1980 in literature

See also: 1979 in literature, other events of 1980, 1981 in literature, list of years in literature.

Deaths

• January 3 - Joy Adamson, conservationist and author of Born Free

(killed by a servant in northern Kenya).

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• January 3 - G. S. Fraser, poet and critic
• January 11 - Barbara Pym, novelist
• March 25 - James Wright, poet
• April 15 - Jean-Paul Sartre, philosopher, novelist and dramatist
• June 7 - Henry Miller, writer
• July 1 - C. P. Snow, novelist
• July 9 - Vinicius de Moraes, poet and songwriter
• July 26 - Kenneth Tynan, influential theatre critic
• September 18 - Katherine Anne Porter, novelist and essayist
• November 9 - Patrick Campbell, journalist and wit
• November 22 - Mae West, actress and dramatist
• December 2 - Romain Gary, writer
• December 8 - John Lennon, musician, author
• December 12 - Ben Travers, dramatist
• December 31 - Marshall McLuhan (author)
• date unknown - Gareth Evans, philosopher
• date unknown - Caradog Prichard, Welsh-language poet and novelist