Sax Rohmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sax Rohmer
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| Born | Arthur Henry Ward 15 February 1883 Birmingham, England |
| Died | 1 June 1959 (aged 76) London, England |
| Pen name | Sax Rohmer, Michael Furey, Arthur Sarsfield Ward |
| Occupation | Novelist |
Arthur Henry Ward (born February 15, 1883 – died June 1, 1959), known by his pen name Sax Rohmer, was an English writer. He is most famous for creating the character Dr. Fu Manchu, a clever criminal mastermind, in a series of popular novels.
Contents
About Sax Rohmer
Early Life and Writing Career
Arthur Ward was born in Birmingham, England. His parents, William and Margaret Ward, were from Ireland. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a civil servant. He also wrote poems, songs, and funny skits for music hall shows. Later, he started using the name Sax Rohmer and focused on writing fiction.
Rohmer was interested in mystical groups, like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Rosicrucians. He said he was a member of these groups, but some people have questioned if this was true.
His first story, "The Mysterious Mummy," was published in 1903. Rohmer was inspired by other famous writers like Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle. In 1909, he married Rose Elizabeth Knox. He published his first book, Pause!, in 1910 without using his name.
Sax Rohmer lived in Reigate, Surrey, from 1934 to 1946. He passed away in 1959 from a type of flu.
The Fu Manchu Stories
After writing a book for a music hall performer in 1911, Rohmer created his most famous character: Dr. Fu Manchu. The first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, came out in parts from 1912 to 1913. It was a huge hit! The stories were about Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie trying to stop Fu Manchu's plans for a worldwide conspiracy.
The Fu Manchu books, along with other detective stories Rohmer wrote, made him one of the most successful writers in the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote three Fu Manchu books quickly between 1913 and 1917. Then, he took a long break, not writing another one until 1931. He had wanted to stop writing the series, but its popularity brought him back.
In total, Sax Rohmer wrote 13 books in the Fu Manchu series. These stories were sometimes criticized by the Chinese government and Chinese communities in the U.S. They felt the books showed negative stereotypes of Chinese people. Some critics have said that Rohmer's portrayal of Chinese characters was unfair and simply a reflection of the common views of his time.
Other Exciting Works
Sax Rohmer became friends with the famous escape artist Harry Houdini. Rohmer even based a mystery-solving magician character, Bazarada, on Houdini.
One of Rohmer's unique books is The Orchard of Tears. It's different from his usual adventure stories. Instead of villains and exotic places, it has gentle animals and philosophical ideas. This shows that Rohmer had many interests beyond Fu Manchu.
In The Quest of the Sacred Slipper (1919), a sacred Islamic relic is stolen. A group of fanatics causes terror in Britain until it is returned. Even Scotland Yard struggles to stop them.
Tales of Chinatown (1922) is a collection of 10 short stories. One of these, "Tcheriapin," is considered one of his best.
Rohmer also wrote scary supernatural horror novels, like Brood of the Witch-Queen, which some call his best work.
Later in his career, Rohmer had success with a BBC Light Programme radio series in the 1940s. This led to a new series of novels in the 1950s featuring a female villain named Sumuru, who was similar to Fu Manchu. There are five books in the Sumuru series. Two movies starring Shirley Eaton were made about Sumuru, and another German film came out in 2003.
Rohmer wrote many short stories too. "The Master of Hollow Grange" (1920) is a story about a mad scientist who harms children.
Interestingly, Rohmer's books were banned in Nazi Germany. He said he didn't understand why, as he felt his stories were not against Nazi ideas.
After World War II, Rohmer and his wife moved to New York. They returned to London shortly before he passed away in 1959.
His wife, Rose Elizabeth Ward, also wrote a mystery novel called Bianca in Black in 1958, using the name Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. She also helped write a biography about her husband, Master of Villainy: A Biography of Sax Rohmer, published in 1972.
More About His Books
To see a full list of Sax Rohmer's books, check out his complete list of work.
Some other books related to his work include:
- Bianca in Black by Elizabeth Sax Rohmer, 1958
- Master of Villainy: A Biography of Sax Rohmer by Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash with Robert Briney, 1972
- Ten Years Beyond Baker Street: Sherlock Holmes Matches Wits with the Diabolical Dr. Fu Manchu by Cay Van Ash, 1984. This book was approved by the families of both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sax Rohmer.
- The Fires of Fu Manchu by Cay Van Ash, 1987. Approved by the Sax Rohmer family.
- The Terror of Fu Manchu by William Patrick Maynard, 2009. Approved by the Rohmer family.
- The Destiny of Fu Manchu by William Patrick Maynard, 2012. Approved by the Rohmer family.
- The Triumph of Fu Manchu by William Patrick Maynard (announced). Approved by the Rohmer family.
See also
In Spanish: Sax Rohmer para niños
