Philip Craig
Encyclopedia
Philip R. Craig was a writer known for his Martha's Vineyard mysteries.
and raised on a cattle ranch near Durango
, Colorado. In 1951 he attended Boston University
intending to become a minister, and got a degree in 1957. While at BU, he studied poetry with Robert Lowell
, who quickly persuaded him that he had no future in that field, and turned to studying prose with Gerald Warner Brace
, who encouraged him to write fiction. He taught English and Journalism at Endicott College
in Beverly, Massachusetts
from 1962 to 1965, and at Wheelock College
in Boston until 1999, at which point he retired to become a full-time writer.
He was invited to join the Olympic fencing squad, but had to decline due to a knee injury.
He died May 8, 2007 after a brief fight with cancer. He is survived by his wife Shirley, two children (Kimberlie and James) and five grandchildren.
His first novel, Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn, was published in 1969, and is not a part of any series. His second and subsequent novels have all been a part of the J.W. Jackson series, all of which are set on Martha's Vineyard. J. W. Jackson is a true 20th century hero. J. W. Jackson fights evil in the guise of corrupt land developers, the odd nefarious tourist, and people who kill or threaten his friends or acquaintances. Although J. W. Jackson never asks for his idyllic life on Martha’s Vineyard with his lovely family to be disrupted, he consistently finds himself having to clear his own name, his friends' names, and keeping his family safe. Yet, in between his happenstance crime fighting, J. W. Jackson enjoys the fine but simple things in life: freshly caught seafood, cooking, good friends, family, outdoor showers, and a job well done. J. W. Jackson is quite reminiscence of John D. MacDonald’s hero Travis McGee. To be sure of tasting J. W. Jackson's delightful recipes, look at Delish: The J. W. Jackson Recipes.
Biography
He was born in Santa MonicaSanta Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
and raised on a cattle ranch near Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
, Colorado. In 1951 he attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
intending to become a minister, and got a degree in 1957. While at BU, he studied poetry with Robert Lowell
Robert Lowell
Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV was an American poet, considered the founder of the confessional poetry movement. He was appointed the sixth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress where he served from 1947 until 1948...
, who quickly persuaded him that he had no future in that field, and turned to studying prose with Gerald Warner Brace
Gerald Warner Brace
Gerald Warner Brace was an American novelist, writer, educator, sailor and boat builder. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England.-Early life and ancestors:...
, who encouraged him to write fiction. He taught English and Journalism at Endicott College
Endicott College
- History :Endicott was founded in 1939 by Eleanor Tupper and her husband, George O. Bierkoe, as a two-year women’s college. The college was issued its first charter by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in that year and graduated its first class in 1941. In 1944, it was approved by the state for...
in Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
from 1962 to 1965, and at Wheelock College
Wheelock College
Wheelock College is a private, coeducational college located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school was founded in 1888 by Lucy Wheelock. The mission of Wheelock College is to primarily improve the lives of children and families...
in Boston until 1999, at which point he retired to become a full-time writer.
He was invited to join the Olympic fencing squad, but had to decline due to a knee injury.
He died May 8, 2007 after a brief fight with cancer. He is survived by his wife Shirley, two children (Kimberlie and James) and five grandchildren.
His first novel, Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn, was published in 1969, and is not a part of any series. His second and subsequent novels have all been a part of the J.W. Jackson series, all of which are set on Martha's Vineyard. J. W. Jackson is a true 20th century hero. J. W. Jackson fights evil in the guise of corrupt land developers, the odd nefarious tourist, and people who kill or threaten his friends or acquaintances. Although J. W. Jackson never asks for his idyllic life on Martha’s Vineyard with his lovely family to be disrupted, he consistently finds himself having to clear his own name, his friends' names, and keeping his family safe. Yet, in between his happenstance crime fighting, J. W. Jackson enjoys the fine but simple things in life: freshly caught seafood, cooking, good friends, family, outdoor showers, and a job well done. J. W. Jackson is quite reminiscence of John D. MacDonald’s hero Travis McGee. To be sure of tasting J. W. Jackson's delightful recipes, look at Delish: The J. W. Jackson Recipes.
Posthumous publications
- Vineyard Stalker (2007)
- Third Strike (2007)
- Vineyard Chill (2008)