Let's make this birthday one to remember.

94 years old (Born on October 25, 1930)

Happy Birthday, Harold Brodkey! May your day be filled with more joy than "First Love" and fewer sorrows than your early stories. Your literary journey—from the elegant prose of "Stories in an Almost Classical Mode" to the ambitious depths of "The Runaway Soul"—has given readers countless reasons to smile (and occasionally scratch their heads).

Here's hoping this year brings you adventures as delightful as those Venetian escapades from "My Venice," minus any sea battles on dry land. Keep inspiring us all with your timeless wit and wisdom—and may every birthday candle illuminate another brilliant chapter ahead!