Today should be a holiday: Saul Bellow (above), Howlin’ Wolf, Kim & Kelly Deal, Maurice Sendak, and Judy Garland were all born on this day.

• Mark Shechner discusses the journals of Alfred Kazin.

• Over at The Millions, an interview with Rebecca Makkai.

• This is pretty hilarious: New Yiddish words for the 21st Century.

• Two new Jim O’Rourke albums coming very soon.