May 20 Writer Birthdays
May 20 Writer Birthdays
1799 - Honore de Balzac, French novelist and playwright who is considered one of the founders of European realism.- 1830 - Hector Malot, French novelist, memoirist, literary critic, and theatre critic.
- 1882 - Sigrid Undset, Nobel Prize-winning Norwegian novelist, known for her powerful descriptions of Northern life during the Middle Ages.
- 1890 - Allan Nevins, American historian and biographer, winner of the 1933 Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Grover Cleveland.
- 1904 - Margery Louise Allingham, English writer of detective fiction, best remembered for her "golden age" stories featuring gentleman sleuth Albert Campion.
- 1919 - Berry Morgan (born Betty Berry Taylor Brumfield), Mississippi-born novelist, short-story writer, professor, and civil-rights activist.
- 1936 - Glenn R. Swetman, American poet, professor, short-story writer, and playwright.
- 1944 - Clyde Edgerton, North-Carolina-born American author and professor whose books are known for endearing characters, small-town Southern dialogue, and realistic fire-and-brimstone religious sermons.
- 1949 - Mary Pope Osborne, American children's book author best known for her popular "Magic Tree House" series.
- 1949 - David William Thomas, Canadian actor, screenwriter, comedian, and director.
- 1951 - Stanley Bing (pen name for Gil Schwartz), business humorist, novelist, and columnist.
- 1952 - Walter Isaacson, American writer and journalist.
- 1955 - Sirivennela (Chembolu SeethaRama Sastry) - Indian poet and film lyricist who writes in the Telugu language; his work shows great versatility, but is best known for its optimism and humor.
- 1956 - Douglas Jerome Preston, American author of thriller novels, often with collaborator Lincoln Child.
- 1963 - Christopher Sorrentino, American novelist of Puerto Rican descent.
- 1966 - Dan Abrams, journalist, author, television host, legal commentator, former anchor of "Nightline," and Chief Legal Affairs Anchor for ABC News.
- 1969 - Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, editor, and biographer,
