He taught schoolchildren for years, spent World War II clearing mines from harbors, and published his first novel at 43. William Golding's Lord of the Flies was rejected by 21 publishers before Faber took it in 1954. The premise — that boys, freed from adult oversight, would build their own brutality — felt too dark, too unpleasant. It sold 15 million copies. He won the Nobel in 1983. He left behind a question that hasn't aged: given the right circumstances, how long does civilization actually last?
September 19, 1911
115 years ago
What Else Happened on September 19
The Roman Senate declared Nerva emperor immediately following Domitian’s assassination, ending the Flavian dynasty’s autocratic grip on power. By ordering the d…
Constantine I elevated his nephew Flavius Dalmatius to the rank of Caesar, granting him administrative control over Thrace, Macedonia, and Achaea. This promotio…
The ancient city of Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, fell to the armies of the Rashidun Caliphate on September 19, 634, a…
Edward the Black Prince had around 8,000 men and was trying to retreat when the French king John II decided to charge instead of wait. The English longbowmen sh…
The Teutonic Order's State successfully repels the combined Polish-Lithuanian assault, ending the siege and preserving their control over Marienburg for another…
Nathaniel Bacon’s rebels torched Jamestown, compelling Governor William Berkeley to flee across the Chesapeake Bay. This destruction ended the colony’s first ca…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.