The Loo Sanction
Avon, 1974. Item #84754
First Avon printing. Very Good condition.
Who is Trevanian?
Trevanian was the pen name of **Rodney William Whitaker**, an American novelist and film scholar whose career is one of the more fascinating cases of deliberate literary anonymity in the 20th century.
Who he was. Whitaker (1931–2005) wrote bestselling novels across multiple genres—thrillers, satire, historical fiction, coming‑of‑age narratives—while fiercely guarding his identity. For decades, even his publishers didn’t know who he really was. He also wrote under several other pseudonyms, including **Nicholas Seare**, **Beñat Le Cagot**, and **Edoard Moran**.
A trained dramatist and film scholar, he earned degrees from the University of Washington and a doctorate from Northwestern, later teaching communications and film at several colleges. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and spent many years living in the Basque countryside of France.
Why he mattered
Between 1972 and 1983, **five of his novels sold more than a million copies each**, an extraordinary feat for a writer who refused publicity. Critics described him as “the only writer of airport paperbacks to be compared to Zola, Ian Fleming, Poe, and Chaucer,” a testament to his blend of genre storytelling with literary craft.
Major works
His books are strikingly varied, but a few stand out:
**The Eiger Sanction** (1972) — the thriller that made him famous, later adapted into a Clint Eastwood film.
- **Shibumi** (1979) — his most enduring novel, a philosophical thriller introducing the legendary assassin Nicholai Hel.
- **The Main** (1976) — a moody, character‑driven crime novel set in Montreal.
- **The Summer of Katya** (1983) — a psychological tale with gothic undertones.
- **The Crazyladies of Pearl Street** (2005) — a semi‑autobiographical novel about growing up in poverty in Albany.
### His legacy
Trevanian’s cult following has only grown since his death. His daughter, Alexandra Whitaker, now manages his literary estate and has overseen renewed interest in his work, including posthumous projects and discussions about unpublished manuscripts.
Price: $25.00