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Here are seven author birthdays for this week.
Check out which authors are your favorites, and find out who shares your day.
In This Week’s Author Birthdays
Victor Hugo – February 26
On this day, February 26, in 1802, Victor Hugo was born in Besançon, France. Considered one of France’s greatest authors, the man who penned Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was born at a time of great political upheaval both in his country, and in his family. His father was an officer in Napoleon’s army, but his mother was a staunch supporter of the Bourbon Monarchy. Early in his career he gained fame as a poet and in 1841 was honored by King Louis-Philippe, but was exiled when Napoleon III seized power ten years later.
Returning to Paris in 1870, he was hailed as a national hero. He remained active politically, championing social issues, until his death from pneumonia at age 83.
John Steinbeck – February 27
On this day, February 27, in 1902, John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California. The author of such classics as The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden and Of Mice and Men grew up in a frontier town, working on ranches and in the company of migrant workers, which was to become important in his writing. Politically, he was an enigma, championing worker’s rights and standing up for friend and fellow writer Arthur Miller during the government’s Un-American Activities Committee trials.
But he also possibly worked for the CIA and was a staunch supporter of the war in Vietnam, which he considered a heroic venture (both his sons were in the military). He died of heart failure in New York in 1968, at age 66.
Daniel Handler – February 28
On this day, February 28, in 1970, Daniel Handler, perhaps better known as author Lemony Snicket, was born in San Francisco, California. A self-described human secularist, and an accomplished accordion player (appearing on albums for The Magnetic Fields, and other Stephin Merritt side projects), he is politically active in social issues and enjoys a good joke at his “own” expense. As Daniel Handler, he has identified himself publicly as Lemony Snicket’s representative and “handler” yet has published 8 novels outside of the Lemony Snicket persona.
Amusingly, once in an interview he gave out his personal philosophy as “Never refuse a breath mint.” He still lives in San Francisco; today he turns 54.
Hermione Lee – February 29
On this day, February 29, British biographer, literary critic and academic Hermione Lee was born in 1948. Her books include The Novels of Virginia Woolf, a study of the Anglo-Irish novelist Elizabeth Bowen, a short critical book on Philip Roth, a critical biography of the American novelist Willa Cather, Willa Cather: A Life Saved Up and a major biography of Virginia Woolf, which was named as one of The New York Times Book Review′s best books of 1997. In 2013 the playwright Tom Stoppard asked her to write his biography; it was published in 2020.
She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2003, promoted to Dame Commander (DBE) in 2013 and again to Dame Grand Cross (GBE) in 2023. Today, she turns 76.
Robert Hass – March 1
On this day, March 1, in 1941, poet Robert Hass was born in San Francisco, California. He served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 1995 to 1997, won the 2007 National Book Award and shared the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for the collection Time and Materials: Poems 1997–2005. In 2014 he was awarded the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets.
He has been hailed as “a lyrical virtuoso who is able to turn even cooking recipes into poetry”, and also has been actively engaged in promoting ecoliteracy (the ability to understand the natural systems that make life on earth possible). Today, he turns 83.
Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) – March 2
On this day, March 2, in 1904, Theodore Geisel, better known by the pen name Dr. Seuss, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. The man who wrote and illustrated such legendary children’s books as Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hears a Who! and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! first used the pseudonym “Seuss” (which actually rhymes with “voice”, not “juice”) in college, when he had been barred from writing for the school newspaper after being caught drinking with friends in his room.
The Pulitzer Prize winning author never had children of his own, “You have ’em; I’ll entertain ’em”, he famously said. He died in 1991 of cancer at age 87.
James Merrill – March 3
On this day, March 3, in 1926, poet James Merrill was born in New York. Winner of every major American poetry award, as well as the Pulitzer Prize (in 1977 for The Divine Comedies), he was the son of the founding partner of investment firm Merrill Lynch. He himself lived modestly with his partner of over 40 years, David Jackson (and later, actor Peter Hooten), spending most of his inheritance on philanthropy, including the Ingram Merrill Foundation, which supports aspiring young writers.
Along with writing poetry, he was an enthusiastic correspondent whose “chief pleasure was friendship.” He died in 1995 of a heart attack at age 68.
Other LitStack Resources
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