10 Famous Books That Were Published Posthumously

Zee Media Bureau
Nov 10, 2023

The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank

Published in 1947, Anne Frank's posthumous "Diary of a Young Girl" vividly chronicles her family's wartime concealment in Amsterdam.

A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole

Written in 1963 by John Kennedy Toole, "A Confederacy of Dunces" faced a tumultuous journey to publication, with the manuscript discovered by Toole's mother after his 1969 suicide.

Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

Completed in 1799, Northanger Abbey was the first of Austen’s works to be accepted by a publisher (in 1803, under the name Susan), but it wasn’t released until a few months after she died in 1817.

Persuasion, Jane Austen

"Persuasion," completed in 1816 and published posthumously, stands as Jane Austen's final novel.

Sanditon, Jane Austen

Jane Austen's incomplete "Sanditon," initially published as "Fragment of a Novel" in 1925, has been expanded by authors, including her niece Anna Austen Lefroy.

The Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov

Initially burned in 1930 due to Soviet censorship, resurfaced with multiple drafts before being published in two censored parts in 1966-67.

Queen: The Story of An American Family, Alex Haley

Veteran Alex Haley, known for "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (1965) and Pulitzer-winning "Roots" (1976), later penned "Queen" (1993), exploring his biracial grandmother's history.

Ariel, Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath, celebrated for "The Colossus and Other Poems" (1960) and her novel "The Bell Jar," became posthumously renowned with "Ariel," edited by Ted Hughes.

The Millennium Series, Stieg Larsson

Stieg Larsson, starting his 10-book series in 2002, completed the first two books before his 2004 death. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," released posthumously in 2005.

Juneteenth, Ralph Ellison

Ralph Ellison's "Juneteenth," initiated after "The Invisible Man" (1952), remained unpublished during his lifetime despite years of effort.

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