Wolfgang Borchert (1921 - 1947)

Author. Considered by many to be one of the leading figures in German post-war literature, the so-called Trümmerliteratur, or “Rubble Literature”, which attempted to deal with the lost war and the devastation that resulted. He was from an artistic family and was anti-Nazi from the start, as he refused to attend Hitler Youth meetings. He […]

Hertha Salchow Borchert (1895 - 1985)

Author. She was best known for her writings in the Low German dialect and for caring for the literary estate of her son Wolfgang. A the age of 16, she married the local teacher. He introduced her to literary circles in Hamburg. She was encouraged by her husband to write, and she chose topics from […]

Gypsy Boots (1914 - 2004)

Fitness Icon, Author and Health Guru. Born Robert Bootzin, to Jewish immigrant parents, he defined what it meant to live close to nature decades before the nation’s current obsession with organic foods, yoga and exercise. His philosophy of clean living, exercise and healthy eating was laid out in his books, “Barefeet and Good Things to […]

Guy Boothby (1867 - 1905)

Author. He was born as Guy Newell Boothby in Adelaide, Australia. In 1890 he wrote the libretto for a comic opera, “Sylvia” and in 1891 appeared “The Jonquil: an Opera.” About this time, he was private secretary to the mayor of Adelaide. In 1894 he published “On the Wallaby or Through the East and Across […]

Pat Booth (1943 - 2009)

Model, Photographer, Author. A pretty blonde, she moved from a career in front of the lens to a position as a respected portrait photographer, then became a best-selling author. Raised in London’s East End, she started with few advantages and as a young child was often a towel-girl at her boxer father’s matches. Pat left […]

Issac Bernard “Bernie” Bookbinder (1927 - 2000)

Best-selling author, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. Cause of death: lung cancer

Dr Thomas Neville Bonner (1923 - 2003)

Educator and Author. Thomas Bonnor was the president of Wayne State University in Detroit from 1978-82, where he crafted student-exchange agreements with universities in Germany, Poland, Israel and Costa Rica. Under his leadership, Wayne State became the second university in the U.S. to establish scholarly exchanges with the Chinese Academy of Science. Before that he […]

María Luisa Bombal (1910 - 1980)

Author. Her most important works was the short novels “The Last Fog” and “La Amortajada”, which won the Novel’s Prize by Santiago Municipality in 1941. In 1942 she moved to California after the movie rights were bought for “The Last Fog”. There she worked with John Huston, director of the project, who called Lauren Bacall […]

Roberto Bolaño (1953 - 2003)

Noted Chilean Writer who lived in Spain from 1977 to his death. He is remembered for his works “La Literatura Nazi en América,” “Los Detectives Salvajes,” “Estrella Distante,” “Amberes,” “El Gaucho Insufrible” and “Nocturno de Chile”. He left unfinished his novel “2666.” (bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni)

Milutin Bojic (1892 - 1917)

Poet. He fought in the Balkan Wars in 1912 and 1913, as well as in World War I. He printed the play “Uroseva zenidba” (Uros’s Wedding) on the island of Corfu, Greece, after carrying the script through Albania and published a collection of poems titled “Pesme bola i ponosa” (Songs of Pain and Pride). Among […]

Enid Blyton (1898 - 1968)

Author of children’s books, creator of ‘Noddy’ and ‘The Famous Five’. (bio by: David Conway)

Edmund Blunden (1896 - 1974)

Author. He was born in London, England. He served in the First World War, winning the Military Cross. His life was powerfully dominated by his wartime experience, which he reflected in one of his most renowned works, “Undertones of War” (1928). Also he was a close friend of the poet Siegfried Sassoon. His works include […]

Issac Bernard “Bernie” Bookbinder (1927 - 2000)

Best-selling author, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. Cause of death: lung cancer

Arna Wendell Bontemps (1902 - 1973)

Arna Bontemps was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance. He was a poet (PERSONALS), novelist (BLACK THUNDER), editor (THE POETRY OF THE NEGRO), author of children’s books (SAD-FACED BOY). He ended his remarkable career as a teacher and librarian at Fisk University, University of Illinois (Chicago Circle), and Yale. His birthplace in Alexandria is […]

Paul Hyde Bonner (1893 - 1968)

Author. He awrote the books, “S.P.Q.R.” (1954), “Excelsior!” (1955) and “Hotel Talleyrand” (1959). He also wrote, “Ambassador Extrordinary” and six other stories of international intrigue. (bio by: K)

Charles William Bonner (1896 - 1965)

Author. Writer of many short stories, serials and articles for periodicals and motion pictures. Some of works include “Adam Had Four Sons,” “Invitation to Marriage,” and “Act of Faith.”  Family links:  Parents:  Charles William Bonner (1861 – 1933)

Lady Helen Violet Bonham Carter (1887 - 1969)

