March 06

Luigi Alamanni (1495–1556) began his career in Florence before exile following the Medici restoration. He settled at the French court, serving King Francis I as a diplomat and advisor. Alamanni’s major poetry collection, 'Opere Toscane,' blended classical forms with biting satire against political corruption. He also wrote the didactic poem 'La Coltivazione,' celebrating rural life. His lyrical style influenced French and Italian literature of the period. Alamanni’s life bridged cultural and political spheres during a turbulent era of Renaissance Italy.

Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac (1619–1655) was a flamboyant French writer and soldier known for his adventurous spirit. His satirical works, including 'L’Autre Monde' (The Other World), imagined voyages to the Moon and Sun, blending fantasy with sharp social commentary. Cyrano’s helmet and swordsmanship made him a fabled duelist in Parisian salons. Though his plays were less successful during his lifetime, his reputation grew posthumously. His life and character inspired Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' immortalizing his eloquence and bravado. His writings anticipate modern science fiction with their imaginative scope and technical speculation.

Lucy Barnes (1780–1809) was an American writer whose religious essays gained recognition after her death. Raised in a devout Universalist family in Massachusetts, she composed reflections on faith and morality in verse and prose. Her most famous work, 'The Female Christian', was published in 1811, offering spiritual guidance to women in the early 19th century. Barnes's writings emphasize piety, charity, and the importance of personal devotion. Despite a brief life, her thoughtful observations resonated with contemporary readers. She remains a significant female voice in early American religious literature.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian age. Her sonnet sequence 'Sonnets from the Portuguese', written for her husband Robert Browning, remains a classic of romantic poetry. She addressed social issues such as slavery in 'The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point' and women's struggles in 'Aurora Leigh'. Despite chronic ill health, she maintained a prolific output and corresponded with leading intellectuals of her time. Born in England to a well-to-do family, she later settled in Italy with her husband. Her fusion of lyrical beauty and moral fervor secured her place as a literary icon.

George du Maurier (1834–1896) began his career as a talented illustrator for the British magazine Punch. He later achieved fame with his 1894 novel 'Trilby', which introduced the character 'Svengali'. Du Maurier’s witty cartoons captured Victorian society with humor and keen observation. He came from a distinguished literary family and influenced early 20th-century fiction through his storytelling. His dual talents bridged the worlds of visual satire and popular literature, leaving a lasting cultural impact.

Viktor Alexandrovich Burenin (1841–1926) gained notoriety for his sharp, satirical criticism of Russian authors and intellectuals. He wrote several plays that explored moral and social issues in late Imperial Russia. Burenin’s poetry and essays blended humor with incisive commentary on contemporary society. Though controversial, he played a key role in the literary debates that shaped Russian literature before the revolution. His work remains studied for its bold style and its reflection of 19th-century Russian cultural conflicts.

Born in 1877 in Yorkshire, Rose Fyleman published her first poem at age eighteen in Punch magazine. She gained fame with her delightful children's poetry, most notably 'There Are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden'. Over her career, Fyleman released numerous collections that captured youthful imagination and playfulness. She also wrote short stories and articles for periodicals, contributing to children's literature during the interwar period. Her lyrical style and charming themes have endured, delighting readers long after her death in 1957.

Stanisław Jerzy Lec was born in Lwów (now Lviv) in 1909 and emerged as a key figure in Polish literary circles. His early works reflected avant-garde and surrealist influences, but he gained international fame for his collection 'Unkempt Thoughts,' a series of aphorisms that satirize political and social absurdities. Lec's concise and ironic style made his comments timeless, though his works were sometimes censored under the Communist regime. He remains an enduring voice of free thought and humor in literature.

Born in 1921 in Vienna, Leo Bretholz narrowly survived Nazi persecution through a series of escapes across Europe. His remarkable journey took him from Austria to France and eventually to the United States in 1945. Bretholz detailed these experiences in his memoir 'Leap into Darkness', offering a personal and harrowing account of survival against overwhelming odds. After the war, he became an author and educator, speaking widely about Holocaust remembrance and tolerance. He co-founded Holocaust survivors organizations and worked to honor the memory of those lost. Bretholz passed away in 2014, remembered for his resilience and commitment to sharing his story.

William J. Bell co-created and executive produced the daytime drama 'The Young and the Restless' in 1973. He later launched 'The Bold and the Beautiful' in 1987, both of which became top-rated soap operas. Bell's storytelling focused on complex family dynamics and romantic entanglements. He began his career writing scripts for network television and soap operas. Throughout his career, he won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series. Bell founded a production company that influenced generations of television writers. He passed away in 2005, leaving a legacy as one of the most successful figures in daytime television.

Gabriel García Márquez popularized magical realism with his masterpiece 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'. His novels and stories blend the supernatural with everyday life, capturing the essence of Latin American culture. Other notable works include 'Love in the Time of Cholera' and 'Chronicle of a Death Foretold'. Born in Aracataca, Colombia, he began his career as a journalist before turning to fiction. Márquez served as a foreign correspondent in Europe and Latin America and co-founded the publishing house Editorial Sudamericana. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature for his rich and imaginative storytelling. García Márquez died in Mexico City in 2014, leaving an indelible mark on world literature.

Richard Corliss (March 6, 1944 – April 23, 2015) was a prominent American film critic and writer for Time magazine. He joined Time in 1970 and became its chief film critic, shaping public discourse on cinema for nearly four decades. Corliss authored the acclaimed 'Talking Pictures' and explored film history, directors, and cultural impact. His accessible writing combined deep knowledge with wit, earning respect among both filmmakers and readers. After leaving Time, he contributed to publications like the Los Angeles Times and Entertainment Weekly. His legacy endures through his extensive body of work that chronicled and critiqued the evolution of film.