This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1978.

Events

March 8 Events Pre-1600 * 1010 – Ferdowsi completes his epic poem ''Shahnameh''. *1126 – Following the death of his mother, queen Urraca of León, Alfonso VII is proclaimed king of León. * 1262 – Battle of Hausbergen between bour ...

–

Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' developed into a " ...

comic science fiction Science fiction comedy (sci-fi comedy) or comic science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that exploits the science-fiction (SF) genre's conventions for comedic effect. Comic science fiction often mocks or satirizes stand ...

series ''

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comic science fiction, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally The Hitchhiker's Guide to th ...

'' originates as a

radio comedy Radio comedy, or comedy, comedic radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve variety show, sitcom elements, sketch comedy, sketches, and various types of comedy found in other media. It may also include more surreal or fantastic element ...

broadcast on the U.K.

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

. *March –

Philip Larkin Philip Arthur Larkin (9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985) was an English poet, novelist, and librarian. His first book of poetry, '' The North Ship'', was published in 1945, followed by two novels, '' Jill'' (1946) and '' A Girl in Winter'' (1 ...

ends his relationships with Maeve Brennan and Betty Mackereth. *April –

James Blaylock James Paul Blaylock (born September 20, 1950) is an American fantasy author. He is noted for a distinctive, humorous style, as well as being one of the pioneers of the steampunk genre of science fiction. Blaylock has cited Jules Verne, H. G. Wel ...

's first published story, "The Ape-Box Affair", appears in ''Unearth'' magazine, pioneering

steampunk Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...

fiction. *

August 1 Events Pre-1600 *30 BC – Octavian (later known as Augustus) enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Republic. *AD 69 – Batavian rebellion: The Batavians in Germania Inferior (Netherlands) revolt under ...

–

Barbara Pym Barbara Mary Crampton Pym FRSL (2 June 1913 – 11 January 1980) was an English novelist. In the 1950s she published a series of social comedies, of which the best known are ''Excellent Women'' (1952) and '' A Glass of Blessings'' (1958). In 1977 ...

is a guest on ''

Desert Island Discs ''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942. Each week a guest, called a " castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings (usu ...

''. *October – The

Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year The ''Bookseller''/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year, originally known as the Diagram Group Prize for the Oddest Title and commonly known as the Diagram Prize, is a humorous literary award that is given annually to a book with an unusua ...

, a humorous award given annually to books with unusual titles, is launched at the

Frankfurt Book Fair The Frankfurt Book Fair (German: Frankfurter Buchmesse, FBM) is the world's largest trade fair for books, based on the number of publishing companies represented. It is considered to be the most important book fair in the world for internationa ...

. The first winner is ''Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice''. *

November 15 Events Pre-1600 * 655 – Battle of the Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. *1315 – Growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy: The Schweizer Eidgenossenschaft ambushes the army of Leopold I in the Battle of Morg ...

–

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that spanne ...

's play ''

Betrayal Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Ofte ...

'', inspired by a seven-year clandestine extramarital affair with

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

presenter

Joan Bakewell Joan Dawson Bakewell, Baroness Bakewell, ('' née'' Rowlands; born 16 April 1933), is an English journalist, television presenter and Labour Party peer. Baroness Bakewell is president of Birkbeck, University of London; she is also an auth ...

, opens at the National Theatre in London, directed by Peter Hall and featuring

Penelope Wilton Dame Penelope Alice Wilton (born 3 June 1946), styled Penelope, Lady Holm between 1998 and 2001, is an English actress. She is known for starring opposite Richard Briers in the BBC sitcom ''Ever Decreasing Circles'' (1984–1989); playing Hom ...

and her husband at this time, Daniel Massey, with

Michael Gambon Sir Michael John Gambon (; born 19 October 1940) is an Irish-English actor. Regarded as one of Ireland and Britain's most distinguished actors, he is known for his work on stage and screen. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivi ...

. *

December 15 Events Pre-1600 * 533 – Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum. * 687 – Pope Sergius I is elected as a compromise between antipopes Paschal and Theod ...

– The

Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the larg ...

's new ''Haus Potsdamer Straße'' is opened in

West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...

Kulturforum The Kulturforum ( en, Cultural Forum) is a collection of cultural buildings in Berlin. It was built up in the 1950s and 1960s at the edge of West Berlin, after most of the once unified city's cultural assets had been lost behind the Berlin Wall ...

. *''unknown date'' –

Antonia White Antonia White (born Eirene Adeline Botting; 31 March 1899 – 10 April 1980) was a British writer and translator, known primarily for ''Frost in May'', a semi-autobiographical novel set in a convent school. It was the first book reissued by Virag ...

's 1933 novel ''

Frost in May ''Frost in May'' is a 1933 novel by the British author Antonia White that was reissued in 1978 as the first book in Virago Press's Modern Classics series of books by neglected women authors. Background ''Frost in May'', first published in 1933 ...

'' becomes the first in

Virago Press Virago is a British publisher of women's writing and books on Feminism, feminist topics. Started and run by women in the 1970s and bolstered by the success of the Women's Liberation Movement (WLM), Virago has been credited as one of several Briti ...

's Modern Classics series of reissues of books by neglected women authors, published in the UK.

