Books
Classic books, the ones you read for school or because they are on some list. Are they any good? Find out for yourself. Here are some classics that have publication anniversary dates in November. Have you read these classics?
Nov. 10, 1961: Joseph Heller wrote Catch-22 based on his experiences in WWII but with the anti-war sentiments of the Vietnam War. The protagonist, Captain John Yossarian, is an army bombardier stationed in Italy. The novel’s title alludes to a no-win situation. Yossarian and his squadron try to keep their sanity while still doing their duty, but when they reach the limit of required missions before being sent home, the number gets continually raised.
Nov. 30, 1955: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith is the first in a series of crime novels featuring Tom Ripley. He is a suave con artist and serial killer. Despite being a murderer, Highsmith portrays him as a somewhat likable character who gains the readers' sympathies. In the novel, Ripley is hired by a shipping magnate to bring his wayward son home from Italy. Ripley befriends the young man and becomes obsessed.
Authors
These authors are celebrating birthdays in November. Have you ever read their books? If not, give one a try. If you have, make sure you've read their most popular book or series. Have you read all their books? Make sure you've read their latest.
Charles James Box Jr., known as C.J. Box was born on Nov. 9, 1958, in Casper, Wyo. He graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in Mass Communications. He worked briefly as a ranch hand, a fishing guide, and a newspaper reporter. He and his wife Laurie owned an international tourism marketing firm that promoted the American West and Rocky Mountain states. He has three daughters and two grandchildren and lives on a ranch in Wyoming with his wife. Box wrote his first novel Open Season in 2001 about a Wyoming game warden named Joe Pickett. Box was an executive producer on the television show Joe Pickett which lasted two seasons. His other book series is about an investigator named Cassie Dewell. The television show Blue Sky was based on this series and lasted for three seasons. Box has won numerous awards such as the Edgar Award and the Western Heritage Award for Literature from the National Cowboy Museum. He has sold millions of books that have been printed in 30 languages. His latest Joe Pickett novel is Three-Inch Teeth. The 25th Joe Pickett novel, Battle Mountain is set to be published in early 2025. (Box photo by Frank Langley from Amazon)
Liane Moriarty was born in Sydney, Australia on Nov. 15, 1966. Her father Bernie was an aerial surveyor, and her mother was a homemaker. Moriarty is the oldest of six children. Moriarty graduated from the University of Technology and worked in the advertising and marketing business, eventually opening her own shop. She always loved books and writing but didn’t think regular people could become writers. Then one of her sisters published a book. Moriarty realized real people could become authors, so she wrote a book, but no one wanted to publish it. She decided to learn more about writing and got her graduate degree at Macquarie University. One of her projects at school turned into her first published novel, Three Wishes. Moriarty continued to write novels for adults and children. After the publication of The Husband’s Secret, Moriarty was able to close her copywriting business and become a full-time author. In 2014, her book Big Little Lies, debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestsellers list, making her the first Australian author to do so. Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon bought the film and television rights to the book. This resulted in an HBO limited series, that won several Emmy awards. Nine Perfect Strangers was adapted into a limited television series on Hulu starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy. Moriarty’s novel Apples Never Fall is currently being developed for a limited series on Peacock. Moriarty is married to Adam, and they have two children, George and Anna. Moriarty has sold over 20 million copies of her books in 40 languages. Her newest novel is, Here One Moment. (Moriarty photo from Amazon)
Rita Mae Brown was born in Hanover, Pa., on Nov. 28, 1944. She was adopted by her mother’s cousin and was raised in Pennsylvania and then in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She attended the University of Florida but was expelled for her involvement in the civil rights movement. She received her bachelor’s degree from New York University and has two doctorates, one in literature and the other in political science. In the late 60s, Brown was involved in several movements: civil rights, anti-war, feminist, and gay liberation. She participated in multiple groups, like the Gay Liberation Front and the National Organization for Women, but felt they ignored the rights of lesbians. Brown has been a photo editor, professor, poet, and screenplay writer. Her first novel, Rubyfruit Jungle, is semi-autobiographical and was published in 1973. Brown is best known for her Mrs. Murphy mystery series, which she cowrites with her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown. In the books, Mary Minor ‘Harry’ Haristeen and her cat Mrs. Murphy solve crimes in their small Virginia town. Brown has been in relationships with author Fannie Flagg and tennis star Martina Navratilova and lives on her horse farm in Charlottesville, Va. She has won several awards including the Literary Lion Award from the New York Public Library and the Lambda Literary Pioneer Award. Brown’s latest book is Feline Fatale #32 in the Mrs. Murphy series. The 33rd book, Sealed with a Kiss will be published in spring 2025. Her next book Time Will Tell #16 in her foxhunting series, Sister Jane will be published at the end of the year. (Brown photo by Bryan Costin from Flickr)