Joanne "Jo" Rowling, (born 31 July 1965), better known as J. K. Rowling is a British author best known as the creator of the Harry Potter fantasy series, the idea for which was conceived on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990. The Potter books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, sold more than 400 million copies and been the basis for a popular series of films, in which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts as well as maintaining creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment.
Rowling is perhaps equally famous for her "rags to riches" life story, in which she progressed from living on benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years. As of March 2011, when its latest world billionaires list was published, Forbes estimated Rowling's net worth to be US$1 billion. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £560 million ($798 million), ranking her as the twelfth richest woman in the United Kingdom
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Emily Jane Brontë Birthday July 30,
Emily Jane Brontë (30 July 1818 — 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet, now best remembered for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, a classic of English literature. Emily was the second eldest of the three surviving Brontë sisters, between Charlotte and Anne. She published under the pen name Ellis Bell.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Chang-rae Lee Born 29th July 1965
Chang-rae Lee is a Korean American novelist and a professor of creative writing at Princeton University, where he has served as the director of Princeton's Program in Creative Writing.
Lee was born in Korea in 1965. He emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 3 years old. Raised in Westchester, New York, Lee attended Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. He graduated from Yale University with a degree in English and from the University of Oregon with a MFA in writing. He worked as a Wall Street financial analyst for a year before turning to writing full time
Lee was born in Korea in 1965. He emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 3 years old. Raised in Westchester, New York, Lee attended Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. He graduated from Yale University with a degree in English and from the University of Oregon with a MFA in writing. He worked as a Wall Street financial analyst for a year before turning to writing full time
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Beatrix Potter Born July 28th 1866
Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for children's books featuring anthropomorphic characters such as in The Tale of Peter Rabbi
t which celebrated the British landscape and country life.
Born into a privileged Unitarian family, Potter, along with her younger brother, Walter Bertram (1871–1918), grew up with few friends outside her large extended family. Her parents were artistic and interested in nature and the out of doors. As children, Beatrix and Bertam had numerous small animals as pets which they observed closely and drew endlessly. Summer holidays were spent in Scotland and in the English Lake District where Beatrix developed a love of the natural world which was the subject of her painting from an early age.
She was educated by private governesses until she was eighteen. Her study of languages, literature, science and history was broad and she was an eager student. Her artistic talents were recognized early. Although she was provided with private art lessons, Beatrix preferred to develop her own style, particularly favoring watercolor. Along with her drawings of her animals, real and imagined, Potter illustrated insects, fossils, archeological artifacts, and fungi. In the 1890s she achieved a measure of respect from the scientific establishment for her mycological illustrations and for her research on the reproduction of fungi spores. Having had some success illustrating cards and booklets, Potter wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter
Rabbit
publishing it first privately in 1901, and a year later as a small, three-color illustrated book with Frederick Warne & Co. She became unofficially engaged to her editor Norman Warne in 1905 despite the disapproval of her parents, but he died suddenly a month later.
t which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian family, Potter, along with her younger brother, Walter Bertram (1871–1918), grew up with few friends outside her large extended family. Her parents were artistic and interested in nature and the out of doors. As children, Beatrix and Bertam had numerous small animals as pets which they observed closely and drew endlessly. Summer holidays were spent in Scotland and in the English Lake District where Beatrix developed a love of the natural world which was the subject of her painting from an early age.
She was educated by private governesses until she was eighteen. Her study of languages, literature, science and history was broad and she was an eager student. Her artistic talents were recognized early. Although she was provided with private art lessons, Beatrix preferred to develop her own style, particularly favoring watercolor. Along with her drawings of her animals, real and imagined, Potter illustrated insects, fossils, archeological artifacts, and fungi. In the 1890s she achieved a measure of respect from the scientific establishment for her mycological illustrations and for her research on the reproduction of fungi spores. Having had some success illustrating cards and booklets, Potter wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter
Rabbit publishing it first privately in 1901, and a year later as a small, three-color illustrated book with Frederick Warne & Co. She became unofficially engaged to her editor Norman Warne in 1905 despite the disapproval of her parents, but he died suddenly a month later.Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Jack Higgins Born July 27, 1929
Jack Higgins is the principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson. Patterson is the author of more than 60 novels. As Higgins, most have been thrillers of various types and, since his breakthrough novel The Eagle Has Landed in 1975, nearly all have been bestsellers. The Eagle Has Landed sold over fifty million copies.
Patterson's early novels, written under his own name as well as under the pseudonyms James Graham, Martin Fallon, and Hugh Marlowe, are brisk, competent, but essentially forgettable thrillers that typically feature hardened, cynical heroes, ruthless villains, and dangerous locales. Patterson published thirty-five such novels (sometimes three or four a year) between 1959 and 1974, learning his craft.
Patterson's early novels, written under his own name as well as under the pseudonyms James Graham, Martin Fallon, and Hugh Marlowe, are brisk, competent, but essentially forgettable thrillers that typically feature hardened, cynical heroes, ruthless villains, and dangerous locales. Patterson published thirty-five such novels (sometimes three or four a year) between 1959 and 1974, learning his craft.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Aldous Huxley 26th July 1894
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel writing, and film stories and scripts. Huxley spent the later part of his life in the United States, living in Los Angeles from 1937 until his death.
Aldous Huxley was a humanist and pacifist, and he was latterly interested in spiritual subjects such as parapsychology and philosophical mysticism. He is also well known for advocating and taking psychedelics.
