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31:
530:, California in 1920 and lived there most of the rest of his life. Journalist Margaret Wickham Watson (1891-1934) was his usual companion, his secretary, and sometimes cited as his wife although the two were never married and O'Brien was never divorced from his first wife. O'Brien became a local radio personality, "displaying his characteristic flair for humor, political commentary, and storytelling." But he was a long-time alcoholic, had growing financial problems and ill health, and "all his artistic creative force had left him." With Watson, he traveled to Europe in 1923 and 1925. both of them attempting to revive their literary careers. O'Brien wrote more stories about the South Seas and worked on his autobiography and a biography of
439:, he recounted his visits to islanders still isolated from Western ways, whose life style was free from modern pressures. O'Brien enchanted readers with his skillful depiction of moonlit walks along warm-water beaches, exotic tales and scenes, and photos of bare-breasted Polynesian women. But in the native areas impacted by colonialism, he also found disease and loss of cultural vitality. The book was described "as a bitter denunciation of white civilization and its destructive effects on the lifestyles and cultural traditions of a Polynesian paradise." Despite the serious underpinning, the book became a best seller. In 1928, directors
363:"I am a Marylander, and first a sailor and then a law student at a university; a laborer, a tramp, a reporter in the United States, Hawaii and the Philippines; a correspondent and traveler in Asia, Africa and Europe; a gardener and keeper of chickens, gold-fish, goats; a beach-comber in the South seas, a political writer, a public utility expert, acting State Food Administrator in California, one of Herbert Hoover's assistants in Washington; always a lover of sunsets on far shores, of books, of sea, of speculations of life and morals, customs and reactions, of merry song and brave deed, and also of being alone"
494:, she assisted him as an editor and encouraged his efforts. A woman of many lovers, he was the one man whom she loved after the death of London. Fame as an author did not come easily to O'Brien. As one observer noted, "he didn't love writing. He didn't get from it the joy of the artist in full swing. He was essentially a talker. He thrilled to the response of his listeners. As he went on repeating his stories he would make them finer."
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175:
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who also wrote about the
Marquesas and "inspiring a host of imitators exploiting the glamour of the Pacific Islands." The movie based on his book was well received. However, O'Brien's prominence quickly receded into obscurity and in 1955 his name was dropped from the standard reference book
30:
398:"Where is the boy who has not dreamed of the cannibal isles, those strange fantastic places over the rim of the world, where naked brown men move like shadows through unimaginable jungles and horrid feasts are celebrated to the "boom, boom, boom!" of the 12 foot drums."
428:
and deserved co-authorship and half the royalties, a claim with some credibility as O'Brien was a storyteller, rather than a disciplined writer. Also, an excerpt from the book, published in August 1919, listed them as co-authors. The lawsuit was settled out of court.
218:. Returning home, he studied law briefly, "plodding through irksome duties as a law clerk." Setting out again as a self-proclaimed hobo, he traveled throughout the States. He worked as a reporter for future U.S president
353:
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into a comfortable Irish
Catholic family. Family beliefs tended to leftist activism and outrage over social injustice. He referred to his devout sister Mary as a Catholic
549:
Watson attempted without success after O'Brien's death to find publishers for his letters and autobiography. In 1934, Watson committed suicide in her apartment in
412:, especially the Marquesas, in 1913-1914 O'Brien spent five years attempting to have his story published. With the editorial assistance of aspiring writer
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After Coxey's Army, O'Brien worked mostly as an "accomplished, though itinerant, journalist." He continued to travel about the world. He worked for the
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was not "entirely successful" with reviews suggesting that O'Brien had run out of ideas. While writing these books, O'Brien lived at times with writer
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542:. He died of congestive heart failure on January 9, 1932. O'Brien's body was cremated and his ashes were scattered by a friend at the
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and Post said that O'Brien's three books were "more successful than almost any other travel books of our time." The
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https://www.nytimes.com/1932/01/10/archives/frederick-obrien-author-dies-at-62-his-white-shadows-in-the-south.html
553:
by shooting herself in the heart. O'Brien's unfinished and unpublished manuscripts disappeared with her death.
470:. The date of his visit to the Society Islands was in early 1914, which is established by his meeting with poet
671:
Willcox, Charles (2017), The Lost
Autobiographical Works of Once Famous Sausalito Author Frederick O'Brien,"
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255:
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established O'Brien's reputation as a travel writer. Focusing on the remote
Marquesas Islands of the south
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153:, peripatetic world traveler, and public administrator. He wrote three best-selling travel books about
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Eden and the Lotus-eaters: A Critical Study of the South Sea Island
Writings to Frederick O'Brien,
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Islands where he spent a year as a beachcomber. Returning to the United States, he served during
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University of
Maryland, College Park, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 1966. 6605171.
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Barry, John D. "Oil of
Frederick O'Brien," Sausalito News, Number 6, 5 February 1932.
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was finally published in 1919. Wilder later sued O'Brien, claiming that she was the
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he married
Gertude Harriman Frye. They had no children and soon lived apart.
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The South Seas: A Reception
History from Daniel Defoe to Dorothy Lamour,
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of the unemployed and its march on
Washington, D.C. On May 26, 1897 in
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149:(16 June 1869 – 9 January 1932) was an American author, journalist,
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of the book that remained true to the exotic, but dystopian theme.
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Facing the Pacific: Polynesia and the U.S. Imperial Imagination,
266:. From 1903 to 1909 he was the East Asian correspondent for the
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White Shadows in the South Seas, Mystic Isles of the South Seas,
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Asia: Journal of the American Asiatic Association]], Vol 19.
