Eugene Burdick
Eugene Leonard Burdick was an influential American author and political theorist, known for his thought-provoking novels that often tackled complex themes related to politics, technology, and society. Born to a painter in 1918, Burdick graduated from Stanford University and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he achieved the rank of lieutenant commander. He later became a Rhodes Scholar, earning a Ph.D. from Oxford University, before joining the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley.
Burdick gained prominence with his novel "The Ugly American," co-authored with William J. Lederer, which critiqued American foreign aid and sparked significant political discourse, including a response from Senator J. William Fulbright. His other notable works include "Fail-Safe," which presents a chilling scenario involving nuclear warfare due to communication failures. Despite facing criticism for his writing style, Burdick's novels are recognized for their urgent themes, especially the tension between humanity and technology. His work remains relevant, reflecting fears about the loss of human agency in an increasingly mechanized world. Burdick's contributions to literature and political thought continue to resonate today, making his works worthy of exploration for those interested in the intersections of fiction, politics, and societal issues.
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Eugene Burdick
Writer
- Born: December 12, 1918
- Birthplace: Sheldon, Iowa
- Died: July 26, 1965
- Place of death: San Diego, California
Biography
Eugene Leonard Burdick was the son of a painter, Jack Dale Burdick, and his wife, the former Marie Ellerbrock. After receiving his B.A. from Stanford University in 1942, Burdick served in the United States Navy (from 1942 until 1946) and ultimately achieved the rank of lieutenant commander and earned the Navy/Marine Corps Cross. He became a Rhodes Scholar and entered Magdalen College, Oxford University, from which he received a Ph.D. in 1950. He was then appointed assistant professor of political theory at the University of California at Berkeley and soon achieved the rank of professor.
As early as 1947, Burdick received an O. Henry Award. Beginning with the publication of The Ninth Wave in 1956, Burdick went on to be author or coauthor of five novels, three of which, The Ninth Wave, The Ugly American, and Fail-Safe, were Book-of-the-Month Club selections. The Ugly American was made into a film by Universal Studios in 1963, and Fail-Safe was released as a Columbia Pictures film in 1964.
Despite the commercial success of his books and the controversy that some of them attracted, Burdick was not considered a first-rate writer. He had the advantage of choosing compelling subjects that both informed and inflamed many readers. The Ugly American, written with William J. Lederer, evoked a denunciation on the Senate floor from Senator J. William Fulbright and caused President Dwight D. Eisenhower to appoint the Draper Committee to investigate the administration of American foreign aid. This novel depicts a fictional country in southeast Asia that is receiving aid from the United States in a program that is marked by bungling and inefficiency. Fail- Safe, a collaboration with Harvey Wheeler, creates a fictional scenario in which faulty communications between American bombers and their base results in a devastating nuclear attack on Moscow. Although the Department of Defense vowed that such a thing could never happen, members of the Department, speaking off the record, admitted that such a lapse was not only possible but, in the eyes of some, inevitable.
Burdick’s work was essentially concerned with the struggle between humans and machines. He recoiled at the thought that the power mankind had gained through technology was in danger of being lost because humans had lost control of their machines. The 480, a novel Burdick published in 1964, deals with the selection of a political candidate based on a computer program that lists four hundred eighty divisions in the electorate and, in a metapolitical move, selects the candidate that appeals to these disparate groups, thereby thwarting the democratic process. Given recent political developments, Burdick’s book seems prescient. Burdick’s books reflect the haste with which they were written. One cannot deny, however, that the author had important messages to convey and that, despite stylistic shortcomings, his books are undeniably works of considerable importance.