New books

Fiction

Etel Adnan Etel Adnan ( ar, إيتيل عدنان; 24 February 1925 – 14 November 2021) was a Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and visual artist. In 2003, Adnan was named "arguably the most celebrated and accomplished Arab American author writing today" ...

– '' Sitt Marie Rose'' * Srikrishna Alanahalli – ''Parasangada Gendethimma'' *

Kingsley Amis Sir Kingsley William Amis (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, short stories, radio and television scripts, and works of social an ...

– ''

Jake's Thing ''Jake's Thing'' is a satirical novel written by Kingsley Amis, first published in 1978 by Hutchinson Plot summary The novel follows the life of Jacques 'Jake' Richardson, a 59-year-old Oxford don who struggles to overcome the loss of his libid ...

'' *

Martin Amis Martin Louis Amis (born 25 August 1949) is a British novelist, essayist, memoirist, and screenwriter. He is best known for his novels ''Money'' (1984) and ''London Fields'' (1989). He received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his memoir '' ...

– '' Success'' * Jessica Anderson – ''

Tirra Lirra by the River ''Tirra Lirra by the River'' is a Miles Franklin Award-winning novel by Australian author Jessica Anderson. Though written some years before, it was first published in 1978. It is included in Carmen Callil and Colm Tóibín's collection ''Th ...

'' *

Aharon Appelfeld Aharon Appelfeld ( he, אהרן אפלפלד; born Ervin Appelfeld; February 16, 1932 – January 4, 2018) was an Israeli novelist and Holocaust survivor. Biography Ervin Appelfeld was born in Jadova Commune, Storojineț County, in the Bukovina ...

– ''

Badenheim 1939 ''Badenheim 1939'' is an Israeli novel by Aharon Appelfeld. First published in Hebrew in 1978 as באדנהיים עיר נופש (''Badenhaim `ir nofesh'', 'resort town Badenheim'), it was his first novel to be translated into English, ...

'' (באדנהיים עיר נופש, ) *

Richard Bach Richard David Bach (born June 23, 1936) is an American writer. He has written numerous works of fiction and also non-fiction flight-related titles. His works include ''Jonathan Livingston Seagull'' (1970) and '' Illusions: The Adventures of a R ...

– ''

Illusions An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may oc ...

'' *

Beryl Bainbridge Dame Beryl Margaret Bainbridge (21 November 1932 – 2 July 2010) was an English writer from Liverpool. She was primarily known for her works of psychological fiction, often macabre tales set among the English working class. Bainbridge won the ...

– '' Young Adolf'' * Thomas Berger – '' Arthur Rex: A Legendary Novel'' *

Thomas Bernhard Nicolaas Thomas Bernhard (; 9 February 1931 – 12 February 1989) was an Austrian novelist, playwright and poet who explored death, social injustice, and human misery in controversial literature that was deeply pessimistic about modern civilizati ...

– '' Yes'' (''Ja'') *

Adolfo Bioy Casares Adolfo Bioy Casares (; 15 September 1914 – 8 March 1999) was an Argentine fiction writer, journalist, diarist, and translator. He was a friend and frequent collaborator with his fellow countryman Jorge Luis Borges. He is the author of the Fan ...

– ''

The Hero of Women ''The Hero of Women'' (Spanish: ''El héroe de las mujeres'') is a book by Argentine writer Adolfo Bioy Casares Adolfo Bioy Casares (; 15 September 1914 – 8 March 1999) was an Argentine fiction writer, journalist, diarist, and translator. H ...

(El héroe de las mujeres)'' *

William Peter Blatty William Peter Blatty (January 7, 1928 – January 12, 2017) was an American writer, director and producer. He is best known for his 1971 novel, ''The Exorcist'', and for his 1974 screenplay for the film adaptation of the same name. Blatty won ...

– ''

The Ninth Configuration ''The Ninth Configuration'' (also known as ''Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane'') is a 1980 American psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by William Peter Blatty, in his directorial debut. The second installment in Blatty's "Fa ...

'' *

Charles Bukowski Henry Charles Bukowski ( ; born Heinrich Karl Bukowski, ; August 16, 1920 – March 9, 1994) was a German-American poet, novelist, and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural, and economic ambience of his adopted ...

– ''

Women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...

'' *

Anthony Burgess John Anthony Burgess Wilson, (; 25 February 1917 – 22 November 1993), who published under the name Anthony Burgess, was an English writer and composer. Although Burgess was primarily a comic writer, his Utopian and dystopian fiction, d ...

– ''

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

'' *

Taylor Caldwell Janet Miriam Caldwell (September 7, 1900August 30, 1985) was a British-born American novelist and prolific author of popular fiction under the pen names Taylor Caldwell, Marcus Holland and Max Reiner. She was also known by a variation of her mar ...

– ''Bright Flows the River'' *

Alejo Carpentier Alejo Carpentier y Valmont (, ; December 26, 1904 – April 24, 1980) was a Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist who greatly influenced Latin American literature during its famous "boom" period. Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, of French an ...

