USOP, SADDAM H.

BSED ENGLISH 2-1

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE

20th Century Authors and their Works

1. Ernest Hemingway 1899 – 1961

He wrote a number of works that are still read often and was widely
regarded as one of the finest authors of all time. He was a World War I
veteran who was born in Oak Park, Illinois. He served as an ambulance
driver and sustained a wound while on duty. He first worked as a journalist
after returning home before turning to writing novels. Even though Ernest
Hemingway is the author of several excellent books, A Farewell to Arms is
the one that stands out. Hemingway's experiences serving in the First World War served as the
inspiration for this novel.

"A Farewell to Arms" is a novel by Ernest Hemingway, first published in 1929. The story is
set during World War I and is narrated by Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver serving in
the Italian army. Frederic falls in love with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse, and they begin a
passionate affair. However, their happiness is short-lived as Catherine becomes pregnant and dies
during childbirth. Frederic is left alone and disillusioned, struggling to come to terms with the
horrors of war and the loss of his love.

The novel explores themes of love, war, loss, and the search for meaning in a chaotic and
uncertain world. Hemingway's spare and simple prose style, as well as his vivid depictions of the war
and its effects on the human psyche, have made "A Farewell to Arms" a classic of modern literature.

2. Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)

was an English author and a leading modernist throughout the 20th century.
She frequently employed stream-of-consciousness narrative in her writings and
examined the inner lives of her characters. Her best-known book, "Mrs.
Dalloway," was published in 1925 and chronicles a day in the life of Clarissa
Dalloway as she gets ready to give a party in London.

"Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf: The novel follows a day in the life of
Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares to host a party in London. The novel uses stream-of-consciousness
narration to explore themes of memory, identity, and the fleeting nature of time.
3. Albert Camus (1913-1960)

French philosopher and author Albert Camus received the 1957 Nobel Prize
in Literature. He is renowned for his absurdist and existentialist worldview,
which is evident in his plays and books. His most well-known book is "The
Stranger" (1942), a novel about a disinterested and apathetic man named
Meursault who murders an Arab on a beach near Algiers.

"The Stranger" by Albert Camus: The novel tells the story of Meursault, a detached and
apathetic man who kills an Arab on a beach in Algiers. The novel explores themes of existentialism,
absurdism, and the meaning of life.

4. Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927-2014)

One of the most significant authors in Latin American literature was a

Colombian named Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is renowned for combining
supernatural aspects with realistic locations and circumstances in a style known
as magical realism. The novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude" (1967), which
follows the Buendia family through several generations in the made-up town of
Macondo, is his most well-known creation.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: The novel follows the Buendia
family over several generations in the fictional town of Macondo. It blends magical realism with
historical events, exploring themes of time, memory, and the cyclical nature of history.

5. Chinua Achebe (1930-2013)

One of the most significant authors from Africa, Achebe was a Nigerian
author. He is well-known for his books, which investigate the consequences of
colonialism on African communities and frequently examine and critique
Western preconceptions and stereotypes. His best-known work is the 1958
book "Things Fall Apart," which chronicles the hardships of Okonkwo, a
revered chief of an Igbo community in Nigeria, as he attempts to cope with the
changes brought about by European colonization.

"Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe: Set in colonial Nigeria, the novel tells the story of
Okonkwo, a respected leader in an Igbo village who struggles to adapt to the changes brought by
European colonialism. The novel explores themes of identity, tradition, and the clash of cultures.

Reference:
https://becomeawritertoday.com/best-20th-century-authors/