Herbert's influences

[Egeides]

Herbert's wife, Beverly, got an influence on his work. Does anyone know what she was doing and which influence she got exactly?

I also know some other things that influences Frank Herbert, or may have influenced him:

- He studied of ecology and got influenced seriously

- He studied sand dunes (Arisona? For the army I read)

- He was in the NAVY (it may have influenced him, no?)

- He was writing speeches for Republicans (only them)

- He was liberal, and atheist. Also, he didn't liked bureaucracies at all

- He wrote Dune as the world that comes out naturally from nihil (from an interview)

- He was reading classics. He was also searching new litterary stuff (from an interview)

That's pretty much everything I have, and this is dim. I'd like to develop the subject as much as possible to get a coherent view of all this, so feel free to add influences and possible influences, or to develop on any of the ones already there.

What do we know about what influenced him? :)

[Vanguard3000]

An interesting topic, Egeides, although I've come to expect nothing less from you.

In a nutshell, Mr. Herbert [as well as almost any other authour, no doubt] wrote through his own experience more than anything else.  What he hadn't already known about, he researched.

Your list is very good from what I know of Mr. Herbert, although I also know that he was also a "newspaperman" (I'm not sure what this entails entirely, although I believe he did do some reporting).  Although there's not much evidence of this experience in Dune, one of the main characters in Man of Two Worlds ran a newspaper company.

I'll probably be getting a copy of Dreamer of Dune by the end of the week, so when I get around to reading it, I'll make sure to note anything not already on your list.  I just hope the Herbert Partnership doesn't sue me for it.  ;)

[Egeides]

Thanks Vanguard :) In parralel: Do we know anything about his childhood?

There's that biography of Frank by Brian. It is said to have alot about Brian but it may be worth it.

I could also note that I read in some interview that Frank got a weird experience. A girl showed him cards and he guessed them all, one after another, while only the girl saw the cards which were face back to Frank. It never happened again and Frank considered that there probably was some explanation. Anyway, it seemed to have impressed him and we could make links with the BG and so on.

[Khan]

From reading Dreamer of Dune, it says that his Jesuit aunts were the influence for the Bene Gesserit, hence the similar sounding names.

[Emperor Harkonnen]

it is said in God Emperor, that Bene Gesserits are very like the Jesuits of old Terra. So what you say Khan must be correct.

[Khan]

Really? Where does it say that?

[Emperor Harkonnen]

I don't remember the exact page, but somewhere around 100. I can find it if you would like to know it.

[TMA_1]

if I remember right, Leto II said that the jesuits werent the offsrping. Not the opposite.

Wasent he a cameraman? also a journalist, He wasI think that since he talks about writing entry's. Also some of the entries from songs of muad'dib mention they are from newspapers.

(by the way vanguard, I read the one about brian and his trumpet playing.hehe  I suggest the poem on page 55, the zensunni theme, my favorite in the book.)

[Harq al-Harba]

Certainly FH learned quite a bit about Arabic culture to develop Fremen culture.  Does anyone know if he had an outside interest in Arabic culture, or if he studied it mainly to write Dune?

al Harba

[Emperor Harkonnen]

I think he traveled to middle-eastern and north african countries. I think he had to have this as an outside interest, not sure though

[nemafakei]

"- He was reading classics"

Are you saying 'He was studying Roman and ancient greek civilisations and languages', or something else?

[Egeides]

In an interview, Brian said that his father was reading classic litterature. as I remember, I think it meant "reknowned". It may well include Greek and Roman though, espescially when we know that Agamemnon is included into Dune.