20 Famous Authors Who Died Recently

20 Famous Authors Who died Recently

The loss of renowned authors has a lasting impact on the literary landscape in the ever changing world of literature. Their writings have captivated generations of readers and inspired many others throughout the years.

In this collection, we examine the lives and writings of 20 illustrious authors who recently said goodbye, examining the impact they had and the tales they spun right up to the end.

Even though their earthly journey may have come to an end with their death, readers all around the world will remember them forever thanks to their literary accomplishments.

1.Russell Banks

Russell Banks is a well-known American author who majorly writes on domestic strife and the struggles of ordinary often marginalized characters. One of his best-sellers, Affliction revolves around the life of a guy who struggles with his turbulent background.  

The masterpiece was later adapted into a film in 1997 and stared the famous Nick Nolte. Continental Drift is another of his novel that speaks on poverty. The novel revolves around the subjects of economic inequality and the hurdles one goes through to achieve the American Dream. The renown author succumbed to cancer at his home in New York on the 7^th of January 2023.

2.Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy is an author from the United States that is famously known for his graphical depictions in his pieces. His work often explores subjects of violence, morality, and the human condition.

Back in 1966 his debut novel, The Orchard Keeper won the William Faulkner Foundations Awards. His other novel, Blood Meridian tells the tales juvenile fugitive known as he joins a gang of vicious scalp hunters. The masterpiece is famous for its grim and brutal depiction of the West.

All through his life he has received compliments for his hand in the literary world and was even one named one of the major living American novelists.

3.John Jakes

John Jakes is a renown American author who has majorly specializes in historical fiction and epic family sagas in his work. John gain so many skills in literary writing as he stated at creative writing at DePauw University.

Jakes is famously known for his Kent Family Chronical novel. This publication became a bestselling American Series of book in the mid to the late 1070s. The book follows a historical narrative that with multiple generations of the Kent family from the American Revolution to the Civil War and beyond.

The novels are notable for its meticulous historical study and his storytelling abilities. The first series, Bastard was adapted as a television miniseries by the University Pictures Television.

4.Juliet Marion Hulme

The famous author, Juliet Marion Hulme is majorly known for her historical detective novels. Juliet writes under her pen name Anne Perry. The British author is best known for her two historical mystery series, the Thomas Pitt, and the William Monk.

The Thomas Pitt Series is a collection of historical detective novels set in Victorian-era England. The William Monk series on the other hand revolves around the adventures of Monk as he strives to solve mysteries. These two series were quite instrumental in his literary career.

Anne Perry, crime writer with her own dark tales died at the age of 84 in California, United States.

5.Suzy McKee Charnas

Suzy McKee Charnas is a science fiction and fantasy author from the United States. Her work is known for being thought-provoking and socially concerning.  The author has won several awards for her work including the Nebula Award, the Hugo Award, and the James Tiptree Jr. Award.

The Holdfast Chronicles, a science fiction trilogy set in a bleak future, is one of her most recognized works. The science fiction series was received quite well as it offers a unique perspective on feminism. The whole series was inducted into the Gaylactic Spectrum Hall of Fame back in the year 2003.

The award-winning feminist succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 83.

6.Edith Pearlman

Edith Pearlman is a well-known American author known for her creativity skills in her literary work who died on January 1st 2023. She is known for creating vivid unforgettable character in her short stories. All through her career she has written and published several collections of short stories. 

Binocular Vision: New & Selected Stories, and the Honeydew are two of her notable works that put her on the maps. Both of these novels earned the National Book Critics Circle Award.

7.Kate Saunders

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Kate Saunders died on  21 April 2023 and she was a British author best recognized for her work in children’s literature, fantasy, and historical fiction. The Wild Young Bohemians and the Catholic and Sex novels are some of her best work in the literary world. Her incorporation of humor, adventure and imagination set her work apart from the rest.

Her 2014 novel, Five Children on the Western Front is one of her best-known works for young readers. Her other novel, The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop combines both magic and mystery in a contemporary setting. It’s safe to say Saunders is gifted at creating vivid and wonderful stories.

