Harold Stephens (author)
Encyclopedia
Harold Stephens is an American author known for his explorations of World War II
, China
and his world travels and adventures.
, and was raised on a
nearby farm. When the farmhouse burned down, he went to work in the coal mines
and later in the steel mills. A month before his seventeenth
birthday, he lied about his age to enlist in the United States Marine Corps
. Four months later he found himself fighting
in the Battle of Okinawa
. When the war ended in 1945, he went to China as a China Marine. He landed in Tsingtao, attended the Chinese language school, and become an
interpreter. He remained in China until the communist revolution in 1949.
Back home again and not wanting to return to the steel mills, Stephens re-enlisted in the Marine Corps, was sent to Paris as a Marine Security Guard, and became an aide to the American Ambassador, Jefferson Caffery
. Stephens met and married an American who was working in Paris and, realizing the need for an education, they returned to America. He took his discharge and with an appointment from Ambassador Caffery, entered the Foreign Service School, Georgetown University
. One of his classmates was Jackie Kennedy, wife of then Senator John F. Kennedy
.
Graduating from Georgetown in 1955, Stephens studied law, but ultimately dropped out to work with the National Security Agency
. He soon felt that working for the government was far worse than the steel mills of Pennsylvania. At the same time, his marriage began to crumble and he and his wife divorced.
Stephens long career as a writer began as a Marine in China, when he started writing short stories and skits. While working for the government in Washington, he began writing travel articles for the Washington Post. After his divorce, he decided to write full time. He left the government service and began a life of travel and adventure. He moved to Tahiti
to live, leaving when the French turned the islands into a nuclear testing ground, and next moved to Asia. He joined a camel caravan in Kabul
, Afghanistan
, crossing the country by camel. He hiked in Tibet
and traveled deep into Bhutan
. He went to Spain
, where he could live inexpensively and write, where he met Ernest Hemingway
, James Michener, Anthony Quinn
, Ava Gardner
and the great bullfighters of the time, including the American bullfighter John Fulton (Short). Michener would become a great help and encouraged Stephens to continue writing.
Stephens eventually returned to Southeast Asia, where he joined the staff of the Bangkok Post
and became a travel correspondent for Royal Orchid Holidays at Thai Airways
, a position he still holds.
Stephens married again, to Michelle, an Asian woman on the staff of the Bangkok Post
, who was very understanding and supported his wandering ways and his writing. They have three sons, all of whom have attended colleges in the U.S.; Paul, the youngest, graduated from Berkeley
. Denise, his daughter from his first marriage, is a successful stockbroker; his older son, Peter, is a rancher.
Stephens has written over 25 books and some 4,500 magazine and newspaper articles. He is presently writing about the expat artists of Bali
and he plans to build another boat in Singapore with his nephew, photographer Robert Stedman to explore the rivers of Asia. His also outfitting another vehicle for a motor drive across China into Tibet
and Mongolia
.
42 252 miles around the world, setting the record for the longest motor trip. In The Last Voyage – The Story of Schooner Third Sea he tells of building and outfitting a schooner that he sailed for 18 years around the Pacific and Asian waters, including many rivers of Asia. From aboard Schooner Third Sea he dove on wrecks and discovered HMS Repulse
and President Kennedy’s PT-109
but was run out before he could salvage the wreck. From his experiences in China he wrote Take China, The Last of the China Marines, and from his time in Paris
as aid to Ambassador Jefferson Caffery
came his novel The Tower & The River. In his travels Stephens wrote about the people he met, treasure divers, pirate chieftains, expat tycoons, renegade artists, and it is these characters who appears in his books At Home in Asia and Tales from the Pacific Rim.
He began exploring the Oriental Jungle with the Malay Game Warden (who became a close friend), taking stock of the wild elephants, rhino, tigers and other wildlife. The jungle trips and his search for lost cities and Khmer ruins gave him good story material for Return to Adventure Southeast Asia.
He also writes about history in For the Love of Siam, The Story of King Narai and His Greek Foreign Minister, and he reveals his trade secrets on becoming a writer in The Education of a Travel Writer.
Who Needs a Road? (ISBN 0-9642521-5)
The Education of a Travel Writer (ISBN 0-9786951-2-7)
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and his world travels and adventures.
Biography
Harold Stephens was born in Bridgeville, PennsylvaniaBridgeville, Pennsylvania
Bridgeville is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bridgeville is located along Chartiers Creek, about southwest of downtown Pittsburgh at ....
, and was raised on a
nearby farm. When the farmhouse burned down, he went to work in the coal mines
and later in the steel mills. A month before his seventeenth
birthday, he lied about his age to enlist in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. Four months later he found himself fighting
in the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. When the war ended in 1945, he went to China as a China Marine. He landed in Tsingtao, attended the Chinese language school, and become an
interpreter. He remained in China until the communist revolution in 1949.
