1979 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1979.

EventsEdit

May – The Merchant Ivory Productions film The Europeans is released. Its screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala draws on the 1878 Henry James novel of the same name.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
October 25 – The London Review of Books is first issued, its founding editors being Karl Miller, Mary-Kay Wilmers and Susannah Clapp. For its first six months it appears as an insert to The New York Review of Books.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
November – Dambudzo Marechera's The House of Hunger wins the Guardian Fiction Prize.<ref name="Veit-Wild1992">Template:Cite book</ref>
unknown dates
- K. W. Jeter's novel Morlock Night pioneers full-length fiction in the genre he later calls steampunk.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- August Wilson's Jitney is first produced; it becomes the eighth in his "Pittsburgh Cycle".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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February 4 – Ben Lerner, American poet, novelist and critic
February 10 – Johan Harstad, Norwegian novelist<ref>Brageprisen nominations 2010.</ref>
February 27 - Alexander Gordon Smith, British children's and young-adult author
March 28 – Benjamin Percy, American short story writer
April 14 – Patrick Somerville, American novelist and short story writer
May 21 - James Clancy Phelan, American young-adult and thriller writer
June 28 – Florian Zeller, French novelist and dramatist
July 14 – Yukiko Motoya, Japanese fiction writer, playwright, theatre director and voice actress
unknown dates
- D.D. Johnston, Scottish political novelist and university lecturer
- Emily St. John Mandel, Canadian-born novelist<ref>"Mandel, Emily St. John 1979– --" in Contemporary Authors, v. 301. Gale, 2010.</ref>

January – Dilys Cadwaladr, Welsh-language poet (born 1902)
January 27 – Victoria Ocampo, Argentine publisher, writer and critic (born 1890)<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
February 9 – Allen Tate, American poet and essayist (born 1899)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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February 25 – John L. Wasserman, American entertainment critic (car accident, born 1938)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
February 27 – Sir George Clark, English historian (born 1890)
March 26 – Jean Stafford, American short story writer and novelist (heart failure; born 1915)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
April 8 – Breece D'J Pancake, American short story writer (suicide, born 1952)
May 10 – J. B. Morton (Beachcomber), English humorous newspaper columnist (born 1893)
May 14 – Jean Rhys, Dominica-born English novelist (born 1890)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
June 1 – Eric Partridge, New Zealand/British lexicographer (born 1894)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
June 3 – Arno Schmidt, German novelist (born 1914)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
June 7 – Forrest Carter, American genre novelist (heart failure, born 1925)
July 6 – Malcolm Hulke, English television writer (born 1924)
July 7 – Ahmad Qandil, Saudi Arabian poet (born 1911) <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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July 15 – Juana de Ibarbourou, Uruguayan poet (born 1892)
July 21 – Eugène Vinaver, Russian-born English literary scholar (born 1899)
July 23 – Joseph Kessel, French journalist and novelist (born 1898)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
July 29 – Herbert Marcuse, German Jewish philosopher (born 1898)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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August 8 – Nicholas Monsarrat, English novelist (born 1910)
August 16 – Jerzy Jurandot (Jerzy Glejgewicht), Polish poet and dramatist (born 1911)
August 20 – Christian Dotremont, Belgian painter and writer (born 1922)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
August 22 – James T. Farrell, American novelist (born 1904)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
September 5 – John Bradburne, English poet and missionary (killed by guerillas; born 1921)
September 6 – Guy Bolton, British playwright (born 1884)<ref>"Mr Guy Bolton", obituary, The Times, 23 November 1979, p. 11</ref>
September 25 – Zhou Libo (周立波), Chinese novelist and translator (born 1908)
October 6 – Elizabeth Bishop, American poet (born 1911)
October 17 – S. J. Perelman, American humorist (born 1904)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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October 18 – Virgilio Piñera, Cuban poet and short-story writer (born 1912)
December 12 – Goronwy Rees, Welsh journalist and academic (born 1909)<ref name=myglyw>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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