Monday

Dec. 21, 1998

The Fantastics

by Nicholas Bretton

MONDAY 12/21

Reading: An excerpt from "The Fantastics," by Nicholas Bretton (London, 1626).

The WINTER SOLSTICE will occur at 8:56 p.m. EST today, marking the first day of winter—from today onwards the days will be getting longer again.

It's the birthday of the German writer HEINRICH BöLL, born in 1917 in Cologne, Germany, known for his ironic novels about life in Germany during and after World War II.

The world's FIRST CROSSWORD PUZZLE appeared on this day in 1913, in the "FUN" section of the New York World newspaper. It had 32 clues and was originally called a "word-cross" puzzle.

It's the birthday of the JOSH GIBSON, born in Buena Vista, Georgia, in 1911. He played catcher for the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead (PA) Grays in the 1920s and 1930s.

It's the birthday of English novelist ANTHONY POWELL, born in 1905 in London, author of a twelve-volume series of novels A Dance to the Music of Time, published in the period 1951-1975.

It's the birthday of novelist and journalist Cicily Isabel Andrews, better known as DAME REBECCA WEST, born 1892 in London.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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