– ''El arpa y la sombra'' (The Harp and the Shadow) *

Chantal Chawaf Chantal Chawaf (born 1943) is a French writer. Biography Chawaf was born in Paris during World War II. After studying art and literature at l'École du Louvre, she married and lived in Damascus for seven years where she had two children. She ...

– ''Rougeâtre'' *

John Cheever John William Cheever (May 27, 1912 – June 18, 1982) was an American short story writer and novelist. He is sometimes called "the Chekhov of the suburbs". His fiction is mostly set in the Upper East Side of Manhattan; the Westchester suburbs; ...

– ''

The Stories of John Cheever ''The Stories of John Cheever'' is a 1978 short story collection by American author John Cheever. It contains some of his most famous stories, including "The Enormous Radio", "Goodbye, My Brother", "The Country Husband", " The Five-Forty-Eight" ...

'' *

C. J. Cherryh Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942), better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is an American writer of speculative fiction. She has written more than 80 books since the mid-1970s, including the Hugo Award-winning novels '' Downbelo ...

– '' Well of Shiuan'' *

Cho Se-hui Cho Se-hui (20 August 1942 – 25 December 2022) was a South Korean author. Early life Cho Sehui was born in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do on 20 August 1942. Cho attended Seorabeol Art College and Kyunghee University in Seoul. Cho was a member of t ...

– '' The Dwarf'' (난장이가 쏘아 올린 작은 공, A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball) *

Brian Cleeve Brian Brendon Talbot Cleeve (22 November 1921 – 11 March 2003) was a writer, whose published works include twenty-one novels and over a hundred short stories. He was also an award-winning broadcaster on RTÉ television. Son of an Irish fathe ...

– '' Judith'' *

Mary Elizabeth Counselman Mary Elizabeth Counselman (November 19, 1911 – November 13, 1995) was an American writer of short stories and poetry. Biography Mary Elizabeth Counselman was born on November 19, 1911, in Birmingham, Alabama. She began writing poetry as a ...

– ''

Half in Shadow ''Half in Shadow'' is a collection of stories by author Mary Elizabeth Counselman. Most of the stories had macabre or horror themes, and appeared previously in the magazine ''Weird Tales'' from the late 1930s through the 1950s. It includes the sto ...

'' *

L. Sprague de Camp Lyon Sprague de Camp (; November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and works of non-fiction, including biog ...

**''

The Best of L. Sprague de Camp ''The Best of L. Sprague de Camp'' is a collection of writings by American science fiction and fantasy author L. Sprague de Camp, first published in hardback by Nelson Doubleday in February 1978 and in paperback by Ballantine Books in May of the ...

'' **''

The Great Fetish ''The Great Fetish'' is a science fiction novel by American writer L. Sprague de Camp. It was first published in ''Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine'' in two parts, as "Heretic in a Balloon" and "The Witches of Manhattan", in the issues for ...

'' **''

Conan the Swordsman ''Conan the Swordsman'' is a collection of seven fantasy short stories and associated pieces by writers L. Sprague de Camp, Lin Carter and Björn Nyberg featuring Robert E. Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. It was first publi ...

'' (with

Lin Carter Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. L ...

and

Björn Nyberg Björn Emil Oscar Nyberg (11 September 1929 – 16 November 2004), was a Swedish fantasy author best known for his additions to the series of Conan stories begun by Robert E. Howard. His primary contribution to the series was ''The Return of C ...

) *

Samuel R. Delany Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ) (born April 1, 1942), is an American author and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays (on science fiction, literature, sexuality, and society). His ...

– ''Empire: A Visual Novel'' *

Don DeLillo Donald Richard DeLillo (born November 20, 1936) is an American novelist, short story writer, playwright, screenwriter and essayist. His works have covered subjects as diverse as television, nuclear war, sports, the complexities of language, per ...

– ''

Running Dog Running dog is a pejorative term for an unprincipled person who helps or flatters those more powerful and often evil. It is a literal translation of the Chinese pejorative (), meaning a yes-man or lackey, and is derived from the tendency of dogs ...

'' *

Nelson DeMille Nelson Richard DeMille (born August 23, 1943) is an American author of action adventure and suspense novels. His novels include '' Plum Island'', '' The Charm School'', and '' The Gold Coast''. DeMille has also written under the pen names Jack ...

– ''

By the Rivers of Babylon ''By the Rivers of Babylon'' is a 1978 thriller novel by Nelson DeMille Nelson Richard DeMille (born August 23, 1943) is an American author of action adventure and suspense novels. His novels include '' Plum Island'', '' The Charm School'', ...

'' *

Phyllis Eisenstein Phyllis Eisenstein (February 26, 1946 – December 7, 2020) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy short stories as well as novels. Her work was nominated for both the Hugo Award and Nebula Award. Early life Eisenstein was born Phy ...

– '' Born to Exile'' * J. G. Farrell – ''

The Singapore Grip ''The Singapore Grip'' is a novel by J. G. Farrell. It was published in 1978, a year before his death. In 2015, ''The Straits Times Akshita Nanda selected ''The Singapore Grip'' as one of ten classic Singapore novels. She wrote, "Neatly weaving ...

'' *

Howard Fast Howard Melvin Fast (November 11, 1914 – March 12, 2003) was an American novelist and television writer. Fast also wrote under the pen names E.V. Cunningham and Walter Ericson. Biography Early life Fast was born in New York City. His mother, ...

