Karl Marlantes

Date of Birth: December 24, 1944

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Biography

Karl Marlantes is an acclaimed American author and decorated Vietnam War veteran. Born in Seaside, Oregon, Marlantes attended Yale University on a National Merit Scholarship, graduating in 1967. He went on to become a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, but his studies were interrupted by his service in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Marlantes served as a second lieutenant and was awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten Air Medals for his bravery and service. After the war, Marlantes returned to civilian life and completed his education at Oxford. He later worked in business, but his experiences in Vietnam continued to deeply affect him. This led him to write “Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War,” which took him over 30 years to complete. The novel was published in 2010 to critical acclaim and won several literary awards. He followed up with “What It Is Like to Go to War,” a non-fiction work that delves into the psychological and moral aspects of combat. Marlantes’ work has been praised for its brutal honesty and deep insight into the human condition.

5 Interesting Facts about Karl Marlantes

1. Karl Marlantes’ novel “Matterhorn” took over 30 years to complete and was initially rejected by numerous publishers before finally being published.

2. Marlantes served as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the Vietnam War.

3. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where he studied before and after his military service.

4. “Matterhorn” won the 2011 William E. Colby Award, which recognizes a first work of fiction or non-fiction that has made a significant contribution to the understanding of intelligence operations, military history, or international affairs.

5. His non-fiction book “What It Is Like to Go to War” explores the psychological impact of warfare on soldiers and has been used in military training programs to help prepare soldiers for the mental challenges of combat.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Karl Marlantes

1. “War is society’s dirty work, usually done by kids cleaning up failures perpetrated by adults.”

2. “There is nothing so degrading as the constant anxiety of being surveilled.”

3. “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”

4. “The hardest thing of all for a soldier is to retreat.”

5. “Warriors do not fight for themselves; they fight for their brothers.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Karl Marlantes’ highest net worth is estimated to be around $5 million, primarily earned through his successful writing career and his earlier business ventures.

Children

Karl Marlantes has five children. Details about their names and personal lives have been kept relatively private, reflecting his desire to maintain a degree of separation between his public and private life.