Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who became a pioneer of pulp fiction and is widely celebrated as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre. Born and raised in Texas, Howard spent the majority of his life in the town of Cross Plains. A bookish and intellectual child who also developed a passion for boxing and bodybuilding, Howard aspired to write adventure fiction from the age of nine. He achieved professional success in his early twenties, publishing his work across a diverse range of magazines, journals, and newspapers.\n\nHoward's most enduring legacy is the creation of Conan the Barbarian, a character whose adventures were primarily published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales. Through Conan and other heroic characters, Howard helped define the conventions of modern fantasy, establishing a gritty, action-oriented style that spawned countless imitators. Despite his prolific output, Howard's stories were never compiled into book collections during his lifetime.\n\nTragically, Howard's life was cut short when he died by suicide at the age of thirty, prompted by the imminent death of his mother. Following his death, his extensive writings were collected, published, and widely read, cementing his reputation as a highly influential figure in fantasy and adventure literature whose works continue to be reprinted today.