306:. Returning to California in 1909, he edited newspapers in
338:. In 1918-1919 he returned to Manila as publisher of the
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Univ. of Hawaii Press, 2007. pp. 78-79. Downloaded from
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for the State Food Administration in California and the
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Brawley and Dixon, pp. 119-120; Stasz, Clarice (2001),
383:
O'Brien lived in the town of Atuona on the island of
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Stasz, Clarice (2006), "Charmian Kittredge London",
206:, he dropped out to travel. He spent 1887 exploring
740:Quoted from Brawley, Sean and Dixon, Chris (2015),
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700:Asia: Journal of the American Asiatic Association,
857:. New Washington, Ohio. 22 Jan 1932. p. 3.
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853:"Body Of O'Brien, Noted Author, Is Cremated".
570:"The Rev. R. A. O'Brien Dies in Philippines".
757:Boston: University of Massachusetts, p. 263;
202:for her radicalism. Following three years at
8:
474:who was there at this time. His third book,
964:American expatriates in Trinidad and Tobago
774:James Norman Hall, and Robert Dean Frisbie.
534:, the priest who lived among the lepers in
357:Frederick O'Brien and a Samoan girl (1921).
298:, opposing U.S. imperial ambitions in the
290:. His experiences led him to advocate for
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18:
723:"Frederick O'Brien, Author, Dies at 62,"
687:Geiger, pp. 78-80; "Frederic O'Brien...,
584:"Frederick O'Brien, Author, Dies at 62,"
368:O'Brien in an interview, later quoted in
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508:Oxford Companion to American Literature
350:in 1921 researching for his next book.
214:by foot, and worked in asphalt pits in
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510:credits him with reviving interest in
318:. In 1913, he journeyed to the remote
250:, filed articles with such outlets as
194:Frederick O'Brien was born in 1869 in
258:. From 1902 to 1909 he was editor of
185:. O'Brien crossed the island on foot.
7:
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785:"White Shadows in the South Seas,"
949:20th-century American male writers
39:, Frederick O'Brien, and director
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959:American expatriates in Venezuela
944:20th-century American journalists
458:(1921) was set on the islands of
387:during his stay in the Marquesas.
328:United States Food Administration
929:American people of Irish descent
433:White Shadows in the South Seas
274:. In 1906-1907, he traveled to
168:White Shadows in the South Seas
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954:American expatriates in Brazil
456:Mystic Isles of the South Seas
418:White Shadows in the South Sea
403:An example of O'Brien's prose.
270:, covering events such as the
226:. In 1894 he was a general in
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546:strait on San Francisco Bay.
673:Sausalito Historical Society
165:A movie was made in 1928 of
181:, the "Bay of Virgins," on
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919:Journalists from Baltimore
881:Works by Frederick O'Brien
769:Roulston, Charles Robert.
924:American male journalists
488:Charmian Kittredge London
408:After his year living in
28:
744:Lexington Books, p. 120.
609:Geiger, Jeffrey (2007),
248:Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch
939:American travel writers
843:Geiger, pp 116-117, 226
597:"Frederick O'Brien...,
490:at her ranch. Widow of
454:O'Brien's second book,
292:Philippine Independence
256:San Francisco Chronicle
252:The Honolulu Advertiser
157:between 1919 and 1922:
43:on the set of the film
788:, accessed 13 Sep 2018
731:, accessed 12 Sep 2018
705:, accessed 14 Sep 2018
678:, accessed 13 Sep 2018
478:(1922) was set in the
449:motion picture version
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103:Gertrude Harriman Frye
890:Frederick O'Brien
855:New Washington Herald
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204:Loyola Jesuit College
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816:accessed 11 Sep 2018
755:Jack London's Women,
934:American socialists
574:. December 6, 1933.
526:O'Brien settled in
16:American journalist
812:2008-03-05 at the
725:The New York Times
714:Gieger, pp. 74, 78
689:The New York Times
599:The New York Times
586:The New York Times
572:The New York Times
504:San Francisco Call
476:Atolls of the Sun,
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371:The New York Times
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296:anti-imperialistic
272:Russo-Japanese War
260:Cablenews-American
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163:Atolls of the Sun.
138:Richard A. O'Brien
132:William J. O'Brien
885:Project Gutenberg
834:Geiger, pp. 75-77
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83:(1932-01-09)
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544:Golden Gate
492:Jack London
324:World War I
300:Philippines
903:Categories
557:References
522:Later life
498:Importance
316:California
200:Trotskyite
190:Early life
92:California
61:1869-06-16
702:Vol 19,
528:Sausalito
410:Polynesia
320:Marquesas
308:Riverside
208:Venezuela
196:Baltimore
183:Fatu Hiva
140:(brother)
128:Relatives
68:Baltimore
810:Archived
646:cite web
254:and the
236:Illinois
216:Trinidad
179:Hanavave
134:(father)
72:Maryland
46:Ebb Tide
35:Actress
536:Molokai
466:in the
447:made a
385:Hiva Oa
284:Central
232:Chicago
122:
110:
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636:12 Sep
540:Hawaii
484:Atolls
464:Moorea
460:Tahiti
392:Author
344:Tahiti
312:Oxnard
282:, and
280:Africa
276:Europe
264:Manila
242:Career
212:Brazil
116:
98:Spouse
49:(1922)
348:Samoa
136:Rev.
120:)
112:(
108:
894:IMDb
659:help
638:2018
502:The
462:and
443:and
346:and
310:and
302:and
286:and
210:and
161:and
151:hobo
118:1897
78:Died
55:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
