J.K Rowling
Joanne Kathleen Rowling borrowed her middle name from her grandmother, Kathleen Rowling, so that her books could be published under a gender-neutral name that young boys would not mind reading. In real life, she likes to be called “Jo”. However, the world likes to call her Rowling.
In 1990, when she was 25, Rowling was traveling from Manchester to London on a train. It was an ordinary ride that had got delayed by four hours. But whenever one would talk about the genesis of the fantastic world of Harry Potter, this ride would be mentioned, for it was on this trip that the idea of an orphan going to a school of magic and having extraordinary experiences there occurred to Rowling.
When the trip ended, Rowling reached her home and almost immediately started writing the first book of the series that has repeatedly demolished all literary sales records over the last decade. Rowling could finish the book only in 1995. The intervening period was quite eventful and tragic for her: she lost her mother to multiple sclerosis in December 1990, married two years later, had a daughter the following year and, some months later, separated from her husband.
In 1997, the first book of the series was published by a then small publishing house called Bloomsbury. Before that, it had been rejected by a dozen publishing houses, all of which would probably regret their decision for decades to come. Between 1997 and 2007, the seven books of the series were published. These have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and have seen translations in more than 65 languages-an unprecedented literary success story that seems unlikely to be replicated anytime soon. The series of movies based on the books has been a super-success in its own right.
Now that the saga of Harry Potter is over, Rowling’s next work is over-eagerly awaited by her fans all over the world. Given her exceptional writing style that appeals to both adults and children and her extraordinary skill at seamlessly weaving and interweaving complex plot-lines, it can be safely conjectured that Rowling’s literary success story would continue for years to come. And, even if it doesn’t, Rowling is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon. After all, millions of readers all over the world are going to be grateful to her for captivatingly entertaining them for years.
D.H. Lawrence
Despite all these adversities, the author wrote inspiringly prolifically. To his credit are dozens of novels, short stories, plays, poems and even essays. While not all of these may be excellent works of literature, many of them are today placed in high regard. Few of his novels are even a part of the canon of 20th century English novel. His books are read and analyzed by students and scholars of English literature in universities all over the world. They are also appreciated and recommended by book-lovers all the time. On the whole, Lawrence is one important modernist author who has fascinated readers and critics for over a century now.
However, as hinted above, Lawrence’s life was greatly tumultuous. He lost his mother at the age of 25 to cancer. In his semi-autobiographical work Sons and Lovers, he hints at how close he was to his mother and how devastated he was when she passed away. Lawrence did not even enjoy much literary acclaim during his lifetime. Instead, he became a notorious figure for bold descriptions of sexuality in his works. His last novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, was even trialed after his death for objectionable content. His books thus did not get him much money, and he never lived a life of luxury.
In his personal life, though, Lawrence seems to have got lucky. He found his lady-love, Frieda Weekley, when he was 27, and spent the rest of his life in her company. The two married in 1914 and enjoyed matrimonial bliss till Lawrence’s death. However, in Sons and Lovers, the characters that represent Lawrence and Weekley don’t seem to share a thoroughly blissful relationship. In fact, Paul Morel, Lawrence’s representation of himself in the text, is depicted by the author as inexplicably and perpetually scared and apprehensive in women’s company.
Critics have employed this evidence to substantiate the suggestion that Lawrence was perhaps homosexual. His wife, Weekley, herself talked about a sexual relationship that the author shared with a farmer named William Hocking. Lawrence has himself been quoted saying, “I believe the nearest I’ve come to perfect love was with a young coal-miner when I was about 16.” If Lawrence was indeed homosexual, then it seems that even his personal life was riddled with problems and dissatisfaction.
In his turbulent life, Lawrence traveled a lot and even wrote some excellent travelogues. In his late years, he in fact, hardly remained in Britain. He termed this exile of his a “savage pilgrimage”. During this time, he lived at some exotic locations in Europe and even remained in America for sometime. During this exile, not unlike the remaining of his life, Lawrence continued to write. In a life full of troubles, his pen was his constant companion.
