Date with History: September 27

A Duke sails for England while, centuries later, a quiet book rattles an industry.

One paperback for one calendar date: what happened on September 27, and who was born on it.

What happened on September 27

1066: William the Conqueror's fleet sails for England

On September 27, 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, finally got the favorable winds his invasion fleet had waited weeks for and set sail from France. His landing at Pevensey the next day set the Norman Conquest in motion.

1962: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring launches an environmental era

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring hit bookstores on September 27, 1962, documenting how pesticides like DDT were accumulating in the food chain. The book sold over 600,000 copies in its first year and helped lead to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Famous birthdays on September 27

1896 — Sam Ervin
Sam Ervin, born 1896, chaired the Senate hearings that helped bring down a presidency.

1947 — Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf, born 1947, turned rock-opera excess into one of the best-selling albums ever made.

Nearby dates

September 26 · September 28 · All September dates

Part of Date with History, a 366-book collection with one book for every date of the year. 5″×8″ paperback, cream paper.

Historical selections are editorially researched. This is a date-specific book, not a personalized or custom-made product.