Tom Clancy Essay Example

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Zaleski (4) conducted an interview where Clancy was asked about the possibility of changing houses; to this query Clancy responded: "Why should I change? I won't find a better financial opportunity elsewhere."

In the last five years of his life, Clancy faced personal challenges. In 1995, Wanda Thomas filed for divorce upon discovering Clancy's affair with Katherine Huang. The tank on their lawn was a symbol of their troubled marriage (Schindette 1). Expressing her feelings, Wanda stated, "I believed our marriage was comparable to most people's. I will always love him as the father of my children" (Schindette 2).

Following the divorce, Clancy met Alexandra Llewellyn through retired Gen. Colin Powell, one of her relatives. On June 26, 1999, the former television reporter and Clancy got married when she was aged 31. They currently live happily in Clancy's Chesapeake Bay estate.

Custody of the children was awarded to Wanda Thomas while Clancy pays $6,500 per month in child support—a responsibility he takes seriously. Family is highly valued by Clancy and regarded as the foundation of our purpose. Being a responsible father holds even greater importance for him. He once said, "If you neglect your kids, what good are you? I have learned some hard lessons in that regard.One of my biggest fears is lying on my deathbed regretting not spending more time with my children" (Greenberg 65).

A friend of theirs expressed that fame and money were factors that strained their marriage due to sudden success (Schindette 2). Despite challenges and successes in his personal life, Clancy's work has always remained unaffectedClancy's interest in writing began at a young age, although he did not publish any books until later

in life. He developed his passion during high school, particularly during a difficult junior year. To pursue his writing dreams, Clancy acquired a typewriter and started putting words on paper (Cohen 2). It was in 1971, after reading Frederic Forsyth's "Day of the Jackal," that Clancy found inspiration to write thrillers (Cohen 3). Determined to dedicate himself fully to this endeavor, he quit his job and set up his typewriter at his kitchen table. His goal was simple: to write a book and have it published under his own name – something he had desired since high school (Cerasini 59).

From November 1982 to February 1983, Clancy diligently worked on what would eventually become "The Hunt for Red October" (Cerasini 59). Once finished with the manuscript, he wasted no time in submitting it for publishing. The very next day, Clancy drove it personally to the Naval Institute in Annapolis and patiently awaited their evaluation. After three weeks, he received their positive judgment expressing their admiration for the book (Cerasini 59).

However, fate had some surprises in store for Clancy that exceeded even his wildest imagination. Reflecting on his hopes for success as an author, Clancy confessed that when he wrote "Red October," he never anticipated making much money from it; selling maybe just around 5,000 or 10,000 hardcover copies seemed like a reasonable expectation (Greenberg 123).Clancy's assumption was proven wrong when his new books became hugely successful, even earning praise from Ronald Reagan who called them "The perfect yarn" (Cohen 114). Clancy possesses a unique talent for empathy, stating that he can look at the world through someone else's eyes if given the chance to talk with

them for 30 or 40 minutes (Zaleski 5). His uncertainty about his writing career vanished after speaking with his agent for the first time. According to Clancy, during their initial conversation he asked his agent if he was good enough to pursue writing as a profession and received an affirmative response. As it turns out, his agent was right (Greenberg 59).

What may be even more impressive than Clancy's ability to create believable international thrillers is his accurate depiction of military technology, despite not having firsthand experience with it. When questioned about how he could write The Hunt for Red October without ever being on a submarine, Clancy explains that he gathers information from friends in the military and government (Zaleski 4). Although not all attempts to gather information from friends are successful, he admits that he has friendships with people in those fields and none of them have ever shared classified information with him. In fact, Clancy claims that making up classified stuff is easy for him and sometimes what he makes up ends up becoming real (Zaleski 5).However, Tom Clancy's project, The Hunt For Red October, exceeded his expectations. This success led to a long list of achievements as he continued writing and publishing popular books such as The Cardinal in the Kremlin, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, Red Storm Rising, Sum of All Fears, and Debt of Honor. Each book brought him tremendous financial success. He even received $14 million just for signing the contract to write Without Remorse. Most of Clancy's books feature a protagonist named Jack Ryan who is often described as "a family guy and president's buddy." These characters

and storylines are heavily influenced by Clancy's own life experiences. For example, Jack Ryan's wife is an eye surgeon like Clancy's first wife Wanda. Additionally, Jack Ryan represents Clancy's aspirations and the life he desired: "You put a lot of yourself in all your characters. Ryan has more of me than most." Although Clancy initially wanted a military involvement and international mystery-filled life, he realized it was not feasible and used his writing as an escape into that world while leading a normal life with his wife and children.

Overall, Clancy incorporated his deep interest in military hardware into his popular stories (Zaleski 2).Clancy's friend compared his fascination with weapons to Hugh Hefner's attraction to women (Zaleski 2). Clancy himself believes that he has demonstrated the power of dreams, showing that even if it is your only possession, it can still lead to great achievements (Cohen 115). Apart from writing popular books, Clancy's works have been adapted into films and TV series. He also founded Red Entertainment, a company that markets software games and multimedia based on his books or concepts. When asked about expanding into software development, Clancy acknowledged the significant changes in the world over the past decade (Cohen 114).

According to Schindehette, Clancy earned $16 million in 1996 and $34 million in 1997. Alongside his financial success, Clancy has also made substantial contributions to military education. He has delivered lectures at esteemed institutions such as the FBI Academy, CIA, and NSA. Additionally, experts describe Clancy's work in audio literature as having a cinematic quality that lends itself well to spoken adaptations (Zinsser 1).

