20 April 1912. Irish-born novelist, Bram Stoker, died (aged 65). He’s best known for the gothic novel Dracula which tells the story of Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England to find new blood and spread the undead curse. This is opposed by Abraham Van Helsing. pic.twitter.com/2dBNl3c2Zl

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

#RIP #OTD in 1699 dramatist (Phèdre, Andromaque, Athalie), one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, (Molière & Corneille), Jean Racine died from liver cancer in Paris, aged 59. Saint-Étienne-du-Mont church in Paris https://t.co/CKEPIItIdH pic.twitter.com/Q6IvgmLUz0

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 21, 2023

21 April 1816. Charlotte Brontë was born in Thornton, Yorkshire. She was the eldest of the three Brontë sisters, whose novels became classics of English literature. Her 4 completed novels were: Jane Eyre, her most famous novel, Shirley, Villette, and The Professor. pic.twitter.com/kODUm1jDaO

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

21 April 1910. Acclaimed American novelist and wit, Mark Twain, died (aged 74). He’s been called “the father of American literature”. His novels include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and its sequel, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. pic.twitter.com/jqmbETjFR7

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

#RIP #OTD in 1616, soldier, novelist (Don Quixote), poet and playwright, El Príncipe de los Ingenios (“The Prince of Wits”), Miguel de Cervantes died in Madrid at the age of 68. Convento de los Trinitarios, Madrid https://t.co/U257n8X1WC pic.twitter.com/kuNlyISm6C

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 22, 2023

22 April 1899. Russian novelist, Vladimir Nabokov, was born in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire. His first 9 novels were written in Russian but he achieved international fame through his controversial English language novel, Lolita, which was turned into a film. pic.twitter.com/kGw7Y1dGix

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

#RIP #OTD in 1995 poet and translator, muse of Donald Hall, New Hampshire's poet laureate, Jane Kenyon died from leukemia in Wilmot, New Hampshire, aged 47. Proctor Cemetery, Andover, New Hampshire https://t.co/U257n8X1WC pic.twitter.com/zajzMy74WO

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 22, 2023

23 April 1564 (probably). William Shakespeare, the greatest writer in the English language, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, on this day (though baptised on 26 April 1564). He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon” or simply “The Bard”. pic.twitter.com/sYw4KYEjZv

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 23, 2023

23 April 1616 (probably). William Shakespeare, died (aged 52). There is expert disagreement over the exact number of plays he wrote, with 37 for sure, but most probably several more. He also wrote 154 poetic sonnets. His plays have been translated into hundreds of languages. pic.twitter.com/HSgjbp2TeU

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 23, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1850, Romantic poet (The Prelude), William Wordsworth died from pleurisy at home in Rydal, England, aged 80. St. Oswald’s church in the village of Grasmere, in the Lake District, Cumbria, England https://t.co/htrHWaYkt3 pic.twitter.com/Vy4nWxE15x

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

23 April 1915. Rupert Brooke (aged 27), died of an infected mosquito bite, en route to Gallipoli. One of his best poems of WW1 was, The Soldier. He was also known for his good looks, prompting the Irish poet W. B. Yeats to describe him as “the handsomest young man in England”. pic.twitter.com/aGvkF5sjiy

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 23, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1995 lawyer, sports journalist, broadcaster, author, Howard Cosell died at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in Manhattan of a cardiac embolism at the age of 77. Westhampton Cemetery, Westhampton, New York https://t.co/htrHWaYkt3 pic.twitter.com/ZfowCS9pQj

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

23 April 1996. Australian writer, P. L. Travers, died (aged 96). She was best known for the Mary Poppins series of children’s books, which feature the magical nanny, Mary Poppins, who was played by Julie Andrews (left) in the classic 1960s Disney film. pic.twitter.com/kxDnhO42GU

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 23, 2023

24 April 1731. Political satirist, Daniel Defoe, died (aged 70). He’s best known as the author of the novel, Robinson Crusoe, about a castaway who spends 28 years on a remote desert island before being rescued. Only the Bible has had more foreign translations than Defoe’s novel. pic.twitter.com/k6U7NKPylf

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 24, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1947, author (O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, My Ántonia) Willa Cather died of a cerebral hemorrhage in her home on Park Avenue in Manhattan, aged 73. Old Burying Ground, behind the Jaffrey Center Meeting House in Jaffrey, New Hampshire https://t.co/dZM8B2tyO6 pic.twitter.com/gyrT9NnHSy

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 24, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1595, poet (Gerusalemme liberata) Torquato Tasso died at the convent of Sant’Onofrio in Rome at the age of 51. Sant’Onofrio (Tasso in the Hospital of St. Anna at Ferrara by Eugène Delacroix) https://t.co/8jcwekNY4Q pic.twitter.com/wvqikg0854

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 25, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1566, La Belle Cordière, (The Beautiful Ropemaker), French poet of the Renaissance, Louise Labé died in Parcieux-en-Dombes, France at the age of about 44. Interred on her country property close to Parcieux-en-Dombes, outside Lyon https://t.co/8jcwekNY4Q pic.twitter.com/Q2FfA06PCF

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 25, 2023

25 April 1719. The popular novel, Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe was first published. The story was inspired by Alexander Selkirk who was rescued from a desert island near Chile. In the novel, Crusoe spends 28 years on a remote tropical desert island before being rescued. pic.twitter.com/0YH4yX4AR8

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 25, 2023

#RIP #OTD in 1878 novelist (Black Beauty) Anna Sewell died of hepatitis or tuberculosis in Old Catton, Norfolk, England, aged 58. Quaker burial-ground in Lamas near Buxton, Norfolk https://t.co/8jcwekNY4Q pic.twitter.com/crdjTMd8vq

— RIP The Final Footprint (@RIPTFF) April 25, 2023

27 April 1667. Blind and poverty stricken, John Milton sold the copyright of his epic poem Paradise Lost for £10 (now worth £1,000). Paradise Lost is widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written. pic.twitter.com/cOSQgyPbk0

— Prof. Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) April 27, 2023