– ''Second Generation'' *

Ken Follett Kenneth Martin Follett, (born 5 June 1949) is a British author of thrillers and historical novels who has sold more than 160 million copies of his works. Many of his books have achieved high ranking on best seller lists. For example, in the ...

– '' Eye of the Needle'' *

Alan Dean Foster Alan Dean Foster (born November 18, 1946) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction. He has written several book series, more than 20 standalone novels, and many novelizations of film scripts. Career ''Star Wars'' Foster was the ghos ...

– ''

Splinter of the Mind's Eye ''Splinter of the Mind's Eye'' is a 1978 science-fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster as a sequel to the film '' Star Wars'' (1977). Originally published in 1978 by Del Rey, a division of Ballantine Books, the book was written with the in ...

'' *

Ernest J. Gaines Ernest James Gaines (January 15, 1933 – November 5, 2019) was an American author whose works have been taught in college classrooms and translated into many languages, including French, Spanish, German, Russian and Chinese. Four of his works we ...

– ''In My Father's House'' *

Jane Gardam Jane Mary Gardam (born 11 July 1928) is an English writer of children's and adult fiction. She also writes reviews for ''The Spectator'' and ''The Telegraph'', and writes for BBC radio. She lives in Kent, Wimbledon, and Yorkshire. She has won nu ...

– ''

God on the Rocks ''God on the Rocks'' is a novel written by Jane Gardam and published in 1978. Plot The book is set in a small seaside resort in the North East England, north east of England and starts in 1936. ''God on the Rocks ''takes place in a madhouse, a c ...

'' *

Maurice Gee Maurice Gough Gee (born 22 August 1931) is a New Zealand novelist. He is one of New Zealand's most distinguished and prolific authors, having written over thirty novels for adults and children, and has won numerous awards both in New Zealand an ...

– ''

Plumb Plumb may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Plumb'', a 1995 album by Jonatha Brooke & The Story * ''Plumb'' (Plumb album), 1997 * ''Plumb'' (Field Music album), 2012 * , by Romanian poet George Bacovia People * Plumb (surname) * ...

'' (first in trilogy) *

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

– '' The Human Factor'' *

Donald Hamilton Donald Bengtsson Hamilton (March 24, 1916 – November 20, 2006) was an American writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction about the outdoors. His novels consist mostly of paperback originals, principally spy fiction, but also crime ...

– ''

The Silencers ''The Silencers'' is the title of a 1962 spy novel by Donald Hamilton, the fourth in a series of books featuring assassin Matt Helm. Plot summary When a female agent in Mexico is killed before Helm can complete his mission to extract her, he f ...

'' * Harry Harrison – '' The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You'' *

Roy Heath Roy Aubrey Kelvin Heath (13 August 1926 – 14 May 2008) was a Guyana, Guyanese writer who settled in the UK, where he lived for five decades, working as a schoolteacher as well as writing. His 1978 novel ''The Murderer (Roy Heath novel), The M ...

– '' The Murderer'' *

James Herbert James John Herbert, OBE (8 April 1943 – 20 March 2013) was an English horror writer. A full-time writer, he also designed his own book covers and publicity. His books have sold 54 million copies worldwide, and have been translated into 34 l ...

– '' The Spear'' *

William Hjortsberg William Reinhold "Gatz" Hjortsberg (February 23, 1941 – April 22, 2017) was an American novelist and screenwriter, known for his originality and for writing the screenplay of the film ''Legend''. His novel ''Falling Angel'' was the basis for t ...

– ''

Falling Angel ''Falling Angel'' is a 1978 horror novel by American writer William Hjortsberg. Written in a hardboiled detective style with supernatural themes, it was adapted into the 1987 film ''Angel Heart''. Plot summary Johnny Favorite, a popular cro ...

'' *

Timothy Mo Timothy Peter Mo (born 30December 1950) is a British Asian novelist. Born to a British mother and a Hong Kong father, Mo lived in Hong Kong until the age of 10, when he moved to Britain. Educated at Mill Hill School and St John's College, Oxfor ...

– '' The Monkey King'' *

John Irving John Winslow Irving (born John Wallace Blunt Jr.; March 2, 1942) is an American-Canadian novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of ''The World According to G ...

– ''

The World According to Garp ''The World According to Garp'' is John Irving's fourth novel, about a man, born out of wedlock to a feminist leader, who grows up to be a writer. Published in 1978, the book was a bestseller for several years. It was a finalist for the Natio ...

'' *

Marshall Jevons Marshall Jevons is a fictitious name, fictitious crime writer invented and used by William L. Breit and Kenneth G. Elzinga, professors of economics at Trinity University (Texas), Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, San Antonio, and the Unive ...

– '' Murder at the Margin'' * James Jones – ''

Whistle A whistle is an instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a small slide whistle or nose flute type to a larg ...

'' *

Ismail Kadare Ismail Kadare (; spelled Ismaïl Kadaré in French; born on 28 January 1936) is an Albanian novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright. He is a leading international literary figure and intellectual. He focused on poetry until the pu ...

