Leo Writers

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 1 
H. P. Lovecraft
(American Weird-Fiction Writer Known for Creating the Mythopoeia 'Cthulhu Mythos')
H. P. Lovecraft
27
Birthdate: August 20, 1890
Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Died: March 15, 1937

HP Lovecraft was a writer of weird and horror fiction and is known for his creation of Cthulhu Mythos, which has inspired a large body of games and music. His stories focused on his interpretation of humanity's place in the universe. He was virtually unknown during his lifetime, but is now considered a significant 20th-century author of supernatural horror fiction.

 2 
James Baldwin
(Author Best Known for His Novel 'Go Tell It on the Mountain')
James Baldwin
20
Birthdate: August 2, 1924
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States
Died: December 1, 1987

Amongst the greatest writers of the 20th century and a leading literary voice in the civil rights movement, James Baldwin extensively explored issues like race, sexuality and humanity in his work. His best known work include his debut novel Go Tell It on the Mountain and his books of essays Notes of a Native Son and Nobody Knows My Name.

 3 
Aldous Huxley
(Writer and Philosopher Best Known for His Novels: ‘Brave New World’, ‘Island’ and ‘Point Counter Point’)
Aldous Huxley
16
Birthdate: July 26, 1894
Birthplace: Godalming, England
Died: November 22, 1963

English writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley wrote countless books, including novels, short stories, non-fiction, and poems. He is best remembered for his science-fiction novels Brave New World and Island. The seven-time Nobel Prize nominee was also a Companion of Literature of the Royal Society of Literature and a Vedanta believer.

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 4 
P B Shelley
(One of the Epic Poets of the 19th Century)
P B Shelley
8
Birthdate: August 4, 1792
Birthplace: Warnham, United Kingdom
Died: July 8, 1822
Legendary English Romantic poetry P.B. Shelley is remembered for his masterpieces such as Ode to the West Wind, To a Skylark, and Prometheus Unbound. He was known for his poetic imagery, and his popularity soared after his premature death due to drowning while boating at age 29. 
 5 
George Bernard Shaw
(Irish playwright Who Won the 1925 Nobel Prize in Literature)
George Bernard Shaw
9
Birthdate: July 26, 1856
Birthplace: Portobello, Dublin, Ireland
Died: November 2, 1950

Nobel Prize-winning playwright and author George Bernard Shaw was best known for his realism and his support for women’s rights and socialism. His ideas gave rise to the word “Shavian.” His drama Pygmalion inspired the musical My Fair Lady. His other notable works include Candida and Man and Superman.

 6 
Alexandre Dumas
(One of the Most Popular and Widely Read French Authors of the 19th Century)
Alexandre Dumas
12
Birthdate: July 24, 1802
Birthplace: Villers-Cotterêts, France
Died: December 5, 1870

One of the most widely read French authors of all time, Alexandre Dumas was prolific in several genres. He joined the army as a young man and later became a full-time writer. Starting his writing career as a playwright, he moved on to writing novels. His novels have been adapted into nearly 200 films in the past century.

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 7 
Ray Bradbury
(One of the Most Celebrated 20th-Century American Writers Known for His Novel 'Fahrenheit 451')
Ray Bradbury
9
Birthdate: August 22, 1920
Birthplace: Waukegan, Illinois, United States
Died: June 5, 2012
Ray Bradbury is best remembered for his writings in the science-fiction, mystery, and horror genres, the most notable being the short story anthology Martian Chronicles and the novel Fahrenheit 451. He also contributed to the screenplays of various series and films, and won an Emmy for writing The Halloween Tree.
 8 
Charles Bukowski
(Poet and Author Known for His Work “Mockingbird Wish Me Luck,” and “Love Is a Dog from Hell”)
Charles Bukowski
26
Birthdate: August 16, 1920
Birthplace: Andernach, Germany
Died: March 9, 1994

German-American poet and short story writer ,Charles Bukowski, addressed the ordinary lives of poor Americans in most of his works. Since his death, he has been the subject of many critical books and articles. His stories have inspired several films like Tales of Ordinary Madness, Crazy Love, and Factotum.

