Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Alexander was an American author born on January 30, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who became notable for his contributions to children's and young adult literature. He displayed a passion for writing from a young age, influenced by classic authors and mythology, particularly the King Arthur legends and Celtic tales. His early experiences included serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he participated in various intelligence projects, which later inspired elements in his writing, notably in "The High King." Alexander's career took off after years of rejection, with his first published work appearing in 1955. He is best known for the "Chronicles of Prydain" series, originally intended as a trilogy but expanded to five books, drawing heavily from Celtic mythology, including stories from the Mabinogion. The first book, "The Book of Three," and the second, "The Black Cauldron," received critical acclaim, with the latter earning a Newbery Honor. The series has also inspired adaptations, including a Disney animated film. Throughout his career, Alexander continued to explore various cultures and mythologies in his fantasy novels, solidifying his legacy as a significant figure in children's literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Lloyd Alexander
- Born: January 30, 1924
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: May 17, 2007
- Place of death: Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Biography
Lloyd Alexander was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 1924. He learned to read when he was three years old and began writing at age thirteen. His favorite authors included William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain, and he was fascinated by the King Arthur legends and by Greek and Celtic mythology. To the dismay of his parents, at fifteen he decided to become a writer. After graduating from Upper Darby High School in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, he worked as a messenger boy for a Philadelphia bank before joining the U.S. Army during World War II. After basic training in Texas, he was assigned to intelligence-related projects and trained in Maryland and Wales. He eventually rose to the rank of staff sergeant and served in Alsace-Lorraine, the Rhineland, southern Germany, and Paris. The winter battle scene in The High King was based on Alexander’s own experience of the winter of 1944-1945 in Alsace-Lorraine. After the war, he attended the University of Paris, became friends with Gertrude Stein, and met and married his wife, Janine Denni. They settled in the Philadelphia area.
Alexander began his writing career by translating French authors such as Jean-Paul Sartre and wrote several novels during the 1950’s and early 1960’s. After seven years of rejections, And Let the Credit Go was published in 1955. During that time, he made a living as a cartoonist, advertising writer, layout artist, and associate editor of a small magazine. In the late 1950’s, he began writing for young readers, including the books of the Chronicles of Prydain series. The Chronicles were originally intended to be a trilogy, but ultimately it took Alexander five books to tell the story. He also wrote a book of short stories and the text for two picture books in Chronicles’s fantasy world. Alexander had originally intended to use Wales as the setting for another book, Time Cat: The Remarkable Journeys of Jason and Gareth, but found so much material that he set the other novel in Ireland. The Chronicles were inspired by Celtic mythology, especially the Mabinogion, (comp. c. 1100) translated by Lady Charlotte Guest between 1838 and 1849. The Book of Three, the first book in the Chronicles, is based on a Celtic myth called “The Battle of the Trees.” The Black Cauldron, the second book in the Chronicles, was a Newbery Honor Medal Book in 1966. The Walt Disney animated feature The Black Cauldron is loosely based on the series as a whole. The last book in the series The High King won the John Newbery Medal and was also a National Book Award finalist in the children’s category. Alexander continued to write children’s and young adult fantasy novels, basing the settings on ancient China, Europe, Greece, and India.