1976 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1976.

Events

• June 21 – The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa, is opened as a multiracial venue by Barney Simon.^[1]
• September 3 – Novelist Antonio di Benedetto is released from prison after 18 months of imprisonment and torture under the National Reorganization Process (military dictatorship) in Argentina.^[2]
• September 9 – The Royal Shakespeare Company starts a noted production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench in the leading roles, directed by Trevor Nunn.^[3]
• October 25 – The Royal National Theatre on London's South Bank opens in premises designed by Sir Denys Lasdun, with a performance of Goldoni's 18th-century comedy Il Campiello.^[4]
• unknown dates
  • Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers is established in new premises at Nanterre.^[5]
  • Mary Ronnie became the world's first female national librarian, at the National Library of New Zealand.^[6]

New books

Fiction

• Ann Beattie – Chilly Scenes of Winter^[7]
• John Braine – Waiting for Sheila^[8]
• William F. Buckley – Saving the Queen (the first Blackford Oakes thriller)^[9]
• Anthony Burgess – Beard's Roman Women^[10]
• Ramsey Campbell – The Height of the Scream^[11]
• Brian Garfield – Gundown^[12]
• Fănuș Neagu – Frumoșii nebuni ai marilor orașe ("Those Beautiful Lunatics of the Great Cities")^[13]

Children and young people

• Richard Adams – The Tyger Voyage^[14]

Drama

• Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Mugo – The Trial of Dedan Kimathi^[15]
• Neil Simon – California Suite^[16]

Births

• August 29 - Mieko Kawakami, Japanese novelist and poet
• October 31 – Seth Abramson, American journalist and poet^[17]
• unknown dates
  • Bora Chung, Korean short story writer and novelist^[18]

Deaths

• January 12 – Agatha Christie, English crime writer (born 1890)^[19]
• January 25 – Victor Ehrenberg, German historian (born 1891)^[20]
• February 2 – Barbara Euphan Todd, English children's writer (born 1890)^[21]
• February 12 – John Lewis, Welsh philosopher (born 1889)^[22]
• March 5 – Charles Lederer, American screenwriter and film director (born 1910)^[23]
• March 7 – Tove Ditlevsen, Danish poet and fiction writer (suicide, born 1917)^[24]
• March 13 – Sergiu Dan, Romanian novelist and journalist (born 1903)^[25]
• April 2 – Taos Amrouche, Algerian novelist (born 1913)^[26]
• April 28 – Richard Hughes, British novelist (born 1900)^[27]
• May 7 – Alison Uttley, English writer of children's books (born 1884)^[28]
• July 3 – Alexander Lernet-Holenia, Austrian poet, dramatist and fiction writer (born 1897)^[29]
• July 15 – Paul Gallico, American novelist, short story and sports writer (born 1897)^[30]
• August 9 – José Lezama Lima, Cuban writer and poet (born [1910)^[31]
• August 29 – Kazi Nazrul Islam, Bengali poet (born 1899)^[32][33]
• September 10 – Dalton Trumbo, American novelist and screenwriter (born 1905)^[34]
• October 30 – Barbu Solacolu, Romanian poet, translator and economist (born 1897)^[35]
• November 4 – Robert Speaight, English actor, biographer and essayist (born 1904)^[36]
• November 6 – Patrick Dennis, American novelist (pancreatic cancer, born 1921)^[37]
• November 23 – André Malraux, French novelist (born 1901)^[38]
• December 21 – Munro Leaf, American children's author (born 1905)^[39]
• December 22 – Martín Luis Guzmán, Mexican novelist and journalist (born 1887)^[40]
• December 26 – Yashpal, Hindi novelist (born 1903)^[41]
• December 29 – G. B. Edwards, Guernsey-born writer (born 1899)^[42]