– ''

The Three-Arched Bridge ''The Three Arched Bridge'' ( sq, Ura me tri harqe) is a 1978 novel by Albanian author Ismail Kadare. The story concerns a very old Albanian legend written in verses, the " Legjenda e Rozafes". The book differs from the original legend, as the ...

(Ura Me Tri Harqe)'' *

M. M. Kaye Mary Margaret ('Mollie') Kaye (21 August 1908 – 29 January 2004) was a British writer. Her most famous book is ''The Far Pavilions'' (1978). Life M. M. Kaye was born in Simla, British India, and lived in an Oakland, Shimla, a heritage proper ...

– ''

The Far Pavilions ''The Far Pavilions'' is an epic novel of British-Indian history by M. M. Kaye, published in 1978, which tells the story of an English officer during the British Raj. There are many parallels between this novel and Rudyard Kipling's ''Kim'' th ...

'' *

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...

**''

The Stand ''The Stand'' is a post-apocalyptic dark fantasy novel written by American author Stephen King and first published in 1978 by Doubleday. The plot centers on a deadly pandemic of weaponized influenza and its aftermath, in which the few survivin ...

'' **'' Night Shift'' (collection of short stories including " Children of the Corn") *

Christopher Koch Christopher John Koch AO (16 July 1932 – 23 September 2013) was an Australian novelist, known for his 1978 novel '' The Year of Living Dangerously'', which was adapted into an award-winning film. He twice won the Miles Franklin Award (for ' ...

– '' The Year of Living Dangerously'' *

Larry Kramer Laurence David Kramer (June 25, 1935May 27, 2020) was an American playwright, author, film producer, public health advocate, and gay rights activist. He began his career rewriting scripts while working for Columbia Pictures, which led him to Lo ...

– '' Faggots'' * Judith Krantz – ''

Scruples Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's moral philosophy or value system. Conscience stands in contrast to elicited emotion or thought due to associations based on immediate sens ...

'' *

Jaan Kross Jaan Kross (19 February 1920 – 27 December 2007) was an Estonian writer. He won the 1995 International Nonino Prize in Italy. Early life Born in Tallinn, Estonia, son of a skilled metal-worker, Jaan Kross studied at Jakob Westholm Gymnasiu ...

– ''

The Czar's Madman ''The Czar's Madman'' ( et, Keisri hull) is a 1978 novel by Estonian writer Jaan Kross. Plot introduction This historical novel is about a Livonian nobleman, , who has married a peasant girl named EevaThe couple had one son , who made a career ...

'' (''Keisri hull'') * Derek Lambert – ''

The Saint Peter's Plot ''The Saint Peter's Plot'' is a 1978 thriller novel by the British writer Derek Lambert. During the closing stage of the Second World War, the Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (germ ...

'' *

Camara Laye Camara Laye (January 1, 1928 – February 4, 1980) was a writer from Guinea. He was the author of '' The African Child'' (''L'Enfant noir''), a novel based loosely on his own childhood, and ''The Radiance of the King'' (''Le Regard du roi'' ...

– ''Le Maître de la parole – Kouma Lafôlô Kouma'' (The Guardian of the Word) *

Ursula K. Le Guin Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...

– ''

The Eye of the Heron ''The Eye of the Heron'' is a 1978 science fiction novel by American author Ursula K. Le Guin which was first published in the science fiction anthology '' Millennial Women''. Plot introduction ''The Eye of the Heron'' is a science fiction novel ...

'' *

Madeleine L'Engle Madeleine L'Engle DStJ (; November 29, 1918 – September 6, 2007) was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including ''A Wrinkle in Time'' and its sequels: ''A Wind in the Door'', ''A Swiftly Tilting Plan ...

– ''

A Swiftly Tilting Planet ''A Swiftly Tilting Planet'' is a science fiction novel by Madeleine L'Engle, the third book in the Time Quintet. It was first published in 1978 with cover art by Diane Dillon. The book's title is an allusion to the poem "Morning Song of Senli ...

'' *

Robert Ludlum Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 – March 12, 2001) was an American author of 27 thriller novels, best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original '' The Bourne Trilogy'' series. The number of copies of his books in print is estimated b ...

– '' The Holcroft Covenant'' * John D. MacDonald – '' The Empty Copper Sea'' *

David Malouf David George Joseph Malouf AO (; born 20 March 1934) is an Australian poet, novelist, short story writer, playwright and librettist. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2008, Malouf has lectured at both the University of Quee ...

– ''

An Imaginary Life ''An Imaginary Life'' is a 1978 novella written by David Malouf. Story outline It tells the story of the Roman poet Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived dur ...

'' *

Dambudzo Marechera Dambudzo Marechera (4 June 1952 – 18 August 1987) was a Zimbabwean novelist, short story writer, playwright and poet. His short career produced a book of stories, two novels (one published posthumously), a book of plays, prose, and poetry, ...

– ''

The House of Hunger ''The House of Hunger'' ( 1978) is a novella/short story collection by Zimbabwean writer Dambudzo Marechera (1952–1987), his first published book, and was published three years after he left university and ten years before his death.

'' *

Ngaio Marsh Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966. As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of Det ...

