-
It is 125 years today since Yasunari Kawabata was born.
Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer born in Osaka. He came from an educated, wealthy family, but he lost his parents at an early age and his only sibling, a sister, died when he was nine years old. These childhood traumas came to inform his writing. After growing up with his maternal grandfather in the countryside, Kawabata read English and Japanese literature at...
-
It is 113 years today since Victor Canning was born.
Victor Canning was a British author of humorous adventure stories and thrillers. He was born in Plymouth, Devon. At the outbreak of the First World War, while his father was doing his military service, he went with his mother and siblings to live with his uncle in Calstock, a few miles north of Plymouth. This was where Canning fell in love with the English countryside, which features prominently...
Sample of Authors
Tangen, Geir
1970 -
The Norwegian author Geir Tangen was born in Øystese in Hardanger where he also grew up. In the family home, reading was ...
Further reading
Lapidus, Jens
1974 -
Jens Lapidus grew up on the outskirts of Stockholm. His mother was a social worker and his father a journalist who, among...
Further reading
Williams, Tennessee
1911 - 1983
American playwright born in Columbus, Mississippi as Thomas Lanier Williams. His father was a travelling shoe salesman, and...
Further reading
Banville, John
1945 -
John Banville is one of Ireland’s best known and most prize-winning authors. He was awarded the Booker Prize in 2005, the K...
Further reading