Buzz
Do you ever feel like you're getting older? Maybe you haven’t reached the milestones you were hoping to by now? Perhaps you see your friends, family, or colleagues achieving great things while you feel left behind? Don’t be discouraged. History is full of people who didn’t achieve fame until after their 40s, 50s, or even 60s! If they can do it, why can't you?
Sure, you’re probably not going to become a professional athlete after 40 or 50. And it’s rare to see a 60-year-old break into the pop music scene. But there are many other ways to make a significant impact later in life! Take writing, for example. Many successful authors didn’t start writing until later in life, and they didn’t find their success until the latter half of their years. That makes sense—writing novels requires a level of maturity and focus, something we often lack in our younger years.
In this list, let’s explore ten late-blooming authors in the literary world. These ten literary icons come from various backgrounds, genres, and styles. But they all share one thing in common: they found success after turning 45. Now that’s what you call persistence and dedication!
10. Laura Ingalls Wilder (65)
Laura Ingalls Wilder, the renowned American author, was 65 years old in 1932 when she published the first of her iconic *Little House on the Prairie* books. The debut novel, *Little House in the Big Woods*, told the story of Laura's early childhood years in Wisconsin.
The book quickly became a hit with readers, and Wilder was encouraged to continue the series. She did just that, publishing seven more books over the following decade—almost all of which were met with immense success. By the time she was 76, her literary journey had come to an end, but she had already cemented her legacy in children's literature.
Wilder's story, however, is even more fascinating. She began her writing career in her 40s, contributing stories about farming and business to small rural publications in Missouri. She had no aspirations to become a novelist at that time. It wasn't until her early 60s that she penned her first novel, *Pioneer Girl*. Her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, already an accomplished author, helped her mother break into the literary world later in life.
Despite her efforts, *Pioneer Girl* was rejected by publishers, who deemed it too depressing—especially with the Great Depression underway. But Laura didn’t give up. And thank goodness for that! Who would have thought she would achieve her literary fame and solidify her name after turning 65? Unlikely, but true!
9. Charles Bukowski (51)
In 1971, Charles Bukowski, an author from Los Angeles, released his novel Post Office via the independent Black Sparrow press. The book drew inspiration from his grueling, often bleak yet darkly comedic, eleven years working at the U.S. Postal Service in Los Angeles.
The book quickly became a hit, selling nearly 100,000 copies in the U.S. thanks to its unflinching portrayal of life and its brutally honest prose. It also sold an additional 500,000 copies overseas, establishing Bukowski as a unique force in urban literature. Remarkably, it took him 51 years to reach such recognition.
Bukowski’s journey to fame is fascinating for several reasons. Not only did he achieve literary success in his 50s, but his true legacy grew after his passing. He wrote numerous novels and poems throughout his life, but most were rejected by publishers. Black Sparrow, however, remained committed to his work.
By the time of Bukowski’s death in 1994, most of his works had been published by independent presses like Black Sparrow. In a twist of fate, Bukowski’s popularity has only grown in the decades since his passing, with his career kickstarted by a novel about working for the U.S. Postal Service in Los Angeles.
8. Richard Adams (52)
Richard Adams, the now-celebrated British author, was already 52 when he published his debut novel, Watership Down. Today, the book stands as a beloved classic of children’s literature, telling the story of a group of rabbits on a journey to find a new home after their warren is destroyed. It’s also notably eerie, designed to unsettle and spook young readers – and it succeeds in that respect.
Published in 1972, long after Adams had celebrated his 52nd birthday, the idea for the book had been with him for years. He had refined the story by telling it to his daughters during a long road trip. They were captivated and frightened by it, and soon urged him to publish it so other children could experience it too. The rest, as they say, is history.
Watership Down quickly became a bestseller, with millions of copies sold worldwide in numerous languages. The book was adapted into a movie, which premiered in 1978. The film, much like the book, portrayed some intense and graphic scenes of doom as the rabbits desperately searched for a safe haven.
The film, just like the book, fascinated and terrified children who flocked to theaters to watch it. Adams lived a long life, passing away in 2016 at the age of 96, but it wasn’t until his 50s that he achieved fame. Can you imagine waiting that long to find success?
