F. Scott Fitzgerald

September 24, 1896 ––… Writers aren’t exactly people… they’re a whole bunch of people trying to be one person.. On this date in 1896, a young woman in Minnesota gave birth to a depressive, witty young alcoholic named Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. He did poorly in school and went off to train for war inContinue reading “F. Scott Fitzgerald”

The longest way round is the shortest way home

Happy Bloomsday! June 16, 1904 –If you notice English majors greeting one another joyously, saying “Yes – yes – yes!” they’ll titter. It will all be terrific fun for them. And here’s the reason why: Today is the date on which all the events depicted in James Joyce’s famous novel Ulysses take place — evenContinue reading “The longest way round is the shortest way home”

… Buried with a stake of holly through his heart …

December 17, 1843 (there is some controversy concerning this actual date, some sources place it on the 19th of December.) – Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol on this date. Dickens wrote the novel after his first commercial failure. His previous novel, Martin Chuzzlewit had flopped, and he was suddenly strapped for cash. Martin ChuzzlewitContinue reading “… Buried with a stake of holly through his heart …”