May 23

Born:

1891 - Pär Lagerkvist

Swedish author; winner of the 1951 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the artistic vigour and true independence of mind with which he endeavours in his poetry to find answers to the eternal questions confronting mankind."

1898 - Scott O'Dell
American author primarily of young adult fiction; best known for the 1961 Newbery Award winning Island of the Blue Dolphins.

1910 - Margaret Wise Brown
American author of classic children's books.

1918 - Walter Jackson Bate
American literary critic known for two Pulitzer Prize-winning biographies, of John Keats and Samuel Johnson.

1921 - James Blish
American science fiction and fantasy author.

1933 - Joan Collins
British soap opera actress and author.

1935 - Susan Cooper
English-born American author of children's books, best known for The Dark Is Rising series.

1936 - Peter Parnall
American children's author and illustrator.

1958 - Mitch Albom
American author whose books often have an inspirational theme.

1958 - Paul Street
American journalist, author and political commentator.

1967 - Sean Williams
Australian NYT bestselling science fiction author.





Died:
1906 - Henrik Ibsen
1988 - Aya Kitō

2021 - Eric Carle