27 Famous Writers Who Died In 2019

Writers Write shares writing resources. In this post, we list famous writers who died In 2019.

We lost lost many literary greats last year, including a Nobel Prize in Literature winner.

27 Famous Writers Who Died In 2019

1. Andrea Camilleri – The Italian author was the creator of the fictional Inspector Montalbano. Camilleri wrote 23 novels starring his Sicilian detective, which sold more than 30 million copies.
2. Andrea Levy – The British author won the Orange Prize for Small Island and the Walter Scott Prize for The Long Song. Her novels novels explored the intertwined histories of Britain and Jamaica.
3. Anne Rivers Siddons – The American novelist wrote stories set in the southern United States.
4. Binyavanga Wainaina – The Kenyan author and journalist was the winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing.
5. Charles McCarry – The American writer and former undercover CIA operative was well-known for his spy novels featuring CIA agent, Paul Christopher.
6. Clive James – The Australian poet, critic, broadcaster, and writer lived and worked in the United Kingdom.
7. Diana Athill – The British novelist and memoirist was also a literary editor who worked with some of the most important writers of the 20th century.
8. Dorothea Benton Frank – The best-selling American novelist was inducted into the South Carolina Academy of authors in 2015.
9. Ernest J. Gaines – The American author wrote eight books, including A Lesson Before Dying, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award.
10. Gene Wolfe – The American author was an iconic figure in the science fiction genre. He was named a grand master of science fiction and fantasy by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) in 2013.
11. Graeme Gibson – The Canadian novelist was a founder of the Writers’ Trust of Canada, a non-profit literary organisation that seeks to encourage Canada’s writing community.
12. Herman Wouk – Wouk was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author. He was the first recipient of the award for lifetime achievement in the writing of fiction (in 2008) made by the Library of Congress.
13. Johanna Lindsey – Lindsey was one of the most popular American writers of historical romance novels worldwide.
14. Judith Kerr – The German-born British writer and illustrator sold more than 10 million books. She was best known for the classic children’s book The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
15. Judith Krantz – The best-selling American novelist wrote in the romance genre. Her works include Princess Daisy and Till We Meet Again.
16. Kate Braverman – Braverman was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet.
17. Kate Figes – Figes was an English author and journalist. She said ‘I write books and pieces about relationships and family life and the muddles we all get into…therein.’
18. Lucette Lagnado – Lagnado was an Egyptian-born American journalist and memoirist.
19. Marion Chesney – Chesney was a Scottish writer of romance and mystery novels. She used the pseudonym M. C. Beaton for her Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth mystery series.
20. Marjorie W. Sharmat – Sharmat was an American children’s writer who wrote more than 130 books for children and teens.
21. Mary Oliver – The American poet was a winner of the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
22. Paule Marshall – The American novelist was best known for her 1959 debut novel Brown Girl, Brownstones. She explored African-American life as experienced by recent arrivals from the Caribbean.
23. Rosamund Pilcher – Pilcher was a best-selling British author of romance novels and mainstream women’s fiction.
24. Russell Baker – The American journalist, narrator, and writer was the author of Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography Growing Up.
25. Toni Morrison – The American novelist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
26. Vonda McIntyre – The American was a leading Science Fiction author whose books featured female protagonists. She also wrote five Star Trek novels
27. W. S. Merwin – The American poet and translator was known for the spare style of his poetry. He served as poet laureate from 2010 to 2011.

Other literary figures who died:

1. A. Alvarez – British novelist, essayist, and critic.
2. Betty Ballantine – American publisher who popularised the paperback.
3. Edmund Morris was a British-American writer best known for his biographies.
4. Elisabeth Sifton – American editor and the former senior vice president of Farrar, Straus & Giroux
5. Giuliano Bugialli – Italian writer and culinary historian.
6. John Richardson – British art historian and biographer of Pablo Picasso.
7. Les Murray – Australian poet, anthologist, and critic.
8. Linda Gregg was an American poet.
9. Marie Ponsot was an American poet, literary critic, essayist, teacher, and translator.
10. Michael Howard was a British historian.
11. Molly O’Neill was an American food writer.
12. Nick Tosches was an American biographer.
13. Rachel Ingalls was an American-born author who lived in the United Kingdom.
14. Robert K. Massie – American journalist and historian.
15. Sara Danius – Swedish literary critic and philosopher, and the first woman to head the Nobel Literature Committee.
16. Walter J. Minton – risk-taking American publisher.
17. Ward Just– American war correspondent.

Read:

1. 28 Famous Writers Who Died In 2018
2. 22 Famous Writers Who Died In 2017

 by Amanda Patterson

If you enjoyed this, you will love:

1. Writing Advice From The World’s Most Famous Authors
2. The 5 Top-Earning Authors Of 2019
3. The Ages Of Bestselling Authors
4. 14 Famous Signatures And Their Meanings
5. 9 Famous Authors’ Pen Names
6. The Relationship Between Famous Writers & Their Cats

Top Tip: Find out more about our workbooks and online courses in our shop.