Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian, born Richard Patrick Russ on December 12, 1914, in Buckinghamshire, England, was a celebrated author known for his historical novels, particularly those focused on naval themes. He faced a challenging childhood, marked by the early death of his mother and his father's financial struggles. O'Brian’s literary career began as a teenager, and he published various works before gaining prominence with the 1969 release of "Master and Commander," the first book in a 20-volume series that garnered a dedicated readership. His novels are noted for their meticulous historical accuracy and richly developed characters, which drew from extensive research.
O'Brian's writing was initially met with mixed reviews, especially in the United States, but his popularity surged due to growing acclaim from readers and critics alike. He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including being named a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and receiving honors from Queen Elizabeth II and Trinity College, Dublin. O'Brian's work not only achieved commercial success, selling over two million copies of his paperbacks by 2000, but also captured scholarly interest, leading to studies of his literary contributions. He passed away on January 2, 2000, leaving behind a legacy as one of the notable authors of historical fiction.
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Patrick O'Brian
Author
- Born: December 12, 1914
- Birthplace: Walden, Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire, England
- Died: January 2, 2000
- Place of death: Dublin, Ireland
Biography
Patrick O’Brian was born Richard Patrick Russ on December 12, 1914, in Walden, his family’s home, in Buckinghamshire, England. His father, Charles Russ, was a bacteriologist. His mother, Jessie Naylor Goddard Russ, died when O’Brian was three. O’Brian and his siblings endured his father’s financial irresponsibility, resulting in bankruptcy. He adored his governess, Zoe Center, who married his father in 1922.
O’Brian studied at Marylebone in London from 1925 to 1926, then attended a school at Lewes in Sussex until 1929. O’Brian enjoyed reading and was interested in wildlife. He enrolled at Birkbeck College in London in 1932, remaining there until early 1934.
O’Brian married Sarah Elizabeth Jones on February 27, 1936, in Chelsea. They had one son and one daughter. In 1937, O’Brian secured employment in the Workers’ Travel Association’s Switzerland office. He left his family in 1940 to live with Mary Wicksteed Tolstoy in London. O’Brian served as a World War II ambulance driver, transporting blitz victims.
Divorcing his wife on June 25, 1945, O’Brian married Tolstoy nine days later. They had no children. By July 20, 1945, he legally registered his name as Richard Patrick O’Brian. Protecting his privacy, O’Brian identified himself as an Ireland native and invented a profile for publicity. He distanced himself from his birth family.
O’Brian started living on a farm in Cwm Croesor, Wales, in 1945, then relocated to Collioure, France, four years later, where he wrote during the following decades. Tolstoy died in March, 1998. O’Brian boarded at Dublin’s Trinity College the next winter to write his final novel. Media revelations in 1998 of his true identity and a forthcoming biography detailing accurate information upset him. O’Brian died on January 2, 2000, in Dublin.
O’Brian began writing as a teenager, publishing an article on leopards at age fifteen. He wrote more pieces featuring animals for periodicals and books. Prior to 1945, his works appeared with the byline Richard Patrick Russ. After World War II, he wrote short stories and novels for both adult and juvenile readers. Many of his books featured nautical themes and sea adventures. O’Brian also translated French literature and wrote biographies. His best-known writing began with the publication of Master and Commander in 1969, initiating a twenty-volume series. O’Brian researched primary resources to create historically accurate characters and situations.
While many British critics endorsed O’Brian’s naval novels, most American reviewers were initially unimpressed. O’Brian’s books sold well in Europe, being reprinted and attracting fans, who had bought more than two million of his paperbacks by 2000. His U.S. publishers stopped printing O’Brian’s work until readers pressured publishers to reconsider and the New York Times Book Review lauded his storytelling skills. Scholars considered O’Brian’s work worthy of study. The Royal Society of Literature named O’Brian a fellow in 1991. By 1994, the British Library issued an annotated O’Brian bibliography. The next year, Queen Elizabeth II honored O’Brian with the title Commander of the British Empire. Trinity College presented O’Brian an honorary doctorate in 1997.