Albums APHC Clips Audio Events Prairie Home Archives Songs Writer's Almanac
Writer's Almanac

To subscribe to the Writer’s Almanac Anniversary Episode email, which includes the unedited text and audio from one daily anniversary episode selected from the archive, click here >>>

To browse archived episodes of The Writer’s Almanac from before 2017, click here >>>

• • • • •

To support The Writer’s Almanac Anniversary Episodes newsletter, please consider “buying” a donation here >>>

You can also buy a paid subscription to the Anniversary Episode newsletter here >>>

Checks may be made out to Prairie Home Productions, LLC and mailed to:

Prairie Home Productions
P.O. Box 2090
Minneapolis, MN 55402

(Note: donations to LLCs are not tax-deductible)

• • • • •

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, December 17, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, December 17, 2021

200 years ago Kentucky became the first state to abolish debtor’s prison, where often people were imprisoned simply for being poor. Bankruptcy was set up to deal instead with unpayable debts.

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, December 16, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, December 16, 2021

Jane Austen was born on this day, 1775, in England. Author of “Pride and Prejudice”, “Emma” and “Persuasion.”

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, December 15, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, December 15, 2021

230 years ago the Bill of Rights was ratified by the United States of America. These powerful statements were spearheaded by James Madison, later the 4th president of the United States.

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, December 14, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Tuesday, December 14, 2021

It was on this day in 1911 that the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first people ever to reach the South Pole.

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, December 13, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Monday, December 13, 2021

“The Romans would never have found time to conquer the world if they had been obliged first to learn Latin.” — Heinrich Heine, born in Germany on this day in 1797.

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, December 12, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, December 12, 2021

Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.” — Gustave Flaubert , born on this day in France, 1821. Best known for “Madame Bovary”

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, December 11, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Saturday, December 11, 2021

“The best training is to read and write, no matter what…Write what will stop your breath if you don’t write.” — Grace Paley (born 1922).

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, December 10, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Friday, December 10, 2021

Hope is the thing with feathers/That perches in the soul/And sings the tune without the words/And never stops at all.” ― Emily Dickinson, born on this day in 1830.

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, December 9, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Thursday, December 9, 2021

Today is the birthday of poet John Milton (1608), author of the epic poem “Paradise Lost.” We feature Milton’s poem “On His Blindness.”

Read More
The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, December 8, 2021

The Writer’s Almanac for Wednesday, December 8, 2021

The Roman lyric poet, and soldier, Horace was born on this day 65BCE He lived during the time of Caesar Augustus (Octavian), writing his Odes on many topics.

Read More