Gil Brewer
Gil Brewer was an American writer born on November 20, 1922, in Canandaigua, New York. He developed a passion for writing at a young age, inspired by his father's work in magazines. Brewer's life was significantly shaped by his experiences during World War II, where he served in Europe. Upon returning home, he faced familial challenges, including his father's struggles with alcoholism and mental health. This tumultuous environment led Brewer to seek a writing career, despite resistance from his family, particularly from his mother.
After a period of hardship, including living in a rooming house, Brewer found success with his writing, eventually marrying fellow writer Belle Verlaine. However, his personal life was marred by substance abuse, leading to a breakdown in the 1960s that halted his writing for several years. A serious car accident in 1970 further impacted his health and writing productivity. Despite his struggles, Brewer's literary contributions are preserved at the University of Wyoming, where his collected papers and manuscripts are held. He passed away on January 9, 1983, leaving behind a complex legacy shaped by both his literary achievements and personal battles.
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Subject Terms
Gil Brewer
Fiction Writer
- Born: November 20, 1922
- Birthplace: Canandaigua, New York
- Died: January 9, 1983
Biography
Gil Brewer was born on November 20, 1922, in Cauandaigua, New York. He decided to become a writer at the age of nine after seeing his father write stories for magazines. Brewer was drafted into the army in the midst of World War II. He served in Europe, and returned to find that his family had moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he joined them.
Brewer returned to an unhappy family situation. His father drank heavily for many years before suffering a mental breakdown and being committed to a VA hospital. Since Gil wrote and drank, he reminded his mother too much of her husband. When Gil’s army checks stopped, she wanted him to get a regular job. When he insisted on following his writing, she threw him out of the house. Brewer had to live on the porch of a rooming house for months.
Brewer found work and met his future wife, Belle Verlaine, around the same time. Both were writers, and they discussed writing for hours at a time. However, Belle was married. She divorced her husband; she married Brewer in a private ceremony in South Carolina, and the couple moved into a small apartment in St. Petersburg. Almost immediately Brewer began selling his work, short stories at first and soon novels.
Brewer shunned publicity, not wanting to do interviews or media appearances. He wrote fitfully, writing one book in three days, to make money for the family’s subsistence. Brewer’s drinking continued as he grew older along with an increasing dependence on pills.
In the early 1960’s, Brewer had a breakdown, much like his father’s collapse years before. He couldn’t write for four years. After a long recovery, Brewer was able to write again and began taking on difficult assignments that consumed all of his time.
In 1970, Brewer nearly died from injuries sustained in a car accident. He had been driving drunk. Most of the rest of Brewer’s life was spent in bed. Brewer was in constant pain; he tried to stop drinking, but every effort failed. His work suffered for the years of abuse and he sold little in the last years of his life. Brewer passed away on January 9, 1983. Wyoming University has Brewer’s collected papers and manuscripts in their collection in Laramie.