Just a quick birthday announcement of two great writers of the previous century who were born on this date (April 23).

Talbot Mundy

First, Talbot Mundy (1879-1940).  Mundy wrote adventure stories for the pulps.  Mundy worked in India and Africa after graduating from university, and these experiences informed much of his later fiction.  Some of his work  contains fantastic elements, but much was real world adventure fiction.  He was an influence on a number of science fiction and fantasy writers.

Much of his fiction is available in both print and electronic formats.

Avram Davidson

Second, Avram Davidson (1923-1993).  Davidson wrote his best work at short lengths, although he wrote a number of novels as well.  Davidson had a unique voice, and I once attended a panel where the moderator asked the panelists what writers they thought people would be reading in a hundred years.  Neil Gaimen was on the panel, and if memory serves, named Davidson.

Davidson isn’t light bedtime reading, but his work rewards the effort.   (It doesn’t require a great deal of effort, you slackers.)  His collection of essays, Adventures in Unhistory, is worth seeking out.