On this day
December 16 in literary history
Literary history for December 16: 22 writers born, 11 writers who died and 1 literary events from 874 to 2015. Born on this day: Paul Leyden, Steve Mattsson, Sally Emerson.
22writers born
11writers died
1literary events
Writers born on December 16
| Born | Writer | Known as |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Paul Leyden | Australian actor, producer and screenwriter |
| 1959 | Steve Mattsson | American comic book artist and writer (born 1959) |
| 1951 | Sally Emerson | English novelist and travel writer |
| 1947 | Trevor Żahra | Maltese novelist, poet and illustrator (born 1947) |
| 1943 | Steven Bochco | American television writer and producer (1943–2018) |
| 1932 | Quentin Blake | British cartoonist, illustrator and children's writer (born 1932) |
| 1930 | Bill Brittain | American novelist |
| 1928 | Philip K. Dick | American science fiction author (1928–1982) |
| 1927 | Peter Dickinson | English author & poet (1927–2015) |
| 1927 | Randall Garrett | American writer (1927–1987) |
| 1924 | Nicolas Sidjakov | American graphic designer and illustrator |
| 1917 | Arthur C. Clarke | English science fiction writer (1917–2008) |
| 1902 | Rafael Alberti | Spanish poet (1902–1999) |
| 1900 | V. S. Pritchett | British writer and critic (1900–1997) |
| 1899 | Noël Coward | English playwright, composer, actor (1899–1973) |
| 1895 | Marie Hall Ets | American writer (1895–1984) |
| 1865 | Olavo Bilac | Brazilian Parnassian poet, journalist and translator |
| 1849 | Mary Hartwell Catherwood | American writer |
| 1787 | Mary Russell Mitford | English writer (1787–1855) |
| 1775 | Jane Austen | English novelist (1775–1817) |
| 1717 | Elizabeth Carter | English poet and polymath (1717–1806) |
| 1716 | Louis Jules Mancini, Duke of Nevers | French diplomat and writer (1716–1798) |
Writers who died on December 16
| Died | Writer | Known as |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Peter Dickinson | English author & poet (1927–2015) |
| 2012 | Jake Adam York | American poet (1972–2012) |
| 2005 | Kenneth Bulmer | British writer |
| 2001 | Stefan Heym | German writer (1913–2001) |
| 1998 | William Gaddis | American novelist (1922–1998) |
| 1974 | Kostas Varnalis | Greek poet (1884–1974) |
| 1965 | W. Somerset Maugham | English playwright and author (1874–1965) |
| 1928 | Elinor Wylie | American poet |
| 1897 | Alphonse Daudet | French novelist (1840–1897) |
| 1859 | Wilhelm Grimm | German author (1786–1859) |
| 874 | Ado of Vienne | Frankish churchman and writer |
Literary events on December 16
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1901 | English writer Beatrix Potter privately published 250 copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit (illustration shown) after several publishers' rejections. |
Featured
Paul Leyden (1972) — Paul Augustine Leyden is an Australian actor, producer, screenwriter and director. He is known for playing the role of Simon Frasier on the American daytime soap opera As the World Turns from 2000 to 2010.
Steve Mattsson (1959) — Steve Mattsson is an American comic book writer and colorist.
Sally Emerson (1951) — Sally Emerson is an English novelist, anthologist and travel writer.
Sources & data
- Compiled from Wikipedia’s “On this day” selections (CC BY-SA 4.0), filtered for writers and literary events.