Seventy-Six is a historical fiction novel by American writer John Neal (pictured). Published in Baltimore in 1823, it is the fourth novel written about the American Revolutionary War. Historically distinguished for its pioneering use of colloquial language, the Yankee dialect, battle scene realism, high characterization, stream of consciousness narrative, profanity, and depictions of sex and romance, the novel foreshadowed and influenced later American fiction. With narrative prose that resembles spoken American English more than any other period literature, it was the first work of American fiction to use the phrase son-of-a-bitch. It explores male pain and self-loathing resulting from violent acts committed in war and duels. Inspired by his own historical research, Neal took only twenty-seven days to write the 528-page novel, reporting that "I tumbled out of my chair" because "I had fainted, – swooned, – from overwork." (Full article...).

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventy-Six_%28novel%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1680:

Trunajaya rebellion: Amangkurat II of Mataram of Java and his courtiers stabbed Trunajaya to death a week after the rebel leader surrendered to VOC forces. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trunajaya_rebellion

1860:

French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier announced the putative discovery of the planet Vulcan at a meeting at the French Academy of Sciences in Paris. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_%28hypothetical_planet%29

1944:

World War II: The United States and Australia successfully landed 13,000 troops in Papua New Guinea in an attempt to cut off a Japanese retreat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_at_Saidor

1963:

Vietnam War: The Viet Cong won its first major victory at the Battle of Ap Bac. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ap_Bac

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

forsake: 1. (transitive) To abandon, to give up, to leave (permanently), to renounce (someone or something). 2. (transitive, obsolete) To decline or refuse (something offered). 3. (transitive, obsolete) To avoid or shun (someone or something). 4. (transitive, obsolete) To cause disappointment to; to be insufficient for (someone or something). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/forsake

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

It is the invariable lesson to humanity that distance in time, and in space as well, lends focus. It is not recorded, incidentally, that the lesson has ever been permanently learned.   --Isaac Asimov https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov