Sloan Wilson
Sloan Wilson
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Sloan Wilson was an American author known by his pen name, Richard Stark, when writing crime fiction novels.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on May 8, 1920, in New York City, United States.
Died on September 28, 2003, at the age of 83.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American author, primarily associated with crime fiction and writing under two distinct pseudonyms: Sloan Wilson for his mainstream novels and Richard Stark for his Parker crime series.
Early Life and Background
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Growing up in a middle-class family, Wilson developed an interest in literature at a young age. He began writing stories as a child and continued to hone his craft throughout high school and college. Before becoming a full-time author, he worked various jobs, including a stint as a newspaper reporter.
Major Accomplishments
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- Prolific Output: Wilson published over 50 novels under both his real name and pseudonym, showcasing his versatility and ability to adapt to different genres.
- Breakthrough Success: His novel The Man in the High Castle (1962) received critical acclaim and became a bestseller, marking a significant turning point in his career.
- Crime Fiction Legacy: As Richard Stark, Wilson created the iconic character of Parker, an anti-hero involved in various heists and crimes. This series has been adapted into several films and remains popular among crime fiction enthusiasts.
Notable Works or Actions
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In addition to The Man in the High Castle, some notable works by Sloan Wilson include:
Man's Search for Happiness (1964) - A coming-of-age novel that explores themes of identity, family, and societal expectations.
A Case of Rape (1975) - A crime fiction novel that examines the complexities of rape cases and societal responses.
Impact and Legacy
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Sloan Wilson's contributions to literature are multifaceted:
He played a significant role in shaping the crime fiction genre, particularly with his Parker series.
His novels often explored complex social issues, making him a thought-provoking author.
As Richard Stark, he created an enduring character that continues to captivate readers.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Sloan Wilson's impact on literature and popular culture is evident in several ways:
His crime fiction novels have been adapted into films and continue to influence the genre.
His exploration of complex social issues in his mainstream novels has made him a respected author.
The Parker series remains a staple of crime fiction, ensuring Richard Stark's continued relevance.
Through his diverse body of work and enduring legacy, Sloan Wilson has left an indelible mark on literature.
Quotes by Sloan Wilson
Another statistical fact came to him then, a fact which he knew would be ridiculously melodramatic to put into an application for a job at the United Broadcasting Corporation, or to think about at all. He hadn’t thought about this for a long while. It wasn’t a thing he had deliberately tried to forget – he simply hadn’t thought about it for quite a few years. It was the unreal-sounding, probably irrelevant, but quite accurate fact that he had killed seventeen men.
How smoothly one becomes, not a cheat, exactly, not really a liar, just a man who’ll say anything for pay.
I really don’t know what I was looking for when I got back from the war, but it seemed as though all I could see was a lot of bright young men in gray flannel suits rushing around New York in a frantic parade to nowhere. They seemed to me to be pursuing neither ideals nor happiness – they were pursuing a routine. For a long while I thought I was on the sidelines watching that parade, and it was quite a shock to glance down and see that I too was wearing a gray flannel suit.
I could get a job in an advertising agency. I’ll write copy telling people to eat more cornflakes and smoke more and more cigarettes and buy more refrigerators and automobiles, until they explode with happiness.
The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles. A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.
Gray Flannel really deals with two big issues. The first is how workaholics are divorced from their family and second, the illegitimate children that armies always leave around the world.
In my opinion, much of the so-called science of "education" was invented as a necessary mechanism for enabling semi-educated people to act as tolerable teachers.
It's not a question of who's going to throw the first stone; it's a question of who's going to start building with it