WRITER
Donald E. Westlake
1933 - 2008

Donald E. Westlake
Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 – December 31, 2008) was an American writer with more than one hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction and other genres. Westlake created two professional criminal characters who each starred in a long-running series: the relentless, hardboiled Parker (published under the pen name Richard Stark), and John Dortmunder, who featured in a more humorous series. Westlake was a three-time Edgar Award winner and, alongside Joe Gores and William L. DeAndrea, was one of few writers to win Edgars in three different categories (1968, Best Novel, God Save the Mark; 1990, Best Short Story, "Too Many Crooks"; 1991, Best Motion Picture Screenplay, The Grifters). Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Donald E. Westlake is the 2,742nd most popular writer (down from 2,514th in 2019), the 3,936th most popular biography from United States (down from 3,186th in 2019) and the 312th most popular American Writer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Donald E. Westlake by language
Among WRITERS
Among writers, Donald E. Westlake ranks 2,742 out of 7,302. Before him are George Herbert, Sholem Asch, Giraut de Bornelh, Arnošt Muka, Idris Bitlisi, and J. B. Priestley. After him are Marcellus of Ancyra, Shūji Terayama, Charles-Louis Philippe, Bernardo Dovizi, Amalie Skram, and Arno Schmidt.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsGeorge Herbert
1593 - 1633
HPI: 61.06
Rank: 2,736
Sholem Asch
1880 - 1957
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 2,737
Giraut de Bornelh
1138 - 1220
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 2,738
Arnošt Muka
1854 - 1932
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 2,739
Idris Bitlisi
1452 - 1520
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 2,740
J. B. Priestley
1894 - 1984
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 2,741
Donald E. Westlake
1933 - 2008
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 2,742
Marcellus of Ancyra
285 - 374
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 2,743
Shūji Terayama
1935 - 1983
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 2,744
Charles-Louis Philippe
1874 - 1909
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 2,745
Bernardo Dovizi
1470 - 1520
HPI: 61.03
Rank: 2,746
Amalie Skram
1846 - 1905
HPI: 61.03
Rank: 2,747
Arno Schmidt
1914 - 1979
HPI: 61.03
Rank: 2,748
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1933, Donald E. Westlake ranks 191. Before him are Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Bobby Smith, Hossein Nasr, Mohammad-Javad Bahonar, and Chuck Grassley. After him are Asim Ferhatović, Jesús Gil, Félicien Kabuga, Ercole Baldini, Alan Stacey, and Yevgeny Khrunov. Among people deceased in 2008, Donald E. Westlake ranks 133. Before him are Jürgen Ehlers, Joan Segarra, Charles Tilly, David Ausubel, Mitch Mitchell, and Gerard Damiano. After him are Mieczysław Rakowski, Christodoulos of Athens, Vice Vukov, Guillaume Depardieu, Tommy Lapid, and Josef Tal.
Others Born in 1933
Go to all RankingsJuan Sandoval Íñiguez
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1933 - Present
HPI: 61.26
Rank: 185
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
ACTOR
1933 - Present
HPI: 61.23
Rank: 186
Bobby Smith
SOCCER PLAYER
1933 - 2010
HPI: 61.21
Rank: 187
Hossein Nasr
PHILOSOPHER
1933 - Present
HPI: 61.19
Rank: 188
Mohammad-Javad Bahonar
POLITICIAN
1933 - 1981
HPI: 61.15
Rank: 189
Chuck Grassley
POLITICIAN
1933 - Present
HPI: 61.06
Rank: 190
Donald E. Westlake
WRITER
1933 - 2008
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 191
Asim Ferhatović
SOCCER PLAYER
1933 - 1987
HPI: 60.94
Rank: 192
Jesús Gil
POLITICIAN
1933 - 2004
HPI: 60.93
Rank: 193
Félicien Kabuga
BUSINESSPERSON
1933 - Present
HPI: 60.84
Rank: 194
Ercole Baldini
CYCLIST
1933 - 2022
HPI: 60.75
Rank: 195
Alan Stacey
RACING DRIVER
1933 - 1960
HPI: 60.71
Rank: 196
Yevgeny Khrunov
ASTRONAUT
1933 - 2000
HPI: 60.70
Rank: 197
Others Deceased in 2008
Go to all RankingsJürgen Ehlers
PHYSICIST
1929 - 2008
HPI: 61.46
Rank: 127
Joan Segarra
SOCCER PLAYER
1927 - 2008
HPI: 61.44
Rank: 128
Charles Tilly
SOCIOLOGIST
1929 - 2008
HPI: 61.43
Rank: 129
David Ausubel
PSYCHOLOGIST
1918 - 2008
HPI: 61.43
Rank: 130
Mitch Mitchell
MUSICIAN
1947 - 2008
HPI: 61.37
Rank: 131
Gerard Damiano
FILM DIRECTOR
1928 - 2008
HPI: 61.27
Rank: 132
Donald E. Westlake
WRITER
1933 - 2008
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 133
Mieczysław Rakowski
POLITICIAN
1926 - 2008
HPI: 61.03
Rank: 134
Christodoulos of Athens
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1939 - 2008
HPI: 60.96
Rank: 135
Vice Vukov
SINGER
1936 - 2008
HPI: 60.90
Rank: 136
Guillaume Depardieu
ACTOR
1971 - 2008
HPI: 60.89
Rank: 137
Tommy Lapid
POLITICIAN
1931 - 2008
HPI: 60.84
Rank: 138
Josef Tal
COMPOSER
1910 - 2008
HPI: 60.82
Rank: 139
In United States
Among people born in United States, Donald E. Westlake ranks 3,936 out of 20,380. Before him are Chuck Grassley (1933), Marlon Jackson (1957), Kathy Baker (1950), Elizabeth McGovern (1961), Schuyler Colfax (1823), and Samuel Little (1940). After him are Randy Couture (1963), Melvil Dewey (1851), Robert B. Anderson (1910), Susan Sullivan (1942), Dick Dale (1937), and Christine Chubbuck (1944).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsChuck Grassley
POLITICIAN
1933 - Present
HPI: 61.06
Rank: 3,930
Marlon Jackson
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 61.06
Rank: 3,931
Kathy Baker
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 61.06
Rank: 3,932
Elizabeth McGovern
ACTOR
1961 - Present
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 3,933
Schuyler Colfax
POLITICIAN
1823 - 1885
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 3,934
Samuel Little
EXTREMIST
1940 - 2020
HPI: 61.05
Rank: 3,935
Donald E. Westlake
WRITER
1933 - 2008
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 3,936
Randy Couture
MARTIAL ARTS
1963 - Present
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 3,937
Melvil Dewey
INVENTOR
1851 - 1931
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 3,938
Robert B. Anderson
POLITICIAN
1910 - 1989
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 3,939
Susan Sullivan
ACTOR
1942 - Present
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 3,940
Dick Dale
MUSICIAN
1937 - 2019
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 3,941
Christine Chubbuck
PRESENTER
1944 - 1974
HPI: 61.03
Rank: 3,942
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, Donald E. Westlake ranks 312. Before him are Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852), Orson Scott Card (1951), Lois McMaster Bujold (1949), Terry Goodkind (1948), Varian Fry (1907), and Herman Wouk (1915). After him are Robert James Waller (1939), Neil Postman (1931), Alexandra Ripley (1934), Ben Hecht (1893), Budd Schulberg (1914), and Vince Gilligan (1967).
Henry van Dyke Jr.
1852 - 1933
HPI: 61.22
Rank: 306
Orson Scott Card
1951 - Present
HPI: 61.22
Rank: 307
Lois McMaster Bujold
1949 - Present
HPI: 61.22
Rank: 308
Terry Goodkind
1948 - 2020
HPI: 61.20
Rank: 309
Varian Fry
1907 - 1967
HPI: 61.17
Rank: 310
Herman Wouk
1915 - 2019
HPI: 61.07
Rank: 311
Donald E. Westlake
1933 - 2008
HPI: 61.04
Rank: 312
Robert James Waller
1939 - 2017
HPI: 60.98
Rank: 313
Neil Postman
1931 - 2003
HPI: 60.95
Rank: 314
Alexandra Ripley
1934 - 2004
HPI: 60.95
Rank: 315
Ben Hecht
1893 - 1964
HPI: 60.94
Rank: 316
Budd Schulberg
1914 - 2009
HPI: 60.94
Rank: 317
Vince Gilligan
1967 - Present
HPI: 60.91
Rank: 318