Author Archives: petrini1

September 21 Writer Birthdays

1638 – Philippe de Courcillon (Marquis de Dangeau), French officer, author, memoirist, and diplomat who is most remembered for keeping a diary of his life at Versailles from 1684 until the year of his death, and using that diary to craft his 19 volumes of published memoirs; despite one critic’s opinion that his memoirs wereContinue reading “September 21 Writer Birthdays”

September 20 Writer Birthdays

1503 – Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, Polish writer, politician, theologian, author, and philosopher who is regarded as the father of Polish democracy. 1614 – Martino Martini (called Wèi Kuangguó in China), Italian Jesuit missionary, cartographer, and historian whose work focused on ancient Imperial China. 1674 – Eustachio Manfredi, Italian mathematician, astronomer, and poet. 1803 – CatherineContinue reading “September 20 Writer Birthdays”

Still the Brightest Witch of Her Age

My favorite Harry Potter character, Hermione Granger, has a birthday today. Hermione was born on September 19, 1979, which would have made her one of the oldest students in her class at Hogwarts. (Harry, born June 31, was one of the youngest.) So Hermione is now 43 years old!!! I am still trying to getContinue reading “Still the Brightest Witch of Her Age”

September 19 Writer Birthdays

1426 – Marie of Cleves, German princess who became the third wife of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and the mother of his only son, King Louis XII of France; she was a writer, poet, and patron of letters who was known for her ballads and other verses. 1757 – Samuel Romanelli, Jewish Italian poet whoContinue reading “September 19 Writer Birthdays”

September 18 Writer Birthdays

1574 – Claudio Achillini, Italian poet, writer, professor, and jurist. 1587 – Francesca Caccini, Italian writer, composer, poet, singer, musician, music teacher, and lute player of the early Baroque era; she was also known by the nickname “La Cecchina.” Her only surviving stage work, La Liberazione di Ruggiero, is widely considered the oldest opera byContinue reading “September 18 Writer Birthdays”

Colonel Anne of the Jacobites

I’ve posted often about my genealogical research, but only about my own family. I’ve also gotten interested in my husband’s family, though I haven’t done a lot of research yet. And tonight I learned of a remarkable woman who may have been an ancestor of his; she was born into his mother’s Scottish clan, theContinue reading “Colonel Anne of the Jacobites”

September 17 Writer Birthdays

1192 – Minamoto no Sanetomo, Japanese shōgun (military dictator) who was an accomplished waka poet. 1479 – Celio Calcagnini (also known as Caelius Calcagninus) Italian humanist, writer, scientist, astronomer, and diplomat who was a major influence on French humanist and satirist François Rabelais’s literary and linguistic ideas. 1684 – Elizabeth Meader Hanson, colonial Anglo-American writerContinue reading “September 17 Writer Birthdays”

Mystery Lover

When I checked my Little Free Library today, the Agatha Christie book I’d left there was gone, and I found this Post-it note. Yesterday, which is most likely when the note was left there, was actually Agatha Christie’s birthday. So I like the timing! And to the person who left the note: Yes! I’ll seeContinue reading “Mystery Lover”

September 16 Writer Birthdays

0508 – Xiao Yi (Emperor Yuan of Liang), Chinese emperor of the Liang Dynasty who was a renowned writer and collector of ancient books. 1462 – Pietro Pomponazzi (also known by his Latin name, Petrus Pomponatius), Italian writer, philosopher, professor, and medical doctor; he has been called the Herald of the Renaissance. 1557 – MartinContinue reading “September 16 Writer Birthdays”