Let's make this birthday one to remember.

82 years old (Born on February 24, 1943)

Happy Birthday, Kent Haruf! May your day be as beautifully crafted and quietly profound as the towns you've brought to life in "The Tie That Binds" and "Where You Once Belonged." Your novels have given us timeless characters who linger long after we've turned the final page—much like birthday cake crumbs that mysteriously appear days later.

Congratulations again on receiving the Dos Passos Prize for Literature. Clearly, you're not just tying binds; you're binding readers everywhere with stories so compelling they make small-town drama feel bigger than Hollywood blockbusters. Here's hoping this year brings you even more literary triumphs—and fewer misplaced bookmarks!