January 19 Writer Birthdays

1803 – Sarah Helen Power Whitman, American poet, essayist, transcendentalist, and Spiritualist, and a romantic interest of Edgar Allan Poe.

1809 – Edgar Allen Poe, American author, poet, editor, and literary critic who was a central figure in the Romantic movement and in all of American literature and who is considered one of the country’s earliest practitioners of the short story, the inventor of detective fiction, and an early contributor to the emerging genre of science fiction; his work is characterized by mystery and the macabre.

1906 – Robin Hyde, South African-born New Zealand poet, journalist, short-story writer, and educator who is considered one of New Zealand’s major poets.

1921 – Patricia Highsmith, award-winning American author novels and short stories, best known for her psychological thrillers.

1924 – Jean-François Revel, French journalist and author of political nonfiction.

1925 – Nina Bawden, award-winning British novelist and author of children’s books.

1931 – Robin MacNeil (full name Robert Breckenridge Ware MacNeil), television news anchor, journalist, and novelist who paired with Jim Lehrer to create the television news program The MacNeil/Lehrer Report.

1941 – Breda Smolnikar, Slovenian fiction writer for adults and children who also writes under the pseudonym Gospa.

1946 – Julian Barnes, English author of literary fiction, recipient of the 2011 Man Booker Prize.

1947 – Paula Deen, American cooking personality, television host, restaurateur, and cookbook author.

1958 – Allen Steele Jr., American science-fiction writer of novels and short stories.

1969 – Casey Sherman, American journalist and true-crime author.