THE WALRUS SAID . . . . . . . . . being a bookish blog

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

The Biblio File: images of publishers, for bibliophiles


David Levine on writers: William F. Buckley Jr.

David Levine (1926-2009) was one of America’s most prominent illustrators during a career that spanned decades. No less an authority than Jules Feiffer described him as "the greatest caricaturist of the last half of the 20th century,” although Levine continued to work in the early years of this century as well. Levine’s subjects included himself (above) and people from many walks of life. Authors, scribes and scribblers were a big part of the mix, as these caricatures make clear.  

Lit Toons: Cartoons with a bookish bent


First Lines: Nikos Kazantzakis


A cool heavenly breeze took possession of him.

The Last Temptation 
Nikos Kazantzakis

"They say it's your birthday" - writers born on February 4



Luis de Camoes  (1524) 
Robert Coover  (1932)
Tsitsi Dangarembga  (1959)
Gavin Ewart  (1916)
Betty Friedan  (1921)
MacKinlay Kantor  (1904)
Uys Krige  (1910)
Ben Lerner  (1979)
Pierre de Marivaux  (1688)