William Makepeace Thackeray was an English author, novelist and satirist who gained international fame and popularity for his novel Vanity Fair. His most famous works include novels Catherine, The Luck of Barry Lyndon and The Adventures of Philip. Initially started as a satirist and parodist, Thackeray produced some of fine examples of this genre. Among them are Timbuctoo, published in 1829, and a collection of fictional sketches The Yellowiplush Papers published in 1837. The author was also a journalist and columnist and contributed sketches for the Fraser's magazine before writing his first novel. By as early as 1940, Thackeray had gained popularity with the release of his two travel books The Paris Sketch Book and The Irish Sketch Book. Nevertheless, his most enduring success came in 1847, with the release of the novel Vanity Fair, which became his masterpiece and one of is best known works. The author died on 24 December 1863.
