- 1849 - William Ernest Henley, British poet and critic, born
- 1869 - Edgar Lee Masters, American author, born
- 1880 - Alexander Grin, Russian writer, born
- 1884 - Will Cuppy, American humorist, born
- 1924 - Ephraim Kishon, Israeli writer, born
- 1943 - Nelson DeMille, American novelist, born
- 1948 - Andrei Pleșu, Romanian writer and essayist, born
- 1999 - James White, Northern Irish science fiction writer, died
- 2001 - Peter Maas, American novelist, died