This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1987.

Events

January 2 Events Pre-1600 * 69 – The Roman legions in Germania Superior refuse to swear loyalty to Galba. They rebel and proclaim Vitellius as emperor. * 366 – The Alemanni cross the frozen Rhine in large numbers, invading the Roman Empi ...

–

Golliwog The golliwog, also spelled golliwogg or shortened to golly, is a doll-like character – created by cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton – that appeared in children's books in the late 19th century, usually depicted as a type of rag ...

s in

Enid Blyton Enid Mary Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was an English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers since the 1930s, selling more than 600 million copies. Her books are still enormously popular and have be ...

children's books are replaced by the British publisher with

gnome A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characte ...

s after complaints of a racial offence implication. *April –

K. W. Jeter Kevin Wayne Jeter (born March 26, 1950) is an American science fiction and horror author known for his literary writing style, dark themes, and paranoid, unsympathetic characters. He has written novels set in the '' Star Trek'' and '' Star Wa ...

coins the term "

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 ...

" in a letter published in '' Locus: the magazine of the science fiction & fantasy field''. *June –

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 ...

of London publishes ''Down the Road, Worlds Away'', a collection of short stories ostensibly by Rahila Khan, a young Muslim woman living in England. Three weeks later, Toby Forward, an Anglican clergyman, admits to writing them and the publisher withdraws the book. "He, unlike the editors at Virago, had grown up in precisely the kind of area and social conditions that the book described.... Although the book never claimed to be other than a work of fiction, the publishers destroyed the stock still in the warehouse and recalled all unsold copies from the bookshops, thus turning it into an expensive bibliographical rarity." * July 31 – The United Kingdom

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

takes legal proceedings on security grounds against the London paper ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...

'' to prevent it publishing details of the book ''

Spycatcher ''Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer'' (1987) is a memoir written by Peter Wright, former MI5 officer and Assistant Director, and co-author Paul Greengrass. He drew on his own experiences and research into ...

''. On September 23, an Australian court lifts its ban on the book's publication. *August – A new building for the

National Library of New Zealand The National Library of New Zealand ( mi, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa) is New Zealand's legal deposit library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations" (''Nat ...

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

opens. *''unknown dates'' **

Tom Wolfe Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. (March 2, 1930 – May 14, 2018)Some sources say 1931; ''The New York Times'' and Reuters both initially reported 1931 in their obituaries before changing to 1930. See and was an American author and journalist widely ...

is paid US$5 million for the film rights to his novel ''

The Bonfire of the Vanities ''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' is a 1987 novel by Tom Wolfe. The story is a drama about ambition, racism, social class, politics, and greed in 1980s New York City, and centers on three main characters: WASP bond trader Sherman McCoy, Jewish as ...

'' (published in book format in October), a record fee to an author at this time. **

Ian Rankin Sir Ian James Rankin (born 28 April 1960) is a Scottish crime writer, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels. Early life Rankin was born in Cardenden, Fife. His father, James, owned a grocery shop, and his mother, Isobel, worked in a schoo ...

's ''

Knots and Crosses ''Knots and Crosses'' (also written ''Knots & Crosses'') is a 1987 crime novel by Ian Rankin. It is the first of the Inspector Rebus novels. It was written while Rankin was a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh. In the introduct ...

'', first of the

Inspector Rebus The ''Inspector Rebus'' books are a series of detective novels by the Scottish author Sir Ian Rankin. The novels, centred on Detective Inspector John Rebus, are mostly based in and around Edinburgh. They are considered an important contrib ...

detective novel Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...

s set around

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, is published in London.

New books

Fiction

Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe (; 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature. His first novel and ''magnum opus'', ''Things Fall Apart'' (1958), occupies ...

– '' Anthills of the Savannah'' *

Peter Ackroyd Peter Ackroyd (born 5 October 1949) is an English biographer, novelist and critic with a specialist interest in the history and culture of London. For his novels about English history and culture and his biographies of, among others, William ...

– ''Chatterton'' (shortlisted for Booker Prize 1987) *

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 " ...

– ''

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency ''Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'' is a humorous detective novel by English writer Douglas Adams, published in 1987. It is described by the author on its cover as a "thumping good detective-ghost-horror-who dunnit-time travel-romantic- ...

'' * Martin Amis – '' Einstein's Monsters'' *

Gilles Archambault Gilles Archambault (born September 19, 1933 in Montreal, Quebec) is a francophone novelist from Quebec, Canada. He studied at the Université de Montréal in 1957, and then worked at Radio-Canada, while working as a journalist. From 1988 to 19 ...

– ''L'Obsédante obèse et autres agressions'' *

Paul Auster Paul Benjamin Auster (born February 3, 1947) is an American writer and film director. His notable works include ''The New York Trilogy'' (1987), ''Moon Palace'' (1989), ''The Music of Chance'' (1990), ''The Book of Illusions'' (2002), ''The Broo ...

**''

The New York Trilogy ''The New York Trilogy'' is a series of novels by American writer Paul Auster. Originally published sequentially as ''City of Glass'' (1985), ''Ghosts'' (1986) and ''The Locked Room'' (1986), it has since been collected into a single volume. Th ...

'' **''

In the Country of Last Things ''In the Country of Last Things'' is a dystopian epistolary novel written by American author Paul Auster, first published in 1987. Plot summary The novel takes the form of a letter from a young woman named Anna Blume. Anna has ventured into an ...

'' *

Iain Banks Iain Banks (16 February 1954 – 9 June 2013) was a Scottish author, writing mainstream fiction as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks, adding the initial of his adopted middle name Menzies (). After the success of ''The Wasp Factor ...

