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Here are seven Author Shoutouts for this week. Find your favorite author or discover an author whose work you’ve not yet read.
This Week’s Author Shoutouts
Ivy Compton-Burnett
An Author Shoutout to Ivy Compton-Burnett was became a distinguished English novelist recognized by her initials in her published works. Her 1955 novel Mother and Son was a testament to her literary prowess. Ivy’s storytelling revolves around dialogues that paint family life within the late Victorian or Edwardian upper middle class, offering readers a glimpse into a bygone era. Ivy shared a significant part of her life with Margaret Jourdain, with whom she lived in their Kensington flat. Their companionship was not just about sharing a living space but also intertwining their intellectual pursuits and passions.
Ivy Compton-Burnett, known for her strong stance as a fierce Victorian atheist, didn’t subscribe to any religious doctrines. She passed away peacefully at her home in Kensington on the 27th of August, 1969. Following her wishes, she was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium.
Jay Lake
A special Author Shoutout to Jay Lake, a friend of the site, who was born in Taiwan. His father served as a foreign services diplomat, and he grew up overseas, gaining valuable insights into unfamiliar environments and unique circumstances. These experiences greatly influenced his extensive body of work, which includes over 300 science fiction and fantasy short stories, as well as nine novels. Jay was highly regarded at writing conferences and fan conventions, known for his enthusiastic blogging. Additionally, his candid and sometimes humorous and compassionate chronicles of his battle with colon cancer earned him a devoted fan base.
Jay died in 2014, five days shy of his 50th birthday. He will forever live on in his books.
Gwendolyn Brooks
An Author Shoutout to Gwendolyn Brooks, who made her mark as an esteemed American poet, writer, and educator. Her creations vividly captured the joys and challenges experienced by the everyday folks in her neighborhood. Her outstanding contributions were recognized when she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her work Annie Allen, making history as the first African American laureate of this prestigious award. In 1968, she earned the title of Illinois’ poet laureate. For those interested in exploring her influential works, The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks is a must-read.
A cherished Chicago native, Brooks was showered with numerous accolades throughout her fruitful writing journey. In 1968, she took on the role of Illinois’ Poet Laureate, a title she maintained for 32 years until her passing. Brooks left us on December 3, 2000, at the age of 83, in the comfort of her Chicago home.
John W. Campbell
John W. Campbell well-deserves an Author Shoutout. Campbell gained recognition for his role as the editor of the widely influential genre magazine Astounding Science Fiction, later renamed Analog Science Fiction and Fact. He held this position from 1937 until his passing in 1971, and is widely acknowledged for his significant impact on the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Additionally, Campbell showcased his writing abilities through the creation of novels, short stories, and episodes within the popular space operas of that time.
Both the World Science Fiction Society and the Center for the Study of Science Fiction established yearly awards in memory of him, two years following his passing at 61. These awards are presented annually for the best science fiction novel and best new writer, respectively.
Bertha von Suttner
An Author Shoutout to Bertha Sophie Felicitas Freifrau von Suttner, a noblewoman hailing from Austro-Bohemia who held a deep passion for peace and storytelling. In 1905, she etched her name in history by becoming the second woman to ever receive a Nobel Prize and the very first female recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. This accomplishment also marked her as the inaugural laureate from both Austria and Czechia. Despite only having brief interactions with Alfred Nobel, it’s widely believed that von Suttner played a pivotal role in inspiring him to establish the Nobel Peace Prize through his will.
Tolstoy, along with many who followed, highlighted a notable resemblance between Suttner and Harriet Beecher Stowe. The duo wasn’t just crafting tales for fun or pushing agendas through their works. Instead, they skillfully blended entertainment with their lofty ideals. In an interesting twist of fate, Bertha von Suttner passed away from cancer merely a week before the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to her country’s throne – an event that set off the first World War.
Maurice Sendak
An Author Shoutout to Maurice Sendak, the acclaimed creator of the beloved Where the Wild Things Are, who was born in Brooklyn. Inspired by the Disney film Fantasia, he made up his mind at the age of 12 to pursue a career as an illustrator. Throughout his remarkable journey, Sendak illustrated a wide range of works, including the renowned Little Bear series by Else Holmelund Minarik, in addition to penning 20 other books of his own.
In addition to creating sets for traditional operas and ballets, he engaged in TV show production and released a song album. Collaborating with playwright Tony Kushner, he co-created a play inspired by Brundibár, a Holocaust opera for children composed by Hans Krása (the Holocaust deeply affected the Sendak family). Passing away at the age of 83, he succumbed to a stroke in 2012.
William Styron
An Author Shoutout to William Styron who was born in Newport News, Virginia. The author of 15 novels, it was his controversial The Confessions of Nat Turner, published in 1965, that brought him into the public eye. The controversy was centered around a white man writing from the viewpoint of a black activist (despite the praise of the likes of James Baldwin). That novel was followed by the absolutely devastating Sophie’s Choice, which also garnered controversy, due to its main character being a non-Jewish victim of Nazism.
In 1990 he wrote Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness, which chronicled his own struggle with depression; this work challenged the current cultural taboo of acknowledging such mental health issues. He died of pneumonia in 2006, at the age of 81.
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