Glendon Swarthout, Author

       Mr. Swarthout, novelist, had the widest literary range of any American author of his generation, writing 16 novels.  These ranged from dramas, mysteries, romance and comedy and he and his wife, Kathryn also wrote 6 novellas for teenagers.
      Many of the novels became bestsellers and are still available in bookstores and libraries.
      He had a PhD in Victorian literature and a Masters and B.A. degrees in English from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.
      He never wrote sequels to any of his hit novels or a series of books based on lead characters. This may have been a mistake on his part but he was always trying to write better than great authors who he admired.
      Glendon won many awards for his stories and a number of them were made into motion pictures.  Over 50% of his short stories were sold, optioned or made into movies.
      He married Kathryn _____ 28 December 1940.  They are the parents of Miles Hood Swarthout who is also a writer.

      Glendon Swarthout wrote, "Where The Boys Are", about college co-eds on spring break.  It was made into a movie.
      He graduated from Lowell High School in the late 1930's.

      Mr. Swarthout also authored the book, "Welcome to Thebes".  It was a Payton place type fictional book that many Lowell residents at the time found the characters to be strikingly similar to local people.  It was a hot gossip item and made many people upset for the rest of their lives.  Every once in a while there would be a venting letter to the editor in the Lowell Ledger from someone who's spouse or other family member had just died and had forbid them from saying anything while they were alive.  The last recollection of one being in the Ledger was in the 1980's.