**''

Consider Phlebas ''Consider Phlebas'', first published in 1987, is a space opera novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks. It is the first in a series of novels about an interstellar post-scarcity society called the Culture. The novel revolves around the Idiran� ...

'' (as Iain M. Banks) **''

Espedair Street ''Espedair Street'' is a novel by Scottish writer Iain Banks, published in 1987. Plot introduction The book tells the (fictional) story of the rise to fame of Dan Weir ('Weird'), a bass guitar player in a rock and roll band called Frozen Gold, ...

'' *

Clive Barker Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English novelist, playwright, author, film director, and visual artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories, the ''Books of Blood'', which established him as a leading h ...

– ''

Weaveworld ''Weaveworld'' is a 1987 dark fantasy novel by English writer Clive Barker. It is about a magical world that is hidden inside a tapestry, known as the Fugue, to safeguard it from both inquisitive humans and hostile supernatural foes. Two norm ...

'' *

Greg Bear Gregory Dale Bear (August 20, 1951 – November 19, 2022) was an American writer and illustrator best known for science fiction. His work covered themes of galactic conflict ('' Forge of God'' books), parallel universes ('' The Way'' series), ...

– ''

The Forge of God ''The Forge of God'' is a 1987 science fiction novel by American writer Greg Bear. Earth faces destruction when an inscrutable and overwhelming alien form of life attacks. Plot The novel features scenes and events, including the discovery of ...

'' * Thomas Berger – ''Being Invisible'' * William Boyd – ''

The New Confessions ''The New Confessions'' is the fourth novel by the Scottish writer William Boyd published in 1987. The theme and narrative structure of the novel is modelled on Jean-Jacques Rousseau's '' Les Confessions'', the reading of which has a huge impact o ...

'' *

T.C. Boyle Thomas Coraghessan Boyle, also known as T. C. Boyle and T. Coraghessan Boyle (born December 2, 1948), is an American novelist and short story writer. Since the mid-1970s, he has published sixteen novels and more than 100 short stories. He won the ...

– '' World's End'' (1988

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the authors of the year's best works of fiction by living American citizens. The winner receives US$15,000 and each of four runners-up receives US$5000. Fi ...

) *

Marion Zimmer Bradley Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley (June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was an American author of fantasy, historical fantasy, science fiction, and science fantasy novels, and is best known for the Arthurian fiction novel ''The Mists of Avalon'' an ...

– '' The Firebrand'' *

Truddi Chase Truddi Chase (June 13, 1935 – March 10, 2010) was an American author. She is best known for the book ''When Rabbit Howls'' (1987), an autobiography about her experiences after being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. Life Acco ...

– ''

When Rabbit Howls Truddi Chase (June 13, 1935 – March 10, 2010) was an American author. She is best known for the book ''When Rabbit Howls'' (1987), an autobiography about her experiences after being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. Life Accor ...

'' *

Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science, military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of ...

– ''

Patriot Games ''Patriot Games'' is a thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and published in July 1987. ''Without Remorse'', released six years later, is an indirect prequel, and it is chronologically the first book featuring Jack Ryan, the main character i ...

'' * Hugh Cook **''The Wordsmiths and the Warguild'' **''The Women and the Warlords'' *

Robin Cook Robert Finlayson "Robin" Cook (28 February 19466 August 2005) was a British Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 until his death in 2005 and served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 until 2001 whe ...

– ''

Outbreak In epidemiology, an outbreak is a sudden increase in occurrences of a disease when cases are in excess of normal expectancy for the location or season. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire ...

'' *

Bernard Cornwell Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English-American author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also written ''The Saxon ...

**''Redcoat'' **'' Sharpe's Rifles'' *

Robert Crais Robert Crais (pronounced ) (born June 20, 1953) is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Cagney & Lacey'', '' Quincy'', ''Miami Vice'' and ''L.A. Law ...

– ''

The Monkey's Raincoat ''The Monkey's Raincoat'' is a 1987 detective novel by Robert Crais. It is the first in a series of linked novels centering on the private investigator Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike. Cole is a tough, wisecracking ex-Ranger with an irresi ...

'' *

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 ...

and Catherine Crook de Camp – ''

The Incorporated Knight ''The Incorporated Knight'' is a fix-up fantasy novel by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp, the first book in their sequence of two Neo-Napolitanian novels. Chapters 1-5 first appeared as L. Sprague de Camp's short s ...

'' *

Jenny Diski Jenny Diski FRSL (née Simmonds; 8 July 1947 – 28 April 2016) was an English writer. She had a troubled childhood, but was taken in and mentored by the novelist Doris Lessing; she lived in Lessing's house for four years. Diski was educated a ...

– ''

Rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

'' * Jim Dodge – ''Not Fade Away'' *

Roddy Doyle Roddy Doyle (born 8 May 1958) is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, eight books for children, seven plays and screenplays, and dozens of short stories. Several of his books have been ma ...

– '' The Commitments'' *

Bret Easton Ellis Bret Easton Ellis (born March 7, 1964) is an American author, screenwriter, short-story writer, and director. Ellis was first regarded as one of the so-called literary Brat Pack and is a self-proclaimed satirist whose trademark technique, as a w ...

– ''

The Rules of Attraction ''The Rules of Attraction'' is a satirical black comedy novel by Bret Easton Ellis published in 1987. The novel follows a handful of rowdy and often sexually promiscuous, spoiled bohemian students at a liberal arts college in 1980s New Hampsh ...

'' *

James Ellroy Lee Earle "James" Ellroy (born March 4, 1948) is an American crime fiction writer and essayist. Ellroy has become known for a telegrammatic prose style in his most recent work, wherein he frequently omits connecting words and uses only short, sta ...

– ''

Black Dahlia Elizabeth Short (July 29, 1924 – January 14–15, 1947), known posthumously as the Black Dahlia, was an American woman found murdered in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles on January 15, 1947. Her case became highly publicized ow ...

'' *

Carlos Fuentes Carlos Fuentes Macías (; ; November 11, 1928 – May 15, 2012) was a Mexican novelist and essayist. Among his works are ''The Death of Artemio Cruz'' (1962), '' Aura'' (1962), '' Terra Nostra'' (1975), ''The Old Gringo'' (1985) and ''Christophe ...

– ''

Christopher Unborn ''Christopher Unborn'' ( es, Cristóbal Nonato) is the tenth novel by the Mexican author Carlos Fuentes. Originally published by the Fondo de Cultura Económica in 1987, the first U.S. edition was published in 1989 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. The ...

'' *

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...

and

Dave McKean David McKean (born 29 December 1963) is an English illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician. His work incorporates drawing, painting, photography, collage, found objects, digital art, and sculpt ...

– ''

Violent Cases ''Violent Cases'' is a short graphic novel written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean. It was McKean's first published work in comics. Though drawn by McKean in shades of blue, brown, and grey, when it was first published by Escape ...

'' (graphic novel) * John Gardner – '' No Deals, Mr. Bond'' *

Kaye Gibbons Kaye Gibbons (born May 5, 1960) is an American novelist. Her first novel, '' Ellen Foster'' (1987), received the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, a Special Citation from the Ernest ...

– ''

Ellen Foster ''Ellen Foster'' is a 1987 novel by American novelist Kaye Gibbons. It was a selection of Oprah's Book Club in October 1997. Plot introduction The novel follows the story of Ellen, the first person narrator, a young white American girl living un ...

'' *

Ken Grimwood Kenneth Milton Grimwood (February 27, 1944 – June 6, 2003) was an American author, who also published work under the name of Alan Cochran. In his fantasy fiction, Grimwood combined themes of life-affirmation and hope with metaphysical concep ...

– '' Replay'' *

Larry Heinemann Larry Curtis Heinemann (January 18, 1944 – December 11, 2019) was an American novelist born and raised in Chicago. His published work – three novels and a memoir – is primarily concerned with the Vietnam War. Life Heinemann served a comb ...

– ''

Paco's Story ''Paco's Story'' is 1987 novel by Larry Heinemann. The novel is his second and it won the 1987 U.S. National Book Award for FictionNational Book Award for Fiction The National Book Award for Fiction is one of five annual National Book Awards, which recognize outstanding literary work by United States citizens. Since 1987 the awards have been administered and presented by the National Book Foundation, but ...

) *

Tom Holt Thomas Charles Louis Holt (born 13 September 1961) is a British novelist. In addition to fiction published under his own name, he writes fantasy under the pseudonym K. J. Parker. Biography Holt was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel H ...

– ''

Expecting Someone Taller ''Expecting Someone Taller'' is a humorous fantasy novel by British author Tom Holt. Holt's first novel, it is a humorous sequel to Wagner's ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'', set in contemporary England. It was published in hardcover in 1987, by Mac ...

'' *

Josephine Humphreys Josephine Humphreys (born February 2, 1945) is an Americans, American novelist. Early life Josephine Humphreys grew up in Charleston, South Carolina with her mother, father and two sisters (Vinh). Her father worked as the director of the Charl ...

– '' Rich in Love'' *

Dương Thu Hương Dương Thu Hương (born 1947) is a Vietnamese author and political dissident. Early life Born in 1947 in Thái Bình a province in northern Vietnam, Dương came of age just as the Vietnam War was turning violent. At the age of twenty, when ...

– ''Bên kia bờ ảo vọng'' (Beyond Illusions) *

John Jakes John William Jakes (born March 31, 1932) is an American writer, best known for American historical and speculative fiction. His Civil War trilogy, ''North and South'', has sold millions of copies worldwide. He is also the author of The Kent Fam ...

– '' Heaven and Hell'' *

Tahar Ben Jelloun Tahar Ben Jelloun ( ar, الطاهر بن جلون; born in Fes, Morocco, 1 December 1944) is a Moroccan writer. All of his work is written in French although his first language is Darija. He became known for his 1985 novel ''L’Enfant de Sab ...

– ''La Nuit sacrée'' (The Sacred Night) *

Garrison Keillor Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (; born August 7, 1942) is an American author, singer, humorist, voice actor, and radio personality. He created the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) show ''A Prairie Home Companion'' (called ''Garrison Keillor's Radio ...

– '' Leaving Home: A Collection of Lake Wobegon Stories'' * Jesse Lee Kercheval – '' The Dogeater'' *

Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa Francisco Esaú Cossa (pseudonym Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa, also spelled as Ungulani ba ka Khosa) is a Mozambican writer born on August 1, 1957, in Inhaminga, Sofala Province. Khosa completed elementary school in Sofala, and high school in Zambezia. ...

– ''

Ualalapi ''Ualalapi'' is a novel by Mozambican writer Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa. It was published in 1987, and won Mozambique's Grande Prémio da Ficção Narrativa in 1990. Ualalapi is the name of a Nguni warrior who is destined to kill Mafemane, brother of M ...

'' *

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 ...

**'' Misery'' **'' The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three'' **''

The Tommyknockers ''The Tommyknockers'' is a 1987 science fiction novel by Stephen King. While maintaining a horror style, the novel is an excursion into the realm of science fiction for King, as the residents of the Maine town of Haven gradually fall under the i ...

'' **''

The Eyes of the Dragon ''The Eyes of the Dragon'' is a fantasy novel by American writer Stephen King, first published as a limited edition slipcased hardcover by Philtrum Press in 1984, illustrated by Kenneth R. Linkhauser. The novel would later be published for the ...

