Harper Lee was a friend of Truman Capote
On this day in 1926 the American author Harper Lee was born. She lived in Monroeville, Alabama as a child, down the road from her friend... Read More
Edward Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall’ is relevant today
On this day in 1737 historian, Edward Gibbon was born. He is chiefly remembered for his amazing ‘History of the Decline and Fall of the... Read More
Ludwig Wittgenstein went to school with Hitler
On this day in 1889 Austrian and British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was born in Vienna. As a child he went for a time to the... Read More
Walter de la Mare was a St Paul’s choirboy
On this day in 1873 English poet and writer Walter de la Mare was born. Jack (he did not like the name Walter) was the... Read More
Anthony Trollope worked in the Post Office
On this day in 1815 novelist Anthony Trollope was born. Trollope drew on incidents in his own life when writing his famous series of novels... Read More
Miguel de Cervantes was captured by pirates
On this day in 1616 Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes died aged 69. Cervantes had been a soldier and sailor in his youth and had... Read More
Vladimir Nabokov chased butterflies, not nymphets
On this day in 1899 the novelist Vladimir Nabokov was born. After an idyllic childhood in a leading St Petersburg family, Nabokov’s world was upended... Read More
