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| Photograph of James Oliver Curwood |
James Oliver Curwood was born in
Owosso, Michigan on June 12, 1878 and died August 13, 1927. He died
early, from the complications of what is thought to be a spider bite,
gotten while fishing in Florida.
Curwood was a man who loved the wilderness, especially Canada and Alaska. But, he also loved all of the outdoors. Later in life, while hunting a bear in the Rockies, he fell and broke his rifle. The bear and Curwood were on a narrow cliff and the bear arose, roared, and then passed by, letting the man live. After that, Curwood gave up hunting for trophies and advocated for wildlife preservation in all its forms, from planting trees, planting fish, and management of all species.
But let me tell you a personal story my father told me about James Oliver Curwood. This incident occurred in West Branch, Michigan around 1920. James Oliver Curwood was by then one of the best selling authors in America and he was well known and a very famous person. The train stopped in town and word got around that Curwood was visiting the downtown stores. My father, about age 8, heard this and came running. By then a gang of boys was following the famous author from store to store.
This is what my father told me, many times when I was a child. Father said, "He was wearing a fringed buckskin coat, leather gloves with long cuffs, and high top laced boots. He was a sight to see and I followed those other boys hoping to get a chance to speak to him. Finally, I had my chance and I said, 'Mr. Curwood I've read your books!'"
"And what is your name, sonny?" asked the writer.
"Glenn, sir!"
"Well, put it there Glenn," said Curwood and they shook hands.
Every time my father told me that story, his eyes gleamed and his face beamed in a wide smile.
AND...there is more to the story. At age eight I opened the cabinet that contained my father's many books and among them were most of the published works of JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD. As my father before me, I read those books and fell in love with Curwood's words.
A really great short story of his is THE MOUSE. If you haven't read it, you better find it, or get it on line and give an audio listen, for it is a fantastic, unusual, and heartwarming story. It is very well written and gives great pleasure. HERE'S A YOUTUBE LINK OF A PUBLIC DOMAIN READING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NReEAtf2uzo
My favorite story of his, is: WAPI THE WALRUS (about a large dog). It was made into a movie three times and Rock Hudson starred in the last one titled, BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY.
My father and I both adored James Oliver Curwood's writing. He loved the north country, (as we did) the great forests, and the animals in them. His writing is perhaps melodramatic and antiquated but his stories are fun to read and THE MOUSE stands up against any writer, any time, anywhere in the world.
JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD deserves to be read and remembered!
Charlie Steel, Author
http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Steel/e/B00H6US1P8
Curwood was a man who loved the wilderness, especially Canada and Alaska. But, he also loved all of the outdoors. Later in life, while hunting a bear in the Rockies, he fell and broke his rifle. The bear and Curwood were on a narrow cliff and the bear arose, roared, and then passed by, letting the man live. After that, Curwood gave up hunting for trophies and advocated for wildlife preservation in all its forms, from planting trees, planting fish, and management of all species.
But let me tell you a personal story my father told me about James Oliver Curwood. This incident occurred in West Branch, Michigan around 1920. James Oliver Curwood was by then one of the best selling authors in America and he was well known and a very famous person. The train stopped in town and word got around that Curwood was visiting the downtown stores. My father, about age 8, heard this and came running. By then a gang of boys was following the famous author from store to store.
This is what my father told me, many times when I was a child. Father said, "He was wearing a fringed buckskin coat, leather gloves with long cuffs, and high top laced boots. He was a sight to see and I followed those other boys hoping to get a chance to speak to him. Finally, I had my chance and I said, 'Mr. Curwood I've read your books!'"
"And what is your name, sonny?" asked the writer.
"Glenn, sir!"
"Well, put it there Glenn," said Curwood and they shook hands.
Every time my father told me that story, his eyes gleamed and his face beamed in a wide smile.
AND...there is more to the story. At age eight I opened the cabinet that contained my father's many books and among them were most of the published works of JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD. As my father before me, I read those books and fell in love with Curwood's words.
A really great short story of his is THE MOUSE. If you haven't read it, you better find it, or get it on line and give an audio listen, for it is a fantastic, unusual, and heartwarming story. It is very well written and gives great pleasure. HERE'S A YOUTUBE LINK OF A PUBLIC DOMAIN READING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NReEAtf2uzo
My favorite story of his, is: WAPI THE WALRUS (about a large dog). It was made into a movie three times and Rock Hudson starred in the last one titled, BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY.
My father and I both adored James Oliver Curwood's writing. He loved the north country, (as we did) the great forests, and the animals in them. His writing is perhaps melodramatic and antiquated but his stories are fun to read and THE MOUSE stands up against any writer, any time, anywhere in the world.
JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD deserves to be read and remembered!
Charlie Steel, Author
http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Steel/e/B00H6US1P8
Great story. Lots of Curwood's books are available free for Kindle.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bill Crider!
DeleteI have a number of Curwood novels, Charlie, some in print and some e-books, and I need to get around to reading them. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteGreat! I hope you like them! But, I encourage you to click on the above link to THE MOUSE and take about thirty minutes to give a listen, I don't think you will regret it.
DeleteGreat post. Many thanks. I'm going to read "The Mouse" and one or two of his novels. I read one a long time ago and really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIt seems so strange that a writer who was once so famous, has lost his fame. I hope there is a resurgence. I hope you like THE MOUSE and other stories.
DeleteCharlie, I had never heard of James Oliver Curwood until I read this post of yours! I'm always so glad to learn about "new" authors (new to me!) and look forward to reading his work. Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Cheryl. So glad you helped build up Western Fictioneers Blog. It gives us a chance to promote authors and each other, and leaves links for the search engines, for a long time to come.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, this has been my pleasure to help Livia with the blog. You're right--it's a great reference for the future and a great way to promote our authors and others, as well!
DeleteMy father, born 1905 was a big Curwood fan, and I have read a good many of Curwood's novels. I have four original print Curwood novels that belonged to my dad. Treasures!
ReplyDeleteDave,
DeleteThat is just great! Hold on to those books, maybe a first edition will be worth something in the future. Glad someone else knows who James Oliver Curwood was.
Oops. What I meant to say, is that someday there may be a monetary value to those books. I certainly know the meaning of TREASURES! I have a number of books from my Dad, including Curwood's and they are indeed treasures.
Delete(I also see you are in the top ten sales of Western Books on Amazon.com. Congratulations!)
An author I shall have to check out. Thank you. Doris
ReplyDeleteDoris,
DeleteYou won't regret it!
Curwood's "Kazan" is absolutely one of the finest adventure novels ever written. I first read it at age ten, and it still mesmerized me when I reread it more than fifty years later. Thanks for this most interesting article, Charlie.
ReplyDeletePatrick Dearen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for praising this great writer!