Let’s celebrate the lives of authors born in the month of April. At Warner Library, our collection is filled with not only their works, but also books about the fascinating lives they lived, their impact on culture, and criticisms of their work. 

We begin the month with a few beloved poets, starting with Hans Christian Anderson, born April 2, 1805 near Copenhagen, Denmark. What could an author born so long ago have to contribute to the minds of the 21^st century? Simply put, those fairy tales he’s famous for engage the imagination and speak to the archetypes buried deep within our subconscious, perhaps that is why so many filmmakers still use these timeless works to move audiences.

On April 3, 1783 Washington Irving was born in New York City. Often cited as the first American to be recognized as an author, he brought humor and sentimentality to his works. For those familiar with the Hudson Valley region of New York, Washington Irving’s works like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Rip Van Winkle animate the culture. The 4^th of April is the birthday of the beloved poet Maya Angelou. She was born in Winston-Salem, Missouri, and wrote novels as well as poetry. Maya was Poet Laureate and read at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration. Her reading of her poem, “Nobody, but nobody, can make it out here alone” is perfect for this pandemic era.