'' *

Penelope Lively Dame Penelope Margaret Lively (née Low; born 17 March 1933) is a British writer of fiction for both children and adults. Lively has won both the Booker Prize (''Moon Tiger'', 1987) and the Carnegie Medal for British children's books ('' Th ...

– ''

Moon Tiger ''Moon Tiger'' is a 1987 novel by Penelope Lively which spans the time before, during and after World War II. The novel won the 1987 Booker Prize. It is written from multiple points of view and moves backward and forward through time. It be ...

'' *

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 ...

– ''

The Child in Time ''The Child in Time'' (1987) is a novel by Ian McEwan. The story concerns Stephen, an author of children's books, and his wife, two years after the kidnapping of their three-year-old daughter Kate. ''The Child in Time'' divided critics. It w ...

'' *

Betty Mahmoody Betty Mahmoody (née Lover; born June 9, 1945, in Alma, Michigan) is an American author and public speaker best known for her book, '' Not Without My Daughter'', which was subsequently made into a film of the same name. She is the President an ...

– '' Not Without My Daughter'' * James A. Michener – ''

Legacy In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...

'' *

Alan Moore Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and ''From Hell' ...

and

Dave Gibbons David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...

– ''

Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...

'' (graphic novel) * Finola Moorhead – ''Remember the Tarantella'' *

Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed '' So ...

– ''

Beloved Beloved may refer to: Books * ''Beloved'' (novel), a 1987 novel by Toni Morrison * ''The Beloved'' (Faulkner novel), a 2012 novel by Australian author Annah Faulkner *''Beloved'', a 1993 historical romance about Zenobia, by Bertrice Small Film ...

'' (1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) *

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been bestsellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his ...

(村上春樹) – '' Norwegian Wood'' (ノルウェイの森, ''Noruwei no Mori'') *

V. S. Naipaul Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (; 17 August 1932 – 11 August 2018) was a Trinidadian-born British writer of works of fiction and nonfiction in English. He is known for his comic early novels set in Trinidad, his bleaker novels of alienati ...

– ''

The Enigma of Arrival ''The Enigma of Arrival: A Novel in Five Sections'' is a 1987 novel by Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul. Mostly an autobiography, the book is composed of five sections that reflect the growing familiarity and changing perceptions of Naipaul upon h ...

'' *

Silvina Ocampo Silvina Ocampo (28 July 1903 – 14 December 1993) was an Argentine short story writer, poet, and artist. Ocampo's friend and collaborator Jorge Luis Borges called Ocampo "one of the greatest poets in the Spanish language, whether on this side o ...

– ''Y así sucesivamente'' (stories) *

Michael Ondaatje Philip Michael Ondaatje (; born 12 September 1943) is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, fiction writer, essayist, novelist, editor, and filmmaker. He is the recipient of multiple literary awards such as the Governor General's Award, the Giller P ...

– ''

In the Skin of A Lion ''In the Skin of a Lion'' is a novel by Canadian– Sri Lankan writer Michael Ondaatje. It was first published in 1987 by McClelland and Stewart. The novel fictionalizes the lives of the immigrants who played a large role in the building of the c ...

'' *

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 ...

– ''

Pale Kings and Princes ''Pale Kings and Princes'' is a Spenser novel by Robert B. Parker. The title is taken from John Keats's poem '' La Belle Dame sans Merci: A Ballad''. Following the murder of a reporter, Spenser is hired by a newspaper to investigate drug smuggl ...

'' *

Gary Paulsen Gary James Paulsen (May 17, 1939 – October 13, 2021) was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 maga ...

– ''

Hatchet A hatchet (from the Old French , a diminutive form of ''hache'', 'axe' of Germanic origin) is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade on one side used to cut and split wood, and a hammerhead on the other side. Hatchets may also be use ...

'' *

Ellis Peters Edith Mary Pargeter (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her ''nom de plume'' Ellis Peters, was an English author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translat ...

– ''

The Hermit of Eyton Forest The Hermit of Eyton Forest is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, set in the autumn of 1142. It is the 14th novel in the Cadfael Chronicles and was first published in 1987. The mystery is set in the Anarchy, the continuing battles betwe ...

'' *

Rosamunde Pilcher Rosamunde Pilcher, OBE (''née'' Scott; 22 September 1924 – 6 February 2019) was a British writer of romance novels, mainstream fiction, and short stories, from 1949 until her retirement in 2000. Her novels sold over 60 million copies world ...

– '' The Shell Seekers'' *

Peter Pohl Peter Pohl (born 5 December 1940) is a Swedish author and former director and screenwriter of short films. He has received prizes for several of his books and films, as well as for his entire work. From 1966 until his retirement in 2005, he was ...

– '' Vi kallar honom Anna'' *

Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English humourist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his ''Discworld'' series of 41 novels. Pratchett's first nov ...

**''

Equal Rites ''Equal Rites'' is a comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the third novel in the ''Discworld'' series and the first in which the main character is not Rincewind. The title is wordplay on the phrase " Equal Rights". Th ...

'' **''

Mort ''Mort'' is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett. Published in 1987, it is the fourth ''Discworld'' novel and the first to focus on the character Death, who only appeared as a side character in the previous novels. The title is the ...

'' * Paul Quarrington – ''

King Leary ''King Leary'' is a novel by Canadian humorist Paul Quarrington, published in 1987 by Doubleday Canada. The novel is part of an unofficial trilogy with Quarrington's earlier ''The Life of Hope'' and his later '' Logan in Overtime''."Tale of a go ...

'' *

Edward Rutherfurd Edward Rutherfurd is a pen name for Francis Edward Wintle (born in 1948). He is best known as a writer of epic historical novels that span long periods of history but are set in particular places. His debut novel, '' Sarum'', set the pattern f ...

