1799 – Honore de Balzac, French novelist and playwright who is considered one of the founders of European realism.
1830 – Hector Malot, French novelist, memoirist, literary critic, and theatre critic.
1882 – Sigrid Undset, Nobel Prize-winning Norwegian novelist, known for her powerful descriptions of Northern life during the Middle Ages.
1890 – Allan Nevins, American historian and biographer, winner of the 1933 Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Grover Cleveland.
1904 – Margery Louise Allingham, English writer of detective fiction, best remembered for her “golden age” stories featuring gentleman sleuth Albert Campion.
1919 – Berry Morgan (born Betty Berry Taylor Brumfield), Mississippi-born novelist, short-story writer, professor, and civil-rights activist.
1936 – Glenn R. Swetman, American poet, professor, short-story writer, and playwright.
1944 – Clyde Edgerton, North-Carolina-born American author and professor whose books are known for endearing characters, small-town Southern dialogue, and realistic fire-and-brimstone religious sermons.
1949 – Mary Pope Osborne, American children’s book author best known for her popular “Magic Tree House” series.
1949 – David William Thomas, Canadian actor, screenwriter, comedian, and director.
1951 – Stanley Bing (pen name for Gil Schwartz), business humorist, novelist, and columnist.
1952 – Walter Isaacson, American writer and journalist.
1955 – Sirivennela (Chembolu SeethaRama Sastry) – Indian poet and film lyricist who writes in the Telugu language; his work shows great versatility, but is best known for its optimism and humor.
1956 – Douglas Jerome Preston, American author of thriller novels, often with collaborator Lincoln Child.
1963 – Christopher Sorrentino, American novelist of Puerto Rican descent.
1966 – Dan Abrams, journalist, author, television host, legal commentator, former anchor of “Nightline,” and Chief Legal Affairs Anchor for ABC News.
1969 – Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, editor, and biographer,
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