Today in Bookish and Literary History, December 24

1943 While the Sun Shines by Terence Rattigan - UK

Mr. Rattigan has given his play a mild wartime slant. On the eve of his marriage, the young and wealthy Earl of Harpenden puts up an American Lieutenant for the night, and in the morning dates him up with a former girlfriend. The American mistakes the earl's fiancée for his girlfriend, and the two fall in love before he realizes his mistake. With a French officer also in the race, the girlfriend very much in evidence, and the fiancée's father, a deadbeat duke, adding to the complications, the result is an evening of hilarious fun.


2004 Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan - South Korea

A sweeping, multi-generational tale blending fable, farce, and fantasy--a masterpiece of modern fiction perfect for fans of One Hundred Years of Solitude

  • Shortlisted for The International Booker Prize


2024 Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao - CAN

Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.

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