Carrying on with this summer of classic literature appreciation, I now shall focus on the authors of these classic novels. There are many authors who are celebrated for one particular work of great literature, such as Herman Melville, Jack Kerouac, or Bram Stoker. Or there are families of great writers such as the three Bronte sisters who each produced one of their own significant works of literature; Anne Bronte wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Charlotte wrote Jayne Eyre, and Emily wrote Wuthering Heights.
However in this post I want to celebrate the authors who produced multiple works of masterful literature. I believe it is the author's total collection of notable works that defines their legacy, not just one magnum opus or a "one hit wonder". The writers included on this list have demonstrated their masterful quality of writing in various novels. This is by no means celebrating which author wrote the most books, rather which author wrote the most great books. It is the amount of masterful novels they wrote that distinguish one above the other in my opinion. (I will celebrate the greatest authors in a different post.)
Honorable Mention
Thomas Hardy
Years: 87 (1840-1928)
Nationality: English
University: King's College London
Literary Style: Victorian Realism, Naturalism
Philosophy: Agnosticism, Deism, Spiritism
Notable Awards:
Notable Works:
Significance: He is a highly acclaimed author from the Victorian Era, also a notable poet. His realistic drama often demonstrates rural innocence in the face of societal struggles. The tragedy of Tess of d'Urbervilles is considered his most famous work, while Far From the Madding Crowd also has brought him great literary praise.
William Faulkner
Years: 64 (1897-1964)
Nationality: American
University: University of Mississippi
Literary Style: Realism, modernism
Notable Awards: Noble Prize (1949), Pulitzer Prize (1955)
Notable Works:
Significance: He is considered among the great modern American authors, depicting realistic stories set in the southern parts of Mississippi. Despite his infamous drinking problem, he also wrote various short stories, poems, essays, and plays throughout his career. I am still not quite yet familiar with his work, however have come to understand the The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom are regarded as his literary masterpieces.
JR Tolkein
Years: 81 (1892-1973)
Nationality: English
University: Oxford University
Literary Style:
Philosophy: Roman Catholic, Anti-Communism, Anti-Fascism, Nature Conservationist
Notable Works:
Significance: Often considered the father of the high fantasy genre along with his inkling pal, CS Lewis. Tolkein served in WWI before he worked as an academic scholar writing various critiques on classic works of literature such as Beowulf. He also published various poems and children's stories during this time. In his later years one of his publishers stumbled upon his fantasy novel of The Hobbit and encouraged him to expand on it which he did. Tolkein thus spent the later half of his life expanding on his fantasy world of Middle Earth, including incredible detail, poetry, and original languages. His epic novel Lord of the Rings thus became his ultimate claim to fame and is considered the greatest fantasy novel to this day.
John Steinbeck
Years: 66 (1902-1968)
Nationality: American
University: Stanford University
Literary Style: Realism, Imaginary
Philosophy: Episcopalian, Communist Sympathizer
Notable Awards: Pulitzer Prize (1940), Noble Prize (1962)
Notable Works:
Significance: Steinbeck is considered among the great modern American authors of our time, and in the likes of Mark Twain he demonstrated a realistic rural perspective to his novels. Most of his stories take place in the southwest countryside during the Great Depression years, where the protagonists are often facing some form of poverty or financial peril. His most famous novels that I am familiar with are Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.
Jules Verne
Years: 77 (1828-1905)
Nationality: French
University: Lycee Georges Clemenceau
Literary Style: Science Fiction, Fantasy, avant-garde, surrealism
Philosophy: Raised Catholic, became a Deist in later years
Notable Works:
Significance: Often considered as the father of science fiction, along with HG Wells, he wrote 54 adventure novels known as his Voyages Extraordinaires. The premise of most his novels are some form of incredible journey to unknown regions of the world. His surrealist approach mixed with scientific studies, broadened the minds and possibilities of fiction writing. He also wrote a series of short stories, essays, poems, and plays.
