- Sara Teasdale was born on 8/8/1884. “I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes.” (Sonnets to Duse and Other Poems; Helen of Troy and Other Poems; Rivers to the Sea; Love Songs)
- Shirley Jackson died on 8/8/1965. “I delight in what I fear.” (Hangsaman; The Haunting of Hill House; We Have Always Lived in the Castle; Life Among the Savages; many, many short stories)
- Philip Larkin was born on 8/9/1922. “Life has a practice of living you, if you don’t live it.” (The North Ship; The Less Deceived; The Whitsun Weddings; Jill)
- Hermann Hesse died on 8/9/1962. “If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.” (Peter Camenzind; Gertrud; Siddhartha; Der Steppenwolf)
- Adela Rogers St. Johns died on 8/10/1988. “Happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in sometimes when you’re lucky.” (A Free Soul; Tell No Man; The Honeycomb; many, many screenplays)
Sara Teasdale, July 11, 1919, by Arnold Genthe.
Hermann Hesse, 1929.
A Small Press Life: Books. Art. Writing. Life. Tea. 
Hesse smoked cigars?
LikeLike
Apparently so!
LikeLike
I bet Shirley Jackson would have been an interesting woman to have drinks with.
LikeLike
Oh, for sure. I think that a few hours drinking with her would probably have resulted in a lifetime of stories.
LikeLike
Shirley Jackson, how I love thee!
LikeLike
She was something else!
LikeLike
Sara Teasdale’s quote really jumped out at me. She makes it sound so easy…
LikeLike
It does sound easy, doesn’t it? Sigh. I am not sure I can ever live up to it, but it is a nice goal to keep in mind.
LikeLike
The Larkin is probably my favorite, but they were all great, as usual!
LikeLike
Thank you so much!
LikeLike
Hesse was one who carried me through my turbulent youth. I have thought of his writing and impact so often. And Jackson and Larkin…aahh. You found some excellent writers as always.
LikeLike
Thank you! They are all great in their own ways, aren’t they?
LikeLike