When we hear One Hit Wonder, we often think of music. Today, we’re talking about three authors who wrote one famous novel and then closed the book on writing — literally. Keep reading to find out who. The last one will really surprise you!
1. Margaret Mitchell – Gone With the Wind
Margaret Mitchell wrote her only novel, Gone With the Wind, which became a famous movie adaptation. The one hit wonder awarded her #1 Bestseller and the Pulitzer Prize!
During adolescence, she wrote numerous stories and plays. So, composing a novel seemed to be a natural progression, but maybe not how you expected. Interestingly enough, Mitchell wrote the book recovering from a broken ankle. Who would have thought an injury would have led to the creation of a highly renowned literary classic and movie?
2. J. D. Salinger – The Catcher in the Rye
Raise your hand if you remember reading The Catcher in the Rye in high school English class. Well, guess what? This is J.D. Salinger’s only novel!
Before publication, he wrote short stories printed in the Saturday Evening Post and The New Yorker, which led to the creation of The Catcher in the Rye. After its publication, Salinger continued to write short stories but did not publish any other novels. However, there is speculation he wrote several other unpublished novels, however, his one hit was enough to be considered a 20th-century American classic.
3. Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights
Okay, I was completely shocked to learn Emily Brontë wrote only one book! She co-wrote the poetry collection Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell with sisters Anne and Charlotte. But surely, I thought all of the Brontë sisters published multiple independent works, but alas, Emily’s only novel was Wuthering Heights.
The Victorian romance novel split critics because of its dark depiction of love, passion, violence, and the social constructs that bound the characters. Brontë did not live to write additional novels as she died the year after she published Wuthering Heights. However, her novel is a highly acclaimed English literary classic!
We may learn about them in the seats of a classroom, by word-of-mouth, or by movie adaptations, but all it can take is one masterpiece to make a lasting impression, and these authors did just that!
Were you surprised by any of these? Let us know who else is a One Hit Wonder!
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