– '' Sarum'' *

José Saramago José de Sousa Saramago, GColSE ComSE GColCa (; 16 November 1922 – 18 June 2010), was a Portuguese writer and recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature for his "parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony ith which heco ...

– ''

Baltasar and Blimunda ''Baltasar and Blimunda'' ( pt, Memorial do Convento, 1982 in literature, 1982) is a novel by the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize-winning Portuguese author José Saramago. It is an 18th-century love story intertwined with the construction ...

'' *

Leonardo Sciascia Leonardo Sciascia (; 8 January 1921 – 20 November 1989) was an Italian writer, novelist, essayist, playwright, and politician. Some of his works have been made into films, including '' Porte Aperte'' (1990; ''Open Doors''), ''Cadaveri Eccellent ...

– '' Porte aperte'' * Michael Shea – ''

Polyphemus Polyphemus (; grc-gre, Πολύφημος, Polyphēmos, ; la, Polyphēmus ) is the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology, one of the Cyclopes described in Homer's ''Odyssey''. His name means "abounding in songs and lege ...

'' *

Sidney Sheldon Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer. He was prominent in the 1930s, first working on Broadway plays, and then in motion pictures, notably writing the successful comedy ''The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer ...

– '' Windmills of the Gods'' *

Lucius Shepard Lucius Shepard (August 21, 1943 – March 18, 2014) was an American writer. Classified as a science fiction and fantasy writer, he often leaned into other genres, such as magical realism. Career Shepard was a native of Lynchburg, Virginia where ...

– ''

The Jaguar Hunter ''The Jaguar Hunter'' is a collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror stories by American author Lucius Shepard. Illustrated by J. K. Potter, it was released in May, 1987 and was the author's first book published by Arkham House. It was o ...

'' *

Carol Shields Carol Ann Shields, (née Warner; June 2, 1935 – July 16, 2003) was an American-born Canadian novelist and short story writer. She is best known for her 1993 novel ''The Stone Diaries'', which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as ...

– '' Swann: A Mystery'' *

Michael Slade Michael Slade (born 1947, in Lethbridge, Alberta) is the pen name of Canadian novelist Jay Clarke, a lawyer who has participated in more than 100 criminal cases and who specializes in criminal insanity. Background Before Clarke entered law schoo ...

– ''

Ghoul A ghoul ( ar, غول, ') is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid. The concept originated in pre-Islamic Arabian religion, associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh. Modern fiction often uses the term to label a cert ...

'' *

Danielle Steel Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born August 14, 1947) is an American writer, best known for her romance novels. She is the bestselling author alive and the fourth-bestselling fiction author of all time, with over 800 million ...

**'' Fine Things'' **''

Kaleidoscope A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a regular symmetrical pattern when v ...

'' * Hồ Anh Thái – ''Người và xe chạy dưới ánh trăng'' (Men and Vehicles Run in the Moonlight) *

Scott Turow Scott Frederick Turow (born April 12, 1949) is an American author and lawyer. Turow has written 13 fiction and three nonfiction books, which have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 30 million copies. Turow’s novel ...

– '' Presumed Innocent'' *

Andrew Vachss Andrew Henry Vachss ( ; October 19, 1942 – November 23, 2021) was an American crime fiction author, child protection consultant, and attorney exclusively representing children and youths. Early life and career Vachss grew up in Manhattan o ...

– '' Strega'' *

Mario Vargas Llosa Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquess of Vargas Llosa (born 28 March 1936), more commonly known as Mario Vargas Llosa (, ), is a Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and former politician, who also holds Spanish citizenship. Vargas Ll ...

– '' The Storyteller (El hablador)'' *

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 ...

– ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'' *

Barbara Vine 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 ...

– '' A Fatal Inversion'' * William T. Vollmann – ''

You Bright and Risen Angels ''You Bright and Risen Angels'' is a 1987 novel by William T. Vollmann, detailing a fictional war between insects and the forces of modern civilization. Vollmann described the book, his first, as "an allegory in part", inspired by his experience ...

'' *

Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...

– ''

Bluebeard "Bluebeard" (french: Barbe bleue, ) is a French folktale, the most famous surviving version of which was written by Charles Perrault and first published by Barbin in Paris in 1697 in ''Histoires ou contes du temps passé''. The tale tells the st ...

'' *

Gene Wolfe Gene Rodman Wolfe (May 7, 1931 – April 14, 2019) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith. He was a prolific short story writer and nove ...

– ''

The Urth of the New Sun ''The Urth of the New Sun'' is a 1987 science fiction novel by Gene Wolfe that serves as a coda to his four-volume ''Book of the New Sun'' series. Like ''Book of the New Sun'', it is of the Dying Earth subgenre. It was nominated for the Hugo A ...

'' *

– ''

'' *

Gamel Woolsey Gamel Woolsey (born Elizabeth Gammell Woolsey; May 28, 1897 – January 18, 1968) was an American poet, novelist and translator. Early life and education Woolsey was born on the Breeze Hill plantation in Aiken, South Carolina as Elizabeth Ga ...

(posthumously) – ''One Way of Love'' (written 1930) *

Roger Zelazny Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American poet and writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for ''The Chronicles of Amber''. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nomin ...

– '' Sign of Chaos''

Children and young people

Lloyd Alexander Lloyd Chudley Alexander (January 30, 1924 – May 17, 2007) was an American author of more than 40 books, primarily fantasy novels for children and young adults. Over his seven-decade career, Alexander wrote 48 books, and his work has been tran ...

– '' The Illyrian Adventure'' *

Chris Van Allsburg Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949) is an American illustrator and writer of children's books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for ''Jumanji'' (1981) and ''The Polar Express'' (1985), both of which he al ...

