- 1891 - Zora Neale Hurston, American author born
- 1910 - Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Pakistani poet born
- 1947 - Shobha De, Indian writer born
- 1957 - Nicholson Baker, American novelist born
- 1986 - P. D. Eastman, American children's book writer and illustrator died
- 1986 - Juan Rulfo, Mexican novelist died
- 2005 - Pierre Daninos, French novelist died