 9 
Emily Brontë
(Novelist)
Emily Brontë
9
Birthdate: July 30, 1818
Birthplace: Thornton, West Yorkshire
Died: December 19, 1848
Victorian novelist/poet Emily Brontë, also known as Ellis Bell, is best remembered for her iconic novel Wuthering Heights. Her book of poems, written with her sisters Charlotte and Anne, was titled Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, highlighting their pseudonyms. She suffered from prolonged illness and died of tuberculosis.
 10 
Herman Melville
(Novelist & Short Story Writer of the American Renaissance Period Best Known for His Works 'Moby-Dick' & 'Typee')
Herman Melville
4
Birthdate: August 1, 1819
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: September 28, 1891

Herman Melville was an American short story writer, novelist, and poet. One of his best-known works, Moby-Dick is widely regarded as one of the great American novels, although it did not garner much attention during his lifetime. Livyatan melvillei, a species of an extinct sperm whale, which was discovered in 2010, was named in his honor.  

 11 
Ted Hughes
(Poet and Children's Writer)
Ted Hughes
8
Birthdate: August 17, 1930
Birthplace: Mytholmroyd
Died: October 28, 1998
Poet and children’s author Ted Hughes is best remembered for his iconic poems The Hawk in the Rain, Birthday Letters, and Crow. He was married to poet Sylvia Plath, who eventually committed suicide at 30. Most people blamed him for mistreating Plath and indirectly causing her death.   
 12 
Isabel Allende
(Chilean-American Author Known for Her Novels: ‘The House of the Spirits’ and ‘City of the Beasts’)
Isabel Allende
10
Birthdate: August 2, 1942
Birthplace: Lima, Peru
Chilean author Isabel Allende is known for her bestselling Spanish-language novels The House of the Spirits and City of the Beasts. The Chilean National Literature Prize-winner explores women’s perspectives and includes magic realism and autobiographical aspects in her works. She has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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 13 
Guy de Maupassant
(French Short Story Writer and Naturalist )
Guy de Maupassant
6
Birthdate: August 5, 1850
Birthplace: Tourville-sur-Arques, France
Died: July 6, 1893

Guy de Maupassant was a French author who wrote 300 short stories during his illustrious career. Widely regarded as the father of the modern short story, Maupassant's stories are characterized by economy of style and depicted human lives in pessimistic terms,

 14 
Raymond Chandler
(Novelist and Screenwriter)
Raymond Chandler
6
Birthdate: July 23, 1888
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: March 26, 1959
 15 
Philip Larkin
5
Birthdate: August 9, 1922
Birthplace: Radford, Coventry, United Kingdom
Died: December 2, 1985
 16 
Robert Graves
(Poet & Novelist)
Robert Graves
8
Birthdate: July 24, 1895
Birthplace: Wimbledon, England
Died: December 7, 1985
 17 
J. K. Rowling
(Author of Children's Fantasy Series, 'Harry Potter')
J. K. Rowling
160
Birthdate: July 31, 1965
Birthplace: Yate, England

JK Rowling’s story is that of rags-to-riches. She is the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, which have sold more than 500 million copies and is the best-selling book series in history. She also writes crime fiction albeit under a pen name. Rowling supports many charities and has founded Lumos, an international NGO, working for children.

 18 
Beatrix Potter
6
Birthdate: July 28, 1866
Birthplace: Kensington
Died: December 22, 1943
Born into an affluent English family, Beatrix Potter grew up amidst nature and developed a love for animals. She grew up to be a natural scientist, conservationist, and illustrator, and is best remembered for her children's books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which featured animals.
 19 
Rupert Brooke
3
Birthdate: August 3, 1887
Birthplace: Rugby
Died: April 23, 1915
 20 
Enid Blyton
(Best Selling Children's Writer of the 20th Century Known for Her Works 'Malory Towers' & 'The Famous Five')
Enid Blyton
5
Birthdate: August 11, 1897
Birthplace: East Dulwich, London, England
Died: November 28, 1968
Author Enid Blyton is best remembered for her iconic children’s book series such as Famous Five, Malory Towers, and Secret Seven, majorly focusing on mystery-based plots. Her works have made her the fourth-most-translated writer. She had supported animal and paediatric charities. Her story inspired the BBC film Enid.
 21 
Alfred Lord Tennyson
(19th Century English Poet Who was the Poet Laureate During Much of Queen Victoria's Reign)
Alfred Lord Tennyson
4
Birthdate: August 6, 1809
Birthplace: Somersby, Lincolnshire, England
Died: October 6, 1892

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was a British poet. One of the most famous British poets of all time, Tennyson served as the Poet Laureate during Queen Victoria's reign. His poetry, which is renowned for its powerful visual imagery, served as an important influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of English poets and painters.

