William Eastlake
William Eastlake (1917-1997) was an American writer known for his vivid storytelling and unique narrative style that blended realism with satire and surrealism. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he grew up in New Jersey before embarking on a journey that took him across the United States and eventually to Europe and the Near East. After serving in World War II and earning a Bronze Star for his bravery, Eastlake's literary career began to flourish in the 1950s with the publication of stories in prestigious literary magazines, including his notable work, "Little Joe," which was featured in The Best American Short Stories.
His first novel, *Go in Beauty*, published in 1956, reflected his experiences in the American Southwest, a region he felt was underrepresented in literature. Eastlake's works often drew on his personal experiences, including his time in the military, and featured settings ranging from the Southwest to France during the war. He was also known for his later novels, such as *Castle Keep* and *The Bamboo Bed*, which tackled complex themes and incorporated elements of his journalistic work. Throughout his career, Eastlake taught at various universities, sharing his passion for writing before his passing in Arizona. His prose style, often compared to Ernest Hemingway's, has left a lasting impact on American literature.
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William Eastlake
- Born: July 14, 1917
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: June 1, 1997
- Place of death: Bisbee, Arizona
Biography
William Eastlake was born July 14, 1917, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, the son of Gordon Opie Eastlake and Charlotte (née Derry). He grew up in Caldwell, New Jersey, attending Bonnie Brae boarding school in nearby Liberty Corners and high school in Caldwell.
In his teens, Eastlake hitchhiked his way to the West. He worked at odd jobs but was determined to become a writer. His journey eventually ended in a bookstore in Los Angeles, where proprietor Stanley Rose introduced him to such famous authors as William Saroyan, encouraged him to continue writing, and even gave him a job. Eastlake’s literary apprenticeship was interrupted by World War II, and he served in the U.S. Army. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the infantry, suffered a wound in the Battle of the Bulge, and earned a Bronze Star. After the war, Eastlake lived and traveled in Europe and the Near East, but he returned to the United States in the 1950’s. He taught at the University of New Mexico from 1967 to 1968, the University of Southern California from 1968 to 1969, the University of Arizona from 1969 to 1971, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1975. Eastlake had married painter Martha Simpson, whom he had met in Los Angeles, on October 24, 1943; the couple were divorced in 1971.
Eastlake saw his first story published in Europe after the war. It was only when he returned to the United States, however, that his career took off. The occasion was the appearance of his story “Little Joe” in the literary magazine Accent in 1954 and its republication in The Best American Short Stories the following year. Subsequently Eastlake published in the country’s leading popular and literary magazines. His novel Go in Beauty, which appeared in 1956, ranged from the American Southwest to Europe and back again. Eastlake’s acquaintance with the Southwest had begun at the New Mexico ranch of his brother-in-law, paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson. He went on to visit Mexico and ultimately settled in Arizona. Three more of his novels were set in the region, which he felt had never been treated by a first-rate writer.
Eastlake also wrote a phantasmagoric novel set in the Ardennes region of France during World War II called Castle Keep. Drawing upon his own experiences in the war, it is regarded by many as his best work. The later novel The Bamboo Bed was based on Eastlake’s experiences reporting on the Vietnamese conflict for The Nation magazine, as was A Child’s Garden of Verses for the Revolution, a bitterly satirical collection of poetry and journalism. Eastlake died June 1, 1997, in Bisbee, Arizona.
Eastlake’s novels were rendered in crisp prose, and his style was frequently compared to Hemingway’s (usually to Eastlake’s detriment). Whatever their settings, his books mixed realistic description with satire and even surrealistic elements, bridging the gap between the essentially realistic novels of Western writers such as Walter van Tilburg Clark and the absurdist works of the succeeding generation.