– '' The Z Was Zapped'' (alphabet book) * Tedd Arnold – '' No Jumping on the Bed!'' * Janice Elliott – ''The King Awakes'' (first in ''The Sword and the Dream'' series) *

Anne Fine Anne Fine OBE FRSL (born 7 December 1947) is an English writer. Although best known for children's books, she also writes for adults. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and she was appointed an OBE in 2003. Fine has written m ...

– ''

Madame Doubtfire ''Madame Doubtfire'', known as ''Alias Madame Doubtfire'' in the United States, is a 1987 novel written by English author Anne Fine for teenage and young adult audiences. The novel is based on a family with divorced parents. Well received upon i ...

'' *

Willi Glasauer Willi Glasauer (born 9 December 1938 in Stříbro) is a German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German languag ...

– ''Grüße aus der Fremde (Greetings from the Surreal)'' *

Witi Ihimaera Witi Tame Ihimaera-Smiler (; born 7 February 1944) is a New Zealand author. Raised in the small town of Waituhi, he decided to become a writer as a teenager after being convinced that Māori people were ignored or mischaracterised in literat ...

– '' The Whale Rider'' *

Julius Lester Julius Bernard Lester (January 27, 1939 – January 18, 2018) was an American writer of books for children and adults and an academic who taught for 32 years (1971–2003) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Lester was also a civil right ...

– '' The Tales of Uncle Remus: the Adventures of Brer Rabbit'' *

Bill Peet William Bartlett Peet (''né'' Peed; January 29, 1915 – May 11, 2002) was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer and animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Peet joined Disney in 1937 and worked first on ''Snow Wh ...

– ''Jethro and Joel Were a Troll'' * Ruth Thomas – ''

The Runaways The Runaways were an all-female American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. The band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. Among their best-known songs are "Cherry Bomb", " Hollywood", "Queens of N ...

'' *

Theresa Tomlinson Theresa Tomlinson (born 1946 in Crawley, Sussex) is an English writer for children, mainly of historical fiction. She advocates giving children "the opportunity to consider many different role models and ways of life, so that they can make up th ...

– ''The Flither Pickers'' (first in the ''Against the Tide'' trilogy) * Audrey Wood – ''

Heckedy Peg ''Heckedy Peg'' is a 1987 children's picture book by Audrey Wood. It is about seven children, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, who are transformed into food by a witch. The children are then taken to the witch's ...

'' *

Jane Yolen Jane Hyatt Yolen (born February 11, 1939) is an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, and children's books. She is the author or editor of more than 350 books, of which the best known is '' The Devil's Arithmetic'', a Holocaust novella. H ...

– '' Owl Moon''

Drama

Nezihe Araz Fatma Nezihe Araz (11 May 1920 – 25 July 2009) was a Turkish writer and journalist. In addition to her 1959 best seller on the saints of Anatolia, she wrote several plays for television and the stage as well as three books about Atatürk. Ea ...

– ''Afife Jale'' *

Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.

– ''

Serious Money ''Serious Money'' is a satirical play written by Caryl Churchill first staged in London in 1987. Its subject is the British stock market, specifically the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE). Often considered ...

'' * Robert Harling – ''

Steel Magnolias ''Steel Magnolias'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Academy Award winner Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts. The picture is a film adaptation ...

'' *

Liz Lochhead Liz Lochhead Hon FRSE (born 26 December 1947) is a Scottish poet, playwright, translator and broadcaster. Between 2011 and 2016 she was the Makar, or National Poet of Scotland, and served as Poet Laureate for Glasgow between 2005 and 2011. E ...

– ''

Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off ''Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off'' is a 1987 play by Liz Lochhead. It explores the relationship between Elizabeth I of England and Mary Stuart. It is primarily written to be from a female point of view, and is considered to be Lochh ...

'' * Adam Long, Daniel Singer and

Jess Winfield Jess Winfield (born March 8, 1961) is an American novelist, self-help author, television writer, and voice actor who is a founding member of The Reduced Shakespeare Company. His books include: ''What Would Shakespeare Do'' (2000) and ''My Name I ...

– ''

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) ''The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)'' (also known as ''The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged)'') is a play written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield. It parodies the plays of William Shakespeare with all ...

'' * Stephen Mallatratt (adapted from

Susan Hill Dame Susan Hill, Lady Wells, (born 5 February 1942) is an English author of fiction and non-fiction works. Her novels include ''The Woman in Black'', '' The Mist in the Mirror'', and ''I'm the King of the Castle'', for which she received th ...

) – ''

The Woman in Black ''The Woman in Black'' is a 1983 gothic horror novel by English writer Susan Hill. The plot concerns a mysterious spectre that haunts a small English town. A television film based on the story, also called '' The Woman in Black'', was produced ...

'' *

Warren Manzi Warren Michael Manzi (July 1, 1955 – February 11, 2016) was an American playwright and actor, who was best known for the play ''Perfect Crime''. Career Manzi was born in Manchester, New Hampshire to a single mother of Italian descent. His famil ...

– ''

Perfect Crime Perfect crimes are crimes that are undetected, unattributed to an identifiable perpetrator, or otherwise unsolved or unsolvable as a kind of technical achievement on the part of the perpetrator. The term is used colloquially in law and fiction (es ...

'' *

Yasmina Reza Yasmina Reza (born 1 May 1959) is a French playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter best known for her plays '' 'Art and ''God of Carnage''. Many of her brief satiric plays have reflected on contemporary middle-class issues. The 2011 bla ...

– ''Conversations après un enterrement'' (Conversations After a Burial) *

Peter Shaffer Sir Peter Levin Shaffer (; 15 May 1926 – 6 June 2016) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. He wrote numerous award-winning plays, of which several were adapted into films. Early life Shaffer was born to a Jewish family in L ...

