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Literary Late Bloomers: Great Authors Who Took A Little Longer (PHOTOS)

Literary Late Bloomers: Great Authors Who Took A Little Longer To Get Started (PHOTOS)
Zoe Triska
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Not everyone can be a literary prodigy. There are plenty of authors who didn't reach publishing success until mid-life, or later. There's a fantastic list of literary late bloomers.

We compiled a list of some of our favorites, including a Japanese grandmother who became a bestseller at 99 years old. May it encourage any older writers out there!

Did we leave out any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

Wallace Stevens(01 of10)
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He was first published at 38, and his canonical works were not published until he was in his 50s.
Joseph Conrad(02 of10)
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He was first published at 37.
Harriet Doerr(03 of10)
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Her first novel was published at 74.
Laura Ingalls Wilder(04 of10)
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Her "Little House on the Prairie" series was published when she was in her 50s.
Charles Bukowski(05 of10)
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He was 49 when his first novel was published. (credit:AP)
William S. Burroughs(06 of10)
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He was 39 when his first novel was published. (credit:AP)
Henry Miller(07 of10)
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"Tropic of Cancer" was published when he was 44.
Raymond Chandler(08 of10)
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His first short story was published at 45, and his first novel, "The Big Sleep," wasn't published until he was 51.
Anthony Burgess(09 of10)
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His first novel was published at 39.
Toyo Shibata(10 of10)
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She published a book of poetry at 99.

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