Despite demands from the entertainment industry, Clancy consistently achieves success by effectively

translating his brilliant ideas into written form.Clancy's writing process involves working from eight o'clock in the morning until lunchtime, but he admits that sustaining continuous productivity can be challenging. However, he finds it relatively easier to form the storyline by starting with a basic idea and following it through to a logical conclusion. Interestingly, Clancy acknowledges that even for himself, the conclusion to the "what if" statement is not always obvious. His writing serves as a discovery process for both himself and the reader. One of the reasons why Clancy enjoys his work so much is because every story is a new adventure for him. In fact, he once expressed that he feels like he's living the life he wanted through the books he writes.

Despite Tom Clancy's immense popularity as an author, not all readers are die-hard fans according to critics' views. One common criticism revolves around the lack of character development in Clancy's work. Some reviewers describe him as a "Master of Hardware," suggesting that his characters lack relatability due to being either larger-than-life heroes or traditional dark villains without any human or personal characteristics. Reviews of his book Rainbow Six were largely negative, with comments indicating predictability and dullness in terms of action and conclusion.Despite criticism from one critic who claimed that Clancy's novels lack provocative ideas and interesting characters, his book Op Center received negative feedback. Another critic compared Clancy's geopolitical thrillers to a cheap copy of Mission Impossible episodes, stating that they lacked variety with predictable plots involving international terrorist groups and American special forces led by ordinary individuals. These criticisms were attributed to the presence of stereotypical characters. Interestingly, despite

these negative reviews, Clancy's work remained popular among the general public. Rainbow Six outsold John Grisham's newest novel by 10% in its first week of release, and other books like Executive Orders and Rainbow Six also achieved significant sales numbers within their initial weeks. The success of Clancy's movies further reinforces his popularity, suggesting that the opinions of critics did not have an impact.Personally, I have mixed opinions about Clancy's books. Initially, I had a positive view of his work after reading some years ago and this was reinforced when I read two more for a paper recently. His stories were captivating, with vivid descriptions of military hardware in action sequences. Exploring foreign affairs and military strategy intrigued me as it provided insight into the decision-making process during times of war. Additionally, the experiences and perspectives of common soldiers were enjoyable to read about. The incorporation of intelligence agencies, specifically the CIA, added another layer of intrigue as classified information and covert operations were delved into.

However, after conducting research for my paper and reading negative reviews, my opinion changed. It became difficult to overlook the criticisms and focus solely on what I initially enjoyed. Consequently, I now agree with the critics that Tom Clancy's work often consists of long paragraphs describing uninteresting military equipment and characters lacking depth. This results in books that can exceed 800 pages.

Despite this change in perspective on his work as an author, I still hold great admiration for Tom Clancy as an individual. Perhaps other fans would have a similar shift in perception if they undertook the same research as myselfTom Clancy is known for his various roles as an

author, family man, and businessperson. In addition to these pursuits, he has a passion for firearms and owns a gun range in his basement where he prefers the Smith & Wesson .45-caliber revolver. This fondness for guns is evident in his writing, and he once expressed great interest in CIA agents' weapons during a visit to the White House.

Despite his love for firearms, Clancy also enjoys observing wildlife and does not harm them. Another hobby of his is owning major league sports franchises. Currently, he holds a 23% stake in the Baltimore Orioles and even made a $60 million bid to acquire the Minnesota Vikings but withdrew at the last moment without disclosing reasons.

Furthermore, Clancy acquired Camp Kaufman, a summer camp that caters to underprivileged Jewish children. This camp holds significant value to him as he prioritizes its protection.

As an acclaimed author of techno-thrillers, Tom Clancy draws inspiration from personal experiences and dreams when writing his books. Unfortunately, attempts to contact him for further information were unsuccessful.Despite his various commitments, including being a bestselling author, owning a multi-million dollar company, and even having a summer camp and professional baseball team, Tom Clancy manages to lead a fulfilling life while others struggle with stress and seek an escape. However, he rarely grants interviews and prefers the comfort of his own home. Reflecting on this paper, I would have chosen to explore the works of Shel Silverstein or Dr.Seuss as I find their artistic creations captivating and intriguing. Nevertheless, I am glad that I chose to focus on Tom Clancy because it taught me a valuable lesson about perseverance in pursuing dreams despite obstacles.

Bibliography:
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- Cohen, Rich. "Master of War." Rolling Stone December 1994:114.
- Greenberg, Martin H. The Tom Clancy Companion. New York: Berkley Books, 1992.
- "RedStorm Entertainment.com" RedStorm Entertainment, 1999.
- Cerasini, Marc A. Tom Clancy's Fiction: The Birth of a Techno Thriller. New York: Berkley Books,
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- Zaleski Jeff."The Hunt for Tom Clancy." Publishers Weekly 15 July 1998.
- Schindehette Susan."Storm Rising." People Magazine 15 June 1998:141.
- Clancy,Tom.Op Center.New York:Berkley Publishing Corp.,1995.
- Clancy,Tom.Sum of All Fears.New York:Berkley Publishing Corp.,1992.
-Clancy,Tom.Red Storm RisingNew York: Putnam Books, 1986.
Hitbrand, David. "Tom Clancy's Op Center." People Magazine 27 February 1995:12.
"There's No Pot of Gold at the End of Clancy's Rainbow Six'." The Washington Post 7 September 1998, Final ed.
Zinsser, John. "Clear and Present Sounds." Publishers Weekly 3 July 1998: pages N/A.
Maryles, Daisy. "Clancy's Latest Victory." Publishers Weekly 17 August 1998: pages N/A.