– ''

Lettice and Lovage ''Lettice and Lovage'' is a comical and satirical play by Peter Shaffer.''A Dictionary of Writers and their Works'' (2 ed.) (2012) Oxford University Press; It is centered around a flamboyant tour guide who loves to embellish the history behind a ...

Non-fiction

* Claude-François Baudez &

Sydney Picasso Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and List of cities in Oceania by population, Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metro ...

– ''

Lost Cities of the Maya ''Lost Cities of the Maya'' (french: Les cités perdues des Mayas) is a 1987 illustrated monograph on Maya archaeology. Co-written by the French Mayanist and iconologist Claude-François Baudez and art historian Sydney Picasso, and published i ...

'' *

Allan Bloom Allan David Bloom (September 14, 1930 – October 7, 1992) was an American philosopher, classicist, and academician. He studied under David Grene, Leo Strauss, Richard McKeon, and Alexandre Kojève. He subsequently taught at Cornell Universi ...

– ''

The Closing of the American Mind ''The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students'' is a 1987 book by the philosopher Allan Bloom, in which the author criticizes the openness of relativism, in academia ...

'' *

David Bohm David Joseph Bohm (; 20 December 1917 – 27 October 1992) was an American-Brazilian-British scientist who has been described as one of the most significant theoretical physicists of the 20th centuryPeat 1997, pp. 316-317 and who contributed u ...

– ''

Science, Order, and Creativity ''Science, Order, and Creativity'' is a book by theoretical physicist David Bohm and physicist and writer F. David Peat. It was originally published 1987 by Bantam Books, USA, then 1989 in Great Britain by Routledge. The second edition, published ...

'' *

Robert V. Bruce Robert Vance Bruce (December 19, 1923 in Malden, Massachusetts – January 15, 2008 in Olympia, Washington) was an American historian specializing in the American Civil War, who won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for History for his book '' The Launchin ...

– ''

The Launching of Modern American Science, 1846–1876 ''The Launching of Modern American Science, 1846–1876'' is a 1987 nonfiction book by American historian Robert V. Bruce, published by Knopf. The book is a social history chronicling a three-decade period in American science. It won the 1988 Pul ...

'' *

Bruce Chatwin Charles Bruce Chatwin (13 May 194018 January 1989) was an English travel writer, novelist and journalist. His first book, ''In Patagonia'' (1977), established Chatwin as a travel writer, although he considered himself instead a storyteller, i ...

– ''

The Songlines ''The Songlines'' is a 1987 book written by Bruce Chatwin, combining fiction and non-fiction. Chatwin describes a trip to Australia which he has taken for the express purpose of researching Aboriginal song and its connections to nomadic travel ...

'' *

Nien Cheng Nien Cheng or Zheng Nian (January 28, 1915 – November 2, 2009) is the pen name of Yao Nien-Yuan (). She was a Chinese author who recounted her harrowing experiences during the Cultural Revolution in her memoir ''Life and Death in Shangha ...

– ''

Life and Death in Shanghai ''Life and Death in Shanghai'' is an autobiography published in November 1987Published 1986-07-24, , by Yao Nien-Yuan under the pen name Nien Cheng. Written in exile in the United States, it tells the story of Cheng's arrest during the first day ...

'' *

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

– ''Time Flies'' *

Andrea Dworkin Andrea Rita Dworkin (September 26, 1946 – April 9, 2005) was an American radical feminist writer and activist best known for her analysis of pornography. Her feminist writings, beginning in 1974, span 30 years. They are found in a dozen solo ...

– '' Intercourse'' *

Sita Ram Goel Sita Ram Goel (16 October 1921 – 3 December 2003) was an Indian historian, religious and political activist, writer, and publisher in the late twentieth century. He had Marxist leanings during the 1940s, but later became an outspoken anti-co ...

– The Calcutta Quran Petition *C. Z. Guest – ''First Garden'' (approximate year – book undated) *Robert Hughes (critic), Robert Hughes – ''The Fatal Shore'' *Georges Jean – ''Writing: The Story of Alphabets and Scripts'' *Paul Kennedy – ''The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict From 1500 to 2000'' *Nicholas Kenyon (editor) – ''Authenticity and Early Music'' *Steven Long – ''Death Without Dignity, Death Without Dignity: The Story of the First Nursing Home Corporation Indicted for Murder'' *Salman Rushdie – ''The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey'' *Randy Shilts – ''And the Band Played On, And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic'' *Donald Trump (attrib.) and Tony Schwartz (author), Tony Schwartz – ''Trump: The Art of the Deal'' *Peter Wright (MI5 officer), Peter Wright – ''

Births

*February 11 – Julio Torres, Salvadoran writer, comedian, and actor *February 27 – Alexandra Bracken, American young-adult novelist *April 12 – Ilana Glazer, American comedian, director, producer, writer, and actress *December 15 – Mayra Dias Gomes, Brazilian journalist and columnist *''unknown dates'' **Mina Adampour, Norwegian journalist, politician and activist of Iranian origin **Katherine Rundell, English children's writer and academic brought up in Zimbabwe and Belgium

