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Blood and Thunder: The Life and Art of Robert E. Howard

Mark Finn

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Sep 05, 2012 Werner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: about-literature, biography

Versatile pulp writer Howard (1906-1936) has, until now, not been very well served by his biographers. The apparently only previous full-scale biography, the 1983 effort by L. Sprague and Catherine de Camp (which I haven't read, but of the particular slant of which I was already informed before reading the discussion here) devoted a lot of its treatment to "proving" de Camp's thesis that Howard's tragic suicide at age 30 must have been caused by long-term insanity. Finn undertook to write an ind Versatile pulp writer Howard (1906-1936) has, until now, not been very well served by his biographers. The apparently only previous full-scale biography, the 1983 effort by L. Sprague and Catherine de Camp (which I haven't read, but of the particular slant of which I was already informed before reading the discussion here) devoted a lot of its treatment to "proving" de Camp's thesis that Howard's tragic suicide at age 30 must have been caused by long-term insanity. Finn undertook to write an inductively researched biography without that particular axe to grind. The result is an outstanding work of literary biography, which could serve as a model for its type! My five-star rating is as much for this book's sheer quality as for my great personal pleasure in reading it. (And I rarely rate nonfiction books this highly!)

Finn is both a Howard fan and a serious scholar of REH's life and work, and he brought to this project some significant commonalities with his subject that helped in understanding him: they're both creative writers (that shows in Finn's prose, which is as vivid and readable as a novel!), both boxers on the side, and above all both Texans. One thing this bio does extremely well is set REH in his Texas context, and explain the very significant influence of his environment on his life and work. The author has done his homework thoroughly, researching the primary sources (including Howard's large body of letters) extensively, and reading seriously for background; the bibliography here runs to about five pages. (He doesn't use footnotes, but attributes his sources in the text wherever it's really needed, to facilitate easier reading.) His organization is clear and logical, starting with Howard's antecedents and socio-cultural setting, going through the different phases of his life and career, and concluding with a chapter on REH's posthumous literary fortunes and mythos. Each of the four main "Parts" of the book are prefaced by short (about a page) imaginative reconstructions of typical incidents that might have taken place in Howard's life at that stage, which may employ some invented dialogue, etc. but stick very closely to the basic contours of known facts. (For me, these enhanced the narrative rather than detracting from it, giving a "feel" for the subject, as they were meant to.) All along the way, he discusses Howard's major writings, in the chronological order they were produced, with insights into their literary qualities, themes, and connections to the author's life experiences. As Finn makes clear, REH was much more than the creator of Conan or a writer of swords-and-sorcery; his fiction spanned a number of genres, and he left behind a substantial body of poetry as well. (I enjoyed both the discussions of works I've read and the many that I haven't, and found my appetite to read the latter greatly whetted!) Attention is given to the vexed question of Howard's racial views (Finn makes a convincing case that our hero was much less racist than is sometimes supposed, and that his views evolved as he got older), and of course to the reasons for his suicide. Where there are areas of REH's life and mindset that we don't really know about for sure, the author isn't afraid to say so.

Another fellow Texan, acclaimed writer Joe R. Lansdale, furnishes a solid introduction which argues convincingly for Howard's place in the broader history of American literature. A serviceable index and excellent black-and-white period photographs also enhance this volume. It may be too soon to pronounce this book THE definitive Howard bio for the ages (and I may not be qualified to make that assessment!). But if it isn't, it's most definitely in the running. ...more

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