Grand Prix de Littérature Policière
2 appearances
-
Edition 26 (1973) Winner
Howard Melvin Fast
ハワード・メルヴィン・ファスト
Hōwādo Meruvin Fasuto
Pen Names:
E.V. Cunningham（Pen name used for mystery novels）,
Walter Ericson（Used for the novel Fallen Angel）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1914-11-11 （New York City, U.S.）
- Died
- 2003-03-12 （Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.） age 88
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Judaism
- Residence History
- New York City → Teaneck, New Jersey → California → Greenwich, Connecticut
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Television writer
- Active Years
- 1933-2003
- Affiliations
- Voice of America, Blue Heron Press
- Memberships
- Communist Party USA, American Labor Party
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Stalin Peace Prize | — | — | Soviet Union | 受賞 |
Stalin Peace Prize
1953
Organization:
Soviet Union
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Spartacus
1951 Historical fictionA novel about the slave uprising led by Spartacus in ancient Rome. Written in prison.
slave revoltfreedomhuman dignity
Adaptations
- [Film] Spartacus / Stanley Kubrick (1960)
- [TV Miniseries] Spartacus (2004)
April Morning
1961 Historical fictionDepicts the Battle of Lexington in the American Revolution.
American Revolutioncoming of agefamily
Adaptations
- [TV Movie] April Morning (1988)
The Last Frontier
1941 Historical fictionAbout Cheyenne Indians' attempt to return to their homeland.
Native AmericansresistanceAmerican history
Adaptations
- [Film] Cheyenne Autumn / John Ford (1964)
Freedom Road
1944 Historical fictionLives of former slaves during Reconstruction.
emancipationracismpolitics
Adaptations
- [TV Miniseries] Freedom Road (1979)
The Immigrants
1977 Family sagaFirst of a six-part series about an immigrant family's American dream.
immigrationsuccessfamily
Bibliography
- Two Valleys
- Spartacus
- April Morning
- Sylvia (as E.V. Cunningham)
- Phyllis (as E.V. Cunningham)
Adaptations
- Spartacus (1960 film)
- April Morning (1988 TV)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- vivid historical depictionsemphasis on social justiceaccessible storytelling
- Recurring Motifs
- struggles of the oppressedheroes of American historyhuman rights
Legacy
Prominent 20th-century American historical novelist. Spartacus became a world-famous film. Blacklisted for communist ties but succeeded through self-publishing, later left the party. Authored over 80 books.
In Popular Culture
- Novel Spartacus adapted into Stanley Kubrick's iconic film.
Quotes
-
There was the evil in what we dreamed of as Communists: we took the noblest dreams and hopes of mankind as our credo; the evil we did was to accept the degradation of our own souls—and because we surrendered in ourselves...
Source: The Naked God: The Writer and the Communist Party (1957)
Trivia
- Parents were Jewish immigrants (mother British, father Ukrainian).
- Published debut novel Two Valleys at age 18.
- Wrote Spartacus during 3-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress.
- Awarded Stalin Peace Prize in 1953.
- Wrote mystery series under pen name E.V. Cunningham.