HG Wells
Years: 79 (1866-1946)
Nationality: English
University: Royal College of Science (Imperial College London)
Literary Style: Science Fiction
Philosophy: Socialist, Pacifist, Didactic, In favor of a world state and proponent of the League of Nations, Agnostic towards religion
Notable Works:
Significance: In the similar manner as Jules Verne, HG Wells furthered the genre of science fiction to the English public and beyond. He was a self proclaimed futurist and quite the enthusiast for scientific and political advancements. Along with his many stories of Utopian society, time travel, and alien invasions he wrote essays on history, politics, science and a wide range of other topics. His two works I am most familiar with are The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Years: 44 (1850-1894)
Nationality: Scottish
University: The University of Edinburgh
Literary Style: Adventure, Mystery, Horror, Historical
Philosophy: Conservatism
Notable Works:
Significance: He was a traveling writer from Scotland who visited many places throughout Europe before he wrote his most famous works Treasure Island and the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His iconic pirate character of Long John Silver was inspired by one of his friends from his London writer's circle. Also of note, he married a magazine writer from Indianapolis named Fanny and he died suddenly at the very young age of 44.
Top Ten Greatest Authors
10. Ernest Hemingway
Years: 61 (1899-1961)
Nationality: American
Literary Style: Roman a clef, historical fiction, romance
Philosophy: Communist sympathizer
Notable Awards: Pulitzer Prize (1953) Noble Prize (1954)
Notable Works:
Significance: Regarded as one of the most iconic American authors of the modern era, he and his pal Scott Fitzgerald initiated the Lost Generation literary movement during the 1920s. Hemingway's unique literary appeal was his roman a clef style that he used in his novels. As a journalist during WWI, the Spanish Civil War, and WWII he had many first hand experiences of traumatic events. He was thus able to use these unique experiences, as characters and plot settings in many of his most famous novels. Many of his books embody themes of war, romance, adventure, and loss.
9. Alexandre Dumas
Years: 68 (1802-1870)
Nationality: French
Literary Style: Historical Fiction
Notable Works:
Significance: Often regarded as one of the greatest French novelists of all time, alongside Victor Hugo, Dumas was brought up in unusual circumstances. His parents were of Haitian descent, which made Alexandre an undesirable mixed race, yet still brought up into an aristocratic lifestyle. He worked as a writer for King Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orleans during the 1830s where he wrote many successful plays and magazine articles. In the 1840s he switched over to novels and wrote two of his most famous works, The Three Musketeers and The Counte of Monte Cristo. Both were historical settings of the Bourbon Dynasty and the Napoleonic Era.
8. George Orwell
Years: 46 (1903-1950)
Nationality: English
University: Eton College
Literary Style: Dystopian, Satire, Roman a clef
Philosophy: Socialism, Anti-fascism, anti-Stalinism, Polemic
Notable Works:
Significance: Perhaps one of the most politically outspoken authors in history, Orwell was a stern literary voice against the totalitarianism of his time. During the rise of Fascist Italy, Spain, Communist Russia, and Nazi Germany, Orwell worked as a teacher, journalist, and volunteer to speak against the evils of fascism. He ultimately was able to use his intellect in writing two allegory novels, mimicking the political horrors of government controlled state. Animal Farm represented the broken system of Communist Russia, while 1984 represented the Dystopian fear based system implemented by Nazi Germany. Both novels today are regarded as masterpieces that demonstrate Orwell's genius collaboration of literature and politics.
7. Victor Hugo
Years: 83 (1802-1885)
Nationality: French
Literary Style: Historical Fiction
Philosophy: Republicanism, Rationalism
Notable Works:
Significance: He lived a very active life and learned much of French politics as a young child from his father who was a high ranking officer in Napoleon's army, and his mother who was Catholic and supported the monarchy. These conflicting views only expanded Victor's cultural awareness of which he would go on to write many successful poems, plays, and novels. His most famous works of literature are the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables which both demonstrate his affection for the people of France. He also got involved in politics throughout his writing career where he served as a conservative and later as a liberal for the national assembly. His political views changed over time yet his patriotic love of France remained true throughout his life, which is why he is one of France's most celebrated authors today.
