2018 in literature

This article presents lists of the literary events and publications in 2018.

Events

• August 11 - Writer V. S. Naipaul, on his deathbed in London, is read Tennyson's poem "Crossing the Bar" by newspaper editor Geordie Greig.^[1]
• September 16 - Lady Mary Wroth's closet drama Love's Victory receives its first full professional public staged (filmed) performance, at Penshurst Place in England, where it was probably written about 1618.^[2]

New books

Dates after each title indicate U.S. publication, unless otherwise indicated.

Deaths

Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in literature" article:

• January 1 – Jahn Otto Johansen, Norwegian non-fiction writer and 1982 Cappelen Prize recipient, 83 (born 1934)^[5]
• January 3 – Fred Bass, American bookseller and owner of the Strand Bookstore, 89 (born 1928)^[6]
• January 3 – Valery Chalidze, Russian-born American publisher, 79 (born 1938)^[7]
• January 3 – Philip Eden FRMetS, British weather historian, 66 (born 1951)^[8]
• January 3 – Keorapetse Kgositsile, South African poet and National Poet Laureate, 79 (born 1938)^[9]
• January 3 – Ambalavaner Sivanandan, Sri Lankan writer and 1998 Commonwealth Writers' Prize winner in the Best First Book category for Europe and South Asia, 94 (born 1923)^[10]
• January 4 – Aharon Appelfeld, Romanian-born Israeli writer, 85 (born 1932)^[11]
• January 5 – Muntazir Baba, Pakistani Pushto poet, 68 (born 1950)^[12]
• January 5 – Rasa Chughtai, Indian-born Pakistani Urdu poet, 89 (born 1928)^[13]
• January 5 – Donald D. Evans, Canadian philosopher with an interest in Dostoevsky and Camus, 90 (born 1927)^[14]
• January 5 – Carlo Pedretti, Italian historian, 89 (born 1928)^[15]
• January 5 – Marina Ripa di Meana, Italian best-selling autobiographer, 76 (born 1941)^[16]
• January 7 – Markku Into, Finnish poet and translator, 72 (born 1945)^[17]
• January 7 – Bjørg Vik, Norwegian novelist, short story writer and playwright, co-founder of feminist magazine Sirene, 82 (born 1935)^[18]
• January 8 – J. F. C. Harrison, British historian, 96 (born 1921)^[19]
• January 8 – Jenny Joseph, English poet, 85 (born 1932)^[20]
• January 8 – Tricia Walker, British best-selling writer, 53 (born 1964)^[21]
• January 9 – Heikki Kirkinen, Finnish historian, 90 (born 1927)^[22]
• January 9 – Yılmaz Onay, Turkish writer and translator, 80 (born 1937)^[23]
• January 9 – Mario Perniola, Italian philosopher and professor of aesthetics, 76 (born 1941)^[24]
• January 10 – Gordon Hølmebakk, Norwegian publishing editor, essayist and novelist, 89 (born 1928)^[25]
• January 12 – Doodhnath Singh, Indian Hindi language writer, 81 (born 1936)^[26]
• January 12 – Heinrich von Stietencron, German Indologist, 84 (born 1933)^[27]
• January 13 – Darmanto Jatman, Indonesian poet, 75 (born 1942)^[28]
• January 14 – Geoffrey Best FBA, English historian, 89 (born 1928)^[29]
• January 14 – Pablo García Baena, Spanish poet and 1984 Asturias Prize recipient, 96 (born 1921)^[30]
• January 14 – Samuel A. Schreiner Jr., American writer, 96 (born 1921)^[31]
• January 15 – Moussa Diagana, Mauritanian writer, 71 (born 1946)^[32]
• January 17 – Guy Dupré, French writer and publisher, 89 (born 1928)^[33]
• January 18 – Peter Mayle, British best-selling memoirist of A Year in Provence and A Good Year, 78 (born 1939^[34]
• January 18 – Nancy Richler, Canadian novelist and second cousin of the novelist Mordecai Richler, 60 (born 1957)^[35]
• January 18 – Henry Soles Jr., American editor of two books: The Soul Food New Testament and the Children of Color Bible (both published by Tyndale House), 82 (born 1935)^[36]
• January 19 – Saqi Farooqi, Pakistani poet, 81 (born 1936)^[37]
• January 19 – David M. Knight, British historian of science, 81 (born 1936)^[38]
• January 21 – Jock Haswell, British military historian and intelligence officer, 98 (born 1919)^[39]
• January 22 – Emilio Gastón, Spanish poet, 83 (born 1935)^[40]
• January 22 – Ursula K. Le Guin, American science fiction and fantasy author, 88 (born 1929)^[41]
• January 23 – Nicanor Parra, Chilean poet and physicist, 103 (born 1914)^[42]
• January 24 – Matti Rissanen, Finnish philologist with an interest in Old English, director of the project that produced the Helsinki Corpus of English Texts covering 1,000 years of the English language and used widely since its publication in 1991, involved in the translation of Shakespeare, 80 (born 1937)^[43]
• January 25 – Claribel Alegría, Nicaraguan poet, 93 (born 1924)^[44]
• January 25 – Shawkat Ali, Bangladeshi writer, 81 (born 1936)^[45]
• January 25 – Neagu Djuvara, Romanian historian, essayist, philosopher and novelist, 101 (born 1916)^[46]
• January 29 – Anthony Kemp, English military historian, 78 (born 1939)^[47]
• January 29 – Stewart Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of Houndwood KT, FRSE, FBA, FKC, Scottish philosopher of religion, explorer of continental thinkers including Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Camus and Weil, 76 (born 1941)^[48]
• January 30 – Andreas Gruschke, German writer and sinologist, 57 (born 1960)^[49]
• January 30 – Richard Murphy, Irish poet, 90 (born 1927)^[50]
• January 31 – Haim Gouri, Israeli poet, 94 (born 1923)^[51]
• February 1 – André Baudry, French philosophy professor and founder of the homophile review Arcadie, 95 (born 1922)^[52]
• February 1 – Niranjan Bhagat, Indian poet in the English and Gujuarti languages (the English being mostly in the style of Gitanjali), 1949 Kumar Suvarna Chandrak recipient, 1953 Narmad Suvarna Chandrak recipient, 1969 Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak recipient, 1998 Premanand Suvarna Chandrak recipient, 1999 Sahitya Akademi Award for Gujarati language recipient, 2001 Narsinh Mehta Award winner, 91 (born 1926)^[53]
