11 March 1952. Douglas Adams was born in Cambridge. He was the author of the novel based on the BBC Radio 4 Series, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which follows Englishman Arthur Dent and his friend, Ford Prefect, an alien who researches a pan-galactic encyclopaedia. pic.twitter.com/sQkUJXyBH0

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 11, 2023

12 March 1922. Beat novelist, Jack Kerouac, was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. He’s best known for the influential Beat Generation novel, On The Road, which follows Kerouac and his friends on a journey across the USA, against a backdrop of jazz, poetry, and drug use. pic.twitter.com/YsJYb8BQjW

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 12, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 2001 author (The Osterman Weekend, The Holcroft Covenant, The Apocalypse Watch, The Bourne Trilogy) Robert Ludlum died of a heart attack at his home in Naples, Florida, aged 73. Cremation https://t.co/wAv87zytDw pic.twitter.com/h7xOEzXRlO

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 12, 2023

12 March 2015. Popular fantasy novelist, Terry Pratchett, died (aged 66). He’s best known for his Discworld series of 41 novels. With more than 85 million books sold worldwide, translated into 37 languages, he is one of the UK’s best-selling authors. pic.twitter.com/SCM7Bnxhzz

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 12, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1943, poet ("John Brown’s Body), short story writer ("The Devil and Daniel Webster", "By the Waters of Babylon), novelist, Stephen Vincent Benét, died of a heart attack in New York City, aged 44. Evergreen Cemetery, Stonington, Connecticut https://t.co/NjLNKjozIl pic.twitter.com/dTgTJS1jtv

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 13, 2023

17 March 1951. Dennis the Menace appeared for the first time in the British children’s comic, The Beano. The creation of Dennis proved hugely popular. On 14 September 1974, Dennis the Menace replaced Biffo the Bear on the front cover and has been there ever since. pic.twitter.com/mIalQQX1Gc

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 17, 2023

This day 250 years ago – 18 March 1768 – Laurence Stern died.

Born in Clonmel, Tipperary, Stern was well known for novels such as The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy.

He was also a vocal critic of slavery, as shown by his letter to former slave Ignatius Sancho in 1766. pic.twitter.com/U5N957sXRu

— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) March 18, 2018

18 March 1893. Poet Wilfred Owen was born in Oswestry. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of the trenches included Dulce et Decorum est, Insensibility, Anthem for Doomed Youth and Futility. pic.twitter.com/12R0IyRmf6

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 18, 2023

18 March 1932. Acclaimed US novelist , John Updike, was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. He’s best known for his “Rabbit” series of novels. He’s one of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once. pic.twitter.com/Ks5DBpvYd8

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 18, 2023

18 March 1980. German philosopher, Erich Fromm, died (aged 79). He was a German Jew who fled the Nazi regime and settled in the USA. He’s best known for his thought-provoking book Escape from Freedom which examined the psychological reasons for rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany. pic.twitter.com/MXjGQFUPLc

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 18, 2023

19 March 1933. Acclaimed novelist, Philip Roth, was born in Newark, New Jersey. His novels were autobiographical and were often set in his hometown. They are mostly provocative explorations of American identity. Eight of Roth’s novels and short stories have been adapted as films. pic.twitter.com/b9LTNontt2

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 19, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 2008, science fiction writer (2001: A Space Odyssey), science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, TV series host Sir Arthur C. Clarke died in Colombo, Sri Lanka; respiratory failure, aged 90. Colombo’s central cemetery https://t.co/ca5u5GUGow pic.twitter.com/bUFQTtfV34

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 19, 2023

#RIP #OTD Arthur C. Clarke epitaph...

He never grew up,
but he never stopped growinghttps://t.co/ca5u5GUGow pic.twitter.com/AXiyfAAmf5

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 19, 2023

20 March 1828. Legendary playwright and poet, Henrik Ibsen, was born in Skien, Norway. His major works include: Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, A Doll’s House, and Hedda Gabler. His plays are the second most frequently performed in the world after Shakespeare. pic.twitter.com/GYWgCsgSCH

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 20, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1964, Irish poet, short story writer, novelist (Borstal Boy), playwright (The Hostage) Brendan Behan died at Meath Hospital in Dublin after collapsing at the Harbour Lights bar, aged 41. Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin https://t.co/FoA8zejfkS pic.twitter.com/nQem8TPnif

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 20, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1994 writer, humorist, newspaper columnist (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Lewis Grizzard died; complications of heart-valve surgery in Atlanta, aged 47. Some cremated remains scattered; 50-yard line of Sanford Stadium, University of Georgia https://t.co/FoA8zejfkS pic.twitter.com/PYysYeXcoo

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 20, 2023

21 March 2017. British author, Colin Dexter (pictured centre), died (aged 86). He was best known as the writer of the Inspector Morse series of novels, which were adapted into a popular ITV series, starring John Thaw and Kevin Whately, which ran from 1987 to 2000. pic.twitter.com/EZtoU4OrZe

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 21, 2023

22 March 1832. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe died (aged 82). He’s one of the greatest German literary figures of all time. He wrote poetry, novels and non-fiction. Matthew Arnold called him “the clearest, the largest and most helpful thinker of modern times”. pic.twitter.com/WG1bwThrPO

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 22, 2023

22 March 1971. Internationally renowned historian, Professor Peter Frankopan, was born in London. He’s best known as the author of the landmark book, The Silk Roads, which became an international best seller in 2015. The Sunday Times has described him as a “rock star historian”. pic.twitter.com/yEy7yijrmP

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) March 22, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1842, writer (Le Rouge et le Noir, La Chartreuse de Parme) Stendhal died in Paris at the age of 59. Cimetière de Montmartre in Paris https://t.co/QHHEkzddpA pic.twitter.com/ohR8rwwuDm

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) March 23, 2023