Love, sex, death, boredom, ecstasy, existential angst, political upheaval the history of literature offers a rich and varied exploration of the human condition across the centuries. In this absorbing companion to literatures rich past, arranged by days of the year, acclaimed critics and friends Stephen Fender and John Sutherland turn up the most inspiring, enlightening, surprising or curious artefacts that literature has to offer. Find out why 16 June 1904 mattered so much to James Joyce, which great literary love affair was brought to a tragic end early on 11 February 1963, why Roy Campbell punched Stephen Spender on the nose on 14 April 1949 and much more, in this sumptuous voyage through the highs and lows of literatures bejeweled past.