• February 1 – Germain Grisez, French-American Thomistic philosopher, 88 (born 1929)^[54]
• February 1 – William Whitehead, Canadian writer and longtime partner of fellow writer Timothy Findley, 86 (born 1931)^[55]
• February 3 – Bill Teale, American educator and literacy advocate, 70 (born 1947)^[56]
• February 5 – Gregor Dorfmeister (pseudonym Manfred Gregor), German novelist (Die Brücke, Town Without Pity), 88 (born 1929)^[57]
• February 5 – Mathieu Riboulet, French novelist and 2012 Prix Décembre recipient, 57 (born 1960)^[58]
• February 6 – Liliana Bodoc, Argentine fantasy writer, 59 (born 1958)^[59]
• February 6 – Douglas Botting, English biographer, 83 (born 1934)^[60]
• February 6 – Jao Tsung-I, Chinese-born Hong Kong sinologist, calligrapher and historian, 100 (born 1917)^[61]
• February 6 – James W. Sire, American writer, professor of English literature, philosophy and theology, editor for InterVarsity Press, 84 (born 1933)^[62]
• February 6 – John Anthony West, American science fiction writer with an interest in Egypt, 85 (born 1932)^[63]
• February 6 – Michael White, British biographer of C. S. Lewis among others and best-selling mystery fiction writer, 58 (born 1959)^[64]
• February 7 – Brahim Akhiat, Moroccan writer, 77 (born c. 1941)^[65]
• February 9 – Alfonso Lacadena, Spanish Mesoamerican epigraphist and academic at Complutense University of Madrid, 53 (born 1964)^[66]
• February 9 – Edward Pearce, English biographer and playwright, 78 (born 1939)^[67]
• February 9 – Keith M. Wilson, British historian (born ?)^[68]
• February 10 – Michiko Ishimure, Japanese writer, 90 (born 1927)^[69]
• February 11 – Raymond Vautherin, French-born Italian linguist, patois poet, playwright and translator, 82 (born 1935)^[70]
• February 12 – Bill Crider, American writer of crime, mystery, horror and westerns, 76 (born 1941)^[71]
• February 12 – Jack Ludwig, Canadian novelist, short story writer, essayist and the basis of the character Valentine Gersbach in Saul Bellow's novel Herzog, 95 (born 1922)^[72]
• February 12 – Françoise Xenakis, French writer, 87 (born 1930)^[73]
• February 13 – Ernest Hecht OBE, Czechoslovakian-born British publisher and founder of Souvenir Press, 88 (born 1929)^[74]
• February 13 – Victor Milan, American libertarian science fiction writer, 63 (born 1954)^[75]
• February 14 – Lerone Bennett Jr., American scholar, chronicler of life for the blacks in that country and editor of Ebony, 89 (born 1928)^[76]
• February 15 – Tosun Bayrak, Turkish writer and translator particularly known for his efforts on the works of the Sufi mystic Ibn Arabi, 92 (born 1926)^[77]
• February 15 – Steven Collins, British-born American Buddhist studies scholar, 66 (born 1951)^[78]
• February 15 – Iseabail Macleod MBE, Scottish lexicographer and former Director of the Scottish National Dictionary Association, 81 (born 1936)^[79]
• February 15 – Daniel Vernet, French writer, 72, (born 1945)^[80]
• February 16 – Eleanor Winsor Leach, American academic from whom "Vergilians learned much ... on the Eclogues, Georgics, and Aeneid, her landmark 1974 book on the Eclogues, her two major studies on the ties that link Roman literature, art, and society, and her many many articles on Latin poetry and painting and their reception", 80 (born 1937)^[81]
• February 17 – Akinwunmi Isola, Nigerian playwright, novelist (O Leku) and promoter of the Yoruba language, 78 (born 1939)^[82]
• February 18 – John David Morley, English novelist and travel writer, 70 (born 1948)^[83]
• February 20 – Tōta Kaneko, Japanese Person of Cultural Merit, 2005 Cikada Prize recipient, 2015 Asahi Prize recipient, 98 (born 1919)^[84]
• February 20 – Roy McDonald, Canadian poet, 80 (born 1937)^[85]
• February 20 – Zigmas Zinkevičius, Lithuanian linguist-historian and 1994 Herder Prize recipient, 93 (born 1925)^[86]
• February 21 – Beryl Fletcher, New Zealand feminist novelist, 79 (born 1938)^[87]
• February 22 – Euler Granda, Ecuadorian poet and 2009 Premio Eugenio Espejo recipient, 82 (born 1935)^[88]
• February 23 – Wolfhart Westendorf, German Egyptologist, 93 (born 1924)^[89]
• February 25 – Michael Green, British novelist and playwright, 91 (born 1927)^[90]
• February 25 – Cynthia Heimel, American feminist writer of satirical books and playwright, 70 (born 1947)^[91]
• February 25 – Penny Vincenzi, British best-selling writer of novels and short stories, 78 (born 1939)^[92]
• February 28 – Pierre Milza, French historian and biographer, 85 (born 1932)^[93]
• March 1 – Diana Der Hovanessian, Armenian American poet, translator and professor at Yerevan State University, 83 (born 1934)^[94]
• March 2 – Adela Calva Reyes, Mexican writer and playwright, 50–51 (born 1967)^[95]
• March 2 – Gordon Challis, New Zealand poet, 85 (born 1932)^[96]
• March 2 – Ota Filip, Czech novelist who wrote both in German and Czech, 87 (born 1930)^[97]
• March 2 – Barbara Kiefer Lewalski, American literary scholar and authority on Renaissance literature particularly known for her work on John Milton, 87 (born 1931)^[98]
• March 3 – Jacques Gernet, French sinologist, 96 (born 1921)^[99]
• March 3 – Emma Hannigan, bestselling Irish writer best known for writing about her experience of suffering from cancer, 45 (born 1972)^[100]
• March 3 – Anthony Lejeune, British writer, 89 (born 1928)^[101]
• March 3 – Ivone Ramos, Cape Verdean writer, 91 (born 1926)^[102]
• March 3 – Jorge Wagensberg Lubinski, Spanish physicist, academic (University of Barcelona), writer and aphorist, founder director of CosmoCaixa, 69 (born 1948)^[103]
• March 4 – José Triana, Cuban poet and playwright, 87 (born 1931)^[104]
