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 […]

Philip Berger (1942 - 2001)

Author, Journalist. He was a sports writer, screenwriter and author who specialized in boxing. He wrote more than a dozen books on sports and entertainment, including collaborations with Joe Frazier and Larry Holmes on their autobiographies. His other books include “Forever Showtime – The Checkered Life of Pistol Pete Maravich” and “Miracle on 33rd Street,” […]

Meyer “Mike” Berger (1898 - 1959)

Journalist. Berger won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Journalism, for a 4,000 word story regarding the shooting of 13 people by an insane war veteran in Camden, NJ.

José Bergamín (1895 - 1983)

Author.  Born in Madrid, Spain. He was a controversial member of the “Generation of 1927” creative movement. In his works he showed an eclectic mixture of the communism and the Catholicism. He summed up this attitude with the quote: “With the Communists until the death, but not a step further”.  During the Spanish Civil War, […]

Dave Berg (1920 - 2002)

Cartoonist. Working for “Mad Magazine” for forty years, he originated and illustrated “The Lighter side of….”. His illustrations were featured in several other publications, and he fashioned his monthly sitiations from his own life and experiences and his characters from family and friends. The cause of death was cancer.  Family links:  Spouse:  Vivian L Berg […]

Constance Beresford-Howe (1922 - 2016)

Author. Known for her penning of the classic novel “The Book of Eve” (1973). The story depicted a woman prepared for retirement who spontaneously leaves her boring husband to begin a new life. Raised in Montreal, her interest in reading was sparked during her youth and while attending school, her teacher encouraged her to pursue […]

Elisabeth Beresford (1926 - 2010)

Author. She was best known as the creator of the “Wombles” children’s series. The daughter of novelist J.D. Beresford, she was privileged to be raised in the company of such literary giants as H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw and D.H. Lawrence, who were friends of the family. After service with the Wren (Women’s Royal Naval […]

Stan Berenstain (1923 - 2005)

Author. Born in Philadelphia  he trained in the fine arts at the city’s Museum School of Industrial Art, now the University of the Arts. He met Janice Grant in 1941 on the first day of drawing class. Stan became a cartoonist during World War II, when he spent more than three years in the US […]

Janice “Jan” Grant Berenstain (1923 - 2012)

Author, Illustrator. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she demonstrated a true talent for drawing in high school, where she was co-art editor of the senior yearbook. These skills soon led to a scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art, where she enrolled in the fall of 1941. It was there, on the first day […]

Jeremy Bentham (1748 - 1832)

Philosopher. He was one of the originators of Utilitarianism. He Wrote “Fragment On Government” in 1776. He willed his body to be preserved and displayed. It was dissected in a medical amphitheater at the Web Street School of anatomy in London, 3 days after his death, which was illegal at the time. Only executed murderers […]