Anton Myrer Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Anton Myrer was a best-selling author and USMC veteran. He is known for writing his 1968 novel Once an Eagle, the story of an officer in the Army along with his family from the time of before the first World War all the way up to Vietnam, as well as his 1978 novel The Last Convertible, which was about the American experience that took place during the second World War and after it. Once an Eagle was made into a television miniseries that aired in 1976, while The Last Convertible was adapted into a television miniseries that aired in 1979. Myrer also wrote the 1958 movie In Love and War(known by “The Big War” initially and based on the novel by the same name).

Anton was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on November 3, 1922. In the course of his career he would come to write eight novels. He is praised for writing books that accurately depict the lives of those in the military in times of combat and peace. Anton Olmstead Myrer is also celebrated every year on October 14 as part of Anton Myrer Army Leader Day by the U.S. Army War College, where they discuss issues of leadership on a strategic level. They also issue the Anton Myrer Strategic Leadership Writing Award on the graduation day every year.

The author grew up in Boston, graduating high school in 1940 and preparing in New Hampshire at Phillips Exeter Academy prior to being accepted and entering into Harvard College as part of the future Class of 1945 that fall in 1941. His time there was interrupted by the Pearl Harbor attack, and he tried to sign up for the Army Reserve but was rejected. He was enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942 and was accepted, seeing action in the Battle of Guam and the Mariana Islands occupation. Anton was wounded in Guam, promoted to corporal, and discharged in 1946. He would go back to Harvard and graduated in May 1947 with an A.B. magna cum laude.

He got married to Judith Rothschild, an artist, in August of 1947. They moved to Rosemead, California. Soon Evil Under the Sun was published by Random House in 1951, his first novel. The author worked low paying jobs that did not require skill to provide for his family but The Big War came out in 1957 from Appleton-Century-Crofts, and the success was both critical and financial. It would lead to co-writing a screenplay for the film that would become In Love and War. He moved to the New York in 1960 to his country home and his Cape Cod summer home waiting in Massachusetts. More of his novels would be published and do well, including Once an Eagle. The author would divorce his wife in 1970 and remarry Patricia Schartle, all while continuing to write. He passed away of leukemia on January 19, 1996.

The Big War is a 1959 novel and the second to come out from accomplished author Anton Myrer. The popular book would eventually be adapted into a movie of its own that originally held the same name before being changed to “In Love and War”. This is the story of Marines and Americans that were sons, fathers, husbands.

This panoramic tale tells of Marines who are stationed in the Pacific during the second World War. It follows along with Alan Newcombe, a man who goes to Harvard and knows all about Boston society. It is also the story of Danny Kantaylis, a man that was born to be a leader. There’s also the constantly fighting in bar rooms individual known as Jay O’Neill.

The author tells of war without glorifying it to the reader or building it up to mythical proportions. Those who have seen war will be able to relate to a realistic telling of what war is like from someone who’s been through it and appreciate the validity it lends to the text. When Marines are trapped during a war in horrible fighting conditions, the reader will see things through their point of view and even develop an appreciation for the detailed storytelling someone like Myrer has to offer. This story covers who the fighters are at home and what happens to them, ultimately, on the battlefield.

The Intruder is a 1965 novel from Myrer and an interesting foray into the science fiction genre more so than the author’s other books. When an intruder starts to mess with the computer system that runs the lives of thousands in a city, it’s a problem. The computer runs everything, and the city is now headed for disaster, with their only chance of salvation and defense against this being the actual computer. Can they fix this tech problem for good before everything goes haywire? Read this book to find out!

Once An Eagle is the 1968 novel written by Anton Myrer. The book is said to be required reading when it comes to Marines and is brought forth and used in West Point leadership training. Once An Eagle is regarded as a military literature classic as well as a guide to morality, core values, and honorable conduct for those in this profession. It would be adapted into a miniseries for television that starred Sam Elliott and Glenn Ford. The book was an international best seller and made it into 19 different languages, as did The Last Convertible.

A Green Desire is the final novel to come out from Anton Myrer, his eighth. This is the story of two brothers that are very different. One wants to join high society and buys his way there and Harvard and Wall Street too. Meanwhile, his brother stays with his mother and climbs up as well, but without using prestige or money to do so.

The two have been raised in different worlds but also share their rivalry over gaining power and riches. They also are in love with the same woman. When she turns out to love one more than the other, can the other brother survive the rejection? Read this saga for yourself to find out what happens!