6. James Joyce
Years: 58 (1882-1941)
Nationality: Irish
University: University College Dublin
Literary Style: Stream of Consciousness
Philosophy: Irish Nationalist, Socialism, Individualism, Agnostic Catholic
Notable Works:
Significance: In the likes of various other great Irish writers such as Johnathan Swift and Oscar Wilde, James Joyce was the total representation of a free thinking Irish man. He was especially proud of his Irish country and heritage yet also sought adventure in the continental Europe. His first major work, The Dubliners, was a collection of short stories demonstrating society in the capital of Ireland. His second two major works demonstrated his philosophical thoughts, particularly A Portrait of the Young Artist as a Man which he related much of his youthful experiences to the protagonist Stephen Dedalus. His magnum opus came later with Ulysses which was a parallel to The Odyssey. In this novel Joyce used a groundbreaking writing style that demonstrated his characters' stream-of-consciousness thus presenting more philosophy and depth to the book.
5. Mark Twain
Years: 74 (1835-1910)
Nationality: American
Literary Style: Humorist,
Philosophy: Anti-Imperialist, Abolitionist, Supported Labor Movement, Presbyterian, Freemason
Notable Works:
Significance: Often regarded as the father of American literature Mark Twain's adventoruous novels are demonstrating in his equally interesting life. He grew up in the river town of Hannibal where he worked as riverboat pilot and later a journalist for his brother's company for some time. He traveled the country with his brother working in mining camps, writing journalist stories, and having other various adventures. By the time he was 40 he began writing some of his most groundbreaking novels which demonstrated his wit and humorist style. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn became instant classics and to this day are regarded as the greatest of American novels. Thru these groundbreaking novels, Mark Twain created a bridge from classic western literature to modern literature.
4. Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Years: 59 (1821-1881)
Nationality: Russian
University: Military Engineering Technical Institute in St. Petersburg
Literary Style: Psychological fiction. Realism
Philosophy: Russian Orthodox, anti-imperialist, in favor of Russian independence.
Notable Works:
Significance: He is regarded as the father of the psychological novel, taking readers inside character's minds unlike ever done before. He lived a political life, quite critical of the Tsarist government of his time. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to death in 1849, but the sentence was later uplifted and instead he served 4 years in prison and 6 years in exile. It was after these experiences that he became a noteworthy journalist and later one of Russia's most acclaimed novelists. Much of Dostoyevsky's novels demonstrate philosophical and political topics such as the debate of God's existence or the poverty within the Russian Empire. He also presented darker psychological themes such as the sub-conscious, morality, suicide, and human manipulation. Most of his literary work would fall into the category of existentialism which demonstrates the characters actions, feelings, and thoughts.
3. Jane Austen
Years: 41 (1775-1817)
Nationality: English
Literary Style: Realism, romance, feminism, parody
Philosophy: Feminist, Anglican, individualism
Notable Works:
Significance: She is in my opinion the greatest female author of all time, since she paved the way for many great female writers to come. In her time married women were not allowed to sign publishing contracts so she had to publish much of her early work anonymously. She later acquired an agent and experienced some success in her later years. Most her novels relate to English landowners and the upper class societies, and most her protagonists are females. Austen's claim to fame was her ability to demonstrate women as free thinking and capable of reasoning rather than the normal romantic representation in most novels. In all her famous novels, there is a general theme of individualism, feminism, and irony of the social classes. She died at the very young age of 41, never married nor had children, however her work has gone on to inspire so many readers and writers alike.
2. Leo Tolstoy
Years: 82 (1828-1910)
Nationality: Russian
Literary Style: Realism, Romance, Historical Fiction
Philosophy: Christian Anarchism, Pacifism, Spiritualism
Notable Works:
Significance: Often considered one of the greatest Russian authors of all time, Leo Tolstoy wrote two masterful novels yet also instilled a philosophical movement during his elder years. He was born into wealth however changed his political stance after serving in the Crimean War of the 1850s. During this time he met Victor Hugo and other various French anarchists and changed his philosophy on life. His historical novel of War and Peace was inspired by Hugo's Les Miserables and also his experience of war. Ten years later he published his famous romance novel, Anna Karenina, which in my opinion is the greatest love affair story of all time. His later works demonstrated his philosophical ideals of Christian Anarchism and spiritualism. He became somewhat of a prophet to many throughout Russia and even developed a school of thought known as the Tolystan Movement that emphasized a simple life.