– ''

Grave Mistake ''Grave Mistake'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the thirtieth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1978. The plot concerns the supposed suicide of a wealthy widow in a chic rest spa, and involves a rare and fa ...

'' *

Richard Matheson Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is best known as the author of '' I Am Legend'', a 1954 science ficti ...

– '' What Dreams May Come'' *

Ian McEwan Ian Russell McEwan, (born 21 June 1948) is an English novelist and screenwriter. In 2008, ''The Times'' featured him on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945" and ''The Daily Telegraph'' ranked him number 19 in its list of th ...

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The Cement Garden ''The Cement Garden'' is a 1978 novel by Ian McEwan. It was adapted into a 1993 film of the same name by Andrew Birkin, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Andrew Robertson. ''The Cement Garden'' has had a positive reception since its original p ...

'' * James A. Michener – ''

Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: *Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay *Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated plac ...

'' *

Patrick Modiano Jean Patrick Modiano (; born 30 July 1945), generally known as Patrick Modiano, is a French novelist and recipient of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is a noted writer of autofiction, the blend of autobiography and historical fiction. I ...

– ''

Rue des boutiques obscures ''Missing Person'' (french: Rue des Boutiques Obscures) is the sixth novel by French writer Patrick Modiano, published on 5 September 1978. In the same year it was awarded the Prix Goncourt. The English translation by Daniel Weissbort was published ...

'' (translated as ''Missing Person'') *

Alice Munro Alice Ann Munro (; ; born 10 July 1931) is a Canadian short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. Munro's work has been described as revolutionizing the architecture of short stories, especially in its tendency to move f ...

– ''Who Do You Think You Are?'' (''The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose'' in U.S.) *

Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven (; born April 30, 1938) is an American science fiction writer. His best-known works are ''Ringworld'' (1970), which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards, and, with Jerry Pournelle, ''The Mote in God's Eye'' ...

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The Magic Goes Away ''The Magic Goes Away'' is a fantasy short story written by Larry Niven in 1976, and later expanded to a novella of the same name which was published in 1978. While these works were not the first in the "Magic Universe" or "Warlock" series, they ...

'' * Tim O'Brien – ''

Going After Cacciato ''Going After Cacciato'' is an anti-war novel written by Tim O'Brien and first published by Delacorte Press in 1978. It won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction.Andrew J. Offutt Andrew Jefferson Offutt V (August 16, 1934 – April 30, 2013) was an American science fiction, fantasy, and erotic fiction author. He wrote as Andrew J. Offutt, A. J. Offutt, and Andy Offutt. His normal byline, andrew j. offutt, has all his nam ...

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Conan and the Sorcerer ''Conan and the Sorcerer'' is a fantasy novel written by Andrew J. Offutt and illustrated by Esteban Maroto. Featuring Robert E. Howard's sword and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian, it is the first in a trilogy continuing with '' Conan the Merce ...

'' *

John L. Parker Jr. John L. Parker Jr. (born 1947) is an American writer and the author of the cult classic novel '' Once A Runner'' and the more recently published '' Again to Carthage'' and '' Racing the Rain''. The trilogy chronicles the struggles of Quenton Ca ...

– '' Once a Runner'' *

Robert B. Parker Robert Brown Parker (September 17, 1932 – January 18, 2010) was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. AB ...

– '' The Judas Goat'' *

Elizabeth Peters Barbara Louise Mertz (September 29, 1927 – August 8, 2013) was an American author who wrote under her own name as well as under the pseudonyms Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels. In 1952, she received a PhD in Egyptology from the Univers ...

– ''

Street of the Five Moons ''Street of the Five Moons'' (Italian: ''Via delle Cinque Lune'') is a 1942 romantic drama film directed by Luigi Chiarini. It marked the debut of actor Gabriele Ferzetti. It belongs to the movies of the calligrafismo style. Cast * Luisella Begh ...

'' *

William Luther Pierce William Luther Pierce III (September 11, 1933 – July 23, 2002) was an American neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and far-right political activist. For more than 30 years, he was one of the highest-profile individuals of the white nationalist movem ...

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The Turner Diaries ''The Turner Diaries'' is a 1978 novel by William Luther Pierce, published under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald. It depicts a violent revolution in the United States which leads to the overthrow of the federal government, a nuclear war, and, ...

'' *

Belva Plain Belva Plain (October 9, 1915 – October 12, 2010), née Offenberg, was a best-selling American author of mainstream fiction. Biography Belva Offenberg was a third-generation Jewish American who was raised in New York City. She graduated from Ba ...

– ''Evergreen'' *

Mario Puzo Mario Francis Puzo (; ; October 15, 1920 – July 2, 1999) was an American author, screenwriter, and journalist. He is known for his crime novels about the Italian-American Mafia and Sicilian Mafia, most notably ''The Godfather'' (1969), which ...

– '' Fools Die'' *

Mary Renault Eileen Mary Challans (4 September 1905 – 13 December 1983), known by her pen name Mary Renault ("She always pronounced it 'Ren-olt', though almost everyone would come to speak of her as if she were a French car." ), was an English writer best ...

– '' The Praise Singer'' *

Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...

