___________________________________
Who is Robert Jordan?
James Oliver Rigney Jr. (October 17, 1948 – September 16, 2007), better known by his pen name Robert Jordan, was an American author of epic fantasy. He is known best for his series The Wheel of Time (finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death) which comprises 14 books and a prequel novel. He is one of several writers to have written original Conan the Barbarian novels; his are considered by fans to be some of the best of the non-Robert E. Howard efforts. Jordan also published historical fiction using the pseudonym Reagan O’Neal, a western as Jackson O’Reilly, and dance criticism as Chang Lung. Jordan claimed to have ghostwritten an “international thriller” that is still believed to have been written by someone else.
Early life
Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He went to Clemson University after high school, but dropped out after one year and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with “V” and oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm.
After returning from Vietnam in 1970, Jordan studied physics at The Citadel. He graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree and began working for the U.S. Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977.
Personal life
Robert Jordan was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe-collecting. He described himself as a “High church” Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week. Politically, he described himself as a “libertarian monarchist“. He lived with his wife, Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan’s editor) in a house built in 1797. He listed John D. MacDonald, Jane Austen, Louis L’Amour, Charles Dickens, Robert A. Heinlein, Mark Twain and Montaigne as his favorite authors.
Illness and death
On March 23, 2006, Jordan revealed that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis and that, with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years. In a separate weblog post, he encouraged his fans not to worry about him and stated that he intended to have a long and creative life.
He began chemotherapy at Mayo Clinic during early April 2006. He participated in a study of the drug Revlimid, which had been approved recently for multiple myeloma but not yet tested for primary amyloidosis.
Jordan died on September 16, 2007, from complications stemming from multiple myeloma. His funeral service was on September 19, 2007. He was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston, South Carolina.
Jordan’s papers can be found in the special collections of the College of Charleston.
Dance criticism? That’s a real oddball in the group.
Yeah, but if you’ve read The Wheel of Time, it kind of makes sense in hindsight. His characters are always dancing in common rooms. I wonder a little bit though whether that was an interest he brought to his writing, or whether his writing took him to the topic.
I’ve always thought one of the upsides of acting, or professional writing, is the various areas of learned real world expertise you’d develop over time b/c your character was an expert.
Great post and important information, well done, good luck and have a nice day my dear
Thank you very much!