Voting Station

Donald J. Sobol

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Author

The Resume

    (October 4, 1924-July 11, 2012)
    Born in New York City, New York
    Reporter for the New York Sun and New York Daily News
    Wrote the syndicated 'Two Minute Mysteries' column (1959-68)
    Wrote the Encyclopedia Brown series of mysteries

Why he might be annoying:

    He refused to do television interviews, would talk with newspaper and magazine reporters only by phone, and his picture appeared on only one of his books, which happened by mistake. (Sounds like the kid lit version of Thomas Pynchon.)
    Some critics feel the plots for his Encyclopedia Brown stories are formulaic.
    In 1990, first and second grade readers at a Philadelphia elementary school discovered an error in the first of his Encyclopedia Brown books. (He modified the solution in later editions to avoid the problem.)
    He was criticized for using Encyclopedia Brown's name to sell trivia books that had nothing to do with the mysteries featuring the character. ('Encyclopedia Brown's Record Book of Weird and Wonderful Facts,' 'Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Wacky Cars,' etc.)

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served with the Army Corps of Engineers in the Pacific during WWII.
    He was married to Rose Tiplitz for 57 years until his death.
    His Encyclopedia Brown stories are fast-moving and engaging.
    He said of Encyclopedia Brown, 'He is perhaps the boy I wanted to be, doing the things I wanted to read about but could not find in any book when I was ten.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 54 Votes: 77.78% Annoying