Aldous Huxley was a humanist and pacifist, and he was latterly interested in spiritual subjects such as parapsychology and philosophical mysticism. He is also well known for advocating and taking psychedelics.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Maria Gripe July 25, 1923
Maria Gripe, born Maria Walter, a Swedish author of books for children and young people, often written in a magical and mystical tone. Her books have won many awards, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1974, and have been translated into about 30 languages. Maria Gripe died in her home after a period of illness on 5 April 2007, reports Svenska Dagbladet.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Alexandre Dumas Birthday 24 July 1802
Alexandre Dumas, was born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870) was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne were originally serialized. He also wrote plays and magazine articles and was a prolific correspondent. Born in poverty, Dumas was the grandson of a French nobleman and a Haitian slave.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Raymond Thornton Chandler Birthday July 23, 1888
Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American novelist and screenwriter.
In 1932 after losing his job as an oil company executive, Chandler at age forty-five and during the Depression decided to become a writer. In 1933 his first story was published in a pulp magazine called Black Mask. His first novel, The Big Sleep was published in 1939. In addition to his short stories, Chandler published only seven novels during his life. In the year before he died, he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America. He died on March 26, 1959 in La Jolla California. Chandler had an immense stylistic influence upon the modern private detective story, especially in the style of the writing and the attitudes now characteristic of the genre.
In 1932 after losing his job as an oil company executive, Chandler at age forty-five and during the Depression decided to become a writer. In 1933 his first story was published in a pulp magazine called Black Mask. His first novel, The Big Sleep was published in 1939. In addition to his short stories, Chandler published only seven novels during his life. In the year before he died, he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America. He died on March 26, 1959 in La Jolla California. Chandler had an immense stylistic influence upon the modern private detective story, especially in the style of the writing and the attitudes now characteristic of the genre.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins Birthday, July 22, 1936
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins (born July 22, 1936) is an American author. His best-selling novels are serio-comic, often wildly poetic stories with a strong social and philosophical undercurrent, an irreverent bent, and scenes extrapolated from carefully researched bizarre facts. He is probably best known for his novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues which was made into a movie in 1993 by Gus Van Sant and starring Uma Thurman, Lorraine Bracco and Keanu Reeves.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Ernest Miller Hemingway Birthday, July 21, 1899
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American author and journalist. His distinctive writing style, characterized by economy and understatement, influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and his public image. He produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Michael Connelly Birthday
Michael Connelly (born July 21, 1956, London, Ontario) is a Canadian author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch. His books, which have been translated into 35 languages, have garnered him many awards. Connelly was the President of the Mystery Writers of Canada from 2003 to 2004.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Joseph Hansen's birthday
Joseph Hansen (July 19, 1923 - November 24, 2004) was an American crime writer and poet, best known for a series of novels starring his most iconic creation, private eye Dave Brandstetter.
Hansen was born in 1923 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He published almost forty books in a wide variety of genres, Hansen is best remembered for his ground breaking series of crime novels starring his most iconic creation, Dave Brandstetter, an openly gay private eye who still embodied the tough, no-nonsense personality of the classic hardboiled protagonist. he published almost forty books in a wide variety of genres. His first adventure, Fadeout, was published in 1970, and over the next twenty-one years eleven more entries in the series were written: Death Claims (1973), Troublemaker (1975), The Man Everybody Was Afraid Of (1978), Skinflick (1979), Gravedigger (1982), Nightwork (1984), The Little Dog Laughed (1986), Early Graves (1987), Obedience (1988), The Boy Who Was Buried This Morning (1990), and A Country of Old Men (1991). No Exit Books, a British publisher, issued an omnibus volume, The Complete Brandstetter, in 2007.
Hansen was born in 1923 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He published almost forty books in a wide variety of genres, Hansen is best remembered for his ground breaking series of crime novels starring his most iconic creation, Dave Brandstetter, an openly gay private eye who still embodied the tough, no-nonsense personality of the classic hardboiled protagonist. he published almost forty books in a wide variety of genres. His first adventure, Fadeout, was published in 1970, and over the next twenty-one years eleven more entries in the series were written: Death Claims (1973), Troublemaker (1975), The Man Everybody Was Afraid Of (1978), Skinflick (1979), Gravedigger (1982), Nightwork (1984), The Little Dog Laughed (1986), Early Graves (1987), Obedience (1988), The Boy Who Was Buried This Morning (1990), and A Country of Old Men (1991). No Exit Books, a British publisher, issued an omnibus volume, The Complete Brandstetter, in 2007.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Jessamyn West Famous Author Birthday
Jessamyn West (Mary Jessamyn West) was born on Friday, July 18, 1902 in Vernon. A famous author of of Quaker religion.
Life in Brief:
- Being born on Jul 18, Jessamyn was a Cancer.
- her ethnicity: White.
- her mother's name: Grace Anna Milhous.
- her father's name: Eldo Ray.
She attended the BA, Whittier College (in 1923). Jessamyn dated Harry Maxwell McPherson (husband).
She died on Thursday, February 23, 1984, in Napa; cause of death: unspecified.
Famous Why : The Friendly Persuasion.
Life in Brief:
- Being born on Jul 18, Jessamyn was a Cancer.
- her ethnicity: White.
- her mother's name: Grace Anna Milhous.
- her father's name: Eldo Ray.
She attended the BA, Whittier College (in 1923). Jessamyn dated Harry Maxwell McPherson (husband).
She died on Thursday, February 23, 1984, in Napa; cause of death: unspecified.
Famous Why : The Friendly Persuasion.
