This week, we’re excited to bring you seven author shoutouts that are sure to pique your curiosity and expand your reading list. These writers poured their hearts into their books, and now each one awaits your discovery. By exploring the book links provided beneath each shoutout, you’ll find yourself on an adventure through diverse worlds crafted by passionate storytellers. Not only will you satisfy your literary cravings, but you’ll also be making a meaningful impact on small businesses that serve as cultural hubs in communities everywhere.
This Week’s Author Shoutouts
Franz Kafka
Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary witnessed the birth of Franz Kafka. Known for his influential impact on existentialism and his renowned novella The Metamorphosis, Kafka’s name evokes visions of alienation, disorientation, nightmares, and dystopia. Within a nation caught in a struggle between German and Czech identity, Kafka grappled with complex ties to his father, conflicted feelings about his Jewish heritage, and the challenge of balancing a day job at an insurance company while nurturing his passion for writing.
He also pursued sexual desires and had numerous extramarital relationships, yet he had a great fear of his own physical appearance and how others viewed him. Sadly, the man passed away at the age of 40 due to tuberculosis, which ultimately led to his death by starvation as his throat became too narrow to consume food.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, was descended from the judge who presided over the Salem Witch Trials. As an author, he embraced anti-Puritan sentiments and aligned himself with the dark romanticism movement. His literary focus frequently delved into the fundamental wickedness and inherent sinfulness of humanity, exploring moral lessons and intricate psychological depths. A prime illustration of this is his renowned novel, The Scarlet Letter.
Despite his tendency to be isolated, Hawthorne garnered the admiration of contemporary writers like Herman Melville, who dedicated Moby Dick to him as a tribute to his exceptional talent. While paying a visit to his longtime friend and former President Franklin Pierce, Hawthorne passed away at the age of 59 in 1864 due to a stomach ailment.
Bill Watterson
Bill Watterson, born in Washington, DC, had a passion for cartooning since childhood. In fourth grade, he wrote to Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, and was thrilled to receive a response. Watterson’s dedication paid off when he published his renowned comic strip Calvin and Hobbes at the age of 27. However, he decided to discontinue the strip in 1995, stating that he had reached his limits within the medium.
He is an extremely private and principled individual, seldom agreeing to interviews and actively avoiding any efforts to authorize the production of merchandise associated with Calvin and Hobbes.
Hilary Mantel
Hilary Mantel was born in Glossop, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. Despite appearing suddenly in 2009 with her historical novel Wolf Hall winning the Man Booker Prize, she had already written nine other books and received numerous literary accolades prior to its release. Wolf Hall was adapted into a highly acclaimed PBS television series, and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, also won a Man Booker Prize, making Ms. Mantel the first woman to achieve this feat. The third book in the series, The Mirror and the Light, was included in the longlist for the Man Booker Prize.
Although she achieved two victories of the Man Booker Prize, she will forever be associated with Thomas Cromwell. Her passing occurred in 2022 as a result of stroke-related complications.
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein, born in Butler, Missouri, is renowned as the dean of science fiction writers and one of the Big 3 sci-fi authors (alongside Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov). He has received 7 Hugo Awards, was the inaugural Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master in 1974, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1998. His extensive body of work includes notable titles such as Red Planet, Starship Troopers, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and the iconic Stranger in a Strange Land.
He was known for the scientific and structural credibility as well as the literary excellence exhibited in his works. He passed away at the age of 80 in 1988 due to emphysema and heart failure.
Anna Quindlen
Anna Quindlen, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a renowned author with an impressive body of work. She has written thirteen non-fiction books, nine novels, two children’s books, and two coffee table books. Quindlen gained widespread recognition as a regular columnist at the New York Times from 1977 to 1994, earning the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992. Additionally, her semi-autobiographical novel, One True Thing, was adapted into a well-received film in 1998, featuring notable actresses Renée Zellweger and Meryl Streep (the latter receiving a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance).
Still Life with Breadcrumbs, her novel from 2014, was included in the longlist for the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Dean Koontz
Dean Koontz, originally from Everett, Pennsylvania, is a highly productive writer who has achieved success as a paperback bestseller. Known for his ability to write multiple books within a year, he sometimes uses a pen name, even naming one after his cherished golden retriever. This practice stems from advice he received early on in his career – that authors who frequently switch genres struggle to find publishers. While his works are typically classified as suspense thrillers, Koontz skillfully incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, and mystery throughout his various titles.
He has achieved a spot on the New York Times Bestseller List with 25 books, making him one of the highest earning authors of the past ten years.
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