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A Sleeping Life ''A Sleeping Life'' is a crime-novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1978. It features her popular investigator Detective Inspector Wexford, and is the tenth novel in the series. It was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers' Of ...

'' *

Hubert Selby Jr. Hubert "Cubby" Selby Jr. (July 23, 1928 – April 26, 2004) was an American writer. Two of his novels, ''Last Exit to Brooklyn'' (1964) and ''Requiem for a Dream'' (1978) explore worlds in the New York area and were adapted as films, both of whi ...

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Requiem for a Dream ''Requiem for a Dream'' is a 2000 American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher McDonald and Marlon Wayans. It is based on the 1978 novel of the same name ...

'' * Jaswant Singh Kanwal – ''Lahoo Di Lo'' (Dawn of the Blood) *

Whitley Strieber Louis Whitley Strieber (; born June 13, 1945) is an American writer best known for his horror novels '' The Wolfen'' and '' The Hunger'' and for '' Communion'', a non-fiction account of his alleged experiences with non-human entities. He has mai ...

– ''

The Wolfen ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' * Thomas Sullivan – ''Diapason'' *

Julian Symons Julian Gustave Symons (originally Gustave Julian Symons) (pronounced ''SIMM-ons''; 30 May 1912 – 19 November 1994) was a British crime writer and poet. He also wrote social and military history, biography and studies of literature. He was bor ...

– '' The Blackheath Poisonings'' *

John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth ...

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The Coup The Coup is an American hip hop band from Oakland, California. Their music is an amalgamation of influences, including funk, punk, hip hop, and soul. Frontman Boots Riley's revolutionarily-charged lyrics rank The Coup as a renowned political ...

'' *

Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...

– ''

Kalki Kalki ( sa, कल्कि), also called Kalkin or Karki, is the prophesied tenth and final incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is described to appear in order to end the Kali Yuga, one of the four periods in the endless cycle of exist ...

'' *William Wharton (author), William Wharton – ''Birdy (novel), Birdy'' *Herman Wouk – ''War and Remembrance'' *Richard Yates (novelist), Richard Yates – ''A Good School'' *Frank Yerby – ''Hail the Conquering Hero'' *Roger Zelazny – ''The Courts of Chaos''

Children and young people

*Janet and Allan Ahlberg – ''Each Peach, Pear, Plum'' (approximate year) *Alicia Austin – ''Alicia Austin's Age of Dreams'' *Judy Blume – ''Wifey (novel), Wifey'' *Raymond Briggs – ''The Snowman (book), The Snowman'' *Roald Dahl – ''The Enormous Crocodile'' *Rumer Godden – ''A Kindle of Kittens'' *Gwen Grant – ''Private – Keep Out'' *David Larkin (with Brian Froud and Alan Lee (illustrator), Alan Lee) – ''Faeries'' *Bill Peet – ''Eli'' *David Rees (author), David Rees – ''The Exeter Blitz'' *Seymour Reit (with Roberto Innocenti) **''All Kinds of Planes'' **''All Kinds of Ships'' **''All Kinds of Trains'' **''Sails, Rails, and Wings'' *Louis Sachar – ''Sideways Stories from Wayside School'' (first in the ''Wayside School (book series), Wayside School'' series of six books) *Rosemary Sutcliff – ''Song for a Dark Queen'' *Arnold Wesker – ''Fatlips: A Story for Children'' *Arnulf Zitelmann (with Willi Glasauer) – ''Kleiner Weg'' (Small Trail) *Roger Hargreaves – ''Timbuctoo''

Drama

*Miguel M. Abrahão – ''O Chifrudo'' *

– ''

'' (radio play) *Brian Clark (writer), Brian Clark – ''Whose Life Is It Anyway? (play), Whose Life Is It Anyway?'' *Max Frisch – ''Tryptichon: Drei szenische Bilder'' (Triptych) *David Hare (dramatist), David Hare – ''Plenty (play), Plenty'' *Arthur Kopit – ''Wings (play), Wings'' *Ira Levin – ''Deathtrap (play), Deathtrap'' *Mary O'Malley (playwright), Mary O'Malley – ''Once a Catholic'' *Heiner Müller – ''Germania Death in Berlin'' (first performance) *

– ''

'' *Sam Shepard – ''Buried Child'' *Martin Sherman – ''Bent (play), Bent'' *Victoria Wood – ''Talent (play), Talent''

Poetry

*Maya Angelou – ''And Still I Rise'' *Robert Minhinnick – ''A Thread in the Maze'' *Luis Alberto Spinetta – ''Guitarra Negra'' (Black Guitar) *John Tripp (poet), John Tripp – ''Collected Poems''

