The last few posts I know I have stuck to one event from the date, mainly because that was the topic that spoke to me. March 14th however has a couple of things that I want to talk about.

The year 1879 brought us one of the greatest minds on earth.

Albert Einstein. A man so brilliant and dedicated to science that we often call people we think of geniuses as “Einstein”. His research led to nuclear fission, the founding of the Manhattan Project. He condemned its use as a weapon despite his support of the Allies during World War II. Luckily for us all, he was visiting the United States when Hitler came to power. Given that Einstein was Jewish, he wisely stayed in the US instead of returning to his teaching post in Berlin.

This day also saw the release by Putnam of Max Brand’s first western novel, The Untamed, in 1919. Max Brand, a pen name employed by Frederick Faust, is considered the most prolific writer of Westerns to date. Faust was known for applying his keen writing style without geographical, and sometimes historical, accuracy. To his readers it didn’t matter that the locations didn’t exist or the conditions works of fantasy, the story was compelling enough to drag you in and force you to turn the page. It is estimated that upon Faust’s death in 1944, he had penned over 30 million words amongst his more than 500 Western serials and short stories.

My last entry for today was actually my first pick for this post. I wanted to save it until last to be my closing remarks. Sylvia Beach, was born on this day in 1887, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. When she was 14, her family moved to Paris. Sylvia was in love with the city. She stayed and, in 1919, opened her soon to be famous bookstore Shakespeare and Co. Her store would become a haunt of great literary giants in the 1920s like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Sylvia was a strong advocate of James Joyce. When Joyce’s serial publication of Ulysses was cut short in the Americas, Sylvia published it completely herself in 1922. The book caused great controversy and was banned from US distribution until 1933. If it were not for Sylvia’s tenacious love for the written word, this work may be something that never saw the light of day.

Thank you Sylvia for your tireless efforts on behalf of readers everywhere. You are an inspiration to speak up against censorship just because it may make a few people uncomfortable. Be brave and tenacious my Gentle Readers. There are always going to be critics. Until next time. Live well, write well, be well.