Biography
Novelist Glendon Swarthout possessed the broadest literary range of any American writer of his era, authoring 16 novels spanning dramas, comedies, romances, and mysteries, along with six novellas for young adults co-written with his wife, Kathryn. Many of his novels became international bestsellers and book club favorites, reprinted in countless paperback editions, some of which remain available in bookstores and libraries worldwide. Holding a PhD in Victorian literature, as well as a Master's and a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, Dr. Swarthout had extensive knowledge of classic fiction and their creators, constantly striving to surpass them. He never penned sequels to his successful novels nor developed series based on recurring characters. Later, Glendon acknowledged this might have been a misstep, as critics and fans never knew what to expect from his next work, despite editors frequently urging him to write a follow-up to Where The Girls Are or a series of Shootist Westerns. Nonetheless, Glendon earned numerous literary awards, and several of his stories were adapted into notable films, including the hits Where The Boys Are (MGM, 1960) and The Shootist (Paramount, 1976), as well as less acclaimed movies like Seventh Cavalry (Columbia, 1956), They Came To Cordura (Columbia, 1959), and Bless the Beasts & Children (Columbia, 1972). Bless the Beasts has remained continuously in print since 1970, and a new American edition of The Shootist was reissued by Bison Books in late 2011.
