May 28: Ian Fleming, British spy novelist

BORN MAY 28:

Ian Fleming (1908-1964) was an English author. Like Arthur Conan Doyle and J. M. Barrie, virtually everything he did was forced to live in the shadow of his One Great Character, in this case: Bond, James Bond. (One exception is his children's book Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, perhaps because of its "loosely based" 1968 film version, scripted by Roald Dahl and starring Dick Van Dyke when he was still a hot commodity.) Anyway, there were 14 Bond novels (by Fleming) and nine short stories; since Fleming's death, there have been nearly 50 Bond books by other authors, including John Gardner and Sebastian Faulks. Several of them are set in Bond's childhood. The character has long outlived his creator, who was himself a British naval intelligence officer during World War II. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the 27 film appearances of Bond, played by seven actors.

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May 27: Tony Hillerman, American detective novelist

BORN MAY 27:

Tony Hillerman (1925-2008) was an American author of detective novels and non-fiction works who wrote the "Joe Leaphorn" and "Jim Chee" series (The Blessing Way, etc.) about Navajo Tribal Police. Hillerman was born in a town in Oklahoma that had been an Indian mission, and was comfortable with some of their folkways. Later, he worked as a journalist in New Mexico, and took a master's degree from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. He wrote 18 Leaphorn/Chee novels and four non-series novels, as well as seven non-fiction books. His daughter Anne Hillerman has continued the Leaphorn/Chee series since his death--seven novels, so far.

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Jan. 19: Edgar Allan Poe, American writer

BORN JANUARY 19:

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) American poet and short story writer and--it was perhaps-unfairly alleged--dope fiend. Notable short stories (he wrote nearly 70) include "The Cask of Amontillado"; "The Fall of the House of Usher"; "The Masque of the Red Death"; "The Pit and the Pendulum"; The Tell-Tale Heart"; and two stories featuring a detective, which Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Homes) called the "root from which a whole literature has developed": "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "The Purloined Letter." Despite the quality of his poems like "Annabel Lee"; "Eldorado"; and "To Helen," all are outstripped in fame by The Raven.

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Dec. 13: Ross Macdonald, American-Canadian writer

BORN DECEMBER 13:

Ross Macdonald (1915-1983) American-Canadian author of crime stories, especially the Lew Archer series. Macdonald imbued stories of the stereotypically "hardboiled" Archer with surprising literary themes and psychological depth--more like Spenser, less like Spade. Not to be confused with John D. MacDonald (that's Travis McGee).

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