After hearing last year about Boris Johnson’s thriller, then about Saddam Hussein’s romance novels, I got thinking about why people from all sorts of backgrounds are drawn to writing fiction. Reading them, I’m struck by two thoughts, firstly by how easy lots of professional writers make writing fiction look, and secondly by how much you can come to understand a person by the way they write.
Are there any novels you know of from unexpected authors? Have you found any that are decent as books apart from their creators? What is it about novels that draws non-writers that’s missing from, say, pottery or interpretive dance?
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The acclaimed ancient history historian Tom Holland (not the actor) wrote an absolutely unhinged novel in the 90s about Ancient Rome, but modern day. It wasn’t really alt hist, it was just absolutely fucking nuts.
Craig Ferguson, the comedian and talk show host, is an excellent writer.
Chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain wrote three (edgy) novels.
Winston Churchill wrote a Ruritanian romance novel called Savrola.
William Shatner wrote a whole bunch of science fiction novels. A number of them are set in the Star Trek official universe, but he does have an entirely original series called TekWar. He also wrote a number of memoirs.
He also recorded an album, but let’s not go into that.
Saddam Hussein’s WHAT?
William Shatner wrote a whole bunch of science fiction novels. A number of them are set in the Star Trek official universe, but he does have an entirely original series called TekWar. He also wrote a number of memoirs.
Sean Penn and Sidney Poitier.
Winston Churchill wrote a Ruritanian romance novel called Savrola.
I was surprised to find out that Sir Winston Churchill had written a Ruritanian romance called Savrola: A Tale of the Revolution in Laurania, his only novel.
Fran Lebowitz wrote a kids book in 1994, Mr. Chas and Lisa Sue Meet the Pandas, her last published book.
I was amazed at authoritative medical descriptions in Abraham Verghese, The Covenant of Water. Turns out he is Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine and Vice Chair of Education at Stanford University Medical School.
Cedric The Entertainer wrote Flipping Boxcars. It was a fictionalized story of his grandfathers life. He writes as if that was what he was born to do.
ITT: People are shocked famous people have written books?
Sorry but why is this surprising? They’ve lived an active life and have a ton of stuff to say?
The guy who invented the machine that makes Pringles is also one of the most influential scifi writers.
Two astronaut examples: Buzz Aldrin and Chris Hadfield. I was surprised to find that Aldrin had written fiction (albeit with a coauthor), and was intrigued when Hadfield announced he had a novel coming (I’ve just finished reading his second; they’re both really good).