99 years ago today, one of the great American novels, The Great Gatsby was published. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work was a commercial disappointment and strangely, as it sometimes happens with artists, it only became a contender for the Great American Novel after his death. It was based on an affair that Fitzgerald had with a New York City socialite, and on the wild parties he would accompany her to on Long Island’s north shore during the Jazz Age. READ more about this seminal work… (1925)

During World War II in the years following Fitzgerald’s death the novel experienced an abrupt surge in popularity when the Council on Books in Wartime distributed free copies to American soldiers serving overseas. When those soldiers got home and entered the academic space, they brought with them their appreciation of the book into new scholarly examinations that made it a centerpiece of high school curricula.

Set during one of the flashiest and most ostentatious periods in American history, the rather brief novel is set in a morally permissive time when Americans of all ages became disillusioned with prevailing social norms and obsessed with pleasure-seeking, even while under government-mandated prohibition. As of early 2020, the novel has sold 30 million copies worldwide, and some years before was believed to be one of the best novels ever written. (1925)

MORE Good News on this Date:

• The first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska (1874)
• The CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, was created by President Franklin Roosevelt to bring new jobs to unemployed Americans during the Depression (1933)
• The U.S., USSR, and 70 other nations agreed to ban biological weapons (1972)
• Imprisoned IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was elected to British Parliament (1981)
• Heinz, Van Camp Seafood and Bumble Bee agreed not to buy tuna caught in nets that also trap dolphins (1989)
• Today is also National Siblings Day, an annual holiday in the US created by Claudia Evart, a paralegal in NYC who wanted to honor her late sister, Lisette, who died early and was born on April 10 (1998)

Happy 83rd birthday to American author Paul Theroux. As well as having written many fiction novels, Theroux is credited as launching somewhat of a revival boom in travelogue literature, after traveling from Britain to Japan and back again all on trains. His book on the subject, The Great Railway Bazaar, has sold 1.5 million copies. 

Having left high school to join the Peace Corps, Theroux was introduced to the wonders of traveling. He would go on to publish books on cross-continental train travel on three separate occasions, as well as a kayaking trip in the South Pacific, and a meandering journey across Great Britain.

If authors sometimes view it as a point of pride to have their books banned in various countries, then Theroux is certainly someone to aspire to. Malawai, Singapore, and South Africa have all banned one or more of his works at various times, though in South Africa’s case, The Mosquito Coast has now become required reading for high schoolers. (1941)

53 years ago today, the People’s Republic of China welcomed the U.S. table tennis team for a week-long visit—the first Americans to visit China since the Communist Revolution 22 years earlier.

Dubbed ‘Ping Pong Diplomacy’, it thawed relations between U.S. President Richard Nixon and Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong, who extended the invitation. As the athletes were enjoying a red carpet tour and playing exhibition matches against the Chinese team, the visit was paving the way for the re-establishment of Sino-US relations at a time when there were no U.S. embassies in China.

Now 77 years old, Yao Zhenxu played for the Shanghai team and accompanied the American delegation during their visit. “At that time, I didn’t think it was a big deal. But now it seems that we were going through something of great historical significance,” he told China Daily this month last year.

When the Americans returned to the US, they went on media and speaking tours, and a year later the Chinese team visited the US, reciprocating with two weeks of exhibition matches, culminating with the two teams meeting President Nixon at the White House.

The former foes established official diplomatic ties seven years later—and, today, the country that was once isolated looks completely different, with information flowing more freely from the outside world and fashions that were once drab-brown—even for women—now as colorful as the team jerseys that were splashed across front pages around the world a half-century ago. (1971)

And, 158 years ago today, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was formed. Henry Bergh from New York had seen horses and other livestock whipped and abused, and it finally broke him down in tears–until he decided to devote his life to stopping it.

His non-profit organization, the ASPCA, pioneered the establishment of legislation on behalf of animals–including the use of animal hospitals, anesthesia, a 24-hour animal poison control line, promotion of spay-and-neuter programs, grief counseling, rescue plans for animals during emergencies, ending unnecessary euthanasia, and pet health insurance. The 50-year-old son of a wealthy New York shipbuilder, was also instrumental in the founding of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. READ the book, Mercy: The Incredible Story of Henry Bergh, Founder of the ASPCA and Friend to Animals, and other books about Mr. Bergh at Amazon. (1866)

Also, 26 years ago today, the Northern Ireland peace talks, which had dragged on for two years, culminated in the historic Good Friday Agreement, which ended 30 years of bloody conflict and bombings. With the United States overseeing as a mediator, weary, but determined, delegates from 2 countries and 8 separate political factions signed off on the accord that established self-rule for Northern Ireland, which had been under direct British control for 26 years. (1998)

And 80 years ago today, Rudolf Vrba, a Jewish teenager, and Alfred Wetzler, 26, escaped from the Auschwitz (Birkenau) Nazi death camp, bringing the first credible news to the Allies about the extermination of Jews. Their detailed report effectively saved up to 200,000 lives, by halting the mass deportation of Hungary’s Jews to Auschwitz for what officials claimed would be “resettlement.” After the war Vrba worked as a biochemist, and Wetzler became an editor. (1944)

On this day 54 years ago, Elton John released his self-titled second studio album which included the breakthrough single Your Song. Grammy-nominated for Album of the Year and certified 2x Platinum, it was Elton’s debut LP in the U.S. and established the singer–songwriter’s career.

The song—with lyrics by longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin—reached the Top 10 single charts throughout the world. WATCH the original music video with a young Elton John… (1970)

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