August 11

Born:

1892 - Hugh MacDiarmid
The pen name of Scottish poet Christopher Murray Grieve, whose most well-known work is the book-length poem A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle.

1897 - Enid Blyton
 British children's author also known as Mary Pollock. Known for the Character Noddy, and series like The Famous Five and The Secret Seven.

1908 - Don Freeman
American children's book author and illustrator; author of the classic Corduroy.

1921 - Alex Haley
 African-American writer best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the co-author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X

1936 - Andre Dubus II
American short story writer and essayist, father of the author Andre Dubus III.

1961 - David Brooks
 American political and cultural commentator who writes for the New York Times, and has authored several books on American culture.




Died:
1937 - Edith Wharton
1979 - J. G. Farrell