On this day
April 28 in literary history
Literary history for April 28: 22 writers born, 14 writers who died and 2 literary events from 1630 to 2024. Born on this day: Nikki Grahame, Ian Rankin, Roberto Bolaño.
22writers born
14writers died
2literary events
Writers born on April 28
| Born | Writer | Known as |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Nikki Grahame | English television personality and author (1982–2021) |
| 1960 | Ian Rankin | Scottish crime writer (born 1960) |
| 1953 | Roberto Bolaño | Chilean writer (1953–2003) |
| 1948 | Terry Pratchett | English fantasy author (1948–2015) |
| 1944 | Alice Waters | American chef and author (born 1944) |
| 1941 | Iryna Zhylenko | Ukrainian poet |
| 1934 | Lois Duncan | American novelist, journalist (1934–2016) |
| 1926 | Bill Blackbeard | American writer-editor and comic strip collector (1926–2011) |
| 1926 | Harper Lee | American novelist (1926–2016) |
| 1925 | John Thorn (headmaster) | English writer and educational consultant (1925–2023) |
| 1924 | Dick Ayers | American cartoonist |
| 1923 | Carolyn Cassady | American writer (1923–2013) |
| 1921 | Simin Daneshvar | Iranian writer (1921–2012) |
| 1914 | Michel Mohrt | French editor, essayist, novelist and historian |
| 1911 | Lee Falk | American comics writer (1911–1999) |
| 1910 | Sam Merwin Jr. | American novelist |
| 1902 | Johan Borgen | Norwegian author, journalist and critic |
| 1896 | Tristan Tzara | Romanian-French poet (1896–1963) |
| 1878 | Lionel Barrymore | American actor, director, screenwriter (1878–1954) |
| 1874 | Karl Kraus (writer) | Austrian writer and journalist (1874–1936) |
| 1874 | Sidney Toler | American actor, playwright, and theatre director (1874–1947) |
| 1630 | Charles Cotton | English poet and writer (1630–1687) |
Writers who died on April 28
| Died | Writer | Known as |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Brian McCardie | Scottish actor and writer (1965–2024) |
| 2017 | Mariano Gagnon | American missionary and author |
| 2016 | Jenny Diski | English writer |
| 2015 | Marcia Brown | American children's illustrator and writer (1918–2015) |
| 2014 | Barbara Fiske Calhoun | American cartoonist (1919–2014) |
| 2014 | William Honan | American journalist and author |
| 2013 | Fredrick McKissack | American writer (1939–2013) |
| 2013 | Bernie Wood | Bernie Wood, New Zealand journalist and author (born 1939) |
| 2012 | Matilde Camus | Spanish poet (1919–2012) |
| 2000 | Penelope Fitzgerald | English novelist and biographer (1916–2000) |
| 1998 | Jerome Bixby | American writer |
| 1997 | Ann Petry | American writer (1908–1997) |
| 1976 | Richard Hughes (British writer) | Writer (1900–1976) |
| 1853 | Ludwig Tieck | German poet, writer, and critic (1773–1853) |
Literary events on April 28
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1983 | The West German news magazine Stern begins publishing excerpts from the purported diaries of Adolf Hitler, later revealed to be forgeries. |
| 1983 | The West German news magazine Stern published excerpts from the purported diaries of Adolf Hitler, later revealed to be forgeries. |
Featured
Nikki Grahame (1982) — Nicola Rachele-Beth Grahame was an English television personality and author. She was a contestant on the seventh series of the reality show Big Brother in 2006, which she finished in fifth place.
Ian Rankin (1960) — Sir Ian James Rankin is a Scottish crime writer and philanthropist, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels.
Roberto Bolaño (1953) — Roberto Bolaño Ávalos was a Chilean novelist, short-story writer, poet and essayist.
Sources & data
- Compiled from Wikipedia’s “On this day” selections (CC BY-SA 4.0), filtered for writers and literary events.