Celebrated author Tom Clancy, who became famous for popular works like “Hunt for Red October” and “Patriot Games,” that introduced the character Jack Ryan has died. He was 66.
I dated a guy who lived next door to Clancy in Southern MD after he got relatively famous. My Dad's favorite author so my BF knocked on his door to see if he would autograph a copy of Hunt for Red October to my Dad. He was a complete @sshole to my BF who he had known for years, and basically said "Get the hell off my lawn!!" to him. BF gave him the finger and Clancy moved out of Southern MD to a gated community elsewhere. Might have been a good author, but he was a right prick and a diva in real life.
Far and away my favorite "modern" author. He and WEB Griffin are the only authors I would be ready to buy on release day.
Unfortunately I can attest to what Mickey says about him in his personal life. I was on a flight from MD back to Texas. He actually purchased the 1st class seat next to him so no one could sit by him (per the flight attendant). Some poor woman approached him and he barked at her basically.
I'm friends with a family whose property on the Chesapeake Bay butted up against part of Clancy's property (they weren't directly next door neighbors). One time the woman was walking the path back up from the shore and walked too close to his garden or greenhouse. Instantly, she was swarmed by guards who basically told her to gtfo. It was a weekend home for her family, but they owned it a LONG time. It's very common knowledge, as Mickey said, that Clancy was an asshole.
Larry Bond, who wrote with Clancy, on the other hand, is awesome. He and his wife are kind, friendly, etc. He goes to career days at all the local schools and the first time I met them they were doing yard work at the community pool. I baby- sat his daughters until I went to college.
Are you fans of Clancy's books actually literate? He was the fucking worst hack writer ever! He wrote like the insurance salesman that he was. Sure, I read a few of the early ones, but only because I enjoy Cold War techno-geekery. The copy itself was painful to read.
I'm sure he and Robert Ludlam are in heaven pestering James Joyce to get his writing secrets while Thomas Kinkade paints the scene. That's a whole lot of middlebrow in the afterlife.
RIP. Lots of good writers dying this year (Clancy, Elmore Leonard...), and dipshits like ken follet and paulo coelho and many more are still alive. Definitively, God doesn't want Humanity to read good books.
Oh god, Ludlam is even worse. Years ago, when I was traveling in Europe, the only English-language novels you could find in France, Spain, etc. were Ludlam thrillers and old Mickey Spillane sludge. Consequently, I actually trudged through all the Bourne books. They were terrible. Just the worst writing ever.
Spillane's stuff, though repetitive, was not half bad.
I hate to speak ill of the dead, but it's true, Clancy was a major a*hole. My college roommate is related to his first wife and said that he was a jerk even when he was just an insurance salesman, and became an even bigger jerk when got famous.
Glad to see some honesty on this post. I don't get why we feel the need to turn every dead person into a saint. I never read Clancy's books, so I can't speak on his talent as an author, but man, he was such a dick in real life.
"If the author happens to not be as great as others, it doesn't mean the readers are idiots."
Sorry, no. There is a level of prose awfulness that actually causes brain damage if you read it. Clancy's dreck plowed through that nadir and kept getting worse.
In the beginning of my Milton class, we had to go around the room and talk about books we read over the summer. When it came to my turn, I mentioned how much I liked "Hunt for Red October." The room went dead silent, as everyone else's choices were very dense and intellectual, and all eyes turned to the professor who stated,"I read it too...brilliant storytelling." Sadly, Clancy's other books never lived up to the first.
He wrote books with great plots and attention to detail. However in real life he was a paranoid wing nut, borderline survivalist. Probably why he so touchy about anyone coming near him.
Get off your high horse, Profane. Most people who do a lot of reading like Tom Clancy. Educated people do too, and those who don't are at least able to articulate why. You just sound pissy and are not to be taken seriously.
It's pretty well known (though apparently not here) that while Clancy wrote his first several books, after that he franchised out his name and hack writers essentially wrote his successive novels for him, under his name.
None of the stories about his death today gave a reason. Now that I see that ciggie and how bloated he was, I think I can guess the cause of death.
Anyway, years ago I tried really hard to read one of his books but the writing was just too awful. Not that I don't read hack writing, I do, but there are some writers I just cannot stomach and he was one of them.
I've read 3 or 4 of his books. He tells a good story.
ReplyDeleteGreat writer.
ReplyDeleteLoved the books, always thought he was older...geez
ReplyDeleteRIP
I dated a guy who lived next door to Clancy in Southern MD after he got relatively famous. My Dad's favorite author so my BF knocked on his door to see if he would autograph a copy of Hunt for Red October to my Dad. He was a complete @sshole to my BF who he had known for years, and basically said "Get the hell off my lawn!!" to him. BF gave him the finger and Clancy moved out of Southern MD to a gated community elsewhere. Might have been a good author, but he was a right prick and a diva in real life.
ReplyDeleteSo sad, RIPTom...