• March 5 – Robert Assaraf, Moroccan historian, 81 (born 1936)^[105]
• March 5 – Derek Bickerton, English-born American linguist, academic and writer of novels, 91 (born 1926)^[106]
• March 5 – Clive Sinclair FRSL, British short story writer, novelist and inclusion in Granta′s 1983 list of Best Young British Novelists, 70 (born 1948)^[107]
• March 5 – Hayden White, American historian in the tradition of literary criticism (Metahistory: The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-Century Europe), 89 (born 1928)^[108]
• March 6 – Lucie Brock-Broido, American poet and academic, 61 (born 1956)^[109]
• March 6 – Peter Nicholls, Australian writer and editor of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 78 (born 1939)^[110]
• March 6 – Indra Bahadur Rai, Indian writer, 91 (born 1927)^[111]
• March 8 – Sir Wilson Harris, Guyanese poet, essayist, short story writer and novelist (Palace of the Peacock), 96 (born 1921)^[112]
• March 8 – Jean Jolivet, French philosopher and medievalist, 93 (born 1925)^[113]
• March 8 – Gerd Søraa, Norwegian writer of novels and books about local history, 83 (born 1934)^[114]
• March 8 – Kate Wilhelm, American science fiction, mystery and suspense writer, 89 (born 1928)^[115]
• March 9 – Ulla Nenonen, Finnish missionary and Bible translator, 84 (born 1933)^[116]
• March 10 – Val Mulkerns, Irish writer and poet, 93 (born 1925)^[117]
• March 11 – H. Blair Neatby, Canadian historian, 93 (born 1924)^[118]
• March 11 – David W. Noble, American historian, 92 (born 1925)^[119]
• March 11 – Mary Rosenblum, American science fiction and mystery writer, 65 (born 1952)^[120]
• March 11 – Mario Vegetti, Italian historian of philosophy, 81 (born 1937)^[121]
• March 12 – Emily Stipes Watts, American literary historian, 81 (born 1936)^[122]
• March 13 – Emily Nasrallah, Lebanese writer of novels, children's stories and short story collections, 86 (born 1931)^[123]
• March 14 – Robert L. Bireley, American Jesuit historian of Counter-Reformation Central Europe, 84 (born 1933)^[124]
• March 14 – Alfred W. Crosby, American ecological historian (The Columbian Exchange, Ecological Imperialism), 87 (born 1931)^[125]
• March 14 – David Wyman, American historian (The Abandonment of the Jews), 89 (born 1929)^[126]
• March 16 – Russell Freedman, American biographer, non-fiction and children's writer, 88 (born 1929)^[127]
• March 17 – Zdeněk Mahler, Czech writer and biographer, 89 (born 1928)^[128]
• March 17 – Sushil Siddharth, Hindi prose and poetry writer, critic, editor and satirist, 59 (born 1958)^[129]
• March 18 – Li Ao, Chinese-Taiwanese essayist and historian, 82 (born 1935)^[130]
• March 18 – Michael Rutschky, German writer and 1997 Heinrich Mann Prize recipient, 74 (born 1943)^[131]
• March 19 – Jürg Laederach, Swiss writer and 1997 Austrian State Prize for European Literature recipient, 72 (born 1945)^[132]
• March 19 – Luo Fu, Taiwanese poet, 89 (born 1928)^[133]
• March 19 – Kedarnath Singh, Indian poet, critic and essayist, 83 (born 1934).^[134]
• March 20 – Ann-Charlotte Alverfors, Swedish writer, 71 (born 1947)^[135]
• March 20 – Tom Griffin, American playwright (The Boys Next Door), 72 (born 1946)^[136]
• March 22 – Khozh-Akhmed Bersanov, Russian Chechen writer and ethnographer, 91 (born 1926)^[137]
• March 22 – Jan Kantůrek, Czech translator, 69 (born 1948)^[138]
• March 22 – Morten Piil, Danish film critic and translator of Vladimir Nabokov, 75, (born 1943)^[139]
• March 22 – Dariush Shayegan, Iranian cultural theorist and philosopher, winner of the French ADELF award presented by the Association of French Authors in 2004 for his French novel Land of Mirage, 83, (born 1935)^[140]
• March 23 – Philip Kerr, Scottish writer of historical detective thriller and children's books, 62 (born 1956)^[141]
• March 23 – Alberto Ongaro, Italian writer of historical and adventure books, 92 (born 1925)^[142]
• March 23 – Aileen Paterson MBE, Scottish writer and illustrator of children's books, 83 (born 1934)^[143]
• March 24 – John Ehle, American "father of Appalachian literature", 92 (born 1925)^[144]
• March 25 – Bob Biderman, British-American novelist, 77–78 (born 1940)^[145] (death announced on this date)
• March 28 – Clément Rosset, French philosopher and writer, 78 (born 1939)^[146]
• March 29 – Anita Shreve, American writer of bestsellers (The Pilot's Wife, The Weight of Water, Stella Bain), 71 (born 1946)^[147]
• March 30 – André Duval, French-Canadian author and historian, 97 (born 1920)^[148]
• March 30 – Ivor Forbes Guest, British historian and writer, 97 (born 1920)^[149]
• March 30 – Drue Heinz, American literary publisher (The Paris Review) and patron (Drue Heinz Literature Prize), 103 (born 1915)^[150]
• March 31 – Margarita Carrera, Guatemalan philosopher, professor, writer and 1996 laureate of the Miguel Ángel Asturias National Prize in Literature, 88 (born 1929)^[151]
• April 1 – Brian Moynahan, British historian and biographer, 77 (born 1941)^[152]
• April 1 – Efraín Trelles, Peruvian historian of Spanish colonialism, 64 (born 1953)^[153]
• April 2 – Ahmed Khaled Tawfik, Egyptian novelist, 55 (born 1962)^[154]
• April 3 – Arrigo Petacco, Italian journalist and writer, 88 (born 1929)^[155]
• April 4 – John Lynch, British historian of Latin America, 91 (born 1927)^[156]
• April 5 – Irina Tokmakova, Russian poet, playwright and translator, 89 (born 1929)^[157]
• April 6 – Daniel Chavarría, Uruguayan-born Cuban writer, 84 (born 1933)^[158]
• April 6 – Henryk Skolimowski, Polish philosopher, 87 (born 1930)^[159]
• April 6 – Edla Van Steen, Brazilian playwright and short story writer, 81 (born 1936)^[160]
• April 7 – Gerd Honsik, Austrian writer, 76 (born 1941)^[161]
