# Scientists and/or mathematicians who became famous authors\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957 "2013-08-11T20:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/61 "2013-08-13T23:32:36Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Does famous in Britain even count as famous? 😛 My answer to that is \* On the Beach \* starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/62 "2013-08-14T00:12:55Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > My answer to that is \* On the Beach \* starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner 🙂 Yes, the novel was written by Nevil Shute. Yes, they made a movie from it. Does anyone else in America besides me know that? I repeat, 😛 ---
**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:** [August 14, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/63 "2013-08-14T01:34:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Yes, the novel was written by Nevil Shute. Yes, they made a movie from it. Does anyone else in America besides me know that? > > I repeat, 😛 If you had said “Does anyone else in America besides Dopers know that?” you might have had a point. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/64 "2013-08-14T02:56:45Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > If you had said “Does anyone else in America besides Dopers know that?” you might have had a point. 😛 OK, a small select group of Dopers. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/65 "2013-08-14T21:48:05Z")
Shute me … ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/66 "2013-08-14T22:30:09Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I may own 1000 nonfiction books by scientists myself. Heck, I _may_ own 1000 chocolate-dipped Faberge eggs myself. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/67 "2013-08-15T07:40:57Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Does famous in Britain even count as famous? 😛 Dear fellow, that’s the only kind that _does_ count. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![agnesnitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d78d45/32.png) [@agnesnitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agnesnitt)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/68 "2013-08-16T00:45:33Z")
C.P. Snow–Author of fiction and non-fiction. His “Science and Government” is still a worthy read. He was a physicist and public servant. Backing up the mention of Nevil Shute–aeronautical engineer (applied maths) many, many novels. I challenge you to read almost any of his books though and not be moved by it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/69 "2013-08-16T00:59:58Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Heck, I _may_ own 1000 chocolate-dipped Faberge eggs myself. 😛 You got me. Only one way to make this fair. I’ll go count my science books and I’ll send you a dollar for every one short of 1000 I am. And you go count your chocolate-dipped Faberge eggs and you send me a dollar for every one short of 1000 you are. Deal? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957/70 "2013-08-16T11:42:18Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You got me. Only one way to make this fair. I’ll go count my science books and I’ll send you a dollar for every one short of 1000 I am. And you go count your chocolate-dipped Faberge eggs and you send me a dollar for every one short of 1000 you are. > > Deal? 😃 A good idea, but my collection is – well, I wouldn’t even know where to start counting. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-and-or-mathematicians-who-became-famous-authors/665957.md?page=3)