# Prolific authors who have faded into obscurity **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439 "2014-11-23T21:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/41 "2014-11-24T16:18:08Z")
How about [Stefan Zweig](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Zweig). He was one of the most popular authors in the world in the 1920’s and '30’s, but is completely unknown today. I learned about his existence only because his books were the basis of the recent Wes Anderson movie _The Grand Budapest Hotel_. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/42 "2014-11-24T16:23:58Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > How about [Stefan Zweig](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Zweig). He was one of the most popular authors in the world in the 1920’s and '30’s, but is completely unknown today. I learned about his existence only because his books were the basis of the recent Wes Anderson movie _The Grand Budapest Hotel_. Zweig is relatively well-known. [Here’s](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/08/27/the-escape-artist-3) a _New Yorker_ profile from as late as 2012; [here’s](http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/inspiration-information-the-impossible-exile-stefan-zweig-at-the-end-of-the-world) yet another one, from earlier this year. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/43 "2014-11-24T16:40:54Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > “Ahh yes. The giants.” **appreciative clap** ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/44 "2014-11-24T16:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Similarly Grace Metalious and _Peyton Place_. In her case, the phrase ‘Peyton Place’ and the idea it represents is what’s survived in the popular memory, not the book, and even less the author. I wonder how many people under 50 know that the phrase originated as a book title. [/QUOTE] I read a long article about her recently; she was an unholy horror of a person, and perhaps fitting for the writer of such a sensationalistic potboiler fame and fortune was the worst thing that ever happened to her. Rags to riches- penniless frumpy housewife who made millions and managed to die broke and deep in debt and unloved/unmourned by her kids. At one point Roseanne owned the movie rights to her life story but apparently abandoned it or never got funding. Seeing what she was like at the height of her fame and power I can see why she was interested in her; luckily she got back on tracks before becoming as big a trainwreck. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/45 "2014-11-24T17:44:03Z")
This isn’t just limited to authors. How many people younger than 40 or 50 would know who Cliff Edwards or The Hoosier Hotshots, or even the Mills Brothers were? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/46 "2014-11-24T17:50:26Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > For actually good, decent readable authors, I would suggest [John Gardner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gardner_(American_writer)). I’m sure \*Grendel \*is not forgotten; it was just made into an opera a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/47 "2014-11-24T17:56:23Z")
James Bond is still a major brand, but I wonder if Ian Fleming has much readership these days. Half of his top secret high tech gadgets would be outdone by a $100 smartphone and an Uzi. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/48 "2014-11-24T18:00:12Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > James Bond is still a major brand, but I wonder if Ian Fleming has much readership these days. Half of his top secret high tech gadgets would be outdone by a $100 smartphone and an Uzi. Penguin just republished the entire series of his Bond books a few years ago, including audio editions. You can’t call him “forgotten”. Especially not while the Bond franchise is still running (and keeping his name associated with it) That technology is catching up is irreledvant – the Bond novels either ignore that or show Bond accepting it, depending upon the latest novel’s tack. And the most recent Bond novel came out just last year – William Boyd’s **solo**. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/49 "2014-11-24T18:01:01Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Irving Wallace (_The Word_, _The Seven Minutes_, many others) was successful enough to live in a multimillion dollar Beverly Hills estate. His children wrote _The Book of Lists_ series and _The People’s Almanac_ series with him, both of which I absolutely loved for the trivia and info when I was a kid but later learned to be very skeptical of- lots of misinformation in both series. > I used to have lots of his books but the only one I currently have in my collection is _The Two_, a bio he and his daughter wrote of the Siamese Twins Chang & Eng. Do you remember the obsession with Janis Joplin in those books, too? And did you know there was a fourth “Book of Lists” published within the last 10 years or so? As for Umberto Eco, I forgot about the 2010 book. However, “Foucault’s Pendulum” has been a staple of used bookstores and sales for many years. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/50 "2014-11-24T18:08:36Z")
