Catherine Drinker Bowen (1897 - 1973)

Author. Born in Haverford, Pennsylvania, she was best known for writing biographies about noted figures in history. Her earliest biographies were about musicians when she wrote “Beloved Friend: The Story of Tchaikowsky and Nadejda Von Meck” (1937). Her works included “Free Artist: The story of Anton and Nicholas Rubinstein” (1939), “Yankee from Olympus: Justice Holmes […]

Emmanuel Bove (1898 - 1945)

Writer. Born Emmanuel Bobovnikoff  in Paris, France, he began his writing career as a journalist and published his first novel “Mes amis” in 1924, which was awarded the prix Figuière in 1928. Known for writing with an airy style about humorous observations, his numerous books included “Monsieur Thorpe” (1930), “Un célibataire” (1932), “Le Beau-fils” (1934), […]

Sir John George Bourinot (1837 - 1902)

Canadian Historian, Political Scientist, Author. He is best known as an authority on the Canadian Constitution and Government. He wrote “Local Government In Canada” (1887), “Manual Of The Constitutional History Of Canada” (1888) and “How Canada Is Governed” (1895). (bio by: K)

Paul Bourget (1852 - 1935)

Writer. Born in Amiens, France, he was a novelist known as a master of psychology in the pre-World War I period. He began his career as a poet, then went on to publish his early novels, such as “Cruelle Énigme” (1885), “Un Crime d’amour” (1886) and “André Cornélis” (1887). Bourget’s most noted novel “Le Disciple” […]

Édouard Bourdet (1887 - 1945)

Author. Principle works include “Le Rubicon” (1910), “L’Homme enchaîné” (1923; “The Man Enchained”), “La Prisonnière” (1926; “The Captive”), “Vient de paraître” (1928; “Just Appeared”), “Le Sexe faible” (1931; “The Weaker Sex”), “Les Temps difficiles” (1934; “The Difficult Times”), “Hyménée” (1941; “Hymen”) and “Père” (1943; “Father”). Bourdet also served as director of the Comédie Français from […]

Pierre Boulle (1912 - 1994)

Author. A writer of mainstream French fiction, he often injected satire and social commentary into the pulpish plots of his books. Boulle’s best known novels are the war saga “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1952) and the science-fiction tale “The Planet of the Apes” (1963). Both were made into classic American films. Born in […]

Alphonse Boudard (1925 - 2000)

Author. After waffling between sides in World War II for some time, he eventually became a member of the French Resistance. While fighting to oust the Germans from France, he was wounded and subsequently awarded a French military medal. He wrote about 30 novels and 22 screenplays, mostly depicting the common/everyday life of French people. […]

Dion Boucicault (1822 - 1890)

Playwright, Actor.  Family links:  Children:  Dion Boucicault (1859 – 1929)*  Nina Boucicault (1867 – 1950)* *Calculated relationship

Natalio Félix Botana Millares (1888 - 1941)

Journalist. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, he was exiliated in Argentina. He was the founder of the newspaper Crítica, which revolutionated the Argentine journalism for his popularity and sensacionalism. He also was the Director of the newspaper between 1913 and 1941. (bio by: 380W) Cause of death: Car accident

Tadeusz Borowski (1922 - 1951)

Author. His short story collection “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen” (1959), based on his World War II experiences in Nazi death camps, is considered a masterpiece of Holocaust Literature. Written in a pitiless documentary style,  these first-person accounts compel readers to imagine what they would do to survive in similar circumstances.  They […]

Marcia Borie (1929 - 1990)

Long-time Hollywood entertainment writer/journalist and magazine editor. Author of countless expose articles, columns, and books. The inscription on her crypt marker reads “Hollywood will never be the same.” (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Jorge Luis Borges (1899 - 1986)

Famed Argentinian fantasy writer. Cause of death: Liver cancer

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 […]