Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1970)

Author, Journalist. Best known for his classic Civil War story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (1890) and the satirical lexicon “The Devil’s Dictionary” (1911). Bierce vanished without a trace in late 1913, allegedly in Mexico while covering the exploits of Pancho Villa. His disappearance is one of literature’s great mysteries.  Family links:  Parents:  Marcus […]

Albert Isaac Bezzerides (1908 - 2007)

Albert Isaac Bezzerides Albert Isaac Bezzerides, screenwriter of film noir classics “Kiss Me Deadly,” “On Dangerous Ground” and “Thieves Highway,” died Jan. 1 in Woodland Hills after a brief illness. He was 98. Albert Isaac Bezzerides, known as “Buzz,” started as a novelist and short-story writer. He was working for the Los Angeles Dept. of […]

Edyth Gertrude Carter Beveridge (1970 - 1927)

Journalist. A pioneering female photojournalist, she gained recognition with photo-essays in the “Confederate Veteran” in 1896 and “Illustrated American”, the first photojournalism magazine in the United States, in 1897. Her later commissions included works for “Collier’s”, “Harper’s Weekly”, and her most famous photo-essay, “Where Southern Memories Cluster”, in “Ladies’ Home Journal” in 1906. (bio by: […]

Donald Bevan (1920 - 2013)

Playwright, Screenwriter, Artist. He will be best remembered for co-penning “Stalag 17” which became a successful Broadway production and motion picture adaptation. Raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, his father was an engineer whom became a victim of “the Depression”, Donald has a fondness for drawing an upon high school graduation, he enrolled at the Grand Central […]

Hubert Beuve-Mery (1902 - 1989)

He founded the great french Newspaper “Le Monde.”

Hugo Bettauer (1872 - 1925)

Austrian novelist, journalist and playwright. One of his most famous novels is Die freudlose Gasse (The Joyless Street), which was filmed by G. W. Pabst with Greta Garbo, and he was also famous for his anti-Nazi satire of anti-semitism Die Stadt ohne Juden (The State without Jews), which was subsequently made into a play and […]

Sir John Betjeman (1906 - 1984)

Poet. British poetry figure known for the works “Summoned by Bells” (1960), “Mount Zion”, “Collected Poems” (1958), “High and Low” (1966), “A Nip in the Air” (1974), “Church Poems” (1981), and “Uncollected Poems” (1982).

Elsa Maartman Beskow (1874 - 1953)

Children’s book writer, artist. She both wrote and illustrated numerous children’s books, many of which have reached international fame. (bio by: Klas Grönqvist)

Louis Nicolas Bescherelle (1802 - 1970)

French grammarian and lexicograph.

Walter Besant (1836 - 1901)

Influential social reformer and  also a novelist, sometimes in collaboration with James Rice. Besant also finished Wilkie Collin’s last novel, Blind Love, after the author died. He was knighted in 1895. (bio by: Mark McManus)

Aloysius Bertrand (1807 - 1841)

Poet. Born Louis-Jacques-Napoléon Bertrand, he was instrumental in the introduction of the prose poem into French literature with his poetic collection entitled “Gaspard of the Night”, published posthumously in 1842. Settling in Dijon, France in 1815, Bertrand found little success during his lifetime and spent most of his career publishing his works in the newspaper […]

Pierre Berton (1920 - 2004)

Canadian Author, Historian, and Journalist. A prolific writer, he authored 50 non-fiction books. He wrote on popular culture, Canadian history, critiques of mainstream religion, anthologies, children’s books and historical works for youth. His books became popular because his light and fast-paced style was not weighted down by footnotes or deep probes into primary sources. He […]

John Allyn Berryman (1914 - 1972)

American Confessional Poet, Pulitzer Prize Winner. He is best known for his poetic works “The Dream Songs,” which often revolved around the sordid details of his personal problems. Born John Allyn Smith in McAlester, Oklahoma, his father was a banker and his mother a schoolteacher. When he was 10, his family moved to Tampa, Florida, […]

Henry Léon-Gustave-Charles Bernstein (1876 - 1953)

Author. Principle works include “Le Marché” (1900; “The Market”), “Frère Jacques” (1904; “Brother Jacques”), “La Rafale” (1905; “The Whirlwind”), “La Griffe” (1906; “The Claw”), and Samson (1907), Isräel (1908; “Israel”), “Après moi” (1911; “After Me”), “Le Secret” (1913; “The Secret”), “La Galerie des glaces” (1924; “The Gallery of Mirrors”), “Mélo” (1929), “Le Voyage” (1937; “The […]

Josep Bernat i Baldoví (1809 - 1864)

Author. Born in Sueca, Valencia, Spain, Bernat i Baldoví had a prolific career as journalist, poet and playwright, both in Valencian and Spanish Language. He is best remembered for his popular plays  that reflected the life of simple people with realism and acid humor, such as “El Virgo de Vicenteta” (later made into a film), […]

Henri Bernardin de Saint Pierre (1737 - 1814)

Author. His most famous work is “Paul et Virginie”.