British politician, baroness. She was the only daughter among five children of Liberal Prime Minister H. H. Asquith by his first wife, Helen. Unlike her brothers she had no formal school education but was educated by governesses, later spending time in both Dresden and Paris perfecting her languages. In 1915 Violet married her father’s principal […]

Frederick Gilmer Bonfils (1860 - 1933)

Newspaper Publisher. After working in banking and real estate, he moved to Denver in 1895 and, with Harry Heye Tammen, purchased the “Evening Post”, renaming it the “Denver Post”. With a theatrical approach to journalism, they made it one of the most sensational newspapers in the country. In 1900, both Bonfils and Tammen were seriously […]

Nelson Slade Bond (1908 - 2006)

Author. He was a Science Fiction and Fantasy writer, one of the last links to the era of pulp science fiction. Best known for his “Lancelot Biggs” series, he also wrote “Mr. Mergenthwirker’s Lobblies and Other Fantastic Tales” (1946), “Nightmares and Daydreams” (1968), and “Other Worlds Than Ours” (2005), as well as one novel, “Exiles […]

Erma Bombeck (1927 - 1996)

Newspaper Columnist. For three decades she chronicled life’s absurdities in a syndicated column carried by hundreds of newspapers.  She was born Erma Louise Fiste in Dayton, Ohio to a father who was a city crane operator.  At age fifteen, she was hired by the Dayton Herald as a copygirl.  Shirley Temple came to Dayton premiering […]

Godfried Jan Arnold Bomans (1913 - 1971)

Author. Born in The Hague, Netherlands, he was a popular Dutch author and television personality. He is best known for his books of modern day fairy tales and his short stories. Some of his best works included “Erik, or the Little Insect Book” (1940), “De avonturen van Pa Pinkelman” (1946), “Avonturen van Tante Pollewop” (1948) […]

Sarah Bolton (1814 - 1893)

Poet, Author. She was the author of “Paddle Your Own Canoe” and “Indiana.”  (bio by: Laurie)  Family links:  Spouses:  Addison Reese (1809 – 1882)*  Nathaniel Bolton (1803 – 1858)*  Children:  James Pendleton Bolton (____ – 1903)*  Sallie Ada Bolton Smith (____ – 1864)* *Calculated relationship

Roberto Bolaño (1953 - 2003)

Noted Chilean Writer who lived in Spain from 1977 to his death. He is remembered for his works “La Literatura Nazi en América,” “Los Detectives Salvajes,” “Estrella Distante,” “Amberes,” “El Gaucho Insufrible” and “Nocturno de Chile”. He left unfinished his novel “2666.” (bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni)

George Henry Boker (1823 - 1890)

Poet, Social Reformer, US Diplomat. Born into a wealthy Philadelphia, Pennsylvania family, he was raised in a life of leisure that allowed him to explore a love of poetry he developed at an early age. Sent to attend Princeton University as a young adult, he helped found the school’s literary magazine “Nassau Monthly” before he […]

Edward Bok (1863 - 1930)

Edward Bok was born in Den Helder, Holland, on 9th October,1863.When Bok was seven years old his family emigrated to the United States. After attending school in Brooklyn, New York City, Bok found work as an office boy at the Western Union Telegraph Company. Bok had a strong desire to become a journalist and managed […]

Grace Lee Boggs (1915 - 2015)

American Author and Activist. Born Grace Lee to Chinese immigrants, she was an author, philosopher and human rights activist who fought for civil rights, labor, feminism, the environment and other causes for seven decades. Raised in Queens, New York, at 16 she enrolled at Barnard College, graduated in 1935 with a degree in philosophy, and […]

Ludwig Boerne (1786 - 1837)

German-Jewish writer and political philosopher, influenced Karl Marx.

Peter Boenisch (1927 - 2005)

German journalist and newspaper editor. Considered one of Germany’s most important post-war journalists, he was born in  Berlin, Germany, where he began his journalism career in 1945 as a reporter for the “Allgeminein Zeitung” in Berlin. Also wrote for “Newsweek” and the “New York Times.” In 1956 he co-founded a youth magazine “Bravo” and in […]

Julia Boenisch (1962 - 2004)

Journalist, Author. Born Julia Schramm she began her journalism career with Sport Informations Dienst (one of Germany’s largest sports news agencies) and for the daily newspaper “die Welt.” Moved to a position as chief reporter for “Bild der Frau” (German weekly magazine for women) and later was a long-time columnist for the weekly newspaper “Welt […]

Maxwell Bodenheim (1892 - 1954)

Novelist and Poet. Once considered a leading modernist author of the early 20th Century, he is credited with introducing the spirit of French Naturalism into American Literature. His novel “Replenishing Jessica” (1925), a brutally frank tale about a young woman’s sexual liberation among seedy bohemians, was the subject of a famous obscenity trial that helped […]