios
Elizabeth Bishop publishes North & South Owen Dodson publishes Powerful Long Ladder Countee Cullen dies. (Explore: Countée Cullen , What is the imagery and language used in Countee Cullen's poem "Incident?" ) (January 9)
Julian Barnes is born. (Explore: Dragons , The Lemon Table , Julian Barnes ) (January 19)
Marcio Souza is born (March 4)
Winston Churchill delivers his “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri (March 5)
Booth Tarkington dies. (Explore: The Magnificent Ambersons , Booth Tarkington , Alice Adams ) (May 19)
Gerhart Hauptmann dies. (Explore: The Sunken Bell , The Weavers , Gerhart Hauptmann ) (June 6)
Stephen Coonts is born. (Explore: Fortunes of War , Final Flight , Under Siege ) (July 19)
Larry Shue is born. (Explore: The Foreigner , Larry Shue ) (July 23)
Gertrude Stein dies. (Explore: Melanctha , The Making of Americans , Gertrude Stein ) (July 27)
H. G. Wells dies. (Explore: The Time Machine , The War of the Worlds , H. G. Wells ) (August 13)
Harley Granville-Barker dies (August 31) Susan Elaine Townsend is born (September 5)
The Nuremburg War Crimes Trials end; twelve defendents are sentenced to death by hanging, three to life imprisonment, four to lesser prison terms, and three acquitted (October 1)
Tim O’Brien is born. (Explore: The Ghost Soldiers , Tim O'Brien , Tim O’Brien ) (October 14)
Lewis Grizzard is born. (Explore: When My Love Returns from the Ladies Room, Will I Be Too Old to Care? ) (October 20)
Alan Dean Foster is born (November 18)
Andrei Codrescu is born. (Explore: Telyric , The Posthuman Dada Guide , Andrei Codrescu ) (December 20)
Eric Van Lustbader is born (December 24)
