Ellen Glasgow

popular name: O. Henry

date_of_death: June 5, 1910

age: 47

cause_of_death: Cirrhosis of the liver with complications of diabetes and an enlarged heart

claim_to_fame: Writers and Poets

best_know_for: William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. Porter was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He moved to Texas in 1882, where he met his wife, Athol Estes, with whom he had two children. In 1902, after the death of his wife, Porter moved to New York, where he soon remarried. Will Porter's most prolific writing period started in New York City where he wrote 381 short stories including "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief". His stories are known for their surprise endings and witty narration. He wrote a story a week for over a year for the New York World Sunday Magazine. His wit, characterization, and plot twists were adored by his readers but often panned by critics. Porter was a heavy drinker, and by 1908, his markedly deteriorating health affected his writing. In 1909, Sarah left him, and he died on June 5, 1910, of cirrhosis of the liver, complications of diabetes, and an enlarged heart. Porter's legacy includes the O. Henry Award, an annual prize awarded to outstanding short stories.

popular name: Jules Verne

date_of_death: March 24, 1905

age: 77

cause_of_death: Chronic diabetes and complications from a stroke

claim_to_fame: Writers and Poets

best_know_for: Jules Verne was a French novelist, poet and playwright best known for his adventure novels and is often regarded as one of the pioneers of science fiction. Born in Nantes, France, Verne initially studied law but eventually turned to writing. He was heavily inspired by the technological advancements of his time and often incorporated them into his stories. Verne's most famous works include Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Around the World in Eighty Days, and The Mysterious Island. These novels blended adventure with futuristic scientific concepts and often predicted inventions like submarines and space travel. Despite some initial financial struggles, Verne gained fame and success after his works began to be published in serialized form. His imaginative stories captured the public's imagination, and he became one of the most translated authors of his time. Verne's later life was marked by personal tragedy, including a serious injury that left him partly disabled nonetheless he continued writing until his death in 1905.

popular name: Dominick Dunne

date_of_death: August 26, 2009

age: 83

cause_of_death: Bladder cancer

claim_to_fame: Writers and Poets

best_know_for: Dominick Dunne was an American writer, investigative journalist, and producer. He started as a producer in film and television, and is noted for involvement with the pioneering gay film The Boys in the Band (1970) and the award-winning drug film The Panic in Needle Park (1971). He turned to writing in the early 1970s. After the 1982 murder of his daughter Dominique, he came to focus on the ways in which wealth and high society interacts with the judicial system. Famous trials he covered included those of O.J. Simpson, Claus von Bulow, Michael Skakel, William Kennedy Smith, and the Menendez brothers. Dunne was a frequent contributor to Vanity Fair, from the 1980s, and also appeared regularly on television discussing crime.