• April 8 – Efraín Jara Idrovo, Ecuadorian writer, existentialist poet and 1999 Premio Eugenio Espejo recipient, 92 (born 1926)^[162]
• April 10 – Danarto, Indonesian writer and artist, 76 (born 1941)^[163]
• April 10 – J. D. McClatchy, American poet, 72 (born 1945)^[164]
• April 11 – Alexander Welsh, American literary scholar, 84 (born 1933)^[165]
• April 12 – Sergio Pitol, Mexican novelist, translator and 2005 Miguel de Cervantes Prize recipient, 85 (born 1933)^[166]
• April 14 – Frank Bren, 74, Australian actor and playwright, 74 (born 1943)^[167]
• April 14 – Sam Hamill, American poet and publisher, 74 (born 1943)^[168]
• April 14 – Jon Michelet, Norwegian writer, 73 (born 1944)^[169]
• April 15 – Luise Hercus, German-born Australian linguist, 92 (born 1926)^[170]
• April 16 – Beverley Farmer, Australian novelist and short story writer, 77 (born 1941)^[171]
• April 17 – Joan Chase, American novelist, 81 (born 1936)^[172]
• April 18 – Jean Flori, French medieval historian, 82 (born 1936)^[173]
• April 18 – Howard Sachar, American historian, 90 (born 1928)^[174]
• April 18 – Willibald Sauerländer, German art historian, 94 (born 1924)^[175]
• April 19 – Arnold Eidslott, Norwegian poet, 91 (born 1926)^[176]
• April 19 – Herbert Pilch, German linguist and celtologist, 91 (born 1926)^[177]
• April 20 – Pavel Šrut, Czech poet, writer and translator, 78, (born 1940)^[178]
• April 21 – Firmin Le Bourhis, French writer, 67 (born 1950)^[179]
• April 22 – Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao, Indian writer, composer and musicologist, 98 (born 1920)^[180]
• April 23 –Edward W. Tayler, American literary scholar, 87 (born 1931)^[181]
• April 24 – Belal Chowdhury, Bangladeshi poet, 79 (born 1938)^[182]
• April 24 – Dinu C. Giurescu, Romanian historian, 91 (born 1927)^[183]
• April 24 – Emma Smith, English writer whose best-selling novel was republished 50 years later, 94 (born 1923)^[184]
• April 25 – Steven Marcus, American literary critic and scholar, 89 (born 1928)^[185]
• April 26 – Elvira Orphée, Argentine writer, Guggenheim Fellow (1988), 95 (born 1922)^[186]
• April 28 – Yevgeny Titarenko, Russian writer, 82 (born 1935)^[187]
• May 2 – Kottayam Pushpanath, Indian novelist and translator, 80 (born 1938)^[188]
• May 3 – Demetrio Túpac Yupanqui, Peruvian academic and Quechua translator of Don Quixote, 94 (born 1923)^[189]
• May 4 – Renate Dorrestein, Dutch writer and journalist, 64 (born 1954)^[190]
• May 5 – Klaus Dede, German writer and journalist, 82 (born 1935)^[191]
• May 5 – Rosemarie Schuder, German writer, 89 (born 1928)^[192]
• May 6 – Cirilo Bautista, Filipino writer and poet, 76 (born 1941)^[193]
• May 6 – Jamal Naji, Jordanian novelist and short story writer, 63 (born 1954)^[194]
• May 7 – Andreas Findig, Austrian writer, 56 (born 1933)^[195]
• May 7 – Mikhail German, Russian writer, 85 (born 1933)^[196]
• May 9 – Murai Shimako, Japanese playwright, 89 (born 1928)^[197]
• May 10 – Günther Haensch, German linguist and lexicographer, 95 (born 1923)^[198]
• May 10 – Adam Parfrey, American writer, editor and publisher (Feral House), 61 (born 1957)^[199]
• May 11 – Gérard Genette, French literary theorist, 87 (born 1930)^[200]
• May 11 – Josh Greenfeld, American playwright and screenwriter, 90 (born 1928)^[201]
• May 11 – Peter Mayer, American publisher (The Overlook Press, Penguin Books), 82 (born 1936)^[202]
• May 13 – Balkavi Bairagi, Indian poet and politician, 87 (born 1931)^[203]
• May 14 – John James, British poet, 79 (born 1939)^[204]
• May 15 – Balakumaran, Indian writer, 71 (born 1946)^[205]
• May 15 – Tom Murphy, Irish playwright, 83 (born 1935)^[206]
• May 15 – Barbara Nawrocka-Dońska, Polish journalist and feminist essayist, 93 (born 1924)^[207]
• May 16 – François Bréda, Romanian writer and literary critic, 62 (born 1956)^[208]
• May 16 – Elena Gremina, Russian scriptwriter, director and playwright, 61 (born 1956)^[209]
• May 16 – Miriam T. Griffin, American classical scholar, Emeritus Fellow in Ancient History at Somerville College, 82 (born 1934)^[210]
• May 17 – Inger Brattström, Swedish writer, 97 (born 1923)^[211]
• May 17 – Craig Harbison, American art historian, 74 (born 1944)^[212]
• May 18 – John Ashdown-Hill, British historian and writer of books on late medieval English history with a focus on the House of York and Richard III of England whose work led to the discovery of Richard III's remains, 69 (born 1949)^[213]
• May 18 – Liam Ó Muirthile, Irish poet, 68 (born 1950)^[214]
• May 19 – Bernard Lewis, British-American Middle East historian and professor (Princeton University), 101 (born 1916)^[215]
• May 20 – Ramón Chao, Spanish anti-Francoist journalist (Le Monde, La Voz de Galicia) and writer, 82 (born 1935)^[216]
• May 21 – António Arnault, Portuguese politician, poet and Grand Master of Grande Oriente Lusitano, Minister of Social Affairs (1978), 82 (born 1936)^[217]
• May 22 – Alberto Dines, Brazilian journalist (Jornal do Brasil, Grupo Abril, Observatório da Imprensa), writer and professor (Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism), 86, (born 1932)^[218]
• May 23 – Vinod Bhatt, Indian humourist and biographer, 80 (born 1938)^[219]
• May 24 – Paul Harris, Scottish writer and publisher, 69 (born 1948)^[220]
• May 26 – Mazhar Kaleem, Pakistani lawyer and novelist (Imran Series), 75 (born 1942)^[221][222]
• May 28 – Semavi Eyice, Turkish art historian (Istanbul University), 95 (born 1922)^[223]
• May 31 - M. L. Thangappa, Indian writer, 84 (born 1934)^[224]
• June 1 - Poldy Bird, Argentine writer, 76 (born 1941)^[225]
• June 1 - John Julius Norwich, British historian and travel writer, 88 (born 1929)^[226]
• June 1 - Michael Andrew Screech, British Renaissance scholar, 92 (born 1926)^[227]
