1838 in literature

The year 1838 in literature involved some significant new books.

Events

• George Palmer Putnam and John Wiley form the book publishing and retail firm of Wiley & Putnam in New York City. It is the forerunner of G. P. Putnam's Sons.

New books

• Hendrik Conscience - The Lion of Flanders
• Charles Dickens - Oliver Twist
• Karl Leberecht Immermann - Münchhausen
• John Pendleton Kennedy - Rob of the Bowl
• Frederick Marryat with Edward Howard^{[disambiguation needed ]} -Rattling the Reefer
• Edgar Allan Poe
  • The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
  • "Ligeia" (short story)
• Ann Sophia Stephens - Mary Derwent

New drama

• Dion Boucicault - A Legend of the Devil's Dyke
• Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton -The Lady of Lyons
• Franz Grillparzer - Weh dem, der lügt! - Link to the German article
• Victor Hugo - Ruy Blas

Poetry

• Elizabeth Barrett Browning - The Seraphim and Other Poems

Non-fiction

• Giacomo Casanova - Memoirs (final volume)
• Ralph Waldo Emerson - The Divinity School Address
• Samuel Smiles - Physical Education

Births

• June 26 - Bankim Chatterjee (+ 1894)
• July 20 - Augustin Daly, dramatist and theatre manager (+ 1899)
• November 7 - Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, Symbolist writer (+ 1889)

Deaths

• April 12 - Johann Adam Möhler, theologian (born 1796)
• July 12 - John Jamieson, lexicographer (born 1759)
• August 24 - Ferenc Kölcsey, Hungarian poet and critic (born 1790)
• December 17 - Józef Zawadzki, publisher (born 1781)
• December 20 - Hégésippe Moreau, poet (born 1810)
• December 26 - Ann Hatton, novelist (born 1764)
• date unknown
  • Thomas Morton, dramatist (born 1764)
  • Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin, Irish language author (born 1780)

Awards