Today in History, March 14: 1919:
The first “Max Brand” western novel, “The Untamed” is published. Max Brand was a pen name for Frederick Faust, one of 21 that he used.
He never used his actual name, however, being embarrassed by his stories, which he saw as poor quality.
He also wrote medical dramas (Dr. Kildare) and spy thrillers under other names. The history channel reports that Faust / Brand wrote over 500 western serials and novels, making him “perhaps” the most prolific western writer of all time.
I thought perhaps Louis L’Amour would give him a run for his money, but found that L’Amour reached perhaps 135. The books made Faust incredibly rich (bringing him out of poverty); for all of the money he made from westerns, he disliked the west with a passion…most of his books were written from his Italian Villa and he spent most of his life in Europe, although born in Seattle and raised in California.
Mark Loves History! 