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 22 
Christopher Robin Milne
(Author)
Christopher Robin Milne
5
Birthdate: August 21, 1920
Birthplace: Chelsea, London, United Kingdom
Died: April 20, 1996
 23 
V. S. Naipaul
(Trinidadian-Born British Writer Who Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001)
V. S. Naipaul
10
Birthdate: August 17, 1932
Birthplace: Trinidad and Tobago
Died: August 11, 2018

Born to Indian descendants in Trinidad, V. S. Naipaul grew up to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. The author of iconic novels such as Half a Life and A House for Mr. Biswas, Naipaul was also knighted. His realistic depiction of developing countries and their miseries won hearts worldwide.

 24 
Leigh Anne Tuohy
(Interior Designer, Entrepreneur, Writer)
Leigh Anne Tuohy
4
Birthdate: August 9, 1960
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Interior designer Leigh Anne Tuohy is also known as the adoptive mother of former NFL footballer Michael Oher. Their story inspired the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game and its movie adaptation, The Blind Side. She co-owns several food franchises, has co-written a book, and owns a non-profit.
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 25 
Walter Scott
(Novelist and Poet known for his Works Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and The Lady of the Lake)
Walter Scott
5
Birthdate: August 15, 1771
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: September 21, 1832

Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and playwright. Scott's ability as a writer and his knowledge of history made him a pioneering figure in the formation of the historical novel genre. An influential writer, many of his works remain classics of Scottish as well as English-language literature. Scott was admired by other prominent writers like Letitia Elizabeth Landon.

 26 
Dorothy Parker
(American Poet, Critic & Satirist Who Was Known for Her Wit, Wisecracks, and Eye for 20th-Century Urban Foibles)
Dorothy Parker
6
Birthdate: August 22, 1893
Birthplace: Long Branch, New Jersey, United States
Died: June 7, 1967

Poet and author Dorothy Parker rose to fame with her published works in The New Yorker. She later formed the Algonquin Round Table. She also wrote for Hollywood films such as A Star Is Born and earned two Academy Award nominations. However, her association with left-wing politics got her blacklisted.

 27 
Danielle Steel
4
Birthdate: August 14, 1947
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
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 28 
Suzanne Collins
(Television writer)
Suzanne Collins
4
Birthdate: August 10, 1962
Birthplace: Hartford
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 29 
Alex Haley
(Writer)
Alex Haley
4
Birthdate: August 11, 1921
Birthplace: Ithaca, New York, United States
Died: February 10, 1992
 30 
Stieg Larsson
(Swedish Writer and Activist Best Known for His Millennium Trilogy of Crime Novels)
Stieg Larsson
5
Birthdate: August 15, 1954
Birthplace: Skelleftehamn, Sweden
Died: November 9, 2004

Stieg Larsson was a Swedish writer and journalist. He is best remembered for his Millennium trilogy of novels, which were adapted as three films in Sweden. After his sudden death, due to a heart attack, Stieg Larsson was posthumously honored with several awards, such as the Glass Key award, Galaxy British Book Award, and Anthony Award.

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 31 
Lady Colin Campbell
(British Jamaican Socialite, TV Personality and Author Who Has Published Books About the British Royal Family)
Lady Colin Campbell
8
Birthdate: August 17, 1949
Birthplace: St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica

Jamaican-born British writer, socialite, and TV personality, Lady Colin Campbell, is known for publishing four books about the British royal family, including a biography of Diana, Princess of Wales. While her books about the royal family made her popular, she also faced criticism for some of her claims. She once kindled controversy for supporting sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, on TV.

