| − | '''Russell Kirk''' (1918 – 29 April 1994) was an American political theorist, conservative intellectual, historian of ideas, social critic, and man of letters, best known for his powerful influence on 20th century American conservatism. His 1953 book, ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Santayana'',<ref>It went into 7 editions, the later ones with the title ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot''.</ref> gave shape to the amorphous post-World War II conservative movement. It traced the development of conservative thought in the Anglo-American tradition, giving pride of place to the ideas of 18th century British writer [[Edmund Burke]]. | + | '''Russell Kirk''' (1918 – 29 April 1994) was an American political theorist, conservative intellectual, historian of ideas, social critic, and man of letters, who is best known for his role in the American conservative movement. Kirk's 1953 book, ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Santayana'',<ref>It went into 7 editions, the later ones with the title ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot''.</ref> was a book that tried to lay claim to the history and direction of the modern conservative movement. His book traced the development of conservative thought in the Anglo-American tradition, giving pride of place to the ideas of 18th century British writer and statesman [[Edmund Burke]], an Irish Protestant who was sympathetic to independence for the American colonies. |
| | Kirk was an accomplished teller and writer of fiction, especially ghost stories. His first novel, ''Old House of Fear'', was a gothic; ''A Creature of the Twilight'' told of revolution and political intrigue in Africa with his continuing character Manfred Arcane, who would appear in many of his ghost stories. | | Kirk was an accomplished teller and writer of fiction, especially ghost stories. His first novel, ''Old House of Fear'', was a gothic; ''A Creature of the Twilight'' told of revolution and political intrigue in Africa with his continuing character Manfred Arcane, who would appear in many of his ghost stories. |
| − | His supernatural tales were collected in three volumes, ''The Surly Sullen Bell'', ''The Princess of All Lands'', and ''Watchers at the Strait Gate'', and in ''Off the Sand Road'' (2002) and ''What Shadows We Pursue'' (2003). Kitk;s "There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding" won the 1977 World Fantasy Award for best novella. | + | His supernatural tales were collected in three volumes, ''The Surly Sullen Bell'', ''The Princess of All Lands'', and ''Watchers at the Strait Gate'', and in ''Off the Sand Road'' (2002) and ''What Shadows We Pursue'' (2003). Kirk's "There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding" won the 1977 World Fantasy Award for best novella. |
| | The science-fiction writer [[Jerry Pournelle]] is a protégé of Kirk's.<ref> See [http://www.jerrypournelle.com/archives2/archives2view/view322.html]</ref> | | The science-fiction writer [[Jerry Pournelle]] is a protégé of Kirk's.<ref> See [http://www.jerrypournelle.com/archives2/archives2view/view322.html]</ref> |