Sometimes, learning more about the most popularly known individuals in your field of interest and talent can spark a new sense of motivation and determination. Let’s take a look at William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie and Barbara Cartland – some of the top well known writers in history. Who intrigues you the most? Who do you aspire to be?
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) – Known by many names, including the ‘Bard of Avon’ and ‘The Bard’, and with many variations to the spelling of his name, including Shakespere, Shakspere, and Shackspere, William is a highly recognized English playwright, poet and actor. His plays are known for portraying recognisable people in situations that are relatable for many. His most famous plays include ‘Hamlet’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Macbeth’. He was born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom, and his life evolved around Stratford and London. The reason for his death remains a mystery, but it is theorized he was murdered or died from syphilis. Married at 18 to Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare also had 3 children in 3 years – Susanna Hall (26 May 1583), Hamnet Shakespeare and Judith Quiney (2 February 1585).
Shakespeare also lived through and survived a pandemic, one of a number of waves of the bubonic plague, and wrote sonnets instead of plays during that time due to theatres being shut down. His son Hamnet however, was not so fortunate, and died of the plague at around 11 years old, and it is speculated that the tragedy, ‘Hamlet’ was named after him. Lastly, if it weren’t for his friends, John Heminges and Henry Condell, we would never have seen his plays as they were not published during the time he was alive!
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller, or Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan (15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) – A well known English author who is outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare, with 85 published works to her name, is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play, ‘The Mousetrap’. Her first published book was ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’ in 1920, and her novel ‘And Then There Were None’ (first published in 1939), was her best-selling novel. She was born in Torquay, United Kingdom and died in her home in Winterbrook, United Kingdom from natural causes. She was married twice – Archibald Christie (married 1914; divorced 1928) and Max Mallowan (married 1930 – 1976), and had only one child, a daughter, Rosalind Hicks, who was born in 1919.
Agatha was also a volunteer nurse during World War I, and was trained in pharmaceuticals, which allegedly informed her writing. Her second husband, Max, was an archaeologist and Agatha used to accompany him on his trips, assisting him with the documentation and cleaning of the artifacts he found, which also informed her writing including ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (written while she was on a dig), ‘Murder in Mesopotamia’ and ‘Death on the Nile’. From 1930, she also ventured into publishing 6 love and relationship themed stories which were written under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott which was not discovered until 20 years later.
Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland (9 July 1901 – 21 May 2000) – Known as the Queen of Romance, Barbara is considered to be one of the 20th century’s most prolific and commercially successful best-selling authors. An English writer who lived to the age of 98, she wrote 723 novels (mostly romance), which sold more than 750 million copies combined, in addition to writing music, plays, poems, magazine articles, and an operetta. Her first novel ‘Jigsaw’, a risqué society thriller that became a bestseller, was published in 1923. She was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham and died in her home, Camfield Place, near Hatfield, Hertfordshire from cancer. She had also been suffering from ill health and dementia for 6 months beforehand, causing her to be bedridden and isolated.
She was married twice – Alexander McCorquodale (married 1927; divorced 1933) and Hugh McCorquodale (her former husband’s cousin, married 1936; died 1963). She also had 1 daughter and 2 sons – Raine McCorquodale (9 September 1929 – 21 October 2016), Ian Hamilton McCorquodale (11 October 1937 – 10 February 2023), and Glen McCorquodale (born 1939). Barbara also holds the longest entry in the Guinness World Records book’s current wider format which allocated her 223 lines in the 1996 edition for holding the record for the most written novels in one year. Additionally, in her personal life, she also took an interest in the early gliding movement and created and devised a 200-mile (360 km) tow in a glider carrying mail (1931). In 1984, she received the Bishop Wright Air Industry Award for this contribution.
We would love to hear who you aspire to be or want to learn more about! Was there anything in particular that piqued your interest or surprised you? Follow our social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for more information and opportunities to engage and share more about you!