Deaths

*January 15 – George Markstein, German-born English journalist and thriller writer (kidney failure, born 1926 in literature, 1926) *February 2 – Alistair MacLean, Scottish thriller writer (heart attack, born 1922 in literature, 1922) *February 4 – Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, Welsh journalist and broadcaster (born 1908 in literature, 1908) *February 10 – William Rose (screenwriter), William Rose, American screenwriter (born 1918 in literature, 1918) *February 22 – Andy Warhol, American artist, director and writer (cardiac arrhythmia, born 1928 in literature, 1928) *March 4 – Maria Jolas (Maria McDonald), American-born French publisher and campaigner (born 1893 in literature, 1893) *April 4 – C. L. Moore, American science fiction author (born 1911 in literature, 1911) *April 11 ** Erskine Caldwell, American novelist (born 1903 in literature, 1903) ** Primo Levi, Italian chemist and writer (born 1919 in literature, 1919) *May 13 – Richard Ellmann, American-born biographer (born 1918 in literature, 1918) *May 18 – Heðin Brú, Faroese fiction writer and translator (born 1901 in literature, 1901) *May 30 – Norman Nicholson, English poet (born 1914 in literature, 1914) *June 6 – Fulton Mackay, Scottish actor and playwright (born 1922 in literature, 1922) *June 7 – Humberto Costantini, Argentinian writer (cancer, born 1924 in literature, 1924) *July 26 – Tawfiq al-Hakim, Egyptian novelist and dramatist (born 1898 in literature, 1898) *August 18 – Dambudzo Marechera, Zimbabwean writer (born 1952 in literature, 1952) *September 1 – Alan Reid (journalist), Alan Reid ("Red Fox"), English-born Australian journalist (cancer, born 1914 in literature, 1914) *September 25 – Emlyn Williams, Welsh dramatist (born 1905 in literature, 1905) *September 30 – Alfred Bester, American science fiction writer (born 1913 in literature, 1913) *October 3 – Jean Anouilh, French dramatist (born 1910 in literature, 1910) *October 8 – Roger Lancelyn Green, English biographer and children's author (born 1918 in literature, 1918) *October 9 – Clare Boothe Luce, American playwright (born 1903 in literature, 1903) *October 31 – Joseph Campbell, American author and mythology expert (born 1904 in literature, 1904) *November 29 – Gwendolyn MacEwen, Canadian poet (alcohol-related, born 1941 in literature, 1941) *December 1 – James Baldwin, African American novelist (stomach cancer, born 1924 in literature, 1924) *December 17 – Marguerite Yourcenar, French novelist and essayist (born 1903 in literature, 1903)

Awards

*Nobel Prize for Literature: Joseph Brodsky

Australia

*The Australian/Vogel Literary Award: Jim Sakkas, ''Ilias'' *C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry: Lily Brett, ''The Auschwitz Poems'' *Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry: Philip Hodgins, ''Blood and Bone'' *Mary Gilmore Prize: Jan Owen (poet), Jan Owen, ''Boy with Telescope'' *Miles Franklin Award: Glenda Adams, ''Dancing on Coral''

Canada

*See 1987 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.

France

*Prix Goncourt: Tahar ben Jelloun, ''La Nuit sacrée'' *Prix Médicis French: Pierre Mertens, ''Les Éblouissements'' *Prix Médicis International: Antonio Tabucchi, ''Indian Nocturne''

United Kingdom

*Booker Prize:

, ''

'' *Carnegie Medal (literary award), Carnegie Medal for children's literature: Susan Price, ''The Ghost Drum'' *Cholmondeley Award: Wendy Cope, Matthew Sweeney, George Szirtes *Eric Gregory Award: Peter McDonald (critic), Peter McDonald, Maura Dooley, Stephen Knight (poet), Stephen Knight, Steve Anthony (poet), Steve Anthony, Jill Maughan, Paul Munden (poet), Paul Munden *James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction: George Mackay Brown, ''The Golden Bird: Two Orkney Stories'' *James Tait Black Memorial Prize for biography: Ruth Dudley Edwards, ''Victor Gollancz: A Biography'' *1987 Whitbread Awards, Whitbread Best Book Award: Christopher Nolan (author), Christopher Nolan, ''Under the Eye of the Clock'' *Sunday Express Book of the Year: Brian Moore (novelist), Brian Moore, ''The Colour of Blood''

United States

*Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: David Rivard, ''Torque'' *Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry: Howard Nemerov *American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medals#Belles lettres, criticism, essays, American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Belles Lettres: Jacques Barzun *Frost Medal: Robert Creeley / Sterling Allen Brown, Sterling Brown *National Book Critics Circle Award: to The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes *

National Book Award for Fiction The National Book Award for Fiction is one of five annual National Book Awards, which recognize outstanding literary work by United States citizens. Since 1987 the awards have been administered and presented by the National Book Foundation, but ...

: to

Paco's Story ''Paco's Story'' is 1987 novel by Larry Heinemann. The novel is his second and it won the 1987 U.S. National Book Award for FictionLarry Heinemann Larry Curtis Heinemann (January 18, 1944 – December 11, 2019) was an American novelist born and raised in Chicago. His published work – three novels and a memoir – is primarily concerned with the Vietnam War. Life Heinemann served a comb ...

*Nebula Award: Pat Murphy (writer), Pat Murphy, ''The Falling Woman'' *Newbery Medal for children's literature: Sid Fleischman ''The Whipping Boy'' *

: to Soldiers in Hiding by Richard Wiley *Pulitzer Prize for Drama: August Wilson, ''Fences (play), Fences'' * Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: Peter Taylor (author), Peter Taylor, ''A Summons to Memphis'' *Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: Rita Dove, ''Thomas and Beulah'' *Whiting Awards: :Fiction: Joan Chase, Pam Durban, Deborah Eisenberg, Alice McDermott, David Foster Wallace :Poetry: Mark Cox (poet), Mark Cox, Michael Ryan (poet), Michael Ryan :Nonfiction: Mindy Aloff, Gretel Ehrlich :Plays: Reinaldo Povod

Elsewhere

*Europe Theatre Prize: Ariane Mnouchkine, ''Théâtre du Soleil'' *Premio Nadal: Juan José Saer, ''La ocasión''

Notes

References

{{Year in literature article categories 1987 books, Years of the 20th century in literature