1. Charles Dickens
Years: 58 (1812-1870)
Nationality: English
Literary Style: Realism, Satire
Philosophy: Agnostic Christian, Advocate for the poor
Notable Works:
Significance: No author has produced as many famous novels then that of the English writer, Charles Dickens. Unlike many other famous writers, Dickens was born into a working class family and had to work as a young child in a shoe factory to support his family, after his father was arrested. Although he had no formal education, Dickens displayed great ambition as a young man and found work as a journalist editor in London. By the 1830s he was submitting journalist stories to various newspapers and magazines and became editor of a magazine company in 1836. By this time Dickens had demonstrated his passion for writing and soon after he began his work as a novelist. His novel Oliver Twist, demonstrated the first ever child protagonist and the story became very popular throughout London and was even admired by Queen Victoria. Dickens was able to use his harsh experience working as a child, to write about orphans and the working class in a satirical style. Throughout the height of his career he published a steady stream of popular novels, with very iconic characters such as Ebeneezer Scrooge, Uriah Heep, Miss Havisham, Tiny Tim, and so many more. His novels and characters have become staples of British culture today. It is for this massive amount of great material, as well as his cultural impact, that makes Charles Dickens the greatest author of all time.
However in this post I want to celebrate the authors who produced multiple works of masterful literature. I believe it is the author's total collection of notable works that defines their legacy, not just one magnum opus or a "one hit wonder". The writers included on this list have demonstrated their masterful quality of writing in various novels. This is by no means celebrating which author wrote the most books, rather which author wrote the most great books. It is the amount of masterful novels they wrote that distinguish one above the other in my opinion. (I will celebrate the greatest authors in a different post.)
Honorable Mention
Thomas Hardy
Years: 87 (1840-1928)
Nationality: English
University: King's College London
Literary Style: Victorian Realism, Naturalism
Philosophy: Agnosticism, Deism, Spiritism
Notable Awards:
Notable Works:
- Far From the Madding Crowd (1874)
- The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)
- Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891)
- Jude the Obscure (1895)
Significance: He is a highly acclaimed author from the Victorian Era, also a notable poet. His realistic drama often demonstrates rural innocence in the face of societal struggles. The tragedy of Tess of d'Urbervilles is considered his most famous work, while Far From the Madding Crowd also has brought him great literary praise.
William Faulkner
Years: 64 (1897-1964)
Nationality: American
University: University of Mississippi
Literary Style: Realism, modernism
Notable Awards: Noble Prize (1949), Pulitzer Prize (1955)
Notable Works:
- The Sound and the Fury (1929)
- As I Lay Dying (1930)
- Light in August (1932)
- Absalom, Absalom! (1936)
- A Fable (1954)
Significance: He is considered among the great modern American authors, depicting realistic stories set in the southern parts of Mississippi. Despite his infamous drinking problem, he also wrote various short stories, poems, essays, and plays throughout his career. I am still not quite yet familiar with his work, however have come to understand the The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom are regarded as his literary masterpieces.
JR Tolkein
Years: 81 (1892-1973)
Nationality: English
University: Oxford University
Literary Style:
Philosophy: Roman Catholic, Anti-Communism, Anti-Fascism, Nature Conservationist
Notable Works:
- The Hobbit (1937)
- The Lord of the Rings (1954)
Significance: Often considered the father of the high fantasy genre along with his inkling pal, CS Lewis. Tolkein served in WWI before he worked as an academic scholar writing various critiques on classic works of literature such as Beowulf. He also published various poems and children's stories during this time. In his later years one of his publishers stumbled upon his fantasy novel of The Hobbit and encouraged him to expand on it which he did. Tolkein thus spent the later half of his life expanding on his fantasy world of Middle Earth, including incredible detail, poetry, and original languages. His epic novel Lord of the Rings thus became his ultimate claim to fame and is considered the greatest fantasy novel to this day.
John Steinbeck
Years: 66 (1902-1968)
Nationality: American
University: Stanford University
Literary Style: Realism, Imaginary
Philosophy: Episcopalian, Communist SympathizerNotable Awards: Pulitzer Prize (1940), Noble Prize (1962)
Notable Works:
- Tortilla Flat (1935)
- Of Mice and Men (1937)
- The Red Pony (1937)
- The Grapes of Wrath (1939)
- Cannery Row (1945)
- East of Eden (1952)
Significance: Steinbeck is considered among the great modern American authors of our time, and in the likes of Mark Twain he demonstrated a realistic rural perspective to his novels. Most of his stories take place in the southwest countryside during the Great Depression years, where the protagonists are often facing some form of poverty or financial peril. His most famous novels that I am familiar with are Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath.