• June 3 - Alessandra Appiano, Italian writer and journalist, 59 (born 1959)^[228]
• June 3 - Gilbert Trausch, Luxembourgian historian, 86 (born 1931)^[229]
• June 3 - Kyra Petrovskaya Wayne, Russian-born American writer, 99 (born 1918)^[230]
• June 4 - Abhimanyu Unnuth, Mauritian writer, 80 (born 1937)^[231]
• June 5 - Daša Drndić, Croatian radio playwright (Radio Belgrade) and novelist (Sonnenschein), 71 (born 1946)^[232]
• June 6 - Mateja Matevski, Macedonian poet, 89 (born 1929)^[233]
• June 6 - David McFadden, Canadian poet and travel writer, 77 (born 1940)^[234]
• June 6 - Mary Wilson, Baroness Wilson of Rievaulx, British poet, Spouse of the Prime Minister (1964–1970, 1974–1976), 102 (born 1916)^[235]
• June 7 - Philippe de Baleine, French writer, 96 (born 1921).^[236]
• June 9 - Liu Yichang, Hong Kong novelist, editor and publisher, a founder of Hong Kong's modern literature, 99 (born 1918)^[237]
• June 15 - Raoul Van Caenegem, Belgian historian, 90 (born 1927)^[238]
• June 15 - Macdara Woods, Irish poet, 76 (born 1942)^[239]
• June 17 - Andrei Ivanovich Stepanov, Soviet-born Russian diplomat and writer, 88 (born 1930)^[240]
• June 18 - Paul Gratzik, German writer, 82 (born 1936)^[241]
• June 18 - Nathan Shaham, Israeli writer, 93 (born 1925)^[242]
• June 18 - Marta Terry González, Cuban librarian, 87 (born 1931)^[243]
• June 19 - Stanley Cavell, American philosopher, 91 (born 1926)^[244]
• June 19 - Ivan Drach, Ukrainian poet, screenwriter and politician, member of Verkhovna Rada (1990–1994, 1998–2000, 2002–2006), 81 (born 1936)^[245]
• June 19 - Frank Vickery, Welsh playwright, 67 (born 1951)^[246]
• June 20 - Sándor Kányádi, Hungarian poet and translator, 89 (born 1929)^[247]
• June 20 - Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi, Pakistani banker, writer and humorist, 94 (born 1923)^[248]
• June 21 - Oldřich Král, Czech sinologist and translator, 87 (born 1930)^[249]
• June 21 - Eric Stanley, British literary scholar and historian, 94 (born 1923)^[250]
• June 22 - Nahum Korzhavin, Russian-American poet, 92 (born 1925)^[251]
• June 23 - Donald Hall, American poet, former U.S. Poet Laureate, 89 (born 1926)^[252]
• June 23 - Richard Lowitt, American historian, 96 (born 1922)^[253]
• June 23 - Phan Huy Lê, Vietnamese historian, 84 (born 1934)^[254]
• June 24 - Keith Bosley, British poet and translator, 80 (born 1937)^[255]
• June 26 - Andrey Dementyev, Russian poet, 89 (born 1928)^[256]
• June 28 - François Bluche, French historian, 92 (born 1925)^[257]
• June 28 - Domenico Losurdo, Italian Marxist philosopher and historian (Liberalism: A Counter-History), 76 (born 1941)^[258]
• June 28 - Christine Nöstlinger, Austrian writer, 81 (born 1936)^[259]
• June 30 - Helena Kadečková, Czech philologist, translator and academic, 85 (born 1932)^[260]
• June 30 - Timothy Murphy, American poet, 67 (born 1951)^[261]
• June 30 - Fuat Sezgin, Turkish Islamic science historian (Goethe University Frankfurt), 93 (born 1924)^[262]
• July 1 - Bozhidar Dimitrov, Bulgarian historian, 72 (born 1945)^[263]
• July 2 - Meic Stephens, Welsh writer and editor (The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales, Library of Wales: Poetry 1900-2000), 79 (born 1938)^[264]
• July 3 - Thérèse Kleindienst, French librarian, 101 (born 1916)^[265]
• July 4 - Rogelio Mangahas, Filipino poet and writer, 79 (born 1939)^[266]
• July 5 - François Budet, French singer-songwriter, novelist, and poet, 78 (born 1940)^[267]
• July 5 - Gerald Messadié, French essayist and novelist, 87 (born 1931)^[268]
• July 5 - Michel Suffran, French novelist, 87 (born 1931)^[269]
• July 6 - Amritlal Vegad, Indian writer, 89 (born 1928)^[270]
• July 6 - Oleg Yuriev, Russian writer and translator, 58 (born 1959)^[271]
• July 7 - Peter Sawyer, British historian, 90 (born 1928)^[272]
• July 8 - Anthony Kirk-Greene, British historian, 93 (born 1925)^[273]
• July 10 - Clive King, English writer, 94 (born 1924)^[274]
• July 13 - Atukwei Okai, Ghanaian poet and academic (University of Ghana), 77 (born 1941)^[275]
• July 13 - Claude Seignolle, French writer, 101 (born 1917)^[276]
• July 14 – Petr Weigl, Czech director, playwright and dramaturge, 79 (born 1939)^[277]
• July 17 - Radoslav Nenadál, Czech writer and English-language translator, 88 (born 1929)^[278]
• July 17 - Hugh Whitemore, English playwright, 82 (born 1936)^[279]
• July 18 - Anne Olivier Bell, English literary editor and art scholar, member of the Monuments Men Brigade, 102 (born 1916)^[280]
• July 18 - Ling Li, Chinese historical novelist and missile engineering technologist, 76 (born 1942)^[281]
• July 26 - Sha Yexin, Chinese playwright and political activist, 79 (born 1939)^[282]
• July 27 - Marco Aurelio Denegri, Peruvian linguist, intellectual and sexologist, 80 (born 1938)^[283]
• August 4 - Lluïsa Forrellad, Spanish writer, 91 (born 1927)^[284]
• August 4 - Anita Miller, American writer, publisher and co-founder of Academy Chicago Publishers, 91, (born 1926)^[285]
• August 5 - Matthew Sweeney, Irish poet, 65 (born 1952)^[286]
• August 6 - Kamrul Hasan Bhuiyan, Bangladeshi military officer and writer, 66 (born 1952)^[287]
• August 6 - Christian Habicht, German historian (Ancient Greece), 92 (born 1926)^[288]
• August 6 - Leonard Lewinsohn, American Islamic scholar, 64–65 (born 1953)^[289]
• August 6 - Anya Krugovoy Silver, American poet, 49 (born 1968)^[290]
• August 7 - Andrew Coburn, American novelist, short story writer, essayist and newspaper columnist, 86 (born 1932)^[291]
• August 7 - Joel H. Silbey, American historian, 84 (born 1933)^[292]
• August 7 - Robley Wilson, American writer, 88 (born 1930)^[293]
• August 8 (actual date) or 9 (official date) - Mario Alinei, Italian linguist, 91 (born 1926)^[294][295]