Back home again and not wanting to return to the steel mills, Stephens re-enlisted in the Marine Corps, was sent to Paris as a Marine Security Guard, and became an aide to the American Ambassador, Jefferson Caffery
Jefferson Caffery
Jefferson Caffery served as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador , Colombia , Cuba , Brazil , France , and Egypt .-Career:...
. Stephens met and married an American who was working in Paris and, realizing the need for an education, they returned to America. He took his discharge and with an appointment from Ambassador Caffery, entered the Foreign Service School, Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. One of his classmates was Jackie Kennedy, wife of then Senator John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
Graduating from Georgetown in 1955, Stephens studied law, but ultimately dropped out to work with the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
. He soon felt that working for the government was far worse than the steel mills of Pennsylvania. At the same time, his marriage began to crumble and he and his wife divorced.
Stephens long career as a writer began as a Marine in China, when he started writing short stories and skits. While working for the government in Washington, he began writing travel articles for the Washington Post. After his divorce, he decided to write full time. He left the government service and began a life of travel and adventure. He moved to Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
to live, leaving when the French turned the islands into a nuclear testing ground, and next moved to Asia. He joined a camel caravan in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, crossing the country by camel. He hiked in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and traveled deep into Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. He went to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where he could live inexpensively and write, where he met Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
, James Michener, Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
, Ava Gardner
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...
and the great bullfighters of the time, including the American bullfighter John Fulton (Short). Michener would become a great help and encouraged Stephens to continue writing.
Stephens eventually returned to Southeast Asia, where he joined the staff of the Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. The first issue was sold on August 1, 1946. It had four pages and cost 1 baht, a considerable amount at the time....
and became a travel correspondent for Royal Orchid Holidays at Thai Airways
Thai Airways International
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier and largest airline of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline's headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Thai is a...
, a position he still holds.
Stephens married again, to Michelle, an Asian woman on the staff of the Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. The first issue was sold on August 1, 1946. It had four pages and cost 1 baht, a considerable amount at the time....
, who was very understanding and supported his wandering ways and his writing. They have three sons, all of whom have attended colleges in the U.S.; Paul, the youngest, graduated from Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. Denise, his daughter from his first marriage, is a successful stockbroker; his older son, Peter, is a rancher.
Stephens has written over 25 books and some 4,500 magazine and newspaper articles. He is presently writing about the expat artists of Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
and he plans to build another boat in Singapore with his nephew, photographer Robert Stedman to explore the rivers of Asia. His also outfitting another vehicle for a motor drive across China into Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
Works
The subject matter for Stephens’ books comes from his travel and adventure experiences. In Who Needs a Road? he tells the story of driving a Toyota Land CruiserToyota Land Cruiser
The is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. It is not related to the Studebaker Land Cruiser car produced in the US from 1934-1954....
42 252 miles around the world, setting the record for the longest motor trip. In The Last Voyage – The Story of Schooner Third Sea he tells of building and outfitting a schooner that he sailed for 18 years around the Pacific and Asian waters, including many rivers of Asia. From aboard Schooner Third Sea he dove on wrecks and discovered HMS Repulse
HMS Repulse (1916)
HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
and President Kennedy’s PT-109
Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109
PT-109 was a PT boat last commanded by Lieutenant, junior grade John F. Kennedy in the Pacific Theater during World War II...
but was run out before he could salvage the wreck. From his experiences in China he wrote Take China, The Last of the China Marines, and from his time in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as aid to Ambassador Jefferson Caffery
Jefferson Caffery
Jefferson Caffery served as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador , Colombia , Cuba , Brazil , France , and Egypt .-Career:...
came his novel The Tower & The River. In his travels Stephens wrote about the people he met, treasure divers, pirate chieftains, expat tycoons, renegade artists, and it is these characters who appears in his books At Home in Asia and Tales from the Pacific Rim.
He began exploring the Oriental Jungle with the Malay Game Warden (who became a close friend), taking stock of the wild elephants, rhino, tigers and other wildlife. The jungle trips and his search for lost cities and Khmer ruins gave him good story material for Return to Adventure Southeast Asia.
He also writes about history in For the Love of Siam, The Story of King Narai and His Greek Foreign Minister, and he reveals his trade secrets on becoming a writer in The Education of a Travel Writer.
See also
The Last Voyage - The Story of Schooner Third Sea (ISBN 0-9642521-3-9)Who Needs a Road? (ISBN 0-9642521-5)
The Education of a Travel Writer (ISBN 0-9786951-2-7)
External links
- http://www.wolfendenpublishing.com/cms/
- http://www.wolfendenpublishing.com/cms/?page_id=585#3
- http://www.haroldstephens.net/
- http://www.transasiaexpedition.com