August 19

Born:

1689 - Samuel Richardson
English writer and printer whose three main novels were written in epistolary style.

1902 - Ogden Nash
American poet known for his humorous verse.

1903 - James Gould Cozzens
American author known for his penchant for privacy. His Guard of Honor won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1949.

1930 - David G. Compton
British author of science fiction, mystery and crime novels, all under different pseudonyms.

1930 - Frank McCourt
Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, best known as the author of Angela's Ashes.

1944 - Jack Canfield
American motivational speaker and author, best known as the co-creator of the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

1950 - Mary Doria Russell
American novelist who has written in both historical fiction and science fiction.

1961 - Jonathan Coe
English author of political satires like What a Carve Up!





Died:
1936 - Federico García Lorca
1967 - Hugo Gernsback