• August 8 - Robert Hugh Ferrell, American historian, 97 (born 1921)^[296]
• August 10 - William Corbett, American poet, 75 (born 1942)^[297]
• August 10 - Mahmut Makal, Turkish writer, 88 (born 1930)^[298]
• August 11 - Pierre Coustillas, French University of Lille academic and literary scholar specialising in the work of George Gissing, 88 (born 1930)^[299]
• August 11 - Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, Trinidad-born British novelist and 2001 Nobel Prize laureate, 85 (born 1932)^[300]
• August 12 - Michael Scott Rohan, Scottish fantasy and science fiction writer, 67 (born 1951)^[301]
• August 12 - Steven T. Ross, American military historian, 81 (born 1937)^[302]
• August 13 - John Calder, Canadian-born British publisher who founded Calder Publishing in 1949, 91 (born 1927)^[303]
• August 13 - Georges Hausemer, Luxembourgian novelist, short story writer, travelogue writer, non-fiction writer and translator from French, English, Spanish and Luxembourgish into German, who sometimes worked as an illustrator using the nom de plume 'Theo Selmer, 92, 61 (born 1957)^[304]
• August 13 - Ann Moss FBA, British literary historian, 80 (born 1938)^[305]
• August 14 - Chemmanam Chacko, Indian poet, 92 (born 1926)^[306]
• August 14 - Eduard Uspensky, Russian children's writer (Uncle Fedya, His Dog, and His Cat), poet, playwright and screenwriter, 80 (born 1937)^[307]
• August 15 - Abu Bakr al-Jazaeri, Algerian Islamic scholar and writer, 97 (born 1921)^[308]
• August 15 - Allan Rune Pettersson, Swedish writer (Frankenstein's Aunt, Frankenstein's Aunt Returns), 82 (born 1936)^[309]
• August 15 - Sterling Stuckey, American historian specialising in slavery and Afro-American culture, 86 (born 1932)^[310]
• August 16 - Benny Andersen, Danish poet, short story writer, children's writer and pianist, 88 (born 1929)^[311]
• August 16 - George Athan Billias, American historian, 99 (born 1919)^[312]
• August 16 - Wakako Yamauchi, Japanese American playwright whose works were influential in Asian-American theatre, 93 (born 1924)^[313]
• August 17 - Jeremy Catto, English historian, 79 (born 1939)^[314]
• August 17 - Halima Xudoyberdiyeva, Uzbekistani nationalist, liberationist, feminist writer and poet, 71 (born 1947)^[315]
• August 18 - Tom Clark, American poet, biographer and poetry editor of The Paris Review between 1963 and 1973, 77 (born 1941)^[316]
• August 18 - Eduard Frolov, Russian historian, Head of the Department of History of Ancient Greece and Rome at the Saint Petersburg State University between 1971 and 2015, and member of the Journal of Ancient History's editorial board, 85 (born 1933)^[317]
• August 18 - Henk Wesseling, Dutch historian, 81 (born 1937)^[318]
• August 20 - Matthew Aid, American military historian specialising in signal intelligence and the history of the National Security Agency, 60 (born 1958)^[319]
• August 21 - John Christgau, American writer on sports and his country's history, 84 (born 1934)^[320]
• August 21 - Vesna Krmpotić, Croatian writer, translator 1999 Vladimir Nazor Award recipient and 2013 Tin Ujević Award recipient, 86 (born 1932)^[321]
• August 21 - Hanna Mina, Syrian novelist, 94 (born 1924)^[322]
• August 22 - Jesús Torbado, Spanish writer and 1965 Alfaguara Prize recipient, 75 (born 1943)^[323]
• August 23 - Cindy Haug, Norwegian writer, 61 (born 1956)^[324]
• August 23 - Ann Ireland, Canadian novelist, writing instructor and past president of PEN Canada, 65 (born 1953)^[325]
• August 23 - Franck Venaille, French poet and 1996 Prix Mallarmé recipient, 81 (born 1936)^[326]
• August 24 - Stanley Morgan, English writer of thrillers, 88 (born 1929)^[327]
• August 24 - Ciril Zlobec, Slovene poet, 93 (born 1925)^[328]
• August 26 - Hamsad Rangkuti, Indonesian short story writer, 75 (born 1943)^[329]
• August 26 - Neil Simon, American playwright (Biloxi Blues, The Odd Couple), 1991 Pulitzer Prize winner (Lost in Yonkers) and 1965, 1985 and 1991 Tony winner, 91 (born 1927)^[330]
• August 28 - Josep Fontana, Spanish historian and Pompeu Fabra University academic, 86 (born 1931)^[331]
• August 29 - Carilda Oliver Labra, Cuban poet, 96 (born 1922)^[332]
• August 30 - Peter Corris, Australian academic, historian, journalist and novelist of historical and crime fiction, 76 (born 1942)^[333]
• August 31 - Amanda Kyle Williams, American novelist of crime fiction, 61 (born 1957)^[334]
• September 1 - Margit Sandemo, Norwegian Swedish writer of historical fantasy works such as The Legend of the Ice People, 94 (born 1924)^[335]
• September 1 - Mykola Shytyuk, Ukrainian historian, 64 (born 1953)^[336]
• September 1 - Ehsan Yarshater, Iranian historian, linguist and Iranologist who was director of the Center for Iranian Studies at Columbia University, 98 (born 1920)^[337]
• September 3 - Rama Chowdhury, Bangladeshi writer, 81 (born 1937)^[338]
• September 5 - Bhagwatikumar Sharma, Indian Gujarati writer and journalist, 84 (born 1934)^[339]
• September 5 - Priscila Uppal, Canadian poet, novelist, playwright and teacher of creative writing, 43 (born 1974)^[340]
• September 6 - Salawat Gallyamov, Russian linguist, 58 (born 1959)^[341]
• September 6 - Gilbert Lazard, French linguist, Iranologist and translator of classical Persian poetry, 98 (born 1920)^[342]
• September 6 - Sven Wernström, Swedish children's writer, 93 (born 1925)^[343]
• September 7 - Gaston-Armand Amaudruz, Swiss neo-fascist political philosopher, 97 (born 1920)^[344]
• September 8 - Christopher Harper-Bill, British medieval historian whose research focused on "the ecclesiastical history of England from the Norman Conquest to the eve of the Reformation" as well as editing episcopal and monastic records, 71 (born 1947)^[345]
