September 15

Born:

1789 - James Fenimore Cooper
American writer of fiction dealing with frontier and Indian life, as well as sea tales. Known to players of the Authors card game as the author of The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Deerslayer and The Spy.

1890 - Agatha Christie
British mystery writer, most well known for her Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot series.

1897 - Merle Curti
American historian, winner of the 1944 Pulitzer Prize in History for The Growth of American Thought.

1909 - Betty Neels
English romance author, known for being particularly chaste. Um, woohoo.

1914 - Robert McCloskey
American children's book author and illustrator, many of whose books were set in Maine.

1918 - Alfred D. Chandler, Jr.
American business professor, winner of the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for History for The Visible Hand.

1921 - Richard Gordon
English surgeon and author of medical fiction, in particular the "Doctor in the" series.

1934 - Tomie DePaola
American author and illustrator of over 200 children's books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and Newbery Honor book 26 Fairmount Avenue.

1940 - Norman Spinrad
American science fiction author, winner of both the Hugo and Nebula awards.

Died:
1926 - Rudolf Christoph Eucken
1938 - Thomas Wolfe
1945 - Linnie Marsh Wolfe

1989 - Robert Penn Warren