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The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, April 13, 2026

Posted on April 13, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of the man who said: “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” That’s Thomas Jefferson, born in Albemarle County, Virginia (1743).

The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, April 12, 2026

Posted on April 12, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of novelist Tom Clancy, born in Baltimore, Maryland (1947). As a kid, Clancy was obsessed with naval history, reading books written for engineers and officers.

The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, April 11, 2026

Posted on April 11, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of poet Mark Strand, born in Summerside on Prince Edward Island, Canada (1934). His father worked for Pepsi-Cola, and the family moved frequently.

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, April 10, 2026

Posted on April 10, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of prolific travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux, born in Medford, Massachusetts (1941). He entered college with the plan to become a doctor.

The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, April 9, 2026

Posted on April 9, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of Hugh Hefner, born in Chicago, Illinois (1926). He is the founder, editor-in-chief, and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy magazine.

The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Posted on April 8, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

On this date in 1911, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity. The term refers to the quality of certain materials to exhibit no electrical “friction” or resistance below a certain temperature.

The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Posted on April 7, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of poet William Wordsworth, born in Cockermouth, England (1770). As a young man, he studied at Cambridge and went on long walking tours through the Lake District and the Alps.

The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, April 6, 2026

Posted on April 6, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of Merle Haggard, born near Bakersfield, California (1937). It was the height of the Depression, and his parents had moved from Oklahoma to California to look for work.

The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, April 5, 2026

Posted on April 5, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of the American crime and suspense writer Robert Bloch, born in Chicago (1917). He wrote many stories, novels, and screenplays, but he is best known for creating the psychopathic killer Norman Bates in his novel Psycho.

The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, April 4, 2026

Posted on April 4, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of Marguerite Duras, born in a small village in French Indochina near what is now Saigon, Vietnam (1914). Her parents had left France to teach in Indochina, her dad died, and Duras grew up in poverty.

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