Gene Hackman was more than an actor: A look back at the 5 books he wrote
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman was known for his decades-long film career through "The French Connection," "Bonnie and Clyde," "Superman: The Movie" and more, but he had an impressive stint as an author, too.
Hackman died Wednesday alongside his wife, the pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog at their home, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office told Reuters on Thursday. He was 95.
While we look back on his most famous roles and collaborators, here’s a glimpse at the lesser-known side of Hackman's career – his books.
Gene Hackman books include historical fiction, westerns
Hackman authored and co-authored a total of five books, ranging from historical fiction novels to Old West epics. A Kirkus review of his first co-written novel, "Wake of the Perdido Star," said the story "delivers satisfying action and rousing derring-do."
He co-authored three historical fiction novels with park ranger and archaeologist Daniel Lenihan, published between 1999 and 2008.
The first, "Wake of the Perdido Star," is a coming-of-age story of a young boy growing up on the high seas, borrowing from Lenihan's expertise as one of the nation's leading authorities on shipwrecks and diving. "Justice for None" centers on racial injustice and the treatment of Black men and military veterans in America. And in the Civil War-era "Escape from Andersonville," a Union captain is captured alongside his men, eventually breaking out but vowing to return to save his soldiers.
Hackman also penned two solo novels, published in 2011 and 2013 by Simon & Schuster. The first, "Payback at Morning Peak," is a 19th-century Western novel about a teenager's search for justice and revenge after he finds his family murdered and their farm burned down. And "Pursuit," Hackman's final novel, is a police thriller following a by-the-book cop who discovers a disturbing personal connection in a cold case.
Gene Hackman books in order
- “Wake of the Perdido Star” with Daniel Lenihan (1999)
- “Justice for None” with Daniel Lenihan (2004)
- “Escape from Andersonville” with Daniel Lenihan (2008)
- “Payback at Morning Peak” (2011)
- “Pursuit” (2013)
Clare Mulroy is Paste BN’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.