Robert Westbrook (Author) Robert T. Westbrook (born 1945) was born to columnist Sheilah Graham Westbrook five years after the death of her lover F. Scott Fitzgerald. There is some question as to Robert’s biological father, who Graham claimed was Trevor Westbrook, a British businessman she divorced in 1946. However, after Graham’s death in 1988, the British philosopher A.J. Ayer came forward to say he was the father of Robert’s older half-sister Wendy and that Robert’s biological father was most likely the Hollywood actor Robert Taylor. From his earliest recollection, Robert Westbrook always wanted to be a writer. Raised in Los Angeles until his teen years, his mother then moved Robert and Wendy to New York City. Robert attended the progressive Putney School in Vermont and Columbia College in New York.
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After a summer trip to the Soviet Union he wrote his first book at age 17, Journey Behind the Iron Curtain, published in 1963 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. The wild years at Columbia University in the 60's helped inspire his first novel, The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart, published by Crown in 1970. The novel became an MGM film that introduced an 18 year old actor named Don Johnson in the title role. The film was praised by Andy Warhol for its depiction of the New York counter culture scene of the late 60's. Robert Westbrook did not write again for 15 years.
In the 80's, while living with his family in Hawaii, he began a handful of satirical mysteries set in the 1950s Los Angeles where he had grown up. In 1988 he was living in Greece when his mother Sheilah Graham died on November 17 in Palm Beach, Florida of congestive heart failure. In the wake of her passing, he was inspired to write the story of his mother's romance with Fitzgerald. Accessing her notes and letters, he included many details omitted from Graham's best selling 1958 memoir Beloved Infidel (Link leads to Wikipedia entry for the film adaptation starring Gregory Peck and Deborah Kerr). Published by Harper Collins in 1995, Westbrook's Intimate Lies is widely considered a valuable contribution to the compendium on Fitzgerald, and Graham.
Robert Westbrook is probably best known for his Howard Moon Deer mysteries, set in Taos, New Mexico, which he began writing after he and his wife Gail moved there in 1991. He has also written novels adapted from screenplays, including The Mexican, Insomnia and The Final Cut. He conducts writing workshops in Taos and frequently travels with his wife to teach abroad.
Journey Behind the Iron Curtain G.P. Putnam's Sons 1963
The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart Crown 1970
Left Handed Police Man Mysteries
The Left Handed Police Man Crown1986 Warner Books paperback 1987
Nostalgia Kills Crown 1988
Lady Left Crown 1990
Rich Kids Birchlane 1992
Intimate Lies Harper Collins 1995
Howard Moon Deer Mysteries
Ghost Dancer Signet 1998
Warrior Circle Signet 1999
Red Moon Signet 2000
Ancient Enemy Signet 2001
Novels based on screenplays
The Mexican Signet 2001 From the film starring Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt
Insomnia Signet 2002 From the mystery thriller starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams
The Final Cut Onyx, 2004 Adapted from the sci-fi thriller with Robin Williams and Mira Sorvino
The Saudi Connection Jack Anderson and Robert Westbrook Tor/Forge 2006
Westbrook Author Biography: http://robertwestbrook.com/bio.html
Synopses of Intimate Lies with biographical info: http://www.vqronline.org/articles/1996/spring/kuehl-sheilah-scottie/
Jewish Women's Archive article on Sheilah Graham by daughter Wendy Fairey: http://jwa.org/weremember/graham