Robert C. O'Brien
Robert C. O'Brien was an influential American author, best known for his contributions to young adult and children's literature, particularly through his acclaimed novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH," which won the Newbery Medal in 1972. Born Robert Leslie Conly in 1918 in Brooklyn, New York, O'Brien had a diverse educational background, attending parochial schools and later pursuing music and English studies at prestigious institutions, including the Julliard School of Music and the University of Rochester. His career began in journalism, working for Newsweek and National Geographic, where he honed his writing skills and traveled extensively.
O'Brien's foray into fiction began later in life, and he adopted the pseudonym Robert C. O'Brien to separate his literary work from his journalistic endeavors. Over a span of just a few years, he published several novels that explored themes of environmentalism, human conflict, and existential threats, reflecting concerns of the era. His unique blend of animal fantasy and speculative fiction resonated with readers, making "Mrs. Frisby" his most enduring work. Despite a relatively small body of work, O'Brien's narratives are characterized by imaginative storytelling and deep reflections on humanity's challenges, securing his legacy in literature for younger audiences.
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Robert C. O'Brien
Author
- Born: January 11, 1918
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
- Died: 1973
Biography
Although Robert C. O’Brien did not begin writing fiction until he was well into his forties, many of his earlier life experiences contributed to the four novels that constitute the canon of his work. Perhaps best known for his Newbery-Award- winning novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, O’Brien created work steeped in concerns about the future of mankind and the dangers that threaten its existence.
O’Brien was born Robert Leslie Conly in Brooklyn, New York, in 1918, the middle child in a family of Irish ancestry. The family moved to Amityville, Long Island, shortly after O’Brien was born, where he grew up attending parochial schools. He was an imaginative and high-strung yet disciplined child who early on exhibited talents in both writing and music. He read books, wrote fiction and poetry, and played the piano throughout his youth, becoming editor of the high-school newspaper.
His college career at Williams College, which he attended from 1935 to 1937, was interrupted when he left school under considerable stress to return home. He resumed his music studies at the Julliard School of Music in New York, also taking courses at Columbia University. Eventually O’Brien returned to college full time, completing a B.A. in English at the University of Rochester in upstate New York while concurrently taking classes at the Eastman School.
After graduation, O’Brien began what was to be a long career in journalism, working for Newsweek from 1941 to 1944, where he eventually became a staff writer. It was at Newsweek that he met Sally McCaslin, whom he married in 1943. The couple had three children—a son, Christopher, and three daughters, Jane, Sarah, and Catherine. Shortly after his marriage in 1943, O’Brien and his wife moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a reporter for National Geographic magazine. O’Brien worked for National Geographic from 1951 to 1973, eventually becoming senior assistant editor after a career of editing, writing, and traveling around the world for the publication.
In the late 1960’s, O’Brien turned to writing fiction. Taking the pseudonym Robert C. O’Brien because National Geographic discouraged him from using his real name, he published his first novel, The Silver Crown, in 1968 at the age of fifty. In the remaining years until his death of a heart attack in 1973, he completed four additional novels: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971), The Secret of NIMH (1982), A Report from Group Seventeen (1972), and, two months before his death, Z for Zachariah (1975).
Despite his small output, O’Brien claimed a place in young adult and children’s literature, particularly due to the success of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The novel received the prestigious Newbery Award in 1972, as well as being honored with the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and being named both an Honor Book for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and a National Book Award finalist. His other novels have also received awards, but Mrs. Frisby remains his most enduring work, memorable for its imaginative combination of animal fantasy and speculative fiction. Whether it is the threat of the ancient evil in The Silver Crown, the commentary on human arrogance and disregard for the environment in Mrs. Frisby, the cold-war intrigue of A Report from Group Seventeen, or the warning of nuclear extinction in Z for Zachariah, O’Brien’s work takes a thoughtful and imaginative look at the perils and challenges of life in the modern world.