Writers Holding Back Time?

Can writers hold back time? Can writers bring a time long since passed from life? A simplistic answer is a resounding yes, but this answer lacks some power, as there are many non-fiction writers who do not write with an ease that makes a reader long to continue reading their work. Some are more popular now, however their time is fleeting, and others who were never popular in their own lifetimes, yet they are considered masters of a craft that is unforgiving at best.