Robert E. Howard

Robert E. Howard in 1911

Robert E Howard House Museum 2015

Robert E. Howard in 1923

Weird Tales August 1928

Oriental stories 193102 v1 n3

Lovecraft Linocut

Robert E. Howard

Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936) was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He is well known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre. Howard was born and raised in the state of Texas, where he spent most of his life.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

Howard was born in Peaster, Texas, to Isaac Mordecai Howard and Hester Jane Ervin Howard. His father was a traveling country physician, and his mother was a homemaker. The family moved frequently during Howard's early years, finally settling in the town of Cross Plains, Texas in 1919.

Writing Career[edit | edit source]

Howard began writing at a young age and sold his first story, "Spear and Fang," to the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1924. Over the next twelve years, he became a prolific writer, contributing to various pulp magazines. His most famous creation, Conan the Barbarian, first appeared in "The Phoenix on the Sword" in 1932.

Howard's works span multiple genres, including horror, historical fiction, western fiction, and science fiction. He was a contemporary and correspondent of other notable writers such as H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, and he was part of the Lovecraft Circle.

Personal Life[edit | edit source]

Howard was known to have a close relationship with his mother, who suffered from tuberculosis. Her illness had a profound impact on him, and he was her primary caregiver until her death. Howard himself struggled with depression throughout his life.

Death[edit | edit source]

On June 11, 1936, after learning that his mother had fallen into a coma from which she was not expected to recover, Howard committed suicide by gunshot. He was 30 years old. His mother died the following day.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Howard's work has had a lasting impact on the genres of fantasy and horror. Conan the Barbarian has been adapted into various media, including films, television series, comic books, and video games. Howard's influence can be seen in the works of later writers and in the continued popularity of the sword and sorcery genre.