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The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, August 20, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, August 20, 2026

It’s the birthday of novelist Jacqueline Susann, born in Philadelphia (1918). She wanted to be an actress, so she moved to New York when she graduated from high school, but she never had much success.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, August 19, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Today is the birthday of Gene Roddenberry, born in El Paso, Texas (1921). He was working as a TV writer and producer at NBC when, in 1964, he got the idea for a new series about space exploration — “a Wagon Train to the stars,” as he described it.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, August 18, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Today is the birthday of Italian-born Viennese composer Antonio Salieri, born in Legnago, in the Republic of Venice (1750). Although he was quite popular in the 18th century, he probably wouldn’t be well known today were it not for the movie Amadeus (1984).

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The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, August 17, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, August 17, 2026

It’s the birthday of mystery writer Steve Hockensmith (1968), born in Louisville, Kentucky. His background is in journalism, and he’s worked for the Chicago Tribune, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Newsday.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, August 16, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, August 16, 2026

It’s the birthday of Mary Clarissa Agatha Miller, better known as mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890) born in Torquay, Devon, England. Christie had an unconventional childhood.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, August 15, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, August 15, 2026

Permanent construction began on the Berlin Wall on this date in 1961. After World War II, Germany had been divided up by British, French, Soviet, and American occupying forces.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, August 14, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, August 14, 2026

It’s the birthday of one of the best-selling authors of all time: novelist Danielle Steel, born in New York City (1947). Growing up, she divided her time between New York and Paris, and she was raised by relatives and family employees when her parents divorced.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, August 13, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, August 13, 2026

It’s the birthday of the first man ever to print a book in English, William Caxton, born in Kent, England (1422). He was a wealthy trader and merchant, and also a part-time linguist and translator.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, August 12, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Echo 1, NASA’s first communications satellite, was launched on this date in 1960. Echo was inflatable: a giant Mylar balloon with a reflective aluminum coating. It was 10 stories tall and weighed only 132 pounds.

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The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, August 11, 2026

The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, August 11, 2026

It’s the birthday of American writer Alex Haley born in Ithaca, New York (1921). He was a journalist and freelance writer and went to work doing interviews for Playboy magazine.

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