Oscar Cook
Encyclopedia
Richard Martin Oscar Cook, known as Oscar Cook (?1888-1952), was a British author of novels, non-fiction works and short stories with a supernatural theme.
, and it was at this time that he compiled a vocabulary of Bajau
words. He later held District Officer posts.
On returning to Britain, he wrote an autobiographical account of his time in Borneo. It was suggested that he should approach the Curtis Brown literary agency
and the book was allocated to Christine Campbell Thomson, an agent there. It was she who gave the book its title, Borneo: Stealer Of Hearts and placed with Hurst & Blackett who published it in 1924. At the time it was considered one of the most authoritative books on Borneo. At the same time, Cook was writing short stories concerned with supernatural themes, several of which were directly influenced by his time in Borneo. By 1934 an autobiographical note accompanying one of his short stories stated that since his return to England he had been an author, editor, publisher, actor, secretary to a dramatic school, and in business.
Cook married Christine Campbell Thomson and they were divorced in 1938. Cook died in 1952.
Life
Cook worked as a Government official in British North Borneo from 1911 until 1919. In December 1914 he was Assistant District Officer at SempornaSemporna
Semporna is a town located in Tawau Division, in the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Its population was estimated to be around 133,000 in 2006.-History:...
, and it was at this time that he compiled a vocabulary of Bajau
Bajau
The Bajau or Bajaw , also spelled Bajao, Badjau, Badjaw, or Badjao, are an indigenous ethnic group of Maritime Southeast Asia...
words. He later held District Officer posts.
On returning to Britain, he wrote an autobiographical account of his time in Borneo. It was suggested that he should approach the Curtis Brown literary agency
Curtis Brown (literary agents)
Curtis Brown is a literary and talent agency based in London, UK. It was founded in 1899 by Albert Curtis Brown.-History:...
and the book was allocated to Christine Campbell Thomson, an agent there. It was she who gave the book its title, Borneo: Stealer Of Hearts and placed with Hurst & Blackett who published it in 1924. At the time it was considered one of the most authoritative books on Borneo. At the same time, Cook was writing short stories concerned with supernatural themes, several of which were directly influenced by his time in Borneo. By 1934 an autobiographical note accompanying one of his short stories stated that since his return to England he had been an author, editor, publisher, actor, secretary to a dramatic school, and in business.
Cook married Christine Campbell Thomson and they were divorced in 1938. Cook died in 1952.
Novels
- The Second Wave 1930 or earlier, translated into the Dutch as Gij zult niet (set on a rubber estate near Mount Kinabalu, North Borneo, with a theme of adultery)
Short stories
- Golden Lilies (Hutchinson's Adventure-Story Magazine, September 1922; Keep On The Light, 1933; More Not At Night, ed. Christine Campbell Thompson, Arrow 1961, 1963)
- Si Urag of the Tail (Hutchinson's Adventure-Story Magazine, January 1923; Weird TalesWeird TalesWeird Tales is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine first published in March 1923. It ceased its original run in September 1954, after 279 issues, but has since been revived. The magazine was set up in Chicago by J. C. Henneberger, an ex-journalist with a taste for the macabre....
, July 1926; You'll Need A Night Light, ed. Christine Campbell Thompson Selwyn & Blount September 1927; A Century Of Creepy Stories, Hutchinson 1934; 50 Strangest Stories Ever Told, Odhams, 1937; Still Not At Night, Arrow 1962, Creepy Stories Bracken 1994)
- On the Highway (Weird Tales, January 1925)
- The Great White Fear (Hutchinson's Adventure-Story Magazine, June 1925; Grim Death Selwyn & Blount, 1932; A Century of Creepy Stories Hutchinson, 1934; Creepy Stories Bracken, 1994)
- The Creature of Man (Weird Tales, November 1926)
- The Sacred Jars (Weird Tales, March 1927. Reprinted as When Glister Walks in Gruesome Cargoes, Selwyn and Blount July 1928; A Century Of Creepy Stories, Hutchinson 1934; 50 Strangest Stories Ever Told, Odhams, 1937; Not At Night: Tales That Freeze The Blood, Arrow, 1960, 1962; Creepy Stories Bracken, 1994)
- Piecemeal (By Daylight Only, October, 1929; Weird Tales, Feb 1930; Not At Night Omnibus, 1937; The Second Pan Book of Horror Stories, Pan 1960)
- Boomerang (Switch on the Light Selwyn & Blount, 1931; A Century of Creepy Stories, Hutchinson, 1934; The Second Pan Book of Horror Stories, Pan, 1960; Creepy Stories, Bracken, 1994. Dramatised by Rod SerlingRod SerlingRodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
as the Night GalleryNight GalleryNight Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although...
television series episode "The Caterpillar", first broadcast 1 March 1972)
- His Beautiful Hands (At Dead of Night Selwyn & Blount November 1931; Not At Night Omnibus, Selwyn and Blount 1937; The Pan Book of Horror Stories, ed Herbert Van Thal, 1959)
- Dog Death (Terror By Night, 1934)
- The Crimson Head-Dress (Nightmare By Daylight, 1936)