Trevanian's Desk/The Others

Here are some stories from and about 'the Others'

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This is splendid news – a Trevanian Web page! Is this not the equivalent of a whole bundle of clues to a literary Holy Grail? And how marvelous to hear that we - The Others - are strange and wonderful creatures. I suspect Trevanian’s character analysis of a Trevanian Buff is very close to the truth.

We all have our abiding dreams and fantasies. Mine was always to be an international best-selling writer of fiction; a writer who, in spite of all, shuns fame -- if not fortune -- writing under various assumed names, while maintaining anonymity year after year, decade after decade, a phantom of the publishing world! Now who does that sound like?

Since I never realized that dream, indeed will never even be an Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery, I gradually contented myself with just dreaming of making a pilgrimage to wherever his lair was in the Basque country in order to meet the "real" author. (Of course, any of us who purport to “know” anything about Trevanian, know this would be a nightmare for the great man, and we would never seriously contemplate such an intrusion.)

But I think there are many of us who, reading Trevanian decade after decade, were more than ready to know more about the author. Beyond the Web page, there are probably a great many of us who would want to say – Hey, how about a visit; come on over to our house for a stimulating evening of wine, food, and conversation. For us Others, how many individuals would we ever really want to invite into our home? Maybe a few artists, writers mainly, with Trevanian surely among the chosen few.

There has been such a long a gap between some of his later works, the romantic “The Summer of Katya” and “Incident at Twenty-Mile,” and “Hot Night in the City,” that we began to fear the worst ... had Trevanian suffered permanent writer’s block, or even worse, become disabled or even passed on? But even though the gaps are a tad longer, it’s always a relief to learn that The Phantom is still out there, and a delight to see he's still capable of kicking up his heels like an ornery mustang.

What a range and quality of fiction this man has produced, in such a relatively small body of work. From the thrillers that were part politics, part romance, and part political diatribe (what’s life without intelligent diatribe?) as in the case of “Shibumi,” he has dipped into other forms of fiction, all equally fascinating stuff.

And so let’s raise a glass of red to you, oh, Phantom of Fiction! May you live to write – whether “erudite little novels” or big epics - for a whole new generation of Others!

- Prospero in Tucson [read more from Prospero here]

Hi Trevanian..."anything worse than students not listening to teacher?" Yup...Teachers who complain about it..."

And so the Master evokes a knowing chuckle from this reader who has been there, done that, raising several children and helping with 10 grandchildren as needed and finding the same question/reaction applies in both situations.

Trevanian story: Avid reader somehow comes across Trevanian story..paperback...reads it and finds it years later and sends it on to a son's family in a used carton with other stories. Her impulse to include it in the treasure trove is unerringly sure; true, she had read it "back in the days when...", but it had stayed with her sub consciously as a gem.

Three days ago she checks out "Crazyladies". At this writing it's about 2 hrs. since she finished it. She's using the website to let his publishers know she will buy her own copy so she can revisit Pearl Street at her leisure, savoring the nuances evoked of a time in America that may not ever have been so richly and heartbreakingly described.

Trevanian I salute you! Long live the Lone Ranger! Down with Disney! Your website? Easy to navigate! Fascinating information! Kudos to Gravity! Q&A format...use it to delight us even more!

- N. Smith

I have been an avid reader of Trevanian's books since, as kid who did a little rock-bashing in the North Cascades of Oregon, I was captivated by the character of Jonathan Hemlock. I think I've read everything you've published, and I thank you for the pleasure it has brought me.

Ten years ago, when I was first introduced to the internet, and search engines, and got a clue about what a powerful instrument they would prove to be in the matter of rapid access to huge gouts of information, I remember thinking that you had been prescient with your description of Fat Boy (I think that was its name) the computer in Shibumi. The modern practice of "data mining" as employed by the government and large businesses takes us even closer. I decided though, at the time, that the technology was not mature, because it could not lead me to Trevanian. Trevanian became my acid-test of the legitimacy of the internet as a tool to gain access to information. Back then, it could tell me nothing (though it did lead me to connections with other avid readers).

Now, it has arrived.

-L.W.

Thank you so very much for the advance notice on the “Street of the Four winds”. I have discovered that I am truly one of the “Others”... I have convinced all the booksellers that they have got to download the cybernotes. I must confess I stayed up until 5:00 a.m. inhabiting Pearl Street and reading and re-reading the cybernotes.

Please forgive me if I am hopelessly behind the times but this is the first that I have heard of the ability to get tons more information about the book and its author from a companion website and download...I want to educate myself and fellow booksellers... how long has this been going on – have I been under a rock? I cannot tell you how much the website means to me. I truly did not know if T was alive and have been mourning the lack of decent literature...Cordially –

- Suzanne

Greetings from Northern Luzon,

That website will certainly have us, Filipino fans of the revered Trevanian as excited as a masochist gate-crashing one of Lucretia Borgia's socials.

...Only upon reaching my mid-20's did I realise that I possessed neither the education nor the sufficient life traumas to entitle me to such Hemlockian wise-ass insularity. On the whole, though, Trevanian's stock performers -- be it the world-weary cynic, the beautiful girl, the freak, and the jocular intellectual -- have been delightful companions throughout the decades.

I understand the latest offering covers his childhood in the States. Perhaps there is something cathartic about the exercise ( I can't accuse our idol of being self-indulgent after all!). But, being a residue of the Basque travellers who infested the South China Sea many centuries past, I'd quite fancy reading about Trevanian's life in Pais Vasco. Then too, there is that delicious feeling knowing one can only commune with him by way of his writings.

I have numerous location photos taken during visits to Euskadi and can contribute to your website (I always entertain the thought that I captured Trevanian lurking in some corner there, sitting in a terrace in Ainhoa sipping cafe, having an ice-cold patxaran in Donosti, masticating on a pintxo in Zarautz, paying exorbitant fees at Arzak's and Berasategui's). Please let me know how I can assist in its development.

Heaps of thanks again for putting up the website. Maraming salamat po.

- J.

Hello,

I am certainly thrilled to have stumbled upon a website that is dedicated to one of my favorite wordsmiths. I eagerly await the updates. I must say that Trevanian’s social commentary embedded in his works is the greatest attraction for me...Regards,

- D.

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