 32 
Julian Fellowes
(Screenwriter who is primarily known as the author of several Sunday Times bestseller novels; for the screenplay for the film Gosford Park)
Julian Fellowes
4
Birthdate: August 17, 1949
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
 33 
Francis Scott Key
9
Birthdate: August 1, 1779
Birthplace: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Died: January 11, 1843
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 34 
Garrison Keillor
(Author, Humorist, Voice Actor and Radio Personality)
Garrison Keillor
4
Birthdate: August 7, 1942
Birthplace: Anoka, Minnesota
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 35 
Piers Anthony
(Author Best Known for His Long-Running Novel Series Set in the Fictional Realm of 'Xanth')
Piers Anthony
5
Birthdate: August 6, 1934
Birthplace: Oxford, England

Best known for his Xanth novels, such as Well-Tempered Clavicle and Esrever Doom, bestselling science fiction and fantasy author Piers Anthony was born to Quaker parents in Britain, who later settled in the U.S. He lives with his wife in a remote forest area in Central Florida.

 36 
Gerard Manley Hopkins
(Poet, Writer)
Gerard Manley Hopkins
4
Birthdate: July 28, 1844
Birthplace: London
Died: June 8, 1889
 37 
Bob Harper
(Reality Television Star)
Bob Harper
4
Birthdate: August 18, 1965
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
 38 
Steven Berkoff
(Actor)
Steven Berkoff
4
Birthdate: August 3, 1937
Birthplace: Stepney, London, England, UK
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 39 
Graham Hancock
(Writer)
Graham Hancock
5
Birthdate: August 2, 1950
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland

Scottish author Graham Hancock spent his initial years in India, where his father was a surgeon. He later moved back to the UK and worked as a journalist for publications such as The Guardian and The Times. He is known to propagate pseudo-scientific theories through his books such as Underworld and Supernatural.

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 40 
Jean Shepherd
(American Storyteller, Writer, Radio and TV Personality)
Jean Shepherd
4
Birthdate: July 26, 1921
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: October 16, 1999

Jean Shepherd was a writer, storyteller, humorist, and radio and TV personality. In a long and productive career that spanned nearly five decades, he gave live performances, wrote scripts and stories, hosted radio shows, and even worked in a few films. He was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was known to be a private person.

 41 
David Baldacci
(Novelist)
David Baldacci
4
Birthdate: August 5, 1960
Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia, United States
 42 
Jim Corbett
(Hunter, Naturalist)
Jim Corbett
4
Birthdate: July 25, 1875
Birthplace: Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
Died: April 19, 1955
 43 
Jonathan Franzen
(Novelist)
Jonathan Franzen
4
Birthdate: August 17, 1959
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
 44 
Jim Carroll
(Known for His 1978 Autobiographical Work ‘The Basketball Diaries')
Jim Carroll
4
Birthdate: August 1, 1949
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: September 11, 2009

Punk musician and author Jim Carroll is best remembered for his autobiographical depiction of his struggle with drugs in his teenage years, The Basketball Diaries, which was later turned into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Part of The Jim Carroll Band, he was known for the single People Who Died.

 45 
William Goldman
(Novelist)
William Goldman
4
Birthdate: August 12, 1931
Birthplace: Highland Park, Illinois, USA
Died: November 16, 2018
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 46 
John Dryden
7
Birthdate: August 9, 1631
Birthplace: Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, England
Died: May 12, 1700
 47 
Taylor Negron
(Actor)
Taylor Negron
4
Birthdate: August 1, 1957
Birthplace: Glendale, California, United States
Died: January 10, 2015
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 48 
Melvin Van Peebles
(Actor)
Melvin Van Peebles
3
Birthdate: August 21, 1932
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 49 
John Eisenhower
(Diplomat, Military historian, Author, Writer, Biographer)
John Eisenhower
4
Birthdate: August 3, 1922
Birthplace: Denver
Died: December 21, 2013

U.S. Army officer John Eisenhower was the son of military-general-turned-president Dwight D. Eisenhower. He had donned many hats, from teaching English to serving on his father's White House staff. He also assisted his father in writing his memoirs and had been the American ambassador to Belgium, too.

 50 
P. D. James
(Writer)
P. D. James
4
Birthdate: August 3, 1920
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: November 27, 2014