Non-fiction

*Hannah Arendt (died 1975) – ''The Life of the Mind'' *Gisela Bleibtreu-Ehrenberg – ''Tabu Homosexualität'' *Roger Caron – ''Go-Boy!, Go-Boy! Memories of a Life Behind Bars'' *Lord David Cecil – ''A Portrait of Jane Austen'' *Charlotte Chandler – ''Hello, I Must Be Going! (biography), Hello, I Must Be Going!'' *Beth Chatto – ''The Dry Garden'' *Christina Crawford – ''Mommie Dearest'' *Gerald Durrell – ''The Garden of the Gods'' *Don E. Fehrenbacher – ''The Dred Scott Case: Its Significance in American Law and Politics'' *John Gall (author), John Gall – ''Systemantics'' *H. R. Haldeman – ''The Ends of Power'' *Mollie Katzen – ''Moosewood Cookbook'' *Mary Midgley – ''Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature'' *Biblica, New York International Bible Society – ''Bible, Holy Bible'', New International Version (translated into modern American English) *Richard Nixon – ''The Memoirs of Richard Nixon'' *M. Scott Peck – ''M. Scott Peck#The Road Less Traveled, The Road Less Travelled'' *David Rorvik – ''In his Image: The Cloning of a Man'' *Edward Said – ''Orientalism (book), Orientalism''

Births

*February 1 – Arno Camenisch, Swiss writer *April 4 - Robison Wells, American novelist *July 23 – Lauren Groff, American novelist and short story writer *October 24 – Kei Miller, Jamaican-born poet and fiction writer *November 2 - Ally Condie, American young-adult and middle grade novelist *''unknown dates'' **:it:Filippo Bologna, Filippo Bologna, Italian novelist and screenwriter **David Llewellyn (author), David Llewellyn, Welsh screenwriter **Samanta Schweblin, Argentine fiction writer **Rachel Trezise, Welsh novelist and short story writer

Deaths

*January 12 – Robert Harbin, South African-born author of books on magic (born 1908 in literature, 1908) *March 1 – Paul Mark Scott, Paul Scott, English novelist, playwright and poet (born 1920 in literature, 1920) *March 24 – Leigh Brackett, American science fiction writer (born 1915 in literature, 1915) *April 14 – F. R. Leavis, English academic literary critic (born 1895 in literature, 1895) *May 1 – Sylvia Townsend Warner, English poet and novelist (born 1893 in literature, 1893) *May 12 – Louis Zukofsky, American modernist poet (born 1904 in literature, 1904) *June 11 – Carola Oman, English historical novelist, biographer and children's writer (born 1897 in literature, 1897) *June 18 – Walter C. Alvarez, American medical author (born 1884 in literature, 1884) *August 11 – Berta Ruck, Indian-born Welsh romance novel, romantic novelist (born 1878 in literature, 1878) *August 28 – Robert Shaw (actor), Robert Shaw, English-born actor, novelist and playwright (born 1927 in literature, 1927) *September 3 – Basil Willey, English academic literary critic (died 1897 in literature, 1897) *September 9 – Hugh MacDiarmid (pen name of Christopher Murray Grieve), Scottish poet, journalist and essayist (born 1892 in literature, 1892) *September 11 – Georgi Markov, Bulgarian dissident writer, broadcaster, playwright (born 1929 in literature, 1929) *September 15 – Edmund Crispin (Robert Bruce Montgomery), English crime writer and composer (born 1921 in literature, 1921) *September 28 – Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani), Italian author of ''Illustrissimi'' (born 1912 in literature, 1912) *November 5 – N. Crevedia, Romanian poet, novelist and journalist (born 1902 in literature, 1902) *

– Margaret Mead, American cultural anthropologist and author (born 1901 in literature, 1901)

Awards

*Nobel Prize for Literature: Isaac Bashevis Singer *

is first awarded. The winner is ''Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice''.

Canada

*See 1978 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.

France

*Prix Goncourt:

, ''Rue des boutiques obscures'' *Prix Médicis French: Georges Perec, ''La Vie mode d'emploi'' *Prix Médicis International: Aleksandr Zinovyev, ''L'Avenir radieux'' – Russia

Spain

*Miguel de Cervantes Prize: Dámaso Alonso

United Kingdom

*Booker Prize: Iris Murdoch, ''The Sea, The Sea'' *Carnegie Medal (literary award), Carnegie Medal for children's literature: David Rees (author), David Rees, ''The Exeter Blitz'' *Cholmondeley Award: Christopher Hope (novelist), Christopher Hope, Leslie Norris, Peter Reading, D.M. Thomas, R.S. Thomas *Eric Gregory Award: Ciarán Carson, Peter Denman, Christopher Reid (writer), Christopher Reid, Paul Wilkins, Martyn A. Ford, James Sutherland-Smith *James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction:

, Plumb (novel series), ''Plumb'' *James Tait Black Memorial Prize for biography: Robert Gittings, ''The Older Hardy''

United States

*American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medals#Fiction, novel, short story, American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Fiction, Peter Matthew Hillsman Taylor, Peter Taylor *Nebula Award: Vonda McIntyre, ''Dreamsnake'' *Newbery Medal for children's literature: Katherine Paterson, ''Bridge to Terabithia (novel), Bridge to Terabithia'' *Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Donald L. Coburn, ''The Gin Game'' *Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: James Alan McPherson, ''Elbow Room (short story collection), Elbow Room'' *Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: Howard Nemerov, ''Collected Poems''

Elsewhere

*Miles Franklin Award: Jessica Anderson, ''

'' *Premio Nadal: Germán Sánchez Espeso, ''Narciso'' *Viareggio Prize: Antonio Altomonte, ''Dopo il presidente''

References

{{Year in literature article categories 1978 books Years of the 20th century in literature