2. 1850 Kate Chopin (Katherine O'Flaherty) born on February 8 to Thomas O'Flaherty, an Irish immigrant, and Eliza Faris, a Creole. 1855 Kate's father dies in a rail accident. Kate begins school at Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis. 1868 Kate graduates from the Academy of the Sacred Heart. KATE CHOPIN

3. 1870 Kate marries Oscar Chopin on June 9 in St. Louis. 1871 Jean Chopin, the first of Kate's six children, is born on May 22. 1882 Kate's husband dies of malaria. 1894 Bayou Folk published. Kate writes "Story of an Hour.“ 1904 Kate visits the Louisiana Purchase Exposition on August 18, where she suffers a stroke. She dies two days later. PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2014. KATE CHOPIN

4. Born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California Steinbeck decided to become a writer at the age of 14, often locking himself in his bedroom to write poems and stories. In 1919, Steinbeck enrolled at Stanford University. Over the next six years, Steinbeck drifted in and out of school, eventually dropping out for good in 1925, without a degree. JOHN STEINBECK

5. Following Stanford, Steinbeck tried to make a go of it as a freelance writer. John Steinbeck served as a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune during World War II. In 1962, the author received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Steinbeck died of heart disease on December 20, 1968, at his home in New York City. Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. JOHN STEINBECK

6. Haruki Murakami was born in Kyoto in 1949. Following the publication of his first novel in Japanese in 1979, he sold the jazz bar he ran with his wife and became a full-time writer. It was with the publication of Norwegian Wood – which has to date sold more than 4 million copies in Japan alone – that the author was truly catapulted into the limelight. HARUKI MURAKAMI

7. Known for his surrealistic world of mysterious (and often disappearing) women, cats, earlobes, wells, Western culture, music and quirky first-person narratives, he is now Japan’s best-known novelist abroad. Nine novels, four short story collections and two works of non-fiction are currently available in English translation. "Biography." - Haruki Murakami. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2014. HARUKI MURAKAMI

8. 1809 Edgar Poe born in Boston to actors David and Eliza Poe, 19 January 1811 Eliza Poe, on theatrical tour, dies in Richmond, 8 December Edgar is taken in by John and Frances Allan 1815 In England with the Allan's (1815– 20) Attends school in London and suburban Stoke-Newington EDGAR ALLAN POE

9. 1821 Continues schooling in Richmond (1821–25) Shows aptitude for Latin, poetry, acting and swimming 1825 Secretly engaged to Sarah Elmira Royster 1826 Student at the University of Virginia Excels in ancient and modern languages Incurs gambling debts EDGAR ALLAN POE

10. 1827 Quarrels with John Allan Leaves for Boston Enlists in U.S. Army as “Edgar A. Perry” Publishes Tamerlane and Other Poems in Boston 1829 Frances Allan dies, 28 February Poe transferred to Fortress Monroe, Virginia Promoted to Sergeant Major Discharged from the army in March Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems EDGAR ALLAN POE

11. 1834 John Allan dies, 27 March 1836 Marries Virginia Clemm (age 13) in Richmond, 16 May 1839 Becomes assistant editor of Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in June 1846 Moves to Fordham, New York “The Cask of Amontillado” (story) 1849 Engaged to widow Sarah Elmira (Royster) Shelton, former fiancée Found delirious in Baltimore, 3 October Dies, 7 October "Poe's Life." Edgar Allan Poe Museum : Poe's Life, Legacy, and Works : Richmond, Virginia. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Aug. 2014. EDGAR ALLAN POE