Here are seven author birthdays for this week. Check out which authors are your favorites, and find out who shares your day.
You can find and buy the books relating to our author birthdays at the LitStack Bookshop on our list of Sharon’s Birthday Picks.
In This Week’s Author Birthdays:
Margaret Ayer Barnes – April 8
Margaret Ayer Barnes, a talented American writer and playwright, was born on April 8 in Chicago. Despite facing adversity with a serious car accident that left her with a broken back at the age of forty in 1926, she courageously pursued her passion for writing. Two of her remarkable plays, including an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence and Jenny, captivated audiences on Broadway with over a hundred performances each. Her debut novel, Years of Grace, not only received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 1931 but also became the best-selling book of its publication year.
Margaret Ayer Barnes continued her streak of success with two additional hit novels, Within This Present and Westward Passage, the latter of which was later transformed into a film starring Ann Harding. Her remarkable literary career came to an end on October 25, 1967, when she died at the age of 81 in her residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Paule Marshall – April 9
Paule Marshall, a celebrated American author, was born on April 9, 1929. She gained widespread recognition for her first novel, Brown Girl, Brownstones, published in 1959. In 1992, Marshall received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship grant at the age of 63. Initially a poet, she eventually transitioned back to writing prose. A testament to her life and work, Marshall’s memoir titled Triangular Road was released in 2009.
In 2010, she won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. She died in Richmond, Virginia on August 12, 2019, having had dementia in her later years.
Penny Vincenzi – April 10
Penelope Vincenzi, formerly known as Penelope Hannaford, entered the world on April 10. A renowned British novelist, she crafted 17 novels and curated 2 collections of stories. By 2014, her works had been embraced by readers worldwide, with sales surpassing an impressive 7 million copies. In the early days of her career in 1962, she embarked on a journey at the Daily Mirror as a secretary. Swiftly rising through the ranks, she caught the eye of women’s editor Marjorie Proops. Recognizing Vincenzi’s passion for journalism, Proops entrusted Vincenzi with research tasks and various responsibilities to nurture her talents.
Penny Vincenzi crossed paths with her beloved future husband Paul Robert Vincenzi at the tender age of 19. Their union brought forth four beautiful daughters before tragedy struck in 2009 when Paul succumbed to a brain tumor. Penny Vincenzi passed away on February 25, 2018 at the age of 78.
Leo Rosten – April 11
Leo Rosten, an American writer and humorist known for his work in scriptwriting, story writing, journalism, and Yiddish lexicography, was born on April 11. Growing up alongside siblings who also spoke both English and Yiddish, Rosten displayed a keen passion for literature and language from a young age, crafting stories as early as nine years old.
Leo Rosten, known by the pseudonym Leonard Q. Ross, gained fame for his captivating tales of the night-school genius Hyman Kaplan. These stories were first featured in The New Yorker in 1935 and later compiled into two acclaimed volumes: The Education of H*Y*M*A*N*K*A*P*L*A*N (1937) and The Return of H*Y*M*A*N*K*A*P*L*A*N (1959). Rosten passed away in New York City at the age of 88 in 1997.
Beverly Cleary – April 12
Beverly Cleary, a renowned American author specializing in children’s and young adult fiction, entered the world on April 12. Her literary achievements have been nothing short of remarkable, with a staggering 91 million copies of her works flying off shelves globally since her debut publication in 1950. The charming backdrop for most of Cleary’s beloved books is the Grant Park neighborhood nestled in northeast Portland, Oregon.
In honor of Beverly Cleary, a renowned author beloved for her iconic characters, a public school in Portland was dedicated to her name. Additionally, in 1995, Grant Park saw the unveiling of several statues depicting her most famous literary creations. Cleary passed away on March 25, 2021, at the remarkable age of 104.
Eudora Welty – April 13
Eudora Welty, a renowned American author and photographer, was born on April 13 in Jackson, Mississippi. She was celebrated for her vivid portrayal of the American South in her short stories and novels. Notably, her novel The Optimist’s Daughter received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty held a deep reverence for the significance of place in storytelling, believing that it is the essence that brings fiction to life by encompassing customs, emotions, and connections. For Welty, place serves as a pivotal element that unravels the narrative by answering fundamental questions such as What occurred? Who is present? Who is approaching? Her book of essays, The Eye of the Story, is required reading for those who wish to write fiction.
Eudora Welty’s house in Jackson, Mississippi has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public as a house museum. She died in Jackson, Mississippi, on July 23, 2001, aged 92.
James Branch Cabell – April 14
James Branch Cabell, born on April 14th, was an esteemed American writer known for his imaginative tales and literary prowess. Despite the fantastical nature of his works, Cabell’s writing carried a sharp wit and satirical edge. Mencken challenged Cabell’s association with romanticism, instead branding him as the most acerbic of all anti-romantics. His vibrant characters embarked on quests akin to how businessmen pursue leisurely activities like golf. However, interest in Cabell waned during the 1930s, partly due to his reluctance to venture beyond the realms of fantasy even amidst the turmoil of World War II.
Throughout his lifetime, James Branch Cabell authored a total of fifty-two literary works, encompassing novels, genealogies, short story collections, poetry, and miscellaneous writings. His passing in 1958 in Richmond was attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage, and he found his final resting place in the Emmanuel Church graveyard at Brook Hill.
Other LitStack Resources
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