Arthur O. Friel
Encyclopedia
Arthur Olney Friel was one of the most popular writers for the adventure pulps
. He began appearing in Adventure
magazine in 1919 with stories set in the Amazon jungle featuring the characters Pedro and Lourenço, two rubber-industry workers who undergo harrowing experiences in the impenetrable jungle surrounding the Javary River, an Amazon
tributary which forms part of the border between Brazil
and Peru
. Friel, a 1909 Yale University
graduate, had been South American editor for the Associated Press
which led him into his subject matter. In 1922, he became a real-life explorer when he took a six-month trip down Venezuela
's Orinoco River and its tributary, the Ventuari River
. His travel account was published in 1924 as The River of Seven Stars.
In late 1922, Friel began writing longer works, which were serialized in Adventure. The first ones, featuring a trio of
adventurers called McKay, Ryan and Knowlton, and other characters, were The Pathless Trail, Tiger River, The King of No-Man's Land and Mountains of Mystery. A later story in the sequence "In the Year 2000" (Adventure, 1928) was
not published in book form; it is a science-fiction novel with racist overtones.
After returning from the Venezuela trip, many of Friel's stories were set in that environment. He remained a popular writer in Adventure throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Most of his longer works were republished in hardback. In the '30s, he started appearing more regularly in the adventure pulp Short Stories with stories set in Venezuela.
He was a member of the American Geographical Society
.
He died in New Hampshire in 1959, the state where he had grown up.
The Pathless Trail, and Tiger River were republished by Centaur Press
in November 1969 and May 1971, respectively.
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
. He began appearing in Adventure
Adventure (magazine)
Adventure magazine was first published in November 1910 as a monthly pulp magazine. Adventure went on become one of the most profitable and critically acclaimed of all the American pulp magazines...
magazine in 1919 with stories set in the Amazon jungle featuring the characters Pedro and Lourenço, two rubber-industry workers who undergo harrowing experiences in the impenetrable jungle surrounding the Javary River, an Amazon
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
tributary which forms part of the border between Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Friel, a 1909 Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
graduate, had been South American editor for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
which led him into his subject matter. In 1922, he became a real-life explorer when he took a six-month trip down Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
's Orinoco River and its tributary, the Ventuari River
Ventuari River
The Ventuari River is a river in the Orinoco basin in Venezuela. The Ventuari flows from eastern Venezuela in the Guiana Highlands southwest into the Orinoco River. It is 520 km long and its major tributary is the Manapiare River.-References:...
. His travel account was published in 1924 as The River of Seven Stars.
In late 1922, Friel began writing longer works, which were serialized in Adventure. The first ones, featuring a trio of
adventurers called McKay, Ryan and Knowlton, and other characters, were The Pathless Trail, Tiger River, The King of No-Man's Land and Mountains of Mystery. A later story in the sequence "In the Year 2000" (Adventure, 1928) was
not published in book form; it is a science-fiction novel with racist overtones.
After returning from the Venezuela trip, many of Friel's stories were set in that environment. He remained a popular writer in Adventure throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Most of his longer works were republished in hardback. In the '30s, he started appearing more regularly in the adventure pulp Short Stories with stories set in Venezuela.
He was a member of the American Geographical Society
American Geographical Society
The American Geographical Society is an organization of professional geographers, founded in 1851 in New York City. Most fellows of the society are Americans, but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world...
.
He died in New Hampshire in 1959, the state where he had grown up.
The Pathless Trail, and Tiger River were republished by Centaur Press
Centaur Press
Centaur Press, later renamed Centaur Books, was a New York-based small publisher active from the late 1960s through 1981. The press was founded by Charles M. Collins and Donald M. Grant. It was primarily a paperback publisher, though one of its more successful titles was reissued in hardcover...
in November 1969 and May 1971, respectively.
McKay, Ryan and Knowlton
- The Pathless Trail (1922)
- Tiger River (1923)
- The King of No Man's Land (1924)
- Mountains of Mystery (1925)
Other books
- King--of Kearsarge (1921)
- Cat O'Mountain (1923)
- The River of Seven Stars (1924)
- Hard Wood (1925)
- Renegade (1926)
- In the Year 2000 (1928, serial form only)
- Forgotten Island (1931)
Collections
- Amazon Nights: Classic Adventure Tales from the Pulps (2005)
- Amazon stories. Volume 1, Pedro & Lourenço (2008)
- Amazon stories. Volume 2, Pedro & Lourenço (2009)
External links
- Arthur O. Friel, A Bibliography in Progess by John Locke and Duane Spurlock
- Reviews of the Pathless Trail and Tiger River