Leonard Wibberley [1915-83] Page at Spirit of America Bookstore

               Leonard Patrick O'Connor Wibberley was born on 9 April 1915 in Dublin, Ireland. After leaving school early and working various jobs, he began a career as a newspaper reporter & editor & foreign correspondent in London and Trinidad, West Indies and New York City. In 1947, he moved permanently to California, and after publication of his first novel "The King's Beard" [1952], he settled in Hermosa Beach, living on 24th Street and working in his book-lined second-story aerie, while his wife taught school there. The 1959 feature film of "The Mouse That Roared" starring Peter Sellers brought him fame, if not fortune.
               He fathered seven children: His marriage in Trinidad to the dance writer Olga Maynard [1913-94] produced son Patrick Maynard, a philosophy professor based in Canada; his marriage in California to Hazel Holton produced another son, film writer Cormac Wibberley.
               Leonard Wibberley's lifetime output included over 100 books, a newspaper column, and many poems & short stories & plays.
               He died of a heart attack at age 78 on 22 November 1983 at a Santa Monica, California hospital.

"The Mouse On The Moon" [Wm. Morrow 1962]

The castle of Grand Fenwick has a hot water problem; Grand Duchess Gloriana requests foreign aid from the U.S. for Space Research; the Russians compete by sending aid as well. While Gloriana is dreaming of hot baths, the Duchy's one scientist is slapping together a rocket; the U.S. and the Soviets get wind of the impending launch and try to beat them to the moon.
Wm. Morrow mass pb [1/62] out of print/many used
Wm. Morrow hardcover [6/62] out of print/used

feature film [Lopert / United Artists June 1963]
Directed by Richard Lester; script adapted by Michael Pertwee; starring Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody, Bernard Cribbins, David Kossoff, Terry-Thomas, June Ritchie, John Le Mesurier, John Phillips, Eric Barker & Roddy McMillan
M.G.M. widescreen color DVD [12/2000] for $12.99
M.G.M. color VHS [11/2000] out of prodn/used
full credits from IMDb

"The Mouse On Wall Street" [Wm. Morrow 1969]

"Another Mad Irresistible Story About The Little Duchy That Shook Mighty America With Laughter!"
After the success of their invasion of the United States, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick is awash with money. Too much money causes inflation, so the ministers decide to lose money on the New York stock market ...
Bantam mass pb [1/71] out of print/scarce
Wm. Morrow hardcover [9/69] out of print/used

"The Mouse That Saved The West: A Novel"
[Wm. Morrow 1981]

Through international diplomacy – well, actually, through duplicity and dumb luck – the Duchy of Grand Fenwick defeats O.P.E.C. and provides a happy solution to the world's oil crisis.
Wm. Morrow hardcover [4/81] out of print/used