Jules Verne
Years: 77 (1828-1905)
Nationality: FrenchUniversity: Lycee Georges Clemenceau
Literary Style: Science Fiction, Fantasy, avant-garde, surrealism
Philosophy: Raised Catholic, became a Deist in later years
Notable Works:
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
- Around the World in Eighty Days (1873)
- The Mysterious Island (1874)
Significance: Often considered as the father of science fiction, along with HG Wells, he wrote 54 adventure novels known as his Voyages Extraordinaires. The premise of most his novels are some form of incredible journey to unknown regions of the world. His surrealist approach mixed with scientific studies, broadened the minds and possibilities of fiction writing. He also wrote a series of short stories, essays, poems, and plays.
HG Wells
Years: 79 (1866-1946)
Nationality: English
University: Royal College of Science (Imperial College London)
Literary Style: Science Fiction
Philosophy: Socialist, Pacifist, Didactic, In favor of a world state and proponent of the League of Nations, Agnostic towards religion
Notable Works:- The Time Machine (1895)
- The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896)
- The Invisible Man (1897)
- The War of the Worlds (1898)
- The First Men in the Moon (1901)
- The War in the Air (1907)
- When the Sleeper Wakes (1910)
- The Shape of Things to Come (1933)
Significance: In the similar manner as Jules Verne, HG Wells furthered the genre of science fiction to the English public and beyond. He was a self proclaimed futurist and quite the enthusiast for scientific and political advancements. Along with his many stories of Utopian society, time travel, and alien invasions he wrote essays on history, politics, science and a wide range of other topics. His two works I am most familiar with are The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Years: 44 (1850-1894)Nationality: Scottish
University: The University of Edinburgh
Literary Style: Adventure, Mystery, Horror, Historical
Philosophy: Conservatism
Notable Works:
- Treasure Island (1883)
- A Child's Garden of Verses (1885)
- Kidnapped (1886)
- Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
- The Black Arrow (1888)
Significance: He was a traveling writer from Scotland who visited many places throughout Europe before he wrote his most famous works Treasure Island and the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His iconic pirate character of Long John Silver was inspired by one of his friends from his London writer's circle. Also of note, he married a magazine writer from Indianapolis named Fanny and he died suddenly at the very young age of 44.
Top Ten Greatest Authors
10. Ernest Hemingway
Years: 61 (1899-1961)Nationality: American
Literary Style: Roman a clef, historical fiction, romance
Philosophy: Communist sympathizer
Notable Awards: Pulitzer Prize (1953) Noble Prize (1954)
Notable Works:
- The Sun Also Rises (1926)
- A Farewell to Arms (1929)
- For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940)
- The Old Man and the Sea (1952)
Significance: Regarded as one of the most iconic American authors of the modern era, he and his pal Scott Fitzgerald initiated the Lost Generation literary movement during the 1920s. Hemingway's unique literary appeal was his roman a clef style that he used in his novels. As a journalist during WWI, the Spanish Civil War, and WWII he had many first hand experiences of traumatic events. He was thus able to use these unique experiences, as characters and plot settings in many of his most famous novels. Many of his books embody themes of war, romance, adventure, and loss.
9. Alexandre Dumas
Years: 68 (1802-1870)
Nationality: FrenchLiterary Style: Historical Fiction
Notable Works:
- The Three Musketeers (1844)
- The Count of Monte Cristo (1844)
- Twenty Years After (1845)
- The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later (1847)
Significance: Often regarded as one of the greatest French novelists of all time, alongside Victor Hugo, Dumas was brought up in unusual circumstances. His parents were of Haitian descent, which made Alexandre an undesirable mixed race, yet still brought up into an aristocratic lifestyle. He worked as a writer for King Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orleans during the 1830s where he wrote many successful plays and magazine articles. In the 1840s he switched over to novels and wrote two of his most famous works, The Three Musketeers and The Counte of Monte Cristo. Both were historical settings of the Bourbon Dynasty and the Napoleonic Era.
