Jules Renard

popular name: Herman Melville

date_of_death: September 28, 1891

age: 72

cause_of_death: Heart disease

claim_to_fame: Writers and Poets

best_know_for: Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. Although his reputation was not high at the time of his death, the centennial of his birth in 1919 was the starting point of a Melville revival, and Moby-Dick grew to be considered one of the great American novels.

popular name: Mary Shelley

date_of_death: February 1, 1851

age: 53

cause_of_death: Brain tumor

claim_to_fame: Writers and Poets

best_know_for: Mary Shelley (1797–1851) was an English novelist, best known for writing Frankenstein, one of the most influential works in the horror genre. She was born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, the daughter of the feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft and philosopher William Godwin. Her mother died only 11 days after her birth, leaving her with a strong intellectual legacy and a challenging childhood. In 1814, at the age of 16, Mary began a romantic relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was already married. Despite societal taboos, they eloped to France in 1816, where they faced personal hardships, including the death of their first child. That same year, during a summer spent with Lord Byron at Lake Geneva, she conceived the idea for Frankenstein, which was published in 1818 when she was just 20. Percy Shelley died in 1822 in a drowning accident, leaving Mary a widow with a young son. She continued to write and publish, but struggled financially and emotionally. She wrote novels, short stories, travelogues, and biographies, though none gained the lasting fame of Frankenstein. She also edited and promoted Percy’s works. Mary Shelley died on February 1, 1851, from a brain tumor at the age of 53. She left behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in Gothic literature and a trailblazer for women in literature, particularly through her groundbreaking work with Frankenstein, which explored themes of creation, responsibility, and the human condition. She was laid to rest at St. Peter's Church in Bournemouth UK.

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.