It’s very rare for most writers to break through with their very first book, but that’s not the case with brilliant author Tom Clancy, whose first book; “The Hunt for Red October” in 1984 sparked his meteoric rise to stardom. He saw this era publish a fair number of works, most of which sold millions of copies and led to film adaptations. Some of the most popular characters he created during this time include Jack Ryan and John Clark.
Read on to learn more about the famous novelist and get facts about his death.
Who was Tom Clancy?
Prominent novelist Tom Clancy was born on April 12, 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland. He is named after his father, also called Thomas Clancy, and his mother, Catherine Clancy. He is the second child of his parents and he has two other siblings.
Clancy received his early education at Loyola High, a school located in Towson, Maryland, and then attended Loyola College, now known as Loyola University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature.
After graduating from college, the prolific writer didn’t start his first attempt at a writing career, but began working for an insurance company that was owned by his wife’s grandmother. It was during his time at the agency that he began writing his first book titled “The Hunt for Red October” it turned out to be a highly successful novel that even caught the attention of President Ronald Reagan, as well as top US military officials who praised his interpretation of military tactics.
It should also be noted that Tom Clancy’s first novel later produced a film based on his story, and in subsequent years his other works, such as ‘Game of the Patriots’, ‘Clear and Present Danger’, ‘Net Force ‘, ‘The Sum of All Fears’ and a few others have been made into films featuring top Hollywood actors such as Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck. The novelist is also widely known for his fictional characters such as Jack Ryan and John Clark which he uses in most of his works.
As far as non-fiction goes, Tom Clancy has been praised for his books; “Submarine: A Guided Tour of a Nuclear Warship” and “SSN: Submarine Warfare Strategies” which provided insight into US military operations. It is also known that in 2008, the video game company Ubisoft obtained the right to use its name to produce its video games.
Family – Wife and children
Tom Clancy’s first marriage was to Wanda Thomas King, surgeon, in 1969. The couple remained married for almost three decades and had 4 children together – 3 daughters named Michelle, Christine and Kathleen, as well as a son called Thomas Leo III. The couple first separated in 1995 and again in 1996, before pursuing divorce proceedings which ended in 1999.
The same year that Tom Clancy officially divorced his wife, he took Alexandra Marie Llewellyn as his wife and the couple remained married until his death in 2013. The couple have one daughter together.
The braces
Tom Clancy was recognized as one of the top 3 authors who managed to sell up to 2 million pieces of their work during their first publication. His book “Clear and Present Danger” was also named the best-selling novel during the 80s. In 1990, the United States Navy League awarded the writer the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for literary achievement.
Even after his passing, Clancy was recognized for his stellar works, including an honor bestowed by the Baltimore Orioles in March 2014, alongside other Orioles family members who have been lost.
Is he dead or alive?
The acclaimed novelist is known to have passed on back in October 2013 to his hometown of Baltimore. Although Tom Clancy’s cause of death has not been officially declared, some sources claim that the 66-year-old must have suffered a heart attack or at least died from a complication surrounding his heart condition. Clancy had heart trouble a few years before his death. He also reportedly suffered a heart attack in the past and required bypass surgery.