Tristan Bernard (1866 - 1947)

French playwright, novelist, journalist and lawyer.

Georges Bernanos (1888 - 1948)

Author. His novels reflect his fervent Catholicism and intense concern for moral and spiritual problems. They include “The Star of Satan” (1926), “Joy” (1929), “Night Is Darkest” (1935), “The Diary of a Country Priest” (1936),  and “Monsieur Ouine” (1945).  Bernanos was born in Paris and served in the French Army during World War I.  A […]

Susan Jane Berman (1945 - 2000)

Author, Murder Victim. Berman was the daughter of a mob figure who wrote extensively of her father, who replaced Bugsy Siegel in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hotel after Siegel’s 1947 murder. In 1981, she published the memoir “Easy Street” about her life. Berman was a reporter for The San Francisco Examiner and also wrote […]

Charles Berlitz (1913 - 2003)

Author of several books on paranormal phenomena including the best selling “The Bermuda Triangle.” Grandson of the founder of the Berlitz language schools. (bio by: Kelly Whyte)  Family links:  Spouse:  Valerie Anne Seary Berlitz (1916 – 2004)* *Calculated relationship

Emmanuel Berl (1892 - 1976)

French Journalist, Historian and Writer.  He was born at Le Vésinet in the modern département of Yvelines.  He was from an upper middle class Jewish family related to Bergson and Proust and the novelist and screenwriter Monique Lange. He studied philosophy before volunteering for the armed services in 1914. He was discharged in 1917 with […]

Ted Berkman (1914 - 2006)

Screenwriter, Author. Berkman wrote the story for the film “Bedtime for Bonzo”, (1951) starring Ronald Reagan. Born Edward Oscar Berkman in Brookyln, NY. he was author of the book “Cast a Giant Shadow”, which was made into a film starring Kirk Douglas. Berkman’s other screenplays included “Fear Strikes Out”, (1957) about real-life ballplayer Jimmy Piersall, […]

Harald Bergstedt (1877 - 1965)

Poet, novelist, playwright. After working as a teacher at private and public schools he travelled round Denmark as a reciter, temperance agitator and lecturer. In 1913 he published his first collection of poems, and his first novel was published in 1918. Whereas his novels and plays are now mostly forgotten, his works of poetry are […]

Henri Louis Bergson (1859 - 1941)

Philosopher. Nobel prize in Literature, 1927.

Laura Bergquist (1970 - 1970)

American reporter and editor. The wife of writer Fletcher Knebel, Bergquist worked for Look Magazine from 1954 until it ceased publishing in 1971. She won four Overseas Press Club awards for her coverage of Latin America. She was a close friend of the Kennedy family and in 1965 wrote a book called “A Very Special […]

John Raymond “Ray” Bergman (1891 - 1967)

In the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s, his name was synonymous with ‘wet flies’ of flyfishing. He is the author of many books and articles on the subject including “Forgotten Flies.”  Family links:  Parents:  Benjamin J. Bergman (1865 – 1959)  Sibling:  John Raymond Bergman (1891 – 1967)  Janet Claire Bergman Christian (1898 – 1967)* *Calculated relationship

Hjalmar Bergman (1883 - 1931)

Acclaimed Swedish Novelist, Poet, Dramatist and Screenwriter. Concidered one of the most important figures in the twentieth-century Swedish literature. He wrote novels as well as plays, and several of his works have become modern-day classics. His works have been translated to many languages, and are subject to research, in Sweden and abroad. Noted novels are […]

Bo Bergman (1869 - 1967)

Acclaimed Poet, Lyricist and Author. Concidered one of Sweden´s leading poets. He has been referred to as ”the critical observer of life”, and this epithet coloured much of his writing. He made his debut 1903 with the collection of poems ”Marionetterna” (The Marionets). His last collection, ”Äventyret” (The Adventure), was released posthumously in 1969. He […]

Thomas Berger (1924 - 2014)

Author. He will be best remembered for his penning of the novel “Little Big Man” (1964). The work was made into a 1970 motion picture adaptation which starred Dustin Hoffman. Born Thomas Charles Berger, his father worked for a Cincinnati-area school district. Both of Thomas’ parents were avid readers and encouraged their son to take […]

Stuart M. Berger (1970 - 1994)

Medical Pioneer, Author. After received a medical degree from Tufts University and graduating from Harvard University’s School of Public Health, he became a health book writer and columnist who emphasized healing and dieting aimed at improving the immune system. “Dr. Berger’s Immune Power Diet”(1985), a #1 best seller, described how the 6’7” Berger reduced his […]