Rodney whitaker, author best known as trevanian the. Rodney william whitaker taught film at the university of texas, austin, but is best known for his array of books written under several pseudonyms, including spy thrillers as trevanian. Trevanian project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Rodney whitaker, author best known as trevanian the boston. Trevanian aka rodney whitaker wrote the eiger sanction, which became a millionvolume seller in the 1970s and was followed by a major motion picture, as a spoof on the superspy action genre which.
Buy a cheap copy of the crazyladies of pearl street book by trevanian. Trevanian was a pseudonym used by one of the prominent american authors named rodney william whitaker. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. He published the filmmaking textbook the language of film as rodney whitaker. Trevanian used to write in a variety of genres and had achieved the status of a bestseller author. Sweetly evokes an innocent if hardscrabble lost age. His first book, the eiger sanction, published in 1972, went on to become a worldwide bestselling thriller and was later adapted into a film by clint eastwood. Rodney william whitaker, the mysterious mystery writer best known as. Publishers weeklysixyearold jeanluc lapointe, his little sister, and his. I saw clint eastwoods film version as a teen and had thought little of it. Trevanian was the pen name for rodney whitaker, an american who exiled himself to the french basque country. The eiger sanction by trevanian, and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Whitaker was chairman of the radio, television and. Author trevanians complete list of books and series in order, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions.
Rodney william whitaker was an american film scholar and writer who wrote several novels under the pen name trevanian. In 1972, what seems to have been his first thriller though not his first book, a spy story. The eiger sanction is a satire and they played it straight. Rodney william whitaker, the mysterious mystery writer best known as trevanian, the author of such international bestsellers as the eiger sanction, has died. Trevanian aka rodney whitaker wrote the eiger sanction, which became a millionvolume seller in the 1970s and was followed by a major motion picture, as a. Although some believe the pseudonym he chose was based on the name of english historian g. He wrote in a wide variety of genres, achieved bestseller status, and published under several names, of which the best known was trevanian. May 12, 2011 tevanian real name rod whitaker was a professor of film studies and, indeed wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of one of his first novels the eiger sanction. As rodney whitaker, he has written a nonfiction book called the language of film. Rodney william whitaker, aka trevanian and several other pen names was apparently quite an accomplished writer, but i get the impression that his bestselling action thrillers were an expression of contempt for the people who made them bestsellers. Fiction rodney william whitaker june 12, 1931 dec 14, 2005 was an american film scholar and writer who wrote several successful novels under the pen name trevanian. Sep 09, 2015 shibumi is a metaspy novel originally published in 1979, written by an author known only as trevanian later identified as rodney william whitaker. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. He was also an educator in communication and dramatic arts and wrote no.
In nicholai hel, the book s hero, the novelist had created one of the. Many readers fondly remember the novel shibumi, published in1979 by trevanian the pen name of rodney william whitaker, anamerican academic. Whitaker once said he wrote books under at least five pseudonyms, including trevanian. Rodney william whitaker june 12, 1931 december 14, 2005 was an american film scholar. However, rumor has it that his real identity is rodney whitaker since it is believed that author was teaching at university of texas when the eiger sanction was submitted, and. Rodney william whitaker aka trevanian also thought the film a failure.
Rodney whitaker, a writer best known by one of his many pen names, trevanian, who was the only writer of airport paperbacks to be compared to. Was rodney william whitaker the actual writer of this book. He is believed to have written a number of successful novels over the course of his writing career. Trevanian rodney whitaker, 19312005 was the bestselling author of shibumi, the eiger sanction, the loo sanction, the main, the summer of katya, and incident at twentymile. Join facebook to connect with rodney whitaker and others you may know. Snac is a discovery service for persons, families, and organizations found within archival collections at cultural heritage institutions. Whitaker wrote in a wide variety of genres, achieved bestseller status, and published under several other names as well, including nicholas seare, benat le cagot and edoard moran. Trevelyan, he told friends that he used the name of an armenian acquaintance of his. Trevanian the pen name of rodney whitaker, would write a sequel. He published the nonfiction book the language of film under his own name.
I actually find the author himself almost as interesting as the book, though. This trevanian novel dealt with characters as much as with story line. Shibumi is undoubtedly his best work and contains everything that should be in a good mans book. Contemporary authors, new revision series dictionary. Trevanian has given us a glimpse of the contents of his desk, and allowed some of the texts found there also to be made available to the trevanian buff.
Trevanian popular writer rodney whitaker, a writer best known by one of his many pen names, trevanian, who was the. He died december 14, 2005 in the english west country. Shibumi is a novel published in 1979, written in english by trevanian, a pseudonym of rodney william whitaker shibumi is set in the 1970s and details the struggle between the mother company, a conspiracy of energy companies that secretly controls much of the western world, and a highly skilled assassin, nicholai hel. Dec 22, 2005 rodney william whitaker, the mysterious mystery writer best known as trevanian, the author of such international bestsellers as the eiger sanction, died dec. I have only read one other trevanian novel, the marvellous shibumi and had always intended to read more. Trevanian is the pseudonym used to protect a very private person who has managed to successfully sell 5 million books without making a single promotional appearance. The site is an ongoing process of discovery and change, and over the months that follow things will be added, taken away, improved upon and generally worked into a coherent picture of a great. Dec 14, 2005 trevanian was the pen name of american author dr. Think ian flemings james bond stories, but with bucko literary flair and an antihero plot gone wild. The sex scenes in the book are equally memorable, especially one in which hemlock. Rodney william whitaker june 12, 1931 dec 14, 2005 was an american film scholar and writer who wrote several successful novels under the pen name trevanian.
This particular manifestation of author rodney whitaker wrote some of my. Perhaps trevanian is basque for sneeringly brilliant as this book gives evidence of a cagey man and gifted author with a deep contempt for his audience. Rodney whitaker, a writer best known by one of his many pen names, trevanian, who was the only writer of airport paperbacks to be compared to zola, ian fleming, poe and chaucer, died on wednesday. Dec 22, 2005 rodney whitaker trevanian, novelist and film and communications scholar. Rodney william whitaker taught film at the university of texas.
Dec 14, 2005 rodney william whitaker june 12, 1931 december 14, 2005 was an american film scholar and writer who wrote several novels under the pen name trevanian. Whitaker, internationally renowned mack avenue recording artist, jazz bassist, professor of jazz double bass, director of jazz studies and artistic director for the professors of jazz at michigan state university where he has built one of the most distinguished jazz degree programs and performing faculty in the united states. He published the book under the pseudonym trevanian, a name his wife. In the eiger sanction, trevanians highly acclaimed first novel, jonathan hemlock. Dec 17, 2005 rodney whitaker, a writer best known by one of his many pen names, trevanian, who was the only writer of airport paperbacks to be compared to zola, ian fleming, poe and chaucer, died on wednesday. Clint eastwood, was trevanians first and perhaps bestknown novel. Rodney william whitaker, 74, the mystery writer best known as trevanian and the author of such international bestsellers as the eiger sanction, died dec.
We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Rodney william whitaker june 12, 1931 december 14, 2005 was an american film scholar and writer who wrote several novels under the pen name trevanian. Rodney william whitaker, born june 12, 1931 in granville, new york. By now whitaker s variety of book subjects and adaptive writing skill convinced some naive critics that trevanian was in reality a general pen name for a group of writers working together how very unimaginative but no doubt something to make whitaker bubble in triumph. Rodney whitaker, a writer best known by one of his many pen names, trevanian, who was the only writer of airport paperbacks to be compared to zola, ian fleming, poe and chaucer.