ReplyDeleteFar and away my favorite "modern" author. He and WEB Griffin are the only authors I would be ready to buy on release day.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I can attest to what Mickey says about him in his personal life. I was on a flight from MD back to Texas. He actually purchased the 1st class seat next to him so no one could sit by him (per the flight attendant). Some poor woman approached him and he barked at her basically.
ConqueringKing, Web griffin is terrific and I'll also throw Layne Heath in there. His CW2 is maybe my all time favorite war adventure story.
DeleteI'm friends with a family whose property on the Chesapeake Bay butted up against part of Clancy's property (they weren't directly next door neighbors). One time the woman was walking the path back up from the shore and walked too close to his garden or greenhouse. Instantly, she was swarmed by guards who basically told her to gtfo. It was a weekend home for her family, but they owned it a LONG time. It's very common knowledge, as Mickey said, that Clancy was an asshole.
ReplyDeleteLarry Bond, who wrote with Clancy, on the other hand, is awesome. He and his wife are kind, friendly, etc. He goes to career days at all the local schools and the first time I met them they were doing yard work at the community pool. I baby- sat his daughters until I went to college.
Guess the Karma bus hit him.
ReplyDeleteI love these first person stories about celebrities. Even if they're kind of downers.
ReplyDeleteHit by the Karma Bus AND the Ciggy Bus.
ReplyDeleteFiggy I do as well.
ReplyDeleteMy Stepdad was a huge fan of his.
Are you fans of Clancy's books actually literate? He was the fucking worst hack writer ever! He wrote like the insurance salesman that he was. Sure, I read a few of the early ones, but only because I enjoy Cold War techno-geekery. The copy itself was painful to read.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he and Robert Ludlam are in heaven pestering James Joyce to get his writing secrets while Thomas Kinkade paints the scene. That's a whole lot of middlebrow in the afterlife.
ReplyDeleteRIP of course.. but some of the worst writing I have ever read. Sorry dude
ReplyDeleteAn arsehole who dies is still an arsehole.
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDeleteLots of good writers dying this year (Clancy, Elmore Leonard...), and dipshits like ken follet and paulo coelho and many more are still alive. Definitively, God doesn't want Humanity to read good books.
Oh god, Ludlam is even worse. Years ago, when I was traveling in Europe, the only English-language novels you could find in France, Spain, etc. were Ludlam thrillers and old Mickey Spillane sludge. Consequently, I actually trudged through all the Bourne books. They were terrible. Just the worst writing ever.
ReplyDeleteSpillane's stuff, though repetitive, was not half bad.
Profane, some read for the entertaining stories. If the author happens to not be as great as others, it doesn't mean the readers are idiots.
ReplyDeleteI will proudly say that I loved the Sookie Stackhouse series. The writing may not have been great, but the story sucked me in, and it was a fun read.
I hate to speak ill of the dead, but it's true, Clancy was a major a*hole. My college roommate is related to his first wife and said that he was a jerk even when he was just an insurance salesman, and became an even bigger jerk when got famous.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see some honesty on this post. I don't get why we feel the need to turn every dead person into a saint. I never read Clancy's books, so I can't speak on his talent as an author, but man, he was such a dick in real life.
ReplyDelete"If the author happens to not be as great as others, it doesn't mean the readers are idiots."
ReplyDeleteSorry, no. There is a level of prose awfulness that actually causes brain damage if you read it. Clancy's dreck plowed through that nadir and kept getting worse.
I'm sure a large chunk of celebrities are gigantic assholes in "real life".
ReplyDeleteI forgot, Profane. You are always right and always better than us simple folk.
ReplyDelete"I forgot, Profane. You are always right and always better than us simple folk."
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to literature, yes. And I've got big, fancy degrees that say so.
He may have also been a dick in general, but if someone knocked on my door to get an autograph I would freak the hell out on them. How fucking rude!
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of my Milton class, we had to go around the room and talk about books we read over the summer. When it came to my turn, I mentioned how much I liked "Hunt for Red October." The room went dead silent, as everyone else's choices were very dense and intellectual, and all eyes turned to the professor who stated,"I read it too...brilliant storytelling." Sadly, Clancy's other books never lived up to the first.
ReplyDelete"When it comes to literature, yes. And I've got big, fancy degrees that say so"
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, here you are, reading cdan...
Please, put your ruler away.
B. I love ya, but don't be snobby!
ReplyDeleteHe wrote books with great plots and attention to detail. However in real life he was a paranoid wing nut, borderline survivalist. Probably why he so touchy about anyone coming near him.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGet off your high horse, Profane. Most people who do a lot of reading like Tom Clancy. Educated people do too, and those who don't are at least able to articulate why. You just sound pissy and are not to be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty well known (though apparently not here) that while Clancy wrote his first several books, after that he franchised out his name and hack writers essentially wrote his successive novels for him, under his name.
ReplyDeleteNone of the stories about his death today gave a reason. Now that I see that ciggie and how bloated he was, I think I can guess the cause of death.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, years ago I tried really hard to read one of his books but the writing was just too awful. Not that I don't read hack writing, I do, but there are some writers I just cannot stomach and he was one of them.
Nonetheless, rest in peace Mr. Clancy.