Max Brand

One of Cleopatra's Nights

originally published:
Berkeley
1914

awards:

  • First Book(1914)

reference info

bio notes:
born: 5/29/1892
died: 5/12/1944
born as: Frederick Schiller Faust

Seattle-born author who worked as a cowhand in California, attended Berkeley, joined then deserted the Canadian Army, and finally settled down to writing full-time. He was incredibly prolific and wrote numerous books under his birth name (Frederick Faust) and a variety of pseudonyms. Today he is best known for his work published as Max Brand, including the classic Western Destry Rides Again and his popular series Dr. Kildare. Although middle-aged when WWII broke out and suffering from chronic heart disease (he had had a heart attack in 1921), he became a front line war correspondent and was fatally wounded by shrapnel in Italy in 1944.

Collecting tips:

Brand wrote so many works that a complete collection will take you quite a while to assemble. His most desirable, and hence most expensive, include his first, The Untamed, Destry Rides Again, and Calling Dr. Kildare, featuring his stalwart physician hero.