Remembered

Christopher Fowler's The Book of Forgotten Authors caused me to think of some the authors I remember that could well be mentioned in an expanded version of Fowler's book. Here are but a few of them.

John Howard Griffin

John Howard Griffin — Griffin was best known for Black Like Me, written after he colored his skin in order get a taste of what it was like being a black man in the Deep South in 1959. But Griffin also wrote an incredible novel called The Devil Rides Outside that is high on my list of books I hope to reread someday.

Susan Howatch — As far as I know Howatch is still alive, but it seems to have been a couple of decades since her last book. At one time her novels were prominent in every bookstore. She made her name with historical sagas like The Wheel of Fortune and Cashelmara, but I love her Church of England novels with titles like Glittering Images, Glamorous Powers and Ultimate Prizes.

Douglas C. Jones — Jones, who died in 1998, wrote historical novels set mostly in the American West. They include Elkhart Tavern, Gone the Dreams and Dancing and A Creek Called Wounded Knee. These are fine books that don't deserve to be forgotten.

Richard Kim — Kim was born in Korea and served in the military during the Korean War, then migrated to the United States in 1955. He wrote two significant novels, including The Martyred about the Korean War, especially as it impacted Korean Christians, and The Innocent about a divided Korea after the war.

Walter Lord — Fifty or 60 years ago, Walter Lord was what Erik Larson is today. He wrote popular works of history such as A Night to Remember (about the sinking of the Titanic) and Incredible Victory (about the Battle of Midway).

D. Keith Mano — Mano, author of such novels as Horn and Bishop's Progress, was something of an acquired taste, which I acquired in the 1970s, when I read several of his books. Then he just seemed to disappear from the scene.

Edward Lewis Wallant — I discovered Wallant while in college and became an instant fan. I especially loved The Tenants of Moonbloom, although he was best known for The Pawnbroker because of the Rod Steiger movie. He wrote just four novels before he died at 36.

All these writers are forgotten now, or on their way to being forgotten. But not by me.