8.Harold S. Kushner

Harold S. Kushner an American rabbi, author, lecturer and spiritual leader best known for his books on religion, spirituality, and theodicy. Kusher’s success can be attributed to his complex theological ideas for Jewish and non-Jewish readers.

Back in 1971 Harold publishes quite a controversial book that essentially encouraged questioning of the religious faith. A Guide for Parents Who Don’t Always have All the Answer was seeking to broaden the Jewish beliefs and make them more inline with the broader world.

Before he died on 28th April 2023, he also created another masterpiece, When Bad Things Happen to Good People answers the age-old topic of why bad things happen to decent and innocent people in it.

9.Ved Mehta

Ved Mehta was an Indian-born American writer and journalist who was known his autobiographical writings and essays, many of which appeared in The New Yorker. He died on 9 January 2021. Mehta’s work frequently addressed issues of identity, family, and his unique perspective as a blind person in a seeing world.

Guggenheim Fellowship, MacArthur Fellow and the Royal Society of Literature are among the awards and honors that Ved has received for his exemplary work in the literary world. Wes Anderson credited Ved for inspiring him in the comedy film, The French Dispatch.

10.Vassils Alexakis

Vassilis Alexakis was a Greek French author and translator whose works frequently dealt with the complications of identity, culture, and language. His work is tremendously inspired by his origin where he died on 11th January 2021.

His masterpiece, La Langue Maternelle depicts the narrative of a Greek man who loses his ability to speak Greek and is forced to find a way back to his roots.

Alexakis’ writing was distinguished by its investigation of the immigrant experience, assimilation issues, and the power of language in molding one’s sense of self.

11.Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary was a well-known American children’s and young adult author. She was well-known for her relevant and authentic representation of children’s daily lives. Characters like Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, and Ralph S. Mouse become household names in children’s literature.

Cleary’s writing frequently centered on the ups and downs of growing high, family dynamics, and friendships. Her books captivated generations of young readers. “Beezus and Ramona,” Henry Huggins, Ramona the Pest, and Dear Mr. Henshaw, which won the Newbery Medal, are among her best-known works, all masterpieces.

12.Larry McMurtry

In 2021, Larry McMurtry, a literary giant who enchanted readers with his gripping stories and moving storytelling, said goodbye to the world and forever changed the face of American literature. McMurtry’s incredible journey to becoming a prolific writer, essayist, and screenwriter began with his birth in 1936.

McMurtry’s works were a melodious homage to the complexity and nuances of human relationships as well as the frequently brutal yet alluring reality of the frontier. He was most renowned for his evocative descriptions of the American West.

 He expertly woven stories about cowboys and ranchers, luring readers into a harsh yet tender world where individuals struggled with their aspirations and dreams as well as the ebb and flow of the American way of life.

13. Sharon Kay Penman

A literary prodigy known for her thoroughly researched historical novels, Sharon Kay Penman has enthralled readers with her unmatched narrative and abiding love of the past. Penman, who was born on August 13th, 1945, started a journey that would make her a superb writer of historical fiction and died on 22^nd January 2021.

She was devoted to historical accuracy, and her artwork, set against the tapestry of mediaeval Europe and Britain, was a monument to her ability to bring the past to life. Penman’s writings were more than just historical summaries; they were time-traveling adventures that let readers experience the victories, defeats, and political intrigue of historical individuals.

The Welsh Princes Trilogy, a collection of the novels Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning, is possibly one of her most well-known works. History was brought to life in a way that was both educational and enthralling because to Penman’s rigorous research and her talent for luring readers into the private lives of her characters.

14.Achmat Dangor

Achmat Dangor was a well-known South African author, poet, and human rights advocate and he died on September 6, 2020. Dangor, a South African-born author who was active in the fight against apartheid and its aftermath, used his writing to draw attention to important social and political concerns.

He began his literary career as a poet before switching to fiction and became well-known for his incisive and compelling books. Themes like racial injustice, oppression, identity, and the difficulties South Africans faced during the apartheid era recurred frequently throughout Dangor’s writings.