7. J.R.R. Tolkien (45)
It's easy to picture John Ronald Reuel Tolkien as a literary icon, considering the enduring legacy he's left behind. His children's book, The Hobbit, is a timeless classic, and his epic series, The Lord of the Rings, stands as one of the most-read stories in history, not to mention one of the most-watched movie adaptations of all time.
Tolkien had a remarkable ability to craft intricate, imaginative, and grand fantasy worlds. His writing, thick with vivid descriptions, character depth, and unexpected plot twists, seems to make his late recognition a mystery. How could someone so gifted stay relatively obscure well into his 40s?
That’s precisely what happened. Tolkien was born in 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. For decades, he wrote and worked tirelessly, but his breakthrough came much later. It wasn’t until 1937, at the age of 45, that he found the success he had long worked for.
In 1937, The Hobbit was published to great acclaim. However, Tolkien’s success didn’t end there. He wasn’t just a writer; he was a meticulous storyteller. He spent nearly two more decades crafting the sprawling narrative of The Lord of the Rings, which was eventually published in 1954 and 1955.
Tolkien lived a long life, passing away in 1973. But two things were clear during his years: his love for writing and his commitment to the process. He wasn’t afraid to spend years perfecting his stories, no matter his age or how long it took to get them just right.
6. Raymond Chandler (51)
After his service in World War I, Raymond Chandler returned to the U.S. and made Los Angeles his home. He initially tried his hand at poetry, but his work failed to attract any buyers. Eventually, Chandler took a job as an accountant at Dabney Oil Syndicate, where his career flourished. By the mid-1920s, he was earning over $1,000 a month as an executive, a significant sum at the time.
Chandler earned respect and admiration in his executive role, and it seemed like he would lead a comfortable life in that capacity. However, things took a turn. Chandler fell into heavy drinking and had affairs despite being married. His professional performance suffered, and in 1932, at the age of 44, he was dismissed from Dabney—right in the midst of the Great Depression. Not an ideal time to be out of work.
Faced with the downward spiral of his life, Chandler decided to regain control. Deeply ashamed of his firing, he quit drinking and worked on rebuilding his marriage. At the same time, he devoted himself entirely to writing. He began crafting crime stories, and to his surprise, he found a market for his work almost immediately.
In December of 1933, Chandler sold a story titled Blackmailers Don’t Shoot to the publishers of Black Mask magazine for $180. While that was a good sum for the time, it didn’t lead to immediate fame. Chandler spent many years writing in obscurity, churning out stories. Finally, at the age of 51, in 1939, he wrote the crime novel The Big Sleep, which became a major success and launched his late-blooming career as a detective novelist.
5. Frank McCourt (66)
Born in New York City in 1930, and spending much of his childhood between there and Ireland, Frank McCourt worked a variety of hard labor jobs. He spent time on docks, in warehouses, and eventually in banks. As he moved through his 20s and 30s, and after serving in the U.S. Army in the 1950s, he transitioned from manual labor to teaching students in New York City.
McCourt graduated from New York University in 1957 at the age of 27. He then went on to teach in various high schools across New York City, with his longest tenure as an English teacher at Stuyvesant High School. This was a position he finally settled into after an unsuccessful attempt at earning a Ph.D. at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
In 1996, McCourt shocked his students, readers, and the literary world by publishing his memoir Angela’s Ashes. Even more surprising, the memoir immediately became a bestseller upon its release.
The memoir, which details his impoverished and painful childhood in both Brooklyn and Limerick, addresses themes such as the Great Depression, immigrant struggles, and familial heartache. It earned McCourt the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 1997 and a National Book Critics Circle Award. The book was also adapted into a film three years later.
4. Mary Wesley (70)
British author Mary Wesley had a rather late start in the world of writing. Born in 1913, she didn’t publish her first novel until 1983, when she was 70. The book, Jumping the Queue, wasn’t her most famous work, but it did spark a series of rapid-following releases that cemented her legacy.
In the nine years that followed, Wesley released one book each year, including well-loved titles such as The Camomile Lawn, Harnessing Peacocks, A Dubious Legacy, and Not That Sort of Girl. These works, written between her 70th and 80th years, helped establish her reputation and brought her both recognition and wealth.
Wesley passed away in 2003 at the age of 90, but before her death, she was celebrated for her distinctive humor and sharp wit that graced every page she wrote. Three of her novels were adapted for British television, ensuring her impact lived on beyond the pages of her books. She was even made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1995, an extraordinary honor for someone who embarked on her literary career at 70.
Although not a household name in America, Wesley is highly regarded in Britain, and for good reason. Her novels are charming, distinctive, original, and expertly crafted. After all, she had 70 years to refine her ideas before sharing them with the world!
3. Henry Roth (58)
Henry Roth and his novel Call It Sleep have one of the most unique stories on this list. The novel, which follows a young boy growing up in a Jewish ghetto on New York City’s Lower East Side in the early 20th century, is largely based on Roth’s own life. He published it in 1934, just before turning 30, which means he technically shouldn't even be on this list, right?
However, there’s more to the tale. After Roth released the book, some literary critics saw its brilliance, but the general public didn’t share that view. The book failed to sell, didn’t make it to any bestseller lists, and quickly faded into obscurity. Roth himself also disappeared from the literary scene. He continued writing, but nothing was published, and for decades, he was unheard of.
Then, in 1960, critics rediscovered Roth’s novel and revisited its merits. The pivotal moment came in 1964, when, at the age of 58, Roth’s book was given a glowing review on the front page of the New York Times Book Review. Prior to this, it had been out of print for nearly 30 years. Publishers scrambled to reclaim the rights, and that same year, the paperback edition sold over one million copies as readers rushed to catch up on the book they had missed.
Since then, the book’s reputation has only grown. In 2005, TIME Magazine included Call It Sleep in its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the past century. It’s now considered an American classic and an essential part of Jewish cultural literature. Roth himself passed away in 1995, having experienced a truly late but extraordinary recognition as a literary genius.
2. Anna Sewell (57)
Anna Sewell, an English novelist, left an indelible mark on literature with her 1877 novel Black Beauty. Initially aimed at an adult audience, the novel has since become a beloved classic for children worldwide. While its core themes center on animal cruelty and the humane treatment of horses, the real astonishing part of Sewell’s story is that she wrote the book at the age of 57, and did so while on her deathbed.
As Sewell reached the later years of her life, she became deeply troubled by the mistreatment of animals she had witnessed in 19th-century England. Born in 1820, she decided to write about these issues. However, her declining health—likely from hepatitis or tuberculosis—left her too weak to write on her own.
Despite her frailty, Sewell found a way to complete her work. Lying in bed and close to death, she dictated the novel to her mother, who wrote it down for her. Remarkably, this collaboration paid off. By the end of 1877, Black Beauty was published in England and quickly gained success. Sewell, at 57, had completed her only novel, which went on to achieve fame.
Unfortunately, Sewell didn’t have much time to relish her success. Her health deteriorated as she wrote, and by early 1878, she was nearing the end of her life. She passed away at 58 in April of that year. Although she didn’t live long enough to see the full extent of her book's impact, she was able to witness some of its success. Sewell’s literary career had a very late start, and her life was tragically short-lived after her work gained recognition.
1. Bram Stoker (50)
Bram Stoker was 50 years old when he published Dracula in 1897. Born in Ireland, he had spent most of his life serving as the personal assistant to actor Sir Henry Irving. Stoker also managed the business affairs of the Lyceum Theatre in London's West End, a theater owned and operated by Irving.
To complicate matters further, Irving had a large influence on Stoker’s life, including his misguided belief that Dracula would be a hard sell. Irving told Stoker that such a dark, spooky story would never find success either in the theater or the literary world.
However, Irving’s prediction proved to be wrong. Upon its release in 1897, Dracula became an immediate success. Since then, the novel’s popularity has only grown. It continues to be read by millions worldwide and has been adapted into countless plays, films, and incorporated into numerous other stories and books.
The cultural impact of Dracula on storytelling, especially within the Gothic horror genre, is immense. Stoker’s perseverance in finishing the novel despite Irving’s doubts is a gift to the literary world. What remarkable patience and determination he showed!
