The Story of Writing

The Missouri Compromise passes Congress, the world's first national forest was created in Wyoming, "The Star-Spangled Banner" becomes the U.S. national anthem, and it is the birthday of historian Ron…

The U.S. prohibits importation of slaves and the birthday club includes Sholem Aleichem, Kurt Weill, and Theodor Geisel - with a reading from Aleichem's "On the Fiddle."

Yellowstone becomes the world's first national park and the birthday club includes Ralph Ellison and Harry Belafonte - with a reading from Ellison's "Invisible Man."

The birthday club includes Michel de Montaigne, Ben Hecht, Ketti Frings, and Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) - with a reading from Montaigne's "Essays."

England's House of Commons votes to end combat in the American Revolutionary War, Lincoln speaks at Cooper Union, and it is the birthday of John Steinbeck - with a reading from his "Grapes of Wrath."

The Grand Canyon and Grand Teton NP were established, and the birthday club includes Victor Hugo, Levi Strauss, Fats Domino, and Johnny Cash - with a reading from Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame.…

The first impeachment of a U.S. President, the Zimmerman Telegram changes U.S. perception of WWI, and it is the birthday of Judith Butler - with a reading from their "Undoing Gender."

The Gutenberg Bible is published, the Heisenberg uncertainty Principle is fleshed out, Joe Rosenthal snaps the iconic photo of Marines on Mt. Surabachi, and it is Rebecca Goldstein's birthday - with …

"The Long Telegram" is sent to the U.S. State Department, "Moose Murders" opens - and closes - on Broadway, and it is Arthur Schopenhauer's birthday - with a reading from his "The World as Will and R…

"Das Kapital" is published, The New Yorker publishes its first issue, and Erma Bombeck and Nina Simone were born on this day - with a reading from Bombeck's "Family - the Ties that Bind and Gag."

"The Barber of Seville" and "Swan Lake" premier, the Futurist Manifesto, and Hollywood allows U.S. war propagandists censor their movie scripts. Ellen Gilchrist was born on this day - and a reading f…

The Treaty of Westminster is signed, the order allowing internment of Japanese Americans is signed, Betty Friedan publishes "The Feminine Mystique," and Kay Boyle, Carson McCullers, Smokey Robinson, …

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is published, the Chicago Seven are found not guilty, and Wallace Stegner and Toni Morrison were born on this day - with a reading from Morrison's "Song of Solomo…

Isabelle Eberhardt, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, and Chaim Potok were born on this day - with a reading from Eberhardt's notebook.

The Anti-Discrimination Law of 1945 is passed - the first of its kind in the U.S., and it is the birthday of Otis Blackwell - with a reading from Elizabeth Peratrovich's testimony to the territorial …

Christopher Columbus writes a wildly misinformed letter describing the places he'd seen in 1492 and 1493 and it is the birthday of Susan B. Anthony - with a reading from Anthony's "On the Campaign fo…

"The Pale Blue Dot," QWERTY, and Carl Bernstein's birthday - with a reading from Anne Bronte's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall."

ASCAP is formed, the fire bombing of Dresden begins, Australia apologizes to the Stolen Generations, and Eleanor Farjeon and Kate Roberts were born on this day - with a reading from Mary Shelley's "F…

An observation on what it means to be a reader