"The Time of The Lamb: A Christmas Story" [1951]
first novel "The King's Beard" [1952]
"The Coronation Book: The Dramatic Story In History & Legend" [1953]
"The Secret of The Hawk" [1953]
"Mrs. Searwood's Secret Weapon" [Little, Brown, 1954]
"Deadmen's Cave" [1954]
"McGillicuddy McGotham" [Little, Brown, 1956]
"The Life of Winston Churchill" [1956]
"The Trouble With The Irish (or The English, Depending On Your Point of View)" [1956]
"Take Me To Your President" [Putnam, 1957]
"The Coming of The Green" [1958]
"Wes Powell: Conqueror of The Grand Canyon" [1958]
"No Garlic In The Soup: A Portugese Adventure" [1959]
"The Land That Isn't There: An Irish Adventure" [1960]
"Stranger At Killknock" [Putnam, 1961]
"The Ballad of The Pilgrim Cat" [1961]
"The Wound of Peter Wayne" [1961]
"Yesterday's Land: A Baja California Adventure" [1961]
"Zebulon Pike: Soldier and Explorer" [1961]
"Ventures Into The Deep: The Thrill of Scuba Diving" [1962]
"Ah, Julian!: A Memoir of Julian Brodetsky" [1963] Millefleurs 1987 ISBN 0893703419 HB
"The Shepherd's Reward: A Christmas Legend" [1963]
"Fiji: Islands of The Dawn" [1964]
"A Feast of Freedom" [Wm. Morrow, 1964]
"The Island of The Angels" [Wm. Morrow, 1964]
"The Centurion: A Novel of The Ministry & Passion of Christ" [Wm. Morrow, 1966] HB 0688025897
"Toward A Distant Island: A Sailor's Odyssey" [1966]
"The Epics of Everest" [Laurel-Leaf Mayflower 1966] B0007DMKPS
"The Road From Toomi" [Wm. Morrow, 1967]
"Kevin O'Connor and The Light Brigade" [1967]
"Encounter Near Venus" [1967]
"Something To Read" collection [1967]
"The Hands of Cormac Joyce" [Wm. Morrow, 1967]
+ movie 1972 http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0130755/
"Adventures of An Elephant Boy" [Wm. Morrow, 1968]
"South Swell" [1968]
"Attar of The Ice Valley" [1968]
"Hound of The Sea: The Story of A Racing Yacht" [June 1969]
"Journey To Untor" [1970]
"Beyond Hawaii" [1970]
"Meeting With A Great Beast" [Wm. Morrow, 1971]
"Voyage By Bus: Seeing America By Land Yacht" [1971]

"The Testament of Theophilus: A Novel of Christ and Caesar" [Wm. Morrow, 1973?]
"The Shannon Sailors: A Voyage To The Heart of Ireland" [1972]
"The Last Stand of Father Felix" [Wm. Morrow, 1973]
"The Seven Hills" mass pb [1973]
"Guarneri: Violin Maker of Genius" [1974]
"1776 – and All That: A Full-length Play" [Wm. Morrow, 1975]
"Once, In A Garden: A Full-length Play" [1975]
"One In Four" [Wm. Morrow, 1976]
"Homeward To Ithaca" [Wm. Morrow, 1978]
"Perilous Gold" [1978] dad & son seek treasure using submarine
"The Quest of Excalibur" [1979]
"The Good-Natured Man: A Portrait of Oliver Goldsmith" [1979]
"The Crime of Martin Coverly" [1980] time travel for 6 yr-olds?
"To Writers With Love" [1985]

His favorite novels were the African trilogy
"The Road From Toomi" [Wm. Morrow, 1967]
"Meeting With A Great Beast" [Wm. Morrow, 1971]
"The Last Stand of Father Felix" [Wm. Morrow, 1973]

"Treegate Chronicles" historical fiction series
These seven novels take place during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
"John Treegate's Musket" [1959]
"Peter Treegate's War" [1960]
"Sea Captain From Salem" [1961]
"Treegate's Raiders" [1962]
"Leopard's Prey" [1971]
"Red Pawns" [1973] 1992 Peter Smith Publr 0844665584
"The Last Battle" [1976]

"The Saint Maker" [1959]
"A Pact With Satan" [1960]
"Secret of The Doubting Saint" [196]
"Deliver Us From Wolves" [1963]
"Flowers By Request" [1964]
"Out of The Depths" [1966]
"A Touch of Jonah" [1968]
"A Problem In Angels" [1970]
"The Mirror of Hell" [1972]
"The Devil To Play" [1974]
"A Corner of Paradise" [1977]

"The Black Tiger" auto racing series
written under the pseudonym Patrick O'Connor for publisher E. M. Hale of Wisconsin

"The Black Tiger" [1956]
"Mexican Road Race" [1957]
"Black Tiger At Le Mans" [1958]
"Black Tiger At Bonneville" [1960]
"Black Tiger At Indianapolis" [1962]
"A Car Called Camellia" [1970]

Spirit of America BookstoreLeonard Wibberley

Spirit of America Bookstore
Leonard Wibberley