The Resume

(January 31, 1905-April 11, 1970)
Born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Wrote the novels 'Appointment in Samarra' (1934), 'BUtterfield 8' (1935), 'Pal Joey' (1940), A Rage to Live' (1949), 'Ten North Frederick' (1955) and 'Elizabeth Appleton' (1963)
Wrote the column 'My Turn' for 'Newsday' (1964)

Why he might be annoying:

He got fired from several newspaper jobs for being late, absent, drunk or too hungover to work.
He was a social climber and name dropper who would ask friends for stationery and matchbooks from exclusive clubs so he could pose as a member.
Editors at 'The New Yorker' would debate whether he or James Thurber was the bigger jerk to work with.
One critic said he was 'boorish, vain, petty, snobby, quarrelsome and just plain hard to take' -- and that was when he was sober.
Drunk, he would punch people out, including women and, during an incident at the '21' club, a midget.
Fran Lebowitz claimed he was 'an underrated writer because every single person who knew him hated him.'

Why he might not be annoying:

He had more short stories published by 'The New Yorker' than any other author.
He was a correspondent in the Pacific theater during World War II.
He was known for his accurate ear for dialogue.
Ernest Hemingway wrote 'If you want to read a book by a man who knows exactly what he is writing about and has written it marvelously well, read Appointment in Samarra.'
'BUtterfield 8' was such hot stuff in its day that it was banned in Australia until 1963.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 32]
• I Died in 1970 (Ranked: 65)
• Look at Me, I've Been Caught Smoking
• Look at My Typewriter
• Modern Library's 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century [1998] (Ranked: 22)
• People with John or Mary in their Names
• Profiles 30001-30250 (Ranked: 30026)
• Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels [Authors]

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying