WRITER

Bessie Head

1937 - 1986

Photo of Bessie Head

Icon of person Bessie Head

Bessie Amelia Emery Head (6 July 1937 – 17 April 1986) was a South African writer who, though born in South Africa, is usually considered Botswana's most influential writer. She wrote novels, short fiction and autobiographical works that are infused with spiritual questioning and reflection. Notable books by her include When Rain Clouds Gather (1968), Maru (1971) and A Question of Power (1973). Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Bessie Head is the 5,965th most popular writer (up from 6,544th in 2019), the 176th most popular biography from South Africa (up from 231st in 2019) and the 19th most popular South African Writer.

Memorability Metrics

Loading...

Page views of Bessie Head by language

Loading...

Among WRITERS

Among writers, Bessie Head ranks 5,965 out of 7,302. Before her are John Gardner, W. S. Merwin, Árpád Tóth, Kevin J. Anderson, Anthony Shaffer, and Mehmed Uzun. After her are Fedor Samokhin, Eduard Bass, David Benioff, Aleksandr Chakovsky, Arantxa Urretabizkaia, and Marcus Furius Bibaculus.

Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1937, Bessie Head ranks 494. Before her are Italo Galbiati, Antonio Rada, Yury Sisikin, James MacArthur, Gregory Sierra, and Eddie Floyd. After her are Tatyana Talysheva, Juan Lezcano, Susan Hampshire, Magic Sam, Léo Lacroix, and Franco De Piccoli. Among people deceased in 1986, Bessie Head ranks 272. Before her are Adolf Brudes, Pepper Adams, Harry Voigt, Rafael Gil, Yaşar Erkan, and Chuck McKinley. After her are Alan Jay Lerner, Forrest Tucker, Emil Jónsson, Una Merkel, Erik Svensson, and Neerja Bhanot.

Others Born in 1937

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Others Deceased in 1986

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

In South Africa

Among people born in South Africa, Bessie Head ranks 176 out of 454. Before her are Ingrid Jonker (1933), Ahmed Kathrada (1929), Fatima Meer (1928), Griselda Pollock (1949), Constand Viljoen (1933), and Solomon Linda (1909). After her are Gavin Hood (1963), Florence Fuller (1867), Denis Goldberg (1933), Ted Moore (1914), Gordon Hodgson (1904), and Clarence Walker (1898).

Others born in South Africa

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous

Among WRITERS In South Africa

Among writers born in South Africa, Bessie Head ranks 19. Before her are Gcina Mhlophe (1958), Elsa Joubert (1922), Andrew Murray (1828), Karel Schoeman (1939), Ingrid Jonker (1933), and Fatima Meer (1928). After her are John Langalibalele Dube (1871), Damon Galgut (1963), Antjie Krog (1952), Es'kia Mphahlele (1919), Lauren Beukes (1976), and Zoleka Mandela (1980).

South African born Writers

Go to all Rankings
Load previousLoad previous