Richard Suskind facts for kids

Richard Suskind (born May 2, 1925 – died September 14, 1999) was an author of children's books. He worked with another writer, Clifford Irving, on a book that was supposed to be the life story of a very private businessman named Howard Hughes. However, this book turned out to be fake. Richard Suskind faced consequences for his part in this story. He passed away in 1999 when he was 74 years old, in Woodland Hills, California.

His story was even made into a movie in 2007 called The Hoax, where actor Alfred Molina played him.

Early Life and Adventures

Richard Suskind was born in New York City and went to school there. When he was 18, in 1943, he joined the Army. He was part of the 8th Armored Division and served as a machine gunner during important battles like the Battle of the Bulge in Europe.

After the war, he continued his education. He studied at several famous schools, including Columbia University in the U.S., the University of Florence in Italy, and the University of Paris in France. He also studied music at the Juilliard School and the Paris Conservatory of Music.

In 1948, Suskind joined the Israeli Army during the Arab–Israeli War. After that, he worked on merchant ships and traveled all around the world twice in two years! He lived in Italy for two years, in Paris for five years, and on the Spanish island of Ibiza for seven years.

A Writer's Life

Richard Suskind loved writing from a young age, starting when he was just fifteen. He wrote twelve books and more than one hundred articles and short stories. He was married and had one son.

His books often explored historical topics, making them interesting for young readers. Here are some of his published works:

• 1962 Crusades
• 1964 Do You Want to Live Forever!
• 1967 Cross and Crescent: the Story of the Crusades
• 1968 Men in Armor: the Story of Knights & Knighthood
• 1969 Swords, Spears & Sandals: the Story of the Roman Legions
• 1969 Battle of Belleau Wood; the Marines Stand Fast
• 1970 Barbarians: the Story of the European Tribes
• 1971 Sword of the Prophet: the Story of the Moslem Empire
• 1971 By Bullet, Bomb and Dagger: the Story of Anarchism
• 1973 Crusader King, Richard the Lionhearted

The Howard Hughes Book

In 1972, Richard Suskind worked with Clifford Irving on a book about Howard Hughes. This book was called What Really Happened; His untold story of the Hughes Affair. Later, it was also published as Project Octavio: The Story of the Howard Hughes Hoax in 1977. This book was presented as Hughes's true life story, but it was later found to be a made-up story.