• September 9 - Adrian C. Louis, American Lovelock Paiute tribe writer whose work focused on poverty, alcoholism and social problems, 72 (born 1946)^[346]
• September 9 - John W. Rogerson, British Anglican priest, theologian, biblical scholar and Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield, 83 (born 1935)^[347]
• September 10 - Paul Virilio, French philosopher of aesthetics, cultural theorist and urbanist, 86 (born 1932)^[348]
• September 12 - Ronald Carter MBE FRSA AcSS, British linguist and founding member of the Poetics and Linguistics Association, 71 (born 1947)^[349]
• September 12 - Albert Ullin OAM, German Australian children's bookseller and founder of Australia's first children's bookstore-The Little Bookroom, 88 (born 1930)^[350]
• September 13 - Guido Ceronetti, Italian poet, philosopher, playwright, puppeteer and translator, 91 (born 1927)^[351]
• September 13 - Albrecht Wellmer, German philosopher and 2006 Theodor W. Adorno Award recipient, 85 (born 1933)^[352]
• September 13 - John Wilcock, 91, British best-selling travel writer and co-founder of The Village Voice, 91 (born 1927)^[353]
• September 14 - Rudolf Schieffer, German historian specialising in medieval history and president of Monumenta Germaniae Historica between 1994 and 2012, 71 (born 1947)^[354]
• September 15 (death announced on this date) - Joris Borghouts, Dutch Egyptologist who in 1999 was elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 79 (born 1939)^[355]
• September 15 - David Lowenthal FBA, American historian and geographer known for his work on cultural heritage, 95 (born 1923)^[356]
• September 15 - Lionello Puppi, Italian art historian, 86 (born 1931)^[357]
• September 15 - Charles Rappleye, American writer, editor and co-founder of the art magazine Artillery, 62 (born 1956)^[358]
• September 15 - David Rubadiri, Malawian poet, playwright, novelist, academic and diplomat, 88 (born 1930)^[359]
• September 16 - Horst Bosetzky, German writer of crime and historical novels, 80 (born 1938)^[360]
• September 16 - John Molony, Australian historian and Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University, 91 (born 1927)^[361]
• September 17 - Stephen Jeffreys, British playwright who gave Thomas Shadwell's The Libertine a modern adaptation, 68 (born 1950)^[362]
• September 17 - Daniel N. Robinson, American philosopher, 81 (born 1937)^[363]
• September 18 - Marceline Loridan-Ivens, French memoirist of But You Did Not Come Back, 90 (born 1928)^[364]
• September 19 - Vishnu Khare, Indian Hindi poet and translator, 78 (born 1940)^[365]
• September 19 - Kondapalli Koteswaramma, Indian feminist writer, 100 (born 1918)^[366]
• September 19 - David Wong Louie, Chinese American novelist and short story writer, 63 (born 1954)^[367]
• September 19 - Pavel Řezníček, Czech poet, novelist (Alexandr v tramvaji), short story writer and translator from French, 76 (born 1942)^[368]
• September 20 - John Cunliffe, English children's writer, 85 (born 1933)^[369]
• September 20 - Inge Feltrinelli, German-born Italian publisher and photographer, 87 (born 1930)^[370]
• September 20 - Huang Ching-yuen, Chinese children's writer, 98 (born 1920)^[371]
• September 20 - Ludmila Milanich, Russian poet, 84 (born 1934)^[372]
• September 21 - Herbert Meier, Swiss writer, translator of French classical and modern plays into German and 1964 Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Prize recipient, 90 (born 1928)^[373]
• September 21 - Zinaida Mirkina, Russian poet, essayist (on Marina Tsvetaeva, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Alexander Pushkin) and translator of Sufi poetry as well as works by Rabindranath Tagore and Rainer Maria Rilke, 92 (born 1926)^[374]
• September 23 - Olav Angell, Norwegian poet, editor, jazz musician, novelist, translator of James Joyce's Ulysses, 2002 Riksmål Society Literature Prize and 2006 Bastian Prize recipient, 86 (born 1932)^[375]
• September 23 - Jane Fortune, American feminist art historian, 76 (born 1942)^[376]
• September 23 - Bohdan Rubchak, Ukrainian-born American poet, 83 (born 1935)^[377]
• September 23 - Derek Wheatley QC, English barrister and novelist-The Silent Lady (Mona Lisa), 92 (born 1926 or 1927?)^[378]
• September 24 - Arnold Krammer, American historian specialising in German and American history, 77 (born 1941)^[379]
• September 25 - Ismail Fahd Ismail, Kuwaiti novelist, short story writer and literary critic, 78 (born 1940)^[380]
• September 26 - Pavel Toufar, Czech novelist and writer of popular science books, 70 (born 1948)^[381]
• September 27 - Ruslan Deriglazov, Russian poet, 73 (born 1945)^[382]
• September 27 - Kavita Mahajan, Indian feminist Marathi novelist, non-fiction writer, short story writer, children's writer and translator whose work focused on social issues, 51 (born 1967)^[383]
• September 27 - Aleksey Tzybin, Russian war veteran who wrote seven books, 96 (born 1922)^[384]
• September 28 - Tamaz Chiladze, Georgian dramatist, poet and novelist of works such as The Pond and The Brueghel Moon, 87 (born 1931)^[385]
• September 28 - Yarema Hoyan, Ukrainian writer, 78 (born 1940)^[386]
• September 28 - Joe Masteroff, American playwright (Cabaret, She Loves Me) and 1967 Tony winner, 98 (born 1919)^[387]
• September 29 - Pascale Casanova, French literary critic who was rejected by French academia after her PhD but secured a visitor's position at the United States Duke University, 59 (born 1959)^[388]
• September 30 - Julio Fausto Aguilera, Guatemalan writer, poet and 2002 laureate of the Miguel Ángel Asturias National Prize in Literature, 90 (born 1928)^[389]
• September 30 - John J. McDermott, American philosopher, 86 (born 1932)^[390]

