April 12 Writer Birthdays
April 12 Writer Birthdays
- 1573 - Jacques Bonfrère, Belgian professor, Jesuit priest, Biblical scholar, and leading commentator on the Old Testament.
- 1823 - Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky, Russian realistic playwright said to have "almost single-handedly created a Russian national repertoire." His dramas are among the most widely read and performed plays in Russia.
- 1904 - Francis Claud Cockburn, Chinese-born Anglo-Scots journalist who was a 2nd cousin to novelists Alec Waugh and Evelyn Waugh.
- 1905 - Inger Hagerup, Norwegian author, playwright, and poet; she is considered one of the greatest Norwegian poets of the 20th century.
- 1907 - Hardie Gramatky, painter, author, and illustrator of children's books; Andrew Wyeth called him one of America's 20 greatest watercolorists.
- 1916 - Beverly Cleary, popular American author of books for children and young adults, best known for Ramona the Pest and the other Ramona books.
- 1921 - Carol Emshwiller, Nebula Award-winning and World Fantasy Award-winning American author of science-fiction novels, fantasy, westerns, magic realism, and short stories.
- 1930 - Bryan Edgar Magee, British philosopher, broadcaster, politician, author, and poet; he is best known as a popularizer of philosophy.
- 1939 - Alan Ayckbourn, English playwright, author, and director.
- 1945 - Serge Schmemann, French-born writer, journalist, and editor.
- 1947 - Tom Clancy, American author of intricate espionage and military thrillers; creator of the character Jack Ryan.
- 1949 - Scott Turow, bestselling American author of legal fiction and nonfiction.
- 1952 - Gary Soto, American poet and young-adult fiction author.
- 1954 - Jon Krakauer, American author and mountaineer, known for his action-packed nonfiction books.
- 1957 - Tama Janowitz, American novelist and satirist.
- 1986 - Elise Parsley, American piano teacher and author/illustrator of children's picture books.