Benjamin Appel

Not to be confused with Benjamin Appl.

Benjamin Appel (September 13, 1907 – April 3, 1977), was an American novelist specializing in detective and crime fiction, sometimes from a radical perspective.

Benjamin Appel
Born	September 13, 1907 New York City, New York
Died	April 3, 1977 Roosevelt, New Jersey
Occupation	Author of detective and crime fiction
Language	English
Nationality	American
Notable works	The Raw Edge (1958) The Funhouse, a.k.a. The Death Master (1959) Big Man, A Fast Man (1961) A Time of Fortune (1963) The Devil and W. Kaspar (1977) Brain Guy / Plunder (2005)
Spouse	Sophie Marshak (m. 1936)

Appel was born in New York City to Louis Appel and Bessie (née Mikofsky) and grew up in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. It was this experience that he drew upon when writing his novels.^[1] He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University, from 1925 to 1927, taking a B.S. from Lafayette College in 1929.^[2] Before he began earning a living from his writing, he was a bank clerk, farmer, lumberjack, factory-hand and a housing inspector for New York City. Appel married Sophie Marshak in 1936; they had three daughters.^[3]

He lived most of his life in Roosevelt, New Jersey, and died there in 1977.^[4][5]

Works

Maxim Lieber was Appel's literary agent in 1933 and 1935.

• Brain Guy, a.k.a. The Enforcer (1934)
• Four Roads to Death, a.k.a. Gold and Flesh (1935)
• Runaround (1937)
• The Power-House (1939)
• The Dark Stain (1943)
• But Not Yet Slain (1947)
• Fortress in the Rice (1951)
• Hell's Kitchen, a.k.a. Alley Kids (1952)
• Plunder (1952)
• Dock Walloper (1953)
• Sweet Money Girl (1954)
• Life and Death of a Tough Guy, a.k.a. Teen-Age Mobster (1955)
• The Raw Edge (1958, with cover photo by David Attie)
• The Funhouse, a.k.a. The Death Master (1959)
• Big Man, A Fast Man (1961)
• A Time of Fortune (1963)
• The Devil and W. Kaspar (1977)
• Brain Guy / Plunder (2005)

References

1. Osborn, Judith; Kihunrwa, Aika-Maria (2006). "Guide to the Benjamin Appel Papers 1928–1965". Northwest Digital Archives (NWDA). Retrieved May 24, 2010.
2. Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, vol. 2, R. Reginald, 1979, pg 800
3. Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, vol. 2, R. Reginald, 1979, pg 800
4. Jamieson, Wendell (January 1, 2006). "CITY LORE; Hard-Boiled Tales, Told by a Gentleman". The New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
5. "Biographical Sketch" (PDF). Appel, Benjamin; Papers 1932–1976. Skillman Library, Lafayette College. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 1, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2010.