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'''George Pendle''' (born [[1976]]) is a British author and journalist. He was educated at [[Stowe School]] and [[St Peter’s College, Oxford]].
'''George Pendle''' (born [[1976]]) is a British author and journalist. He was educated at [[Stowe School]] and [[St Peter’s College, Oxford]].


After working at ''[[The Times]]'' from 1997 to 2001, Pendle wrote his first book, ''Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life or Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons'' (2005). It is a biography of [[Jack Parsons]], a pioneer of American rocketry in 1930s Los Angeles, and founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who was also a devout occultist and follower of the English magician [[Aleister Crowley]]. ''Strange Angel'' explored the forgotten link between science fiction, occultism and the American space program including Parsons' relationships with [[L. Ron Hubbard]], [[Wernher Von Braun]], [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Howard Hughes]].
After working at ''[[The Times]]'' from 1997 to 2001, Pendle wrote his first book, ''Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life or Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons'' (2005). It is a biography of [[Jack Parsons]], a pioneer of American rocketry in 1930s Los Angeles, and founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who was also a devout occultist and follower of the English magician [[Aleister Crowley]]. ''Strange Angel'' explored the forgotten link between science fiction, occultism and the American space program including Parsons' relationships with [[L. Ron Hubbard]], [[Wernher Von Braun]], [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Howard Hughes]]. Critics responded unfavorably, since the book was derivative of an earlier book, SEX AND ROCKETS by John Carter, and sales were small.


Pendle’s second book – ''The Remarkable Millard Fillmore: The Unbelievable Life of a Forgotten President'' (2007) is a faux-biography of the unlucky thirteenth [[President of the United States of America]], [[Millard Fillmore]]. Taking Fillmore's actual life as its basis, ''The Remarkable Millard Fillmore'' extrapolates 'outrageous conclusions from the most basic and inconclusive of facts'. Thus a president of whom ''American History'' magazine has written "to discuss Millard Fillmore is to overrate him" becomes the subject of a humorous romp through the nineteenth century, dueling [[Andrew Jackson]], inspiring [[Edgar Allan Poe]], fighting at The Alamo, and more besides.
Pendle’s second book – ''The Remarkable Millard Fillmore: The Unbelievable Life of a Forgotten President'' (2007) is a faux-biography of the unlucky thirteenth [[President of the United States of America]], [[Millard Fillmore]]. Taking Fillmore's actual life as its basis, ''The Remarkable Millard Fillmore'' extrapolates 'outrageous conclusions from the most basic and inconclusive of facts'. Thus a president of whom ''American History'' magazine has written "to discuss Millard Fillmore is to overrate him" becomes the subject of a humorous romp through the nineteenth century, dueling [[Andrew Jackson]], inspiring [[Edgar Allan Poe]], fighting at The Alamo, and more besides.

Revision as of 06:34, 16 July 2007

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George Pendle (born 1976) is a British author and journalist. He was educated at Stowe School and St Peter’s College, Oxford.

After working at The Times from 1997 to 2001, Pendle wrote his first book, Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life or Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons (2005). It is a biography of Jack Parsons, a pioneer of American rocketry in 1930s Los Angeles, and founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who was also a devout occultist and follower of the English magician Aleister Crowley. Strange Angel explored the forgotten link between science fiction, occultism and the American space program including Parsons' relationships with L. Ron Hubbard, Wernher Von Braun, Ray Bradbury, Albert Einstein and Howard Hughes. Critics responded unfavorably, since the book was derivative of an earlier book, SEX AND ROCKETS by John Carter, and sales were small.

Pendle’s second book – The Remarkable Millard Fillmore: The Unbelievable Life of a Forgotten President (2007) is a faux-biography of the unlucky thirteenth President of the United States of America, Millard Fillmore. Taking Fillmore's actual life as its basis, The Remarkable Millard Fillmore extrapolates 'outrageous conclusions from the most basic and inconclusive of facts'. Thus a president of whom American History magazine has written "to discuss Millard Fillmore is to overrate him" becomes the subject of a humorous romp through the nineteenth century, dueling Andrew Jackson, inspiring Edgar Allan Poe, fighting at The Alamo, and more besides.

Pendle's articles can be found in the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times, Frieze magazine, Cabinet magazine, and Bidoun. He lives in New York City, where he has also written signs for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Bibliography

  • Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons (2005) ISBN 0-297-84853-4.
  • The Remarkable Millard Fillmore: The Unbelievable Life of a Forgotten President (2007) ISBN 0-307-33962-9