Robert E. Howard’s impact on popular literature and fantasy fiction is undeniable, yet much of his life remains clouded by myth and speculation. In Robert E. Howard: The Life and Times of a Texas Author, scholar Willard M. Oliver provides a thoroughly researched and engaging biography that sheds new light on the man behind The Hyborian Age, Solomon Kane, El Borak, and countless other unforgettable characters.

Drawing on an extensive range of sources, including Howard’s letters, historical records, and contemporary accounts, Oliver traces Howard’s life from his early years in Texas to his rise as a celebrated pulp writer. The book offers a deep exploration of Howard’s influences, struggles, and triumphs, providing a rich, contextualized view of his creative genius. Readers will gain insight into his relationships, his literary evolution, and the cultural landscape that shaped his work.

This biography stands as an essential resource for both longtime Howard enthusiasts and newcomers eager to understand the legendary writer beyond the myths. With its detailed narrative and scholarly rigor, Robert E. Howard: The Life and Times of a Texas Author is a must-read for anyone interested in the life and legacy of one of pulp fiction’s greatest pioneers.

Courtesy of Will Oliver.

Contents

• vii • Foreword
• 1 • Prologue – Cross Plains, Texas, March 1932
• 17 • Chapter 1 – “I Seek a Vicarious Pride in My Ancestry”
• 31 • Chapter 2 – Dr. Isaac and Hester Ervin Howard, 1870–1906
• 49 • Chapter 3 – A Peripatetic Childhood, 1906–1915
• 63 • Chapter 4 – Post Oak Country, 1915–1919
• 79 • Chapter 5 – Cross Plains, Texas, 1919
• 91 • Chapter 6 – Influential Authors, 1920–1922
• 105 • Chapter 7 – Brownwood, Texas, 1922–1923
• 117 • Chapter 8 – Struggling Author, 1923–1924
• 131 • Chapter 9 – Weird Tales, 1925
• 147 • Chapter 10 – On Werewolves and Horror Yarns, 1925
• 161 • Chapter 11 – “Ye College Days,” 1926–1927
• 177 • Chapter 12 – The Anguished Poet, 1927
• 191 • Chapter 13 – “The Last Celt,” 1927–1928
• 207 • Chapter 14 – Solomon Kane and Historical Fantasy, 1928
• 225 • Chapter 15 – Steve Costigan and the Boxing Yarns, 1929
• 239 • Chapter 16 – King Kull and the Birth of Sword and Sorcery, 1929
• 255 • Chapter 17 – “Lovecraft, One of the Greatest Writers of Our Time,” 1930
• 271 • Chapter 18 – Bran Mak Morn and the Picts, 1930
• 285 • Chapter 19 – Oriental Stories, The Magic Carpet, and Historical Fiction, 1931
• 301 • Chapter 20 – The Cthulhu Mythos, 1931
• 313 • Chapter 21 – Westerns both Strange and True, 1932
• 329 • Chapter 22 – “Hither Came Conan, the Cimmerian,” 1932
• 347 • Chapter 23 – Steve Harrison and the Detective Yarns, 1933
• 365 • Chapter 24 – Breckenridge Elkins and the Tall Tale Yarns, 1934
• 379 • Chapter 25 – El Borak and the Adventure Yarns, 1934
• 387 • Chapter 26 – Novalyne Price, 1934–1935
• 403 • Chapter 27 – Dark Moods, 1935
• 421 • Chapter 28 – Spicy Pulps and Shudder Stories, 1936
• 433 • Chapter 29 – Future Texas Laureate, 1936
• 445 • Chapter 30 – “In the Realization That I Must Die,” 1936
• 459 • Epilogue – “All Fled, All Done”
• 475 • Acknowledgments
• 477 • Endnotes
• 549 • Bibliography
• 567 • About the Authors
• 569 • Index