15.Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Lawrence Ferlinghetti was an American poet, painter, social activist, and co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, a venerable independent bookshop and publishing firm in San Francisco, California, born March 24, 1919 and died on February 22, 2021. Ferlinghetti, who was raised in Yonkers, New York, rose to prominence in the literary and cultural world and is most closely connected with the Beat Generation.

He is most known for his 1958 poetry collection A Coney Island of the Mind, which is still among the most popular poetry volumes of all time. With a plain and approachable style that was appealing to a broad audience, his poetry frequently addressed social and political themes.

16.Lindiwe Mabuza

Lindiwe Mabuza was a South African struggle stalwart, writer, cultural activist and respected poet. Lindiwe Mabuza was a South African politician, diplomat, poet, professor, journalist, and cultural activist who died on December 6, 2021.

Her participation in numerous international organisations and commitment to improving social justice and equality earned her widespread acclaim. Mabuza had a long career in foreign affairs, serving South Africa in a variety of capacities.

She held a number of positions, including those of South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador to the US, and High Commissioner to the UK. She was renowned for working to advance South Africa’s interests and fortify international diplomatic ties.

17.Robert Bly

Robert Bly is an American poet, essayist, activist, and founder of the men’s movement. He was born on December 23, 1926 and died on November 21, 2021. He is regarded as one of the most important characters in American poetry today. Themes like nature, mythology, spirituality, and the human psyche are frequently explored in Bly’s work.

With the release of his book “Iron John: A Book About Men” in 1990, he attracted a lot of attention. The book goes deeply into masculinity, exploring what it means to be a male in modern culture by using folklore and Jungian psychology. It went on to become a best-seller and rekindled discussion about and interest in redefining masculinity.

18.Clive Cussler

Clive Cussler was an American adventure writer and underwater explorer who lived from July 15, 1931, to February 24, 2020. He is best known for his thriller books with marine settings and characters like Dirk Pitt and NUMA National Underwater and Marine Agency.

Cussler, who was raised in Aurora, Illinois, was inspired to write by his passion for travel and the ocean. In his lifetime, he wrote more than 85 novels, several of which were top sellers. The Oregon Files, the Isaac Bell Adventures, the Dirk Pitt Adventures, and other well-known series are among his work. The books frequently combined elements of fiction and current technology, action-packed adventures, and historical riddles.

19.Stephen Dunn

American poet and author Stephen Dunn, who was born on June 24, 1939, has significantly influenced modern poetry. He was raised in the city and was born in Forest Hills, New York. Dunn’s poetry is renowned for its readability, provocative issues, and deft linguistic use. He died on 24 June 2021.

Numerous poetry volumes by him have been released, including “Local Visitations,” winner of the National Poetry Series Award, and “Different Hours,” which was awarded the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. In Dunn’s writing, the complexity of life, relationships, and commonplace events are frequently explored. He is renowned for exploring philosophical and introspective issues while frequently writing in an approachable style that connects with people.

20.Ved Mehta

Ved Mehta was an Indian-American writer and journalist who lived from March 21, 1934, to January 9, 2021. He is renowned for his busy creative career and gripping autobiographical works. Mehta, who was born in Lahore, British India (now Pakistan), lost his sight owing to sickness when he was four years old, yet this did not stop him from leading an extraordinary life in the world of writing.

He wrote on a variety of subjects, including as politics, history, and culture, but is best known for his autobiographical works, which provide a profound study of his own experiences and the confluence of identity, handicap, and society.

We are reminded of the significant influence these recently deceased authors have had on the world of literature and beyond as we consider their lives and literary legacies. Each author contributed a distinctive voice and point of view, enhancing our lives with their insights into the human condition and via their stories and thoughts.

These writers had a profound and varied impact on the literary landscape and we are left with a lasting appreciation for these extraordinary people’s contributions as we say goodbye, guaranteeing that their words will continue to have an impact on readers for many years to come.