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The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, May 31, 2026

Posted on May 31, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of Walt Whitman, born in West Hills, Long Island, New York (1819). Whitman worked as a printing press typesetter, teacher, journalist, and newspaper editor.

The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, May 30, 2026

Posted on May 30, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

On this day in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated. The monument was first proposed in 1867, but construction didn’t begin until 1914; the cornerstone was set in 1915.

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, May 29, 2026

Posted on May 29, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of comedian Bob Hope (1903), born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, near London. His first successful show-biz venture came at the age of 10, when he won a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest.

The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, May 28, 2026

Posted on May 28, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of American novelist Walker Percy, born in Birmingham, Alabama (1916). He is known most for his first novel, The Moviegoer (1961), which tells the tale of a young Southern man named Binx Bolling.

The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Posted on May 27, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

Today is the birthday of marine biologist and writer Rachel Carson, born in Springdale, Pennsylvania (1907). She was an English major at the Pennsylvania College for Women, but in her junior year, she took a biology course.

The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Posted on May 26, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It was on this day in 1521 that German priest and theologian Martin Luther was declared an outlaw and his writings were banned by the Edict of Worms. The edict made Luther more of a hero than he already was.

The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, May 25, 2026

Posted on May 25, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It was on this day in 1897 that 21-year-old novelist Jack London sailed from San Francisco, on his way to the Klondike to search for gold. He was on board the SS Umatilla with his brother-in-law, James Shepard.

The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, May 24, 2026

Posted on May 24, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It’s the birthday of poet Joseph Brodsky, born in St. Petersburg, Russia (1940). He grew up in the Soviet Union and began writing poetry as a young man. He became popular in underground literary circles.

The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, May 23, 2026

Posted on May 23, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

Today is the birthday of writer, literary critic, and woman of letters Margaret Fuller, born in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts (1810). She was the first of eight children, and a precocious child.

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, May 22, 2026

Posted on May 22, 2026 - Writer's Almanac

It was on this day in 1967 that a show featuring a kindly man in a cardigan and blue sneakers debuted on public television and introduced millions of schoolchildren to the concepts of peace, patience, and diversity.

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