See also: 1952 in literature, other events of 1953, 1954 in literature, list of years in literature.
Events
New books
New drama
Non-fiction
Births
- February 10 - John Shirley, science fiction and horror writer
- March 12 - Carl Hiaasen, author
- March 25 - John Tierney, New York Times journalist
- April 3 - Pieter Aspe, author of the "Inspector Van In" novels
- May 19 - Victoria Wood, comedienne and writer
- July 14 - Bent Lorentzen, novelist
- July 29 - Frank McGuinness, dramatist and poet
- September 23 - Nicholas Witchell, TV journalist
- November 5 - Joyce Maynard, memoirist and former lover of J. D. Salinger
- date unknown - Pat Cadigan, science fiction author
- date unknown - George Dyson, science historian
- date unknown - Peter Robinson, poet
Deaths
- April 4 - Rachilde (Marguerite Vallette-Eymery), French author
- April 9 - C. E. M. Joad, philosopher
- June 25 - Richard Jebb, journalist
- July 16 - Hilaire Belloc, humorous poet, essayist and travel writer
- August 30 - Maurice Nicoll, psychologist
- November 8 - John van Melle, South African author
- November 9 - Dylan Thomas, poet and author
- November 27 - Eugene O'Neill, playwright
- November 30 - Francis Picabia, painter, poet
- date unknown - Idris Davies, poet
- date unknown - T. F. Powys, novelist, brother of John Cowper Powys
- date unknown - Eirik Vandvik, classicist and translator
Awards
1953 books
1953 en littérature | 1953 - literatura | Litteraturåret 1953