8. George Orwell
Years: 46 (1903-1950)Nationality: English
University: Eton College
Literary Style: Dystopian, Satire, Roman a clef
Philosophy: Socialism, Anti-fascism, anti-Stalinism, Polemic
Notable Works:
- The Road to Wigan Pier (1937)
- Homage to Catalonia (1938)
- Animal Farm (1945)
- Nineteen Eighty Four (1949)
Significance: Perhaps one of the most politically outspoken authors in history, Orwell was a stern literary voice against the totalitarianism of his time. During the rise of Fascist Italy, Spain, Communist Russia, and Nazi Germany, Orwell worked as a teacher, journalist, and volunteer to speak against the evils of fascism. He ultimately was able to use his intellect in writing two allegory novels, mimicking the political horrors of government controlled state. Animal Farm represented the broken system of Communist Russia, while 1984 represented the Dystopian fear based system implemented by Nazi Germany. Both novels today are regarded as masterpieces that demonstrate Orwell's genius collaboration of literature and politics.
7. Victor Hugo
Years: 83 (1802-1885)
Nationality: French
Literary Style: Historical FictionPhilosophy: Republicanism, Rationalism
Notable Works:
- Hernani (1830)
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831)
- Les Contemplations (1856)
- La Legende des Siecles (1859)
- Les Miserables (1862)
- Toilers of the Sea (1866)
Significance: He lived a very active life and learned much of French politics as a young child from his father who was a high ranking officer in Napoleon's army, and his mother who was Catholic and supported the monarchy. These conflicting views only expanded Victor's cultural awareness of which he would go on to write many successful poems, plays, and novels. His most famous works of literature are the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables which both demonstrate his affection for the people of France. He also got involved in politics throughout his writing career where he served as a conservative and later as a liberal for the national assembly. His political views changed over time yet his patriotic love of France remained true throughout his life, which is why he is one of France's most celebrated authors today.
6. James Joyce
Years: 58 (1882-1941)Nationality: Irish
University: University College Dublin
Literary Style: Stream of Consciousness
Philosophy: Irish Nationalist, Socialism, Individualism, Agnostic Catholic
Notable Works:
- Dubliners (1914)
- A Portrait of the Young Artist as a Man (1916)
- Ulysses (1922)
- Finnegan's Wake (1939)
Significance: In the likes of various other great Irish writers such as Johnathan Swift and Oscar Wilde, James Joyce was the total representation of a free thinking Irish man. He was especially proud of his Irish country and heritage yet also sought adventure in the continental Europe. His first major work, The Dubliners, was a collection of short stories demonstrating society in the capital of Ireland. His second two major works demonstrated his philosophical thoughts, particularly A Portrait of the Young Artist as a Man which he related much of his youthful experiences to the protagonist Stephen Dedalus. His magnum opus came later with Ulysses which was a parallel to The Odyssey. In this novel Joyce used a groundbreaking writing style that demonstrated his characters' stream-of-consciousness thus presenting more philosophy and depth to the book.
5. Mark Twain
Years: 74 (1835-1910)
Nationality: American
Literary Style: Humorist,Philosophy: Anti-Imperialist, Abolitionist, Supported Labor Movement, Presbyterian, Freemason
Notable Works:
- The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873)
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)
- The Prince and Pauper (1881)
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889)
- Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)
Significance: Often regarded as the father of American literature Mark Twain's adventoruous novels are demonstrating in his equally interesting life. He grew up in the river town of Hannibal where he worked as riverboat pilot and later a journalist for his brother's company for some time. He traveled the country with his brother working in mining camps, writing journalist stories, and having other various adventures. By the time he was 40 he began writing some of his most groundbreaking novels which demonstrated his wit and humorist style. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn became instant classics and to this day are regarded as the greatest of American novels. Thru these groundbreaking novels, Mark Twain created a bridge from classic western literature to modern literature.
4. Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Years: 59 (1821-1881)
Nationality: RussianUniversity: Military Engineering Technical Institute in St. Petersburg
Literary Style: Psychological fiction. Realism
Philosophy: Russian Orthodox, anti-imperialist, in favor of Russian independence.