Paul De Kruif and John G. Fuller were prominent non-fiction writers - De Kruif at mid-century, Fuller in the 60s, 70s, and 80s - mostly through the Reader’s Digest. Both are largely forgotten now except for De Kruif’s classic “Microbe Hunters”. The recent Ebola story prompted me to blow the dust off my copy of this book and re-read it. > **[Fever!: The hunt for a new killer virus,: Fuller, John Grant: 9780883490129:...](https://www.amazon.com/Fever-hunt-new-killer-virus/dp/0883490129)** > > Fever!: The hunt for a new killer virus, \[Fuller, John Grant\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Fever!: The hunt for a new killer virus ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/51 "2014-11-24T18:09:07Z")
_Foucault’s Pendulum_ is quite popular with the geeks. “It’s like _The DaVinci Code_, except that it’s good!” ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/52 "2014-11-24T18:27:42Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > As for Umberto Eco, I forgot about the 2010 book. However, “Foucault’s Pendulum” has been a staple of used bookstores and sales for many years. Umberto Eco has a brand new book coming out in two months. He released a best-seller just four years ago. Having a book knocking around used bookstores qualifies as forgotten now? You know who is forgotten? James Patterson. He hasn’t even released a book this month and it’s almost December. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/53 "2014-11-24T21:05:00Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > This isn’t just limited to authors. How many people younger than 40 or 50 would know who Cliff Edwards or The Hoosier Hotshots, or even the Mills Brothers were? I love me some Mills Brothers, and I’m 32. Learned about how sweet and cool they were from [Van Dyke Parks](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWFKO20lnyo), himself no spring chicken. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/54 "2014-11-24T21:12:46Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > **Edna Ferber** wrote Giant, Showboat, and won the Pulitzer Prize for So Big. > > I don’t think many folks read her stuff anymore though. I know someone does, because I recently sold an old hardcover edition of “Giant” on my Amazon store. Not first edition, I probably got $10 for it, but hey, someone wanted it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/55 "2014-11-24T21:16:43Z")
In a few decades, people will be brain-teleporting threads like this about Danielle Steel, Stephenie Meyer, John Grisham, and Dan Brown. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/56 "2014-11-24T21:21:47Z")
Several years ago, I found a book at my local library that included lists of annual New York Times best-sellers from the time the list was initiated in the early 1920s to the then-present. It was fascinating reading, and unfortunately, due to the book’s subject, I have been unable to find that book’s title, and my local reference librarian couldn’t either. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/57 "2014-11-24T21:32:11Z")
[Publishers Weekly lists of bestselling novels in the United States](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publishers_Weekly_lists_of_bestselling_novels_in_the_United_States) (starting with 1895) are available on Wikipedia, if anyone’s interested. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/58 "2014-11-24T22:38:02Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Except he’s **not** famous. A character he created is, and the character’s fame is, AFAICT, far more due to the TV series than to the books themselves. Depends on your standards I guess. I remember an interview of a Miss American contestant who did not know how many feet were in a yard. There are a lot of people who don’t read at all, I don’t think it’s fair to use them as a standard for judging the fame of authors. Among adults who read, I bet the name “Erle Stanley Gardner” is known. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/59 "2014-11-24T23:11:57Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I remember an interview of a Miss American contestant who did not know how many feet were in a yard. That’s a trick question! \*Whose \*yard? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439/60 "2014-11-25T00:17:12Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [Publishers Weekly lists of bestselling novels in the United States](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publishers_Weekly_lists_of_bestselling_novels_in_the_United_States) (starting with 1895) are available on Wikipedia, if anyone’s interested. TYVM! 🆒 Maybe it was Publisher’s Weekly after all, and not the NY Times. [http://unsworth.unet.brandeis.edu/courses/bestsellers/](http://unsworth.unet.brandeis.edu/courses/bestsellers/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prolific-authors-who-have-faded-into-obscurity/705439.md?page=4)