As we come to the end of the year, here is a quick look at a few of the authors who left us during 2009:
- Dominick Dunne – best known for his investigative journalism and true crime books, Dunne was also a Hollywood producer and a frequent columnist for Vanity Fair magazine.
- J.G. Ballard – science-fiction novelist and short story writer best known for Crash and Empire of the Sun, Ballard had a distinct literary style that gave rise to the term “Ballardian” to refer to writing similar to his own.
- Norma Fox Mazer – an author and teacher who focused primarily on young adult and children’s books featuring real-life situations and emotions. Mazer was often praised for not offering simple solutions and for creating realistic, complex and relatable characters.
- Ted Kennedy – best known for being the Senator from Massachusetts, Kennedy was a staunch supporter of reading programs, wrote a children’s book about life as a Senator and passed away shortly before his critically acclaimed memoir, True Compass was published.
- Frank McCourt – the Irishman never intended to be a writer; he was a teacher first and foremost. Through teaching, though, he discovered his voice for storytelling and the incredible results (Angela’s Ashes, Teacher Man, etc.) reveal a talented author.
- John Updike – a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and considered one of the greatest writers of his time, Updike hardly needs any introduction. His prolific body of work was routinely praised and loved by critics and students across the country study his novels to discover the workings of small-town, Protestant, middle class America.
[Photo Credit: Getty Images]