Awards

The following list is arranged alphabetically:

• Akutagawa Prize:
• Anisfield-Wolf Book Award:
• Women's Prize for Fiction: Kamila Shamsie for Home fire^[391]
• Baillie Gifford Prize:
• Camões Prize:
• Danuta Gleed Literary Award: Norma Dunning for Annie Muktuk and Other Stories^[392]
• Dayne Ogilvie Prize: Ben Ladouceur^[393]
• Desmond Elliott Prize:
• DSC Prize for South Asian Literature:
• Dylan Thomas Prize: Kayo Chingonyi for Kumukanda^[394]
• Folio Prize:
• German Book Prize:
• Goldsmiths Prize:
• Gordon Burn Prize:
• Governor General's Award for English-language fiction:
• Governor General's Award for French-language fiction:
• Governor General's Awards, other categories: See 2018 Governor General's Awards
• Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française:
• Hugo Award for Best Novel:
• International Dublin Literary Award: Mike McCormack for Solar Bones^[395]
• International Prize for Arabic Fiction:
• James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction: Eley Williams for Attrib. and Other Stories^[396]
• James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Biography: Craig Brown for Ma'am Darling: Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret^[396]
• Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award:
• Lambda Literary Awards:
• Man Booker Prize:
• Man Booker International Prize: Olga Tokarczuk for Flights (translated by Jennifer Croft)^[397]
• Miguel de Cervantes Prize:
• Miles Franklin Award:
• National Biography Award:
• National Book Award for Fiction:
• National Book Critics Circle Award:
• New Academy Prize in Literature (offered as an alternative to the Nobel, mired in scandal): Maryse Condé^[398]
• Nike Award:
• Nobel Prize in Literature: CANCELLED (due to the sex scandal within the Swedish Academy)^[399]
• PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction:
• PEN Center USA 2018 Fiction Award:
• Premio Planeta de Novela:
• Premio Strega:
• Pritzker Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing:
• Prix Goncourt:
• Pulitzer Prize for Fiction:
• Pulitzer Prize for Poetry:
• Queen's Birthday Honours (UK) – Knighthood: Kazuo Ishiguro^[400]
• RBC Taylor Prize:
• Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize:
• Russian Booker Prize:
• Scotiabank Giller Prize:
• Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings:
• Walter Scott Prize: Ben Myers for The Gallows Pole^[401]
• Whiting Awards:

Fiction:

Nonfiction:

Plays:

Poetry:

• W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction:

References