Jack Kerouac, writer on a roll
On this day in 1951 American author Jack Kerouac was preparing to write his defining novel On the Road. The manuscript was to be typed... Read More
Julius Caesar’s day of reckoning
On this day in 32 BC Julius Caesar, Roman general and politician, was assassinated. Famously told by soothsayers to ‘Beware the Ides of March’, Caesar... Read More
Sylvia Beach – brave bookseller and publisher
On this day in 1887 Sylvia Beach, the American publisher and bookseller, was born. Sylvia grew up in Baltimore, Maryland but came to Paris in... Read More
Irving Layton’s ground-breaking male chauvinism
On this day in 1912 the Canadian poet Irving Layton was born. He is known for his combative ‘tell it like it is’ style that... Read More
Douglas Adams writes a guide book
On this day in 1952 English writer Douglas Adams was born. His extraordinary imagination and inventiveness reached its apex in the radio series The Hitchhikers... Read More
Zelda Fitzgerald’s unhappy marriage
On this day in 1948 Zelda Fitzgerald died in a fire at a mental hospital. She is often seen as a mere sidekick to the... Read More
Vita Sackville West’s passionate affairs
On this day in 1892 the author, poet and gardener Vita Sackville West was born. Married to the brilliant writer and politician Sir Harold Nicholson... Read More