American novelist DAVID LEAVITT was born on this date. He is the author of Family Dancing, Equal Affections, The Page Turner, Martin Bauman, or A Sure Thing, The Lost Language of Cranes, While England Sleeps (for the publication of which he was sued by Stephen Spender), The Body of Jonah Boyd, and numerous short stories.

His most recent novel is The Indian Clerk. At the University of Florida he is the co-director of the creative writing program. He is also the editor of “Subtropics” magazine, The University of Florida’s literary review. Leavitt, who is openly Gay, has frequently explored Gay issues in his work. He lives between Florida and Tuscany (Italy), where he had many of his books translated.