WRITER
Helen Prejean
1939 - Today
Helen Prejean
Helen Prejean ( pray-ZHAHN; born April 21, 1939) is an American Catholic religious sister and a leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. She is known for her best-selling book Dead Man Walking (1993) based on her experiences with two convicts on death row for whom she served as spiritual adviser before their executions. In her book, she explored the effects of the death penalty on everyone involved. The book was adapted as a 1995 film of the same name, starring Susan Sarandon as Prejean and Sean Penn; for her role, Sarandon won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Read more on Wikipedia
Her biography is available in 17 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 16 in 2024). Helen Prejean is the 5,847th most popular writer (down from 4,332nd in 2024), the 9,781st most popular biography from United States (down from 5,769th in 2019) and the 713th most popular American Writer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Helen Prejean by language
Among WRITERS
Among writers, Helen Prejean ranks 5,846 out of 7,302. Before her are Robert Sabatier, Francis Chichester, Richard Scarry, John Wain, and Yi Munyeol. After her are Zitkala-Sa, Ann Rule, Leo Buscaglia, Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana, Monica Lovinescu, Louise Bennett-Coverley, and Kenneth Rexroth.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsRobert Sabatier
1923 - 2012
HPI: 53.23
Rank: 5,841
Francis Chichester
1901 - 1972
HPI: 53.21
Rank: 5,842
Richard Scarry
1919 - 1994
HPI: 53.21
Rank: 5,843
John Wain
1925 - 1994
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 5,844
Yi Munyeol
1948 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 5,845
Helen Prejean
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 5,846
Zitkala-Sa
1876 - 1938
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 5,847
Ann Rule
1931 - 2015
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 5,848
Leo Buscaglia
1924 - 1998
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 5,849
Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana
1908 - 1994
HPI: 53.18
Rank: 5,850
Monica Lovinescu
1923 - 2008
HPI: 53.18
Rank: 5,851
Louise Bennett-Coverley
1919 - 2006
HPI: 53.18
Rank: 5,852
Kenneth Rexroth
1905 - 1982
HPI: 53.17
Rank: 5,853
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1939, Helen Prejean ranks 519. Before her are Giuseppe Beghetto, Johanna Dohnal, Josef Černý, Yoshinobu Miyake, Chris Craft, and Orlando Quevedo. After her are R. C. Sproul, Mary K. Gaillard, Karel Schoeman, Göran Sonnevi, Spencer Davis, and Hadi Khosroshahi.
Others Born in 1939
Go to all RankingsGiuseppe Beghetto
CYCLIST
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.41
Rank: 513
Johanna Dohnal
POLITICIAN
1939 - 2010
HPI: 53.40
Rank: 514
Josef Černý
HOCKEY PLAYER
1939 - 2025
HPI: 53.35
Rank: 515
Yoshinobu Miyake
ATHLETE
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.31
Rank: 516
Chris Craft
RACING DRIVER
1939 - 2021
HPI: 53.22
Rank: 517
Orlando Quevedo
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 518
Helen Prejean
WRITER
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 519
R. C. Sproul
PHILOSOPHER
1939 - 2017
HPI: 53.17
Rank: 520
Mary K. Gaillard
PHYSICIST
1939 - 2025
HPI: 53.14
Rank: 521
Karel Schoeman
WRITER
1939 - 2017
HPI: 53.14
Rank: 522
Göran Sonnevi
WRITER
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.11
Rank: 523
Spencer Davis
SINGER
1939 - 2020
HPI: 53.09
Rank: 524
Hadi Khosroshahi
POLITICIAN
1939 - 2020
HPI: 53.07
Rank: 525
In United States
Among people born in United States, Helen Prejean ranks 9,777 out of 20,380. After her are Harry DeBaecke (1879), Carl Robie (1945), Noah Baumbach (1969), Albert Pinkham Ryder (1847), Zitkala-Sa (1876), Scott Brady (1924), Ann Rule (1931), Otis Spann (1924), Skin Diamond (1987), Leo Buscaglia (1924), Chris Buck (1958), and Frances Bean Cobain (1992).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsHelen Prejean
WRITER
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 9,777
Harry DeBaecke
ATHLETE
1879 - 1961
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 9,778
Carl Robie
SWIMMER
1945 - 2011
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 9,779
Noah Baumbach
FILM DIRECTOR
1969 - Present
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,780
Albert Pinkham Ryder
PAINTER
1847 - 1917
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,781
Zitkala-Sa
WRITER
1876 - 1938
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,782
Scott Brady
ACTOR
1924 - 1985
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,783
Ann Rule
WRITER
1931 - 2015
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,784
Otis Spann
MUSICIAN
1924 - 1970
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,785
Skin Diamond
MODEL
1987 - Present
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,786
Leo Buscaglia
WRITER
1924 - 1998
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,787
Chris Buck
FILM DIRECTOR
1958 - Present
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,788
Frances Bean Cobain
JOURNALIST
1992 - Present
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 9,789
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, Helen Prejean ranks 713. Before her are Brad Falchuk (1971), Earl Derr Biggers (1884), Gardner Dozois (1947), Donald Richie (1924), John Varley (1947), and Richard Scarry (1919). After her are Zitkala-Sa (1876), Ann Rule (1931), Leo Buscaglia (1924), Kenneth Rexroth (1905), Barbara Kingsolver (1955), and John Keel (1930).
Brad Falchuk
1971 - Present
HPI: 53.34
Rank: 707
Earl Derr Biggers
1884 - 1933
HPI: 53.34
Rank: 708
Gardner Dozois
1947 - 2018
HPI: 53.33
Rank: 709
Donald Richie
1924 - 2013
HPI: 53.31
Rank: 710
John Varley
1947 - Present
HPI: 53.23
Rank: 711
Richard Scarry
1919 - 1994
HPI: 53.21
Rank: 712
Helen Prejean
1939 - Present
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 713
Zitkala-Sa
1876 - 1938
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 714
Ann Rule
1931 - 2015
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 715
Leo Buscaglia
1924 - 1998
HPI: 53.19
Rank: 716
Kenneth Rexroth
1905 - 1982
HPI: 53.17
Rank: 717
Barbara Kingsolver
1955 - Present
HPI: 53.16
Rank: 718
John Keel
1930 - 2009
HPI: 53.14
Rank: 719









































