Fair Harbor, NY – Summer, 1987
In costume for a community theater production. That’s me on the left.
Welcome and thanks for visiting the official website of crime novelist and MWA Grand Master Donald E. Westlake, aka Richard Stark, aka Tucker Coe, aka Curt Clark, aka Samuel Holt, aka Timothy J. Culver, aka J. Morgan Cunningham, aka Judson Jack Carmichael (what’s with all the “J” names?), and (grudgingly) aka Edwin West. The blog section (here) will be where interesting updates and news items related to Don’s work will appear. The other pages on the site are mostly static but still packed with Don-related info. The Parker, Dortmunder and Miscellany pages will grow as more fun stuff is added. More stories will be added to the Shorts page over time.
The bibliography and books pages are static but will continue to be a work in progress as more material is discovered, uncovered and digitized for the web. I have also decided to open the comments sections on the book pages. Some of Don’s work was considered groundbreaking, especially for its time, and what better place to have the discussion than right here? I have no idea if anyone will care to comment on specific titles or if this is just an invitation to web trolls but I thought I would start with an open platform and adjust if necessary.
Oh, and here’s all the “about me” you could possibly need: I’m Don’s youngest son. To understate the matter, my background is somewhat different — music, film, tv, web — but my inspiration has always been the same. In more than twenty years of working in the creative fields, I still have never met another human being with the level of discipline and sheer volume of creative output as my father. Intimidating, to be sure. He was the consummate storyteller and I owe every ounce of my comparatively laughable imagination and work ethic to his example. This is one small way in which I’m trying to return the favor.
I hope you enjoy your visit. Come back again and comment liberally.
Thanks again,
Paul Westlake
Caretaker
Thank you for doing this. I am a great fan of your father's work and it is nice to see the website not languish from inattention.
It's my pleasure. Thanks for the kind words.
Paul…
The new website looks great. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing you over Thanksgiving weekend.
Jim
Thanks, Jim. See you soon.
Add my name to the growing list of grateful readers who will lap up all this lovely information.
Naomi Bradshaw
Paul
I was genuinely saddened when I heard your father had passed away. His work has given me so much enjoyment for 35 years. I would love to see the memorium you edited, extended to feature length including any available video / audio interviews and comments / memories from friends and fellow writers. With your background in film and TV, is there any chance?
Rgds
Colin
p.s. great to see the website reactivated.
Hi, Paul. I have kept your late father's website bookmarked and today (12-15-11) I just wanted to visit it again. I am so glad to see that you are keeping it alive. Thank you! I have loved your father's work. Nowadays, I read from my Nook and my iPodTouch, so I'm hoping to acquire the whole d'oeuvre digitally. I'll be revisiting your website often to read everything you are putting on it. with thanks and very best wishes, chris
Naomi, Colin and Christine, thanks for the nice comments. Sorry I've been away for a while but a combination of factors has prevented updates in recent weeks. I'm working on fixing the functionality problems with the backend on this site and then forging ahead. I hope to bring more intersting tidbits asap, like excerpts from the Mohonk Mystery weekends and interviews with colleagues, but the technology and the holidays must come first.
Thanks for the visit,
Pw
I'll add my gratitude as well. I was introduced to your father's books by my mother, who herself passed in 2010 (possibly because there would be no more Westlake books to look forward to). I'm currently going through the Samuel Holt books, and on a whim decided to see what had become of this site, and I'll repeat what's been said already: I'm glad it didn't disintegrate into cobwebs. The world would be a sadder place without his words; and likewise without your keeping his memory alive in this peculiar digital realm.
What a pleasant surprise! I had bookmarked your father's site years ago. When I opened it a few days ago, I saw the recent developments and updates. I'm really excited about your great work! Thanks so much.
I'm probably the biggest Westlake fan in Germany. I own about 80% of your father's books, most of them in English language. Their German translations – especially the Sixties and Seventies stuff – are very poor. Many of his books – like most of the Dortmunder novels – haven't even been translated into German.
Although I love the Parker and Grofield series a lot, as well as the Dortmunder series, there's a lot of other outstanding books. "Kahawa" is one of the finest pieces of literature ever, "High Adventure" is awesome (the restaurant scene is unforgettable, I still have to laugh out loud by even thinking of it), "Put a Lid on it" is a great read, too. Just to mention a few.
I consider myself a very lucky guy: I saw your father in person when he was on a German tour in Frankfurt in a small English book shop to promote his German editions of his newly translated Parker books (Ask the Parrot – Fragen Sie den Papagei was the first one, I believe). What an impressive man!
Thanks again for this site and keep up the great work!
Adi
Thank you for your enthusiastic and generous comments. I'm sad to learn that the German translations aren't very good. I'm sure it's not easy but it makes me wonder if his German fans are appreciating the real thing. Do you think it's a product of translating too much American slang? Or could they just be better?
Thanks again and keep stopping by. More updates to come.
Pw
I wonder if you’re interested in a list of all German titles of DEW, Richard Stark and Tucker Coe. If you need German book covers as well, I’ll be happy to scan them for you.
Cheers,
Adi
Donald E. Westlake has long been one of my favorite authors. I’m currently re-reading KAHAWA. Can anyone tell me where I can read about the actual events that inspired this story of train-snatching? Thanks.