Gordon Stanley Benton or Richard Gordon, best known for his comic novels around the medical profession, or the 'Doctor' books was born on 15 September 1921, and thus turns 100 today. Gordon was a surgeon and anaesthetist and worked at St Bartholomew's Hospital, and also as a ship's surgeon, and assistant editor of the British…
Centenary Post: The Many Facets of Satyajit Ray
Celebrated Indian filmmaker, music composer, lyricist, illustrator, and author (among much else), Satyajit Ray was born 100 years ago today, 2nd May 1921. While Ray is most remembered for his films, he had many many talents. This post is going to be all about his contributions to the literary world, and these were not only…
Patricia Highsmith’s 100th
Image source: Goodreads Patricia Highsmith, American author of novels and short stories, primarily psychological thrillers, turns a 100 today. Her best known works are the series featuring the con-man–murderer, Tom Ripley which comprises of five books starting with The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955) and Strangers on a Train (1950), her first novel about two strangers…
Rosemary Sutcliff: Interesting Facts on her 100th!
British writer of children's historical fiction and retellings of legends like of King Arthur and Beowulf, Rosemary Sutcliff, turns 100 today. She was born on 14 December 1920 in East Clandon, Surrey. I don't remember quite how I came across her books (it wasn't the movie), but I found her books set in Roman England,…
Arthur Hailey: Interesting Facts on his 100th
Arthur Hailey, British-Canadian novelist, was born on 5 April 1920, and turns 100 today. An only child, he was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, and began writing stories and poems at an early age; he was also an avid reader. He left school at the age of 14 because his parents lacked the money to pay…
Anna Sewell: Champion of Horses
Born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk on 30 March 1820, Anna Sewell turns 200 today. Her father, Isaac Philip Sewell was a bank manager and later commercial traveller (Wikipedia also mentions him running a shop) while her mother Mary Wright Sewell was a successful author, who wrote children's books. Anna first learnt to ride when she…
Interesting Anne Brontë Facts on Her 200th
Anne Brontë by brother Branwell,National Portrait Gallery [Public domain]Via Wikimedia Commons 17th January 2020! On this day, two hundred years ago, in Thornton, Yorkshire was born novelist and poet Anne Brontë, the youngest of the Brontë family. Not long after her birth, the family moved to Haworth Parsonage. She was barely one when are mother…
Some Interesting George Eliot Facts on her 200th!
Born on 22 November 1819, George Eliot, one of the leading Victorian novelists turns 200 today! Though simply calling her a novelist isn't quite fair. Mary Ann Evans Cross was also a poet, essayist, and translator. Between 1859 and 1876, she published seven novels, and was known for her realistic approach to character, skillful development…
Author Profile: Dava Sobel
Dava Sobel is a writer of popular science books, and also play/s as well. I first came across her work, believe it or not, through TV. Some years ago, I came across a TV movie/drama called Longitude, starring Sir Micheal Gambon (Dumbledore the second 🙂 ) and Jeremy Irons, based on the development of the…
Author Profile: Emily Eden
Emily Eden (1797-1869) is an author I might never have 'discovered' had it not been for a photo sent to me by a book friend of one of her bookshelves--and it wasn't for the books on it that she'd sent it (but the knick-knacks). Anyway, since I have to look at all the books in…
Literary Potpourri 