Buzz
Every writer aspires to craft a novel that becomes a best-seller, or even one that gets turned into a blockbuster movie. Who wouldn’t desire their creative efforts to touch and inspire millions? A powerful book can reshape readers' perspectives and motivate them to act. However, sometimes the impact extends beyond what the author envisioned, and in unexpected ways. Occasionally, authors come to resent the very works that brought them fame.
10. Brokeback Mountain - Annie Proulx
Annie Proulx released Brokeback Mountain as a short story in 1997. By 2005, it had been adapted into a highly praised film that secured three Academy Awards and four Golden Globes. The movie, which explores the love story of two men in a conservative rural setting, has sparked significant debate. Over the years, Proulx has spoken in numerous interviews about the ongoing trouble she faces due to the story. She highlights that the ending is the most contentious aspect, often receiving letters from men starting with, “I’m not gay, but...” followed by lengthy critiques and suggestions, implying they know better because they are men and she is a woman. This persistent criticism has led Proulx to express regret, stating, “I wish I’d never written the story. Since the film’s release, it’s been nothing but headaches and frustration. Before the film, everything was fine.”
9. Watchmen, V For Vendetta, From Hell - Alan Moore
Alan Moore is the creative genius behind several graphic novels that have been adapted into highly successful films—success he has chosen to distance himself from. Collaborating with DC Comics, he produced iconic works such as V for Vendetta, Watchmen, and From Hell. Moore severed ties with DC Comics in the late 1980s due to several grievances. He opposed the company’s decision to label his books for “Mature Readers” and was outraged when he discovered he was being misled about reclaiming the rights to his work. DC Comics had promised to return the rights once the books went out of print, but they had no intention of ever stopping publication.
As DC Comics began adapting his works into films, Moore refused any involvement and declined to accept profits from the movies. He refuses to watch any film adaptations of his comics and graphic novels, including those produced by non-DC entities like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Moore even requested his name be removed from the credits. While he remains proud of his original stories, he strongly opposes their association with Hollywood.
8. My Struggle - Karl Ove Knausgaard
Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard penned a captivating six-volume autobiographical series titled My Struggle. Initially marketed as fiction upon its 2009 release, the work later revealed itself to be a brutally honest and authentic account of his life. The English translation, published in 2012, has been hailed as a literary triumph.
Knausgaard invited readers into every corner of his existence. Writers, editors, and critics alike have lauded his ability to immerse readers in his intimate world through his unfiltered storytelling. His work has even sparked speculation about a potential future Nobel Prize in Literature.
Ironically, the very story that catapulted Knausgaard to literary fame is one he now regrets sharing. He wrote about real individuals in his life, using their actual names, which turned friends and family into foes. To escape the fallout, he relocated his wife and children to a secluded village. Knausgaard avoids discussing the book, as it plunges him into deep depression and anxiety. He struggles with the guilt of having hurt others, likening any apology to a murderer expressing remorse after the deed is done.
7. Alice In Wonderland - Charles Dodgson
Alice in Wonderland has become a cultural icon, a story almost universally recognized in the Western world. Since its publication in 1865, it has remained a beloved classic. It’s surprising to think that the creator of this enchanting tale could ever come to resent it.
Ironically, the book’s immense success may have fueled the author’s disdain. A recently discovered letter by Charles Dodgson, who wrote under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, reveals his regret over writing the book. He loathed the fame it brought. In 1891, he wrote to a friend, Mrs. Symonds, expressing his feelings: “I detest all that publicity so intensely that sometimes I almost wish I had never written any books at all.” To avoid attention, he would return letters addressed to Lewis Carroll, stating he had no connection to any works not published under his real name, calling them misaddressed.
6. The Anarchist Cookbook - William Powell
Written in 1969 by William Powell, who sought to avoid serving in the Vietnam War, The Anarchist Cookbook is a controversial manual detailing methods of violence, terrorism, and destruction. Numerous mass shooters and terrorists have cited the book as a source of inspiration. For instance, in November 2013, Karl Pierson, a Colorado high school student, carried out a school shooting before taking his own life. Prior to the tragedy, Pierson had read The Anarchist Cookbook.
William Powell has since expressed his desire for the book to be out of print. However, the publisher, who acquired the rights in 2002, has refused to stop its distribution. Powell has stated that the core idea behind the Cookbook is deeply flawed, arguing that the belief violence can prevent violence is illogical. In 2011, he co-authored Becoming an Emotionally Intelligent Teacher, which he describes as a direct rebuttal to the emotional immaturity of his earlier work. In an article for The Guardian, Powell reflects on the book’s impact, admitting he cannot fully grasp its influence on those who committed heinous acts but believes it was not positive. He concludes that the book’s continued publication serves only commercial interests and should quickly and quietly go out of print.
5. Rage - Stephen King
Stephen King stands as one of the world’s most prolific and celebrated authors, with over 350 million copies of his books sold. Fans of King are aware that the Richard Bachman novels are simply his works under a pen name. Rage, released in 1977, was the first Bachman novel to be published.
King penned this book during his time as a high school student. The protagonist of the story opens fire in his school, takes a classroom hostage, kills a fellow student and two teachers, and ultimately attempts suicide by provoking police gunfire. Over the next two decades, the book was linked to four school shootings, with the perpetrators having read or been influenced by the novel.
In reaction to these events, King insisted the book be withdrawn from circulation. Unlike William Powell, King had the authority to take Rage out of print. As a result, used copies of the book now fetch prices ranging from $700 to $2,000 online. King remains firm in his decision, not wanting his work to serve as a trigger for psychologically vulnerable individuals.
4. Jaws - Peter Benchley
Peter Benchley authored the widely popular 1974 novel Jaws, which was adapted into a blockbuster film by Steven Spielberg in 1975. While Benchley admired the movie, he was disheartened by the widespread fear of the ocean it instilled and the increased animosity toward sharks.
Through the extensive research he conducted for the book, Benchley became a recognized shark expert and advocate for oceanography. In his later years, he dedicated himself to shark conservation, regretting his earlier portrayal of sharks as ruthless, vengeful predators. Although Jaws was his debut novel, it was not his last. Many of his subsequent works also explored the mysteries and dangers of the ocean. His final book, Shark Life, published in 2005, was a nonfiction piece aimed at highlighting marine dangers and promoting conservation. He passed away the following year.
3. Winnie The Pooh - A.A. Milne
Winnie the Pooh is undoubtedly one of the most cherished characters in children’s literature. A.A. Milne originally wrote the stories as a tribute to his son and his collection of stuffed animals, even naming the book’s young character after his own son, Christopher Robin.
The real Christopher Robin grew to resent his connection to Winnie the Pooh, feeling perpetually eclipsed by his father’s creation. As a child, he endured constant teasing due to the books, and the illustrated version of Christopher bore a striking resemblance to him. The illustrations were done by E.H. Shepard, who later regretted illustrating Winnie the Pooh, as he felt it overshadowed his more serious work as a political cartoonist. A.A. Milne himself also came to regret writing the stories, believing they diminished his other literary achievements.
2. All Of Literature And Cinema - Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard was a highly acclaimed American author, earning prestigious honors such as the National Book Award and the Peabody Award. He passed away in August 2013 at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy of 45 novels. Many of his works were adapted into Hollywood blockbusters and popular TV series, including Get Shorty, 3:10 to Yuma, and Justified.
Leonard had a complicated relationship with Hollywood. He openly admitted that his primary reason for collaborating with producers and allowing adaptations of his works was financial gain. Despite often despising the final products, he permitted movies and TV shows to be made. He famously called the 2004 adaptation of his novel The Big Bounce the worst film ever, ranking the 1969 version as the second worst. Leonard even wrote several screenplays, about half of which were turned into films, but he hated both the process and the outcomes.
Leonard’s disdain extended beyond film. He hated literature as well, rejecting the conventions of the literary world and deliberately writing his novels to defy its expectations. He created his own set of writing rules. While he loved the act of writing, he loathed the industry surrounding it.
1. The Aeneid - Virgil
Virgil, who lived from 70 to 19 B.C., is best known for his epic poem, the Aeneid. This work has had a profound influence and is now considered an essential component of Latin studies. It also holds a significant place in the Western literary canon.
Virgil, a highly educated individual, received financial support as an artist from Octavian, later known as Emperor Augustus. He started composing the Aeneid in 30 B.C. However, when he fell ill and passed away in 19 B.C., he believed the epic poem remained unfinished. On his deathbed, he requested that the manuscript be destroyed.
The authenticity of this account is debated among scholars. If it is true, Augustus disregarded Virgil’s final wish and tasked two of his friends with completing the poem. The reason behind Virgil’s desire to destroy his masterpiece remains unknown. Some speculate he was dissatisfied with its incomplete state, felt a personal connection to the flawed protagonist, or regretted the poem’s perceived propaganda. Regardless of the reason—if the story holds—Virgil died unwilling to share the work that would immortalize him.