Notable Works:
- Notes from the Underground (1864)
- Crime and Punishment (1866)
- The Gambler (1867)
- The Idiot (1869)
- Demons (1872)
- The Brothers Karamazov (1879)
Significance: He is regarded as the father of the psychological novel, taking readers inside character's minds unlike ever done before. He lived a political life, quite critical of the Tsarist government of his time. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to death in 1849, but the sentence was later uplifted and instead he served 4 years in prison and 6 years in exile. It was after these experiences that he became a noteworthy journalist and later one of Russia's most acclaimed novelists. Much of Dostoyevsky's novels demonstrate philosophical and political topics such as the debate of God's existence or the poverty within the Russian Empire. He also presented darker psychological themes such as the sub-conscious, morality, suicide, and human manipulation. Most of his literary work would fall into the category of existentialism which demonstrates the characters actions, feelings, and thoughts.
3. Jane Austen
Years: 41 (1775-1817)
Nationality: English
Literary Style: Realism, romance, feminism, parodyPhilosophy: Feminist, Anglican, individualism
Notable Works:
- Sense and Sensibility (1811)
- Pride and Prejudice (1813)
- Mansfield Park (1814)
- Emma (1815)
- Northranger Abbey (1818)
- Persuasion (1818)
Significance: She is in my opinion the greatest female author of all time, since she paved the way for many great female writers to come. In her time married women were not allowed to sign publishing contracts so she had to publish much of her early work anonymously. She later acquired an agent and experienced some success in her later years. Most her novels relate to English landowners and the upper class societies, and most her protagonists are females. Austen's claim to fame was her ability to demonstrate women as free thinking and capable of reasoning rather than the normal romantic representation in most novels. In all her famous novels, there is a general theme of individualism, feminism, and irony of the social classes. She died at the very young age of 41, never married nor had children, however her work has gone on to inspire so many readers and writers alike.
2. Leo Tolstoy
Years: 82 (1828-1910)
Nationality: Russian
Literary Style: Realism, Romance, Historical FictionPhilosophy: Christian Anarchism, Pacifism, Spiritualism
Notable Works:
- War and Peace (1869)
- Anna Karenina (1878)
- The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886)
- The Kingdom of God is Within You (1894)
- Resurrection (1899)
Significance: Often considered one of the greatest Russian authors of all time, Leo Tolstoy wrote two masterful novels yet also instilled a philosophical movement during his elder years. He was born into wealth however changed his political stance after serving in the Crimean War of the 1850s. During this time he met Victor Hugo and other various French anarchists and changed his philosophy on life. His historical novel of War and Peace was inspired by Hugo's Les Miserables and also his experience of war. Ten years later he published his famous romance novel, Anna Karenina, which in my opinion is the greatest love affair story of all time. His later works demonstrated his philosophical ideals of Christian Anarchism and spiritualism. He became somewhat of a prophet to many throughout Russia and even developed a school of thought known as the Tolystan Movement that emphasized a simple life.
1. Charles Dickens
Years: 58 (1812-1870)
Nationality: English
Literary Style: Realism, Satire
Philosophy: Agnostic Christian, Advocate for the poor
Notable Works:
- The Pickwick Papers (1836)
- Oliver Twist (1837)
- Nicholas Nickleby (1838)
- A Christmas Carol (1843)
- Dombey and Son (1846)
- David Copperfield (1850)
- Bleak House (1852)
- Little Dorrit (1855)
- A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
- Great Expectations (1860)
Significance: No author has produced as many famous novels then that of the English writer, Charles Dickens. Unlike many other famous writers, Dickens was born into a working class family and had to work as a young child in a shoe factory to support his family, after his father was arrested. Although he had no formal education, Dickens displayed great ambition as a young man and found work as a journalist editor in London. By the 1830s he was submitting journalist stories to various newspapers and magazines and became editor of a magazine company in 1836. By this time Dickens had demonstrated his passion for writing and soon after he began his work as a novelist. His novel Oliver Twist, demonstrated the first ever child protagonist and the story became very popular throughout London and was even admired by Queen Victoria. Dickens was able to use his harsh experience working as a child, to write about orphans and the working class in a satirical style. Throughout the height of his career he published a steady stream of popular novels, with very iconic characters such as Ebeneezer Scrooge, Uriah Heep, Miss Havisham, Tiny Tim, and so many more. His novels and characters have become staples of British culture today. It is for this massive amount of great material, as well as